Rachel Goldberg Explained

Rachel Goldberg is an American film and television director, writer, and professor of film and media arts. She is known for her independent short films and her more recent work directing genre television.

Early life and education

Goldberg graduated as a member of the University of Pennsylvania class of 1996 with a BA in Theatre and Psychology.[1] Following graduation Goldberg pursued theatre, collaborating with fellow graduates to independently produce a four-part theatrical summer series with each person directing one play while serving as the cast and crew for the other productions.[2] Goldberg then attended the California Institute of the Arts where she earned an interdisciplinary MFA in Directing for Film, Theatre and Television.[3] It was here where Goldberg found her affinity for film and decided to pursue film and television directing in addition to theatre, which she calls her first love.[4]

Career

Goldberg began her career writing and directing experimental theatre, and continues that work along with her work in film and television. Goldberg's short films centred marginalized voices, dealing with themes of social justice, racial bias and societal inequality, abuse, and the transformative power of unlikely friendships. Since transitioning to directing episodic television in 2017, Goldberg has worked on over a dozen productions encompassing a range of genres including comic book, horror, true crime, mystery, and fantasy. Due to her work on Raising Dion and American Horror Story, Goldberg was recognized as one of 20 emerging female directors primed for studio projects by the Alice Initiative in 2020.[5]

Film

Goldberg made her film directorial debut with Man, Where's My Shoe? In 2004. The 22 minute short was co-directed with at-risk teenage girls involved with a Los Angeles-based non-profit, Goldberg acted as their directing mentor and producer.[6]

As one of eight women selected for 2010–2011 class of the American Film Institute's Directing Workshop for Women, Goldberg directed and cowrote her third short film Neighbors.[7] Jonathan Pope Evans wrote the initial screenplay, based on a reclusive mutual friend, before collaborating with Goldberg on subsequent drafts specifically for the program.[8] The following year, Goldberg was selected for Film Independent’s Project Involve where she wrote and directed Rosita Lopez for President.[9] [10] Her next project, MUTED, began as a Kickstarter campaign created by scriptwriter Brandi Nicole.[11] The film premiered at the 18th annual American Black Film Festival in June 2014 to critical acclaim, receiving the HBO Short Film Award and $10,000 grand prize.[12] The film aired on HBO in February 2015 to honour of Black History Month.[13] Also in 2014, Goldberg was selected for the 16th annual Film Independent Screenwriting Lab for her feature-length screenplay Transformation Awaits based on her 2012 short film, Neighbors.[14] Again, Goldberg collaborated with Jonathan Pope Evans to write the script that would become an academy's Nicholl Fellowship quarterfinalist and win the Grand Prize for LGBTQ screenplay at the 2014 Rhode Island International Film Festival.[15] [16]

Television

In 2016, Ryan Murphy launched his Half initiative with the goal of achieving directorial gender and racial parity in his television productions.[17] The next year, Goldberg made her television debut directing episode seven of .[18] Prior to this, Goldberg, along with other Half directors, struggled to break into the world of episodic television and feature films with productions companies and networks unwilling to give female directors their first major project.[19] In a 2017 panel hosted by FX Networks, the women credited Murphy for initiating them into the world of high budget productions, noting that with a major project under their belt, opportunities began to materialize like never before.[20]

Following her experience directing under Half, Goldberg continued her genre television career directing episodes of Veronica Mars, Raising Dion, and Cloak & Dagger in 2019.[21] In 2021, Goldberg directed the first two episodes of Grendel, a Netflix series based on Matt Wagner's comic book series of the same name, written and produced by Andrew Dabb.[22] Goldberg and Dabb worked together previously on Netflix's Resident Evil.[23] The series was cancelled while completing its filming in 2022, leaving the partially complete eight-episode season in post production limbo with the option to shop the series to other distributors.[24]

In early 2023, it was announced that Goldberg was tapped by Marvel to direct the Wandavision spin-off, Agatha All Along alongside head writer and executive producer Jac Schaeffer and Wednesday director Gandja Monteiro.[25] The show completed filming prior to the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strike but had its released pushed back to the lead-up to Halloween 2024.[26]

In July 2023, The Hollywood Reporter announced Goldberg's feature directorial debut with action comedy, The BM, written by Family Guy alum Shawn Ries and Artie Johann.[27]

Academia

In 2015, Goldberg joined the faculty of Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts where she taught courses on story telling through film.[28] In 2019, Goldberg and a fellow film and media arts professor established The Female Gaze Film Festival to celebrate and share media with a female perspective.[29]

Filmography

Short films

YearTitleRole
2004Man, Where's My Shoe?Director, producer
2007Bottle RocketsDirector
2012NeighborsDirector, writer
2012Rosita Lopez for PresidentDirector, writer
2014MutedDirector
2015Francisco y DavidAssociate producer
2017BettasExecutive producer
2017AlphaExecutive producer

Television

YearTitleRoleEpisode(s)
2017Director""
2019Cloak & DaggerDirector"Alignment Chart"
2019Veronica MarsDirector"Heads You Lose"
2019Raising DionDirector"Issue #103: Watch Man" "Issue #104: Welcome to BIONA. Hope You Survive the Experience"
2020The SinnerDirector"Part VII"
2021American GodsDirector"Fire and Ice"
2018–2021Mayans M.C.Director"Cucaracha/K'uruch" "Xquic" "Overreaching Don't Pay"
2022Resident EvilDirector"Home Movies" "Revelations"
2022Friend of the FamilyDirector"The Mission" "Articles of Faith"
2022GrendelDirector"Devil by the Dead" "Baptism for the Devil"
2023Gen VDirector"Jumanji"
2024Agatha All AlongDirector

Awards

YearNominated workAwardAwarding bodyResultShared with
2009Bottle RocketsJury prizeLas Vegas International Film FestivalScott Sullivan · Jamon Scot
2012NeighborsBest Short Films by WomenBurbank International Film Festival
2012NeighborsAlternative Spirit AwardRhode Island International Film Festival
2014NeighborsBest Narrative ShortTranslations: The Seattle Transgender Film Festival
2014Rosita Lopez for PresidentHB0 Jury AwardMiami Gay and Lesbian Film FestivalDanni Conner
2014Rosita Lopez for PresidentBest Live Action ShortNewFilmmakers Los Angeles
2014Rosita Lopez for PresidentOverall Best ShortRiver Bend Film Festival, US
2014Transformation AwaitsBest ScreenplayRhode Island International Film FestivalJonathan Evans
2014MutedDirector's Choice AwardRhode Island International Film FestivalBrandi Nicole · Tara Tomicevic
2014MutedShort Film AwardAmerican Black Film FestivalBrandi Nicole
2015Welcome to CamelotBest ScreenplayRhode Island International Film Festival
2015MutedOutstanding Independent ShortBlack Reel AwardBrandi Nicole
2015MutedSpecial Jury AwardSoHo International Film FestivalBrandi Nicole · Tara Tomicevic
2015MutedGrand Jury AwardSoHo International Film Festival
2015MutedBest Short FilmMinneapolis St. Paul International Film FestivalBrandi Nicole
2015MutedBest Dramatic Short FilmDowntown Film Festival Los AngelesBrandi Nicole · Tara Tomicevic
2015NeighborsThe Director List AwardConnect Film Festival, AUS
2015NeighborsBechdel Award for StorytellingConnect Film Festival, AUS
2015NeighborsBest Picture (Best Director, Best Writer & Best Producer)Connect Film Festival, AUSJonathan Evans · Bela Goldberg
2016Welcome to CamelotDonna Rothstein Excellence in Screenwriting AwardGarden State Film Festival
Source:[30]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Diamond . Kelly . 2014-06-27 . Penn Alumni You Should Know About: Vol. 18 . 2023-10-06 . Penntertainment . en-US.
  2. Web site: Pasternak . Karen . 1997-05-16 . Theater students hope to play producer role in new company . 2023-10-06 . www.thedp.com . The Daily Pennsylvanian . en-us.
  3. Web site: Clarita . City of Santa . 2016-02-04 . Thursdays@Newhall's on Main Street Final Lineup . 2023-10-06 . SCVNews.com . en-US.
  4. Web site: 2020-06-08 . Rachel Goldberg – Burbank ArtsBurbank Arts An Arts Destination . 2023-10-06 . Burbank Arts . en-US.
  5. Web site: Ford . Rebecca . 2020-01-15 . Alice Initiative Reveals Annual List of Emerging Female Directors . 2023-11-02 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  6. Web site: 2005-08-09 . HOLLYSHORTS EXPOSED . 2023-10-06 . Film Threat . en-US.
  7. Web site: Beauchamp . Cari . 2011-05-11 . Cholodenko Hosts AFI Directing Workshop for Women Showcase . 2023-10-06 . IndieWire . en-US.
  8. Web site: Disarray . 2012-09-21 . Filmmakers Spotlight: Interview with Director Rachel Goldberg of "Neighbors" . 2023-10-06 . DISARRAY . en.
  9. Web site: savage . sophia . 2011-11-09 . Film Independent Names 30 Filmmakers for 2012 Project Involve; Speakers Include Pariah's Rees & Cooper . 2023-10-06 . IndieWire . en-US.
  10. Web site: Kushigemachi . Todd . 2011-11-10 . Film Independent sets 30 for program . 2023-10-06 . Variety . en-US.
  11. Web site: Jack . Fisher . 2015-02-10 . 'Muted' Shows What Happens if You're Black and Go Missing (Watch) . 2023-10-06 . EURweb . en-US.
  12. Web site: 2014-06-21 . HBO Spotlights Short Films at ABFF Awards Competition . 2023-10-06 . The Shadow League . en-US.
  13. Web site: Workneh . Lilly . 2014-07-03 . 'Muted': Powerful film explores being black and missing . 2023-10-06 . TheGrio . en-US.
  14. Web site: Folsom . Jake . 2014-09-10 . Film Independent Announces 9 Lucky Writers For Coveted 'Screenwriting Lab' Program . 2023-10-06 . IndieWire . en-US.
  15. Web site: 2014 Oscars.org Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . 2023-10-06 . www.oscars.org . en.
  16. Web site: 2014-11-10 . RI International Film Festival Announces 2014 Screenplay Winners . 2023-10-06 . GoLocalProv . en.
  17. Web site: Andreeva . Nellie . 2021-07-01 . Ryan Murphy's Half Initiative Names Participants In First Production Assistant Intensive Program . 2023-10-06 . Deadline . en-US.
  18. Web site: Listings TheFutonCritic.com – The Web's Best Television Resource . 2023-11-01 . www.thefutoncritic.com.
  19. Web site: Blyth . Antonia . 2017-08-10 . Ryan Murphy's Half Foundation Is Life-Changing For Female Directors – TCA . 2023-10-06 . Deadline . en-US.
  20. Web site: Montpelier . Rachel . 2017-08-10 . Female TV Directors Share Stories, Talk Ryan Murphy's Half Program at FX Panel . 2023-10-06 . womenandhollywood.com . en-US.
  21. Web site: Rachel Goldberg Director, Writer, Producer . 2023-10-06 . IMDb . en-US.
  22. Web site: Rosario . Alexandra Del . 2021-09-14 . Netflix Orders 'Grendel' Series Based On Dark Horse Comic With Abubakr Ali To Star, 8 More Cast . 2023-10-06 . Deadline . en-US.
  23. Web site: Bell . BreAnna . 2022-09-27 . 'Grendel' TV Series Adaptation Not Moving Forward at Netflix . 2023-10-06 . Variety . en-US.
  24. Web site: Petski . Denise . 2022-09-29 . 'Grendel' Star Abubakr Ali Responds To Netflix Series Cancellation & What It Means For Muslim Representation: "There Is A Space & Need For Stories Like This" . 2023-10-06 . Deadline . en-US.
  25. Web site: Kit . Borys . 2023-01-13 . 'Agatha: Coven of Chaos' Sets Directors as Production Readies for Next Week . 2023-10-06 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  26. Web site: Kit . Borys . 2023-09-01 . Marvel Shuffles TV Calendar with New Dates for 'Agatha,' 'Echo,' X-Men '97' (Exclusive) . 2023-10-06 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  27. Web site: Kit . Borys . 2023-07-06 . Rachel Goldberg to Direct Action Comedy 'The BM' for MarVista (Exclusive) . 2023-10-06 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  28. Web site: Bryant . Jacob . 2015-09-03 . Industry Vets Join Dodge College of Film and Media Arts Faculty . 2023-10-06 . Variety . en-US.
  29. Web site: 2022-08-18 . The Female Gaze Film Festival – Dodge College of Film and Media Arts . 2023-10-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220818174417/https://blogs.chapman.edu/dodge/announcement/the-female-gaze-film-festival/ . 2022-08-18 .
  30. Web site: Rachel Goldberg – Awards . 2023-10-16 . IMDb . en-US.