Leeza Watstein
- Director
- Editor
- Writer
At USC School of Cinema-Television, Leeza Watstein received the Mary
Pickford award for directing the video shorts, "Esmerelda Hatches a
Plan" and "Will to Communicate - Esa Peka-Salonen." For three years,
Watstein worked as Director of Development for Producer Roger Gimbel.
She interned in development at Sanford-Pillsbury Productions and
marketing at New Regency Pictures. Watstein worked as an assistant
editor and post production supervisor on "Manifest Mysteries," a
trilogy of television dramas, for Family Theatre Productions, the
production arm of the Catholic Church, programs which were recognized
with an award of excellence from the Pope. Watstein comes to film with
a background in theatre: After earning her B.F.A. in acting from the
Theatre School, DePaul University, Watstein acted extensively in
Chicago. She worked behind the scenes in new play development at
Steppenwolf Theatre Company on the Tony-nominated "Song of Jacob Zulu,"
and with luminaries such as August Wilson and Douglas Post at the
O'Neill National Playwright's Conference. As founding and artistic
director of AthenaWorks in Los Angeles, Watstein provided a forum for
over three dozen new works by women writers, producing the annual
festival, the AthenaWorks Marathon. Currently, Watstein works as a
consultant for Hachette Audio Book Group, part-time at SONY Studios,
and she is in pre-production on a slate of independent film and
television projects.