Resilience, Ritual, and Leading Through Change - E75

Life-altering incidents can profoundly impact us, often leading to periods of introspection and personal change. In this episode, Rei welcomes Ali Brown, the President and Executive Producer at Pretty Bird, for Part 2 of their conversation. Ali opens up about a powerful personal story of resilience and adaptation following a traumatic event. She also shares unique rituals for overcoming challenges and emphasizes the importance of responsiveness and human connection within the creative industry. The episode futher explores the evolving role of AI in filmmaking and highlights the value of storytelling amidst technological advancements.

Ali Brown brings expansive knowledge of industry production and distinct storytelling to her roles as President and Partner of award-winning production company PRETTYBIRD and Academy Award-nominated creative studio Ventureland. Under Brown’s leadership, PRETTYBIRD’s work and roster continue to be recognized on the global stage with top honors from Cannes Lions, One Show, Clio Awards, D&AD, and the AICP Awards, as well as being named Ad Age’s Production Company of the Year twice. Between 2024 and 2025, the company and its projects earned 182 distinctions across award wins, shortlists, and longlists, including an Emmy nomination for the award darling “Michael CeraVe” spot. In 2025, PRETTYBIRD was named Production Company of the Year at the Clio Awards and ranked No. 2 on Ad Age’s Production Company A-List, cementing its status as a powerhouse in the commercial arena. 

Brown co-founded Ventureland in 2020 alongside Oscar-winning producer John Battsek and PRETTYBIRD partners Kerstin Emhoff and Paul Hunter. Her creative vision continues to drive compelling scripted and unscripted storytelling, executive producing Netflix’s Emmy-winning Beckham, Academy Award-nominated Bobi Wine: The People’s President, Apple TV+’s Government Cheese starring David Oyelowo, and Hulu’s Daytime Emmy-winning docuseries Searching for Soul Food. She also executive-produced Netflix’s American Manhunt anthology, with its 2025 installments on O.J. Simpson and Osama bin Laden becoming global streaming hits. Further demonstrating her commitment to bold, original storytelling, Brown executive produced three films that premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival—Kerouac’s Road: The Beat of a Nation, Just Sing, and Birthright—and oversaw the film component for the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s 2025 Good News Mass—a multi-sensory, multimedia collaboration between composer Carlos Simon and acclaimed director Melina Matsoukas. 

Internationally recognized for her leadership and insight, Brown has served as an ANDY’s Global Juror, Creativepool’s Creative of the Year, President of the New York Film Festival Film Craft Jury, a repeat speaker at Ciclope, and President of the Direction Jury at D&AD. She previously made history as the first female president of Cannes’ Young Directors Award Jury. Deeply committed to inclusion, Brown founded “Double the Line,” an initiative supported by AICP’s Equity and Inclusion Committee, aimed at increasing opportunities for BIPOC talent in production and post-production. Brown, alongside Kerstin Emhoff, was also a finalist for Creativity’s Diversity & Inclusion Champions of the Year in 2021.

Timestamps:

• 0:03 Overcoming Life-Altering Challenges and Finding New Paths
• 7:08 Ali Brown's Egg Timer Method for Managing Emotions
• 11:12 The Power of Responsiveness in Professional Success
• 14:32 Balancing Work, Life, and Personal Restoration
• 17:47 Balancing Career Ambitions and Family Life
• 23:02 Staying Relevant Through Curiosity and Connection
• 25:21 AI's Impact on Filmmaking and Industry Concerns
• 29:03 The Impact of AI on Storytelling and Filmmaking
• 33:51 Embracing Old-School Habits in a Digital World
• 34:19 The Impact of AI on Filmmaking and Storytelling
• 37:47 AI's Struggle to Capture Authentic Human Imperfection
• 38:23 AI's Role in Modern Film and Video Production
• 39:36 Key Takeaways

Episode References:

• Ali Brown | LinkedIn
• PRETTYBIRD | Website
• 2025 Highlights | Government Cheese
• 2025 Highlights | Levi's 'The Denim Cowboy' campaign starring Beyoncé
• 2025 Highlights | NikeSKIMS 'Bodies at Work'
• 2025 Highlights | American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson
• 2025 Highlights | American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden
• Rei Inamoto | Instagram
• I&CO | Corporate Site

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