We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mia, Joelle Lastrella, Westwood. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mia, Joelle below.
Mia, Joelle, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
<b>Joelle Westwood:</b> While I believe some people are naturally inclined toward a strong work ethic, I think ‘work ethic’ is simply the byproduct of desire. Lots of people like the idea of success—whether it’s fame or any other ambition—but don’t actually want commit to time-consuming, hard tasks. And who can blame them? That said, those tasks become much easier when you set tangible, achievable goals. Consistency really helps motivate us; celebrate the little wins. Also, pivot. Pivot a lot.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
<b>Joelle Westwood:</b> Mia and I met, along with the rest of our friend group, on BumbleBFF (it’s okay, you can cringe) in the fall of 2020. After being friends for awhile, we started writing a very long, very complicated fantasy feature film. And then another one. Our love of writing conflicted heavily with what we know about the industry; that it was hard to stumble into. We wanted to present a united front, rather than two desperate writers begging for financing—which, let’s be honest, we were, and made it official. Thus, Western (from my last name, Westwood) Star (from hers, Lastrella) was born. We then devised a plan to attend the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. While at the festival, I worked with Utopia Distribution, and Mia with CAA, but our main focus was using those two weeks to attend meetings, pitch our scripts, and network with anyone willing to listen. Though our scripts didn’t gain much traction, we found something even more important—clarity on what we truly wanted to do with our lives. Nearly two years later, Western Star has produced dozens of narrative films and is looking forward to the larger projects currently underway.
<b>Mia Lastrella:</b> Western Star Entertainment Group has a focus on narrative film with an emphasis on culturally relevant subjects, sustainability, and female-empowered storytelling. Moving forward we are excited to explore different ways to collaborate with nonprofit organizations that have similarly aligned views to help promote both the cause and the films in progress. We have a couple of feature films in development that are thematically engaging and will spark conversation about the art. This is something we look for in every new project. Something that is simultaneously engaging and marketable.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
<b>Mia Lastrella: </b> Looking back, there were many impactful qualities to my career growth, trust, a willingness to learn, and savvy, all supported by a strong knowledge of the industry elevated my path as a professional in the industry. Trust—both in myself and in those I worked with—helped build meaningful relationships and garner new opportunities. While Joelle and I often divvy up our production jobs amongst ourselves when taking on a new project, we know and trust that each of us could take on any task set in front of us whether we typically perform them or not.
A willingness to learn kept me adaptable and open to growth. I had an unpaid internship early on in my journey that I used to soak up any and all information I could to prepare myself for post-graduate life. Following that, I do my best to continue to seek out industry resources and do my research on any relevant subject to keep up to date.
Savvy has allowed me the space to navigate challenges and make informed decisions as a business woman and a creative. We attended the Cannes Film Festival with no notable credits and had to work tirelessly to grow a network from scratch. Thinking on our feet and adapting to any conversation we could has opened windows of opportunity we otherwise might have missed.
For those just starting out, focusing on these qualities can be invaluable. We also utilize tools like the CliftonStrengths and Myers-Briggs personality tests that can provide deeper self-awareness, helping us balance our skillsets, identify our strengths and areas for improvement, ultimately guiding us toward success.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
<b>Joelle Westwood:</b> Yes. Always. We believe in creating meaningful art with passionate people. That said, right now, <i>we’re especially looking to team up with producers and companies that share our vision of creating change through film</i>. With our films moving forward, Western Star is committed to seek partnership with nonprofits and organizations that embodies the values and impact at the core of our projects.
Contact Info:
- Website: westernstarentertainmentgroup.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westernstarentertainment/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/western-star-entertainment-group
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@westernstarentertainment/shorts
Image Credits
Nora Rockwell
