Lisanne Moliné ’16
“Thinking Wide Open is not just about learning it…it’s DOING it.”
–Lisanne Moliné
Film producer Lisanne Moliné ’16 serves as a Board Member for the Purchase College Alumni Association and is an Ambassador at the London Film School, where she is currently studying in the Master of Art International Film Business degree program. As Ambassador, she organizes professional film shoots and creates content for social media/websites for her program in conjunction with the London Film School and University of Exeter College of Humanities.
A Proactive Purchase Student
Moliné had many internships while at Purchase with the intention to be well-rounded in the film industry. She says, “They have benefited my academic skill set. Sometimes students only focus on their concentration not realizing that often the arts cross-pollinate.”
“From the first day I attended classes on campus I made a point to schedule a meeting with my professors and talk to them about my goals and why I am here. I believe this is important for any student. Start the mentoring relationship early on and develop a strong network. Seizing the opportunity to attend career development functions to aid students in preparing for entry into the workplace post-graduation is also very important. Many of my connections I would not have if it weren’t for the seminars I attended at Purchase. Steady quality relationships are key to building a career and a future in your designated profession.”
Life after Purchase
After graduation Moliné enrolled in the TV Writers Studio MFA program Writing and Producing for Television at LIU Brooklyn/Steiner Studios, but soon realized being in a writers’ room was not her calling, and gravitated more as a showrunner. She transferred to Sacred Heart University’s MA program Film and Television Production, recalling, “Here I had more opportunities to build upon what I had learned at Purchase under Professor Dean Bell’s Writers Scene Workshop class that pushed me to taking on more of a producer’s role.”
With one year left in the program Moliné decided to finish with the London Film School MA International Film Business. Moliné adds: “This is a producers’ conservatory and the only one like it in the world. I followed the same strategy of being well-rounded as I did at Purchase with my internships. Not being afraid of change and recognizing your true calling is more important than sticking it out in a program that just isn’t the right fit. Often students are afraid to change, being worried about what other people think or what they are expected to do. Giving yourself space and listening to what your inner self is telling you will bring you closer to who you are and in a better position to flourish in the area you were meant for. Purchase gave me the tools, but the responsibility lies on ourselves as students to use them and be consistent about it.”
Keeping connected and active in the film industry led to a position as a script researcher seven months after graduation. The production company, pleased by her work ethic and skill set offered her, within two weeks, the opportunity to write a feature film for television or take on the role as development executive and oversee a Los Angeles writers room; Moliné chose the position as development executive, formed a New York writers room and at the end of eight months in March 2017 she developed an impressive number of projects, including script contracts, script treatments, several dozen sell sheets, and approximately 200 pitches.
“This record launched me as independent producer and in November 2017 I formed East End Avenue Productions LTD with a stable of ten writers,” Moliné said. “I relocated overseas to England, wrapping up my masters and embarking on my PhD this September 2019 on Pupillometry and Light Conditions in Cinema. The skills I learned from Purchase I continue to flex as I connect with distributors and international filmmakers.”
Plans for the Future
Moliné is taking full advantage of her proximity to the European film festivals by recently attending the Berlinale. “I learned much about the film industry when I chose to relocate to England. Digital disruption has sent a shock wave globally and many people don’t really know what the future is, particularly for the independent filmmaker as they are caught between the studio model system and the digital giants. I am seizing the opportunity to co-produce internationally and bridge the US with Europe by pulling my network from North America together with my European connections. The strategy is proving very successful as it has created an artistic paella with both continents contributing skills, knowledge, expertise, and projects into the fold to collaborate and produce.”
Words of Advice
“Many challenges will present themselves on your journey outside Purchase. I always remember the advice of my actor father, ‘Have fun. As soon as you’re not having fun anymore then something is wrong.’ It’s the joy of doing what we love that keeps us going through the ups and downs of the industry. Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ to a project. If you can’t have fun doing it then it’s not the right one for you.”
—Written by Susan Kouguell, Lecturer in Screenwriting