Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Mason Lee.
Lisa Mason Lee is originally from Indianapolis, Indiana. She is an established Actress, Writer and Filmmaker.
Lisa has always had an interest in arts and entertainment. Like a lot of kids, Lisa started experimenting with a camera, then eventually started creating indie films with her colleagues whom she met whilst attending Indiana-Purdue University of Indianapolis.
With various art and video production skills, Lisa worked as a YouTube personality for Google which got her exposure to various media companies like YobiTV and YouNow. Lisa’s knack for writing her own sketch comedies led her to a big collaboration with YouTube stars on Tony E. Valenzuela’s channel BlackBoxTV, and shortly after, landing her first big scripted show, starring alongside Audrina Patridge and Rory Kramer.
Lisa was then voted the “Face of INDY,” where she was an Entertainment Reporter on both WNDY (MyNetworkTV) and WISH-TV (CBS) in Indianapolis. During that time, she created her own original, scripted entertainment show for My Network TV called, “My Entertainment Minute.” There, she interviewed various local heroes in the community, and even stars like Ed Sheeran, Cody Simpson, Tim Meadows, Pauly Shore, Laura Steele, and Tony Kanaan. Lisa even appeared in a commercial with the two famous “Butler Bulldogs,” in which garnered an Emmy nomination.
After that, Lisa jumped over to NBC to host a late-night local entertainment show called “Real Scene TV,” produced by genius Jason Jolliff. During that time in Indy, she hosted events like Midwest Fashion Week with Berny Martin of the now-famous fashion line “Catou.” Lisa also starred in local commercials, and did voice over work for The Indy Visitors Channel.
Since moving to Hollywood, she has not only worked as a Host and Red Carpet Reporter with Afterbuzz TV, but she is also an Actress in various projects. You can see Lisa acting in shows like Dirty John, Job Guys, and also in other indie film projects. When Lisa is not on-screen, she works behind the scenes as Crew, which is how she befriended Director David Lynch and became Captain Marvel’s body double. When Lisa is not day playing for big Hollywood productions, she loves to produce dance music and work on passion projects with creative friends.
Her most recent film accomplishment, Comedy-Horror movie “Angry Baker,” was Lisa’s Directorial debut. Angry Baker was Officially Selected at Covellite International Film Festival and a Semi-Finalist at multiple Film Festivals like Hollywood Horrorfest and Women In Horror Film Festival. Angry Baker debuted exclusively on Amazon Prime for one year, and is now available for everyone to see on YouTube!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Coming from a small rural town on the outskirts of Indianapolis, to the big city of Los Angeles with millions of people, wasn’t actually a concern in my Dream. I mean, what could go wrong? Ha ha. In my head it was pedal to the metal, guns blazing… I was set on making my life work in the Entertainment Industry in Hollywood, CA. But… Nothing can prepare a youngster of what a big city like Hollywood would actually be like. You can prepare with a focused plan, and a few Hail Marys though!
“With the highs, come the lows,” many a’ someones once said. I can attest that to be very true. When you finally book a job in entertainment, it feels like you won the lottery because you played so many times before the win – i.e., going out for tons of auditions and getting flat-out rejected… but then one day, a universal alignment occurs and you’re THE ONE! But even then, you have to take the “win” with a grain of salt because that’s just the beginning of the work and the process of actually “doing the job” since you “got the job.” And is the job even gonna go through? You have to learn how to simmer down before boiling over, and also when you’re making your own films and projects alike, there are going to be hiccups all around, but the freedom you have to making YOUR OWN film, as opposed to being in someone else’s, is that you have the highest control when making decisions.
When you are pursuing a path that no one in your family or friends group is doing, you are going to have limited support. As where, if you take a job that your Uncle or friend helped you get, you’re going to have an “in” and feel a better sense of security. And you’re going to probably actually HAVE security haha. Family loves to suggest getting a “real job.” Which sure, it’s annoying, but you know you might have to take a real job if the “acting thing” isn’t rolling out the dough. We still take jobs we’re overqualified for but there’s always a silver lining! I believe that where you are now, is where you are supposed to be in life… so embrace every moment. It may not make sense now, but trust yourself and the process because sense is always clarified eventually.
And one of the most important things: When you make the jump, it is so important to have only good friends. Good friends are ones who support each other mutually, care for your well being, have your best interests at heart, have empathy and want you to be happy period. You are who you surround yourself with.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
Initially, before I started making my own productions, I questioned my gender and wondered – Can I do what most guys are doing? There’s such a high dude to chick ratio on most sets, I kept questioning- Can I REALLY make a movie? My ancestor Elizabeth Blackwell survived being the laughing stock of an all-male major, and became the first-ever female Doctor in America, and then my other ancestor Marie Antionette, the Queen of France… well she didn’t survive her marriage into the monarchy, nor did she survive at all, but they’re still making films about her now! But umm, any press is good press right?? My point is, if it weren’t for female trailblazers in our families or ones like Kathryn Bigelow, Greta Gerwig, Kat Coiro, Margot Robbie, then we wouldn’t be inspired nor would we be pushing the gates open for our stories to be heard.
It was right around the time where the #metoo movement started, I was feeling all empowered obviously, and that’s when I had finished my script for my film “Angry Baker,” and so then I rallied a cast and crew with the help of my best friend Kody Christiansen. Suzy Williams then introduced me to Bill Morean of Tiny Cinema productions and then things fell in place like everything was meant to be. I had an unbelievable amount of support from everyone involved. I am so grateful how the universe levitated that experience.
There are still apparent challenges in the Hollywood scene, but I definitely have noticed a shift with equality which has created a more healthy mental and physical state which I did not have before being a woman in the production world. Since my film Angry Baker graced Amazon Prime Video for a year, I just released it on YouTube for free and no ads! Check out the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBOoL9LvqLo&t=722s And yes, we’re working on a couple of new female lead driven projects at LML Pictures. Keep an eye out for Cast and Crew roles.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
What was your favorite childhood memory? Disney World of course! Other than that, when I grew up in Indiana, my parents would take me and my Brother to my Great Aunt’s lake house in Lake Shafer, Monticello, Indiana, which was the town where funpark “Indiana Beach” was also located. It was this vintage carnival, like a generic Disneyland that was stuck in the 50’s. My parents used to go there to hang and even saw “The Who” perform years ago. They had that dope Swing ride, where you sat in a plastic bucket seat that was hanging by chains and you went in a circle over the water. The tiny harness belt was super sketchy and not safe whatsoever. They also had these fake cars you pretended to drive. They had a walk-thru haunted house where fake rats bit your ankles. A pirate ship ride. Tons of carny games that are rigged to lose. They had cheesy ski stunt performances on this filthy lake that people actually swam in, mind you it was called a “beach.” And so this trip happened every year on Labor Day weekend, which was ALSO my Birthday weekend AND our annual family reunion too. So I never had to worry about inviting people to my Birthday party – I had a built-in party of people who seemed to like me really well… after a case of beer of course. So, some carnival rides with my favorite-cool cousins and relatives, some carny junk food, some Birthday cake- I would say I got pretty lucky being born on Labor Day Weekend. Those were some of my favorite childhood memories.
Contact Info:
- Website: LisaLeeTV.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisamasonlee/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaMasonLeeFanPage/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Lisaleetv
- SoundCloud: https://open.spotify.com/user/12182372867
- IMDB Credits/Agency Info: https://www.imdb.me/LisaMasonLee
- Esther Hicks: https://www.abraham-hicks.com/
- Don Miguel Ruiz: https://www.miguelruiz.com/the-four-agreements
Image Credits:
Main photo: Sage Kirkpatrick @FreshLookPhotos Pin-up photo: @IconicPinups Sitting with red shirt: @OfficialJaredFix
