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Before you dive in, I just want to say hi again - I’m Kendall. I figured it’s only fair you know who’s behind this stack of psychological rabbit holes …
I was THAT kid who thought film school was the Holy Grail, and for a while, it was. I earned my MFA in Film from Columbia University (yes, that degree the New York Times later called “the most useless in the world.” You’re welcome, Dad). Still, those years were magic. I learned how stories shape us, how film literally changes the way we see and understand the world, and I met the people who made me fall even deeper in love with storytelling.
I worked my way up through indie movie sets in New York — everything from coffee-fetching chaos to shooting in Cuba with the legend Barbara Kopple. Later, I produced films such as Mail Order Bride, Southland Tales, and Eulogy. Picture me on set surrounded by Dwayne Johnson, Zooey Deschanel, and Snoop Dogg, still pinching myself that this was my job.
Then, around 2010, the Internet experienced a surge, and I found myself managing YouTube stars, influencers, and social media mavens, as well as producing narrative podcasts with some of my personal favorite actors, such as Judy Greer and Mina Sundwall..
Then life called “cut.”
Motherhood. A pandemic. My house burned down. A few minor and major pivots.
Then, somewhere between talent management, driving carpool, and script notes, I found myself falling in love with the field of psychology. Now, I’m back in school for my Master’s in Clinical Psychology.
This Substack is where those worlds collide: film, psychology, and the messy brilliance of being human. I write about what movies reveal about us, our desires, our defense mechanisms, our unspoken longings. From the “Peter Pan Complex” in Something’s Gotta Give to “Captive Empathy” in Baby Reindeer, we’ll unpack the stories on screen to understand the ones we’re living.
So grab your popcorn and your inner child.
Tell me what you’re watching. I’ll actually respond. Thanks again for reading!
☕️Free subscribers will receive researched essays every other week, along with recommendations for films, books, and podcasts.
✨Here are the benefits you unlock with a paid subscription:
👩🏫 Mini-workshops– What to learn more? These brief 15-minute Substack videos will share recent research and theory on a range of topics, from social media to shadow work. I will teach them in a mini-masterclass format, incorporating movies that you can view at your convenience.
📕 Bonus deeper dive content for the hard-core film-psych minds.
🧠 Psychology handouts and tools I love to use for self-development.
🎬 Extensive movie, book, and film recommendations with direct, clickable links.
