On Wednesday, July 24th, writer/director Craig Whitney and producer Estefanía Bonilla Hernandez will join the Catalyst Story Institute for a virtual conversation titled “#1 Podcast to Multi-National Production: The Red Note.” The event begins at 5pm PST / 8pm EST.

The Catalyst Story Institute is a nonprofit professional development and educational organization for content creators, and the country’s longest-running independent television organization. Through its festivals, seminars, and industry events, Catalyst connects emerging and established storytellers with producers, executives, and other professionals working across television, film, and podcasting. The organization has partnered with the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (the Emmys) and has helped launch projects on platforms including Netflix, Hulu, and Apple TV+.

In the session, Whitney and Bonilla Hernandez will discuss the development of The Red Note from its origins as a bilingual true crime podcast into an international feature film production. The conversation will cover the storytelling challenges of projects centered on social issues, strategies for using podcasts and other alternative media as development tools for feature films, and the complexities of international co-production financing.

The Red Note and La Nota Roja are a ten-episode podcast series exploring the 30-year history of the femicides in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Produced in collaboration with Imperative Entertainment and hosted by journalist Lydia Cacho, the series reached #1 on Apple’s True Crime or Spotify’s Society & Culture podcast charts in 13 countries. Whitney and Bonilla Hernandez are now developing the story as a feature film.

The event is virtual. Tickets are $30 for non-members, $15 for students, and free for Annual Class Pass holders. Visit the registration page to sign up.