We’re looking forward to introducing you to Joanna Tsanis Neheli. Check out our conversation below.
Joanna, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
I start every morning chatting over coffee with my husband while we entertain our 4-month-old baby girl. She saw her first snowfall recently and was utterly captivated.
After my husband heads to work, I put our baby down for her first nap of the day and usually manage to sneak in about 45-minutes of writing. Ironically, I write way more since becoming a parent. You’d think it would be the opposite, but maybe all those baby snuggles motivate the creativity.
I spend most of the day with my beautiful daughter, our wonderful families, and chasing our pug Pickles… who has recently declared war on the couch pillows.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a screenwriter and director. My feature debut THE KILLGRIN (starring Konstantina Mantelos) was released this year by Dark Sky Films. It’s been a phenomenal experience sharing our monster movie with the world. I’ve also directed several short films and two episodes of Screambox’s anthology series Bloody Bites.
My goal is to create the kind of nostalgic genre movies that back in the day you would’ve rented from the weird section at Blockbuster – the kind that make you want to buy a t-shirt (or make one)… the memorable kind that tend to polarize, but those who love them LOVVVVE them.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Maybe it’s a trite answer but in all honesty, my daughter has put everything into perspective in the best possible way.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
A lot of people say “comparison is the thief of all joy”, but I think ‘pride’ is the actual culprit. As artists, humility is invaluable to our sanity, and something i’ve learned over the years is that humility is not something you either have or don’t have. It’s something you need to actively work on your whole life. I think people would be shocked at how much joy and fulfillment is being caged by their pride.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Maybe some would assume a person who makes monster movies for a living has an equally eccentric lifestyle, but I am more for the simple things in life -hanging out with family, cooking for friends, reading to our baby- stuff life that.
Foundational philosophy: omnia vincit amor!
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I would throw my smartphone into the ocean.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://joannatsanis.com
- Instagram: @joannatsanis
Image Credits
Photos by Daniel Yuan and Randy Singh
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
