Episode 166: Interview with Broad City Co-EP Ryan Cunningham
About Ryan:
RYAN ELIZABETH CUNNINGHAM (she/her) is a queer writer/director and Emmy and Peabody award-winning producer who recently launched the development company Running Woman with the goal of telling stories that haven’t been heard before.
She represented the TV projects THE FUGITIVE GAME (2018), TRANSMANIA (2019), and MARY (2020) in the IFP (now The Gotham) Project Forum. Ryan is very passionate about promoting equality, women’s issues, LGBTQ+ stories, and neurodiversity in her work.
She's EP/Director on the standup special ILANA GLAZER: THE PLANET IS BURNING (Amazon), the docuseries EXPECTING AMY (HBO Max), and an upcoming Pride special for Showtime. Select TV producer credits include BROAD CITY and INSIDE AMY SCHUMER (Comedy Central), SEARCH PARTY and THE LAST O.G. (TBS); LOUIE (FX); STRANGERS (Facebook); THE SHIVERING TRUTH (Adult Swim); HORACE AND PETE (Hulu); THE ELECTRIC COMPANY (PBS), as well as several prominent stand-up specials for Netflix and HBO, including Executive Producing AMY SCHUMER GROWING for Netflix.
Film producing credits include Rachel Israel's feature KEEP THE CHANGE, starring the first leading cast of actors on the autism spectrum and winner of Best Narrative Feature at Tribeca Film Festival 2017; BECKS, winner of the LA Film Festival 2017; and the ill-fated I LOVE YOU, DADDY, directed by Louis C.K., which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival.
She has also co-owned the NYC-based post house Running Man for the last decade. She lives in Brooklyn with her 10-year-old daughter who is on the autism spectrum and likes to build large art installations in various places around their apartment. Ryan is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design and co-chair of the RISD Fund, as well as working as an adjunct professor for the film department.
Focus on the job, not the ego.
What did I learn? What can I take forward with me?
Comedy is the ultimate puzzle.
Qualities:
- Utter commitment
- Inside and outside of art
Up your game:
- Time management
- Hire the right people
- Delegation
- Television is fast
- You need a team you can trust
Actors creating your own work: Work in an outline form before you start scripting.
- Learn to pitch.
- A pitch makes them want to know more.
- Record yourself doing it and watch it back!
The best actors LISTEN!
If you’re not open to notes, you’re not going to have a strong performance.
Be able to identify what’s working, what’s not working, and have suggestions to make it work better.
Learn how to take critique.
