Today we’d like to introduce you to Maggie (Margaret) Brown.
Hi Maggie (Margaret), please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up loving theater, fashion, and movies. I was born and raised on a farm in Dothan, Alabama. I was the girl who loved horror films and indie rom-coms. I had the soundtrack for all of my favorite movies on CD. My first car was a Jeep Wrangler. I was born the oldest of four siblings. (So proud! My baby sisters are now lawyers and almost a Dr.)
My high school jobs were: Teaching theater classes, working at GameStop, and working at a place called WaterWorld (a water theme park). I put on two haunted houses around age 17.
I started making films at a very young age. I would put on theatrical plays with my siblings in our shared childhood walk-in closet. I always wanted to make movies. Movies were magic.
I attended the University of Alabama for my degree. I studied film and communications writing, with an emphasis on “race and gender in media.” While at UA, I met my now business partner and best friend, 8x Southeast Emmy winner Lauren Musgrove.
At UA I also met my two favorite professors: Dr. Raimist (a known TV show director), and Dr. Warner (who emphasized the importance of race and gender representation in media). I was able to attend the Sundance Film Festival alongside these two incredible women.
Graduating from Alabama felt like the whole world was open to me. I moved to California with three of my guy friends. We were all figuring it out, living in North Hollywood and working as PAs on various shows. The first shows I ever PAed on were “This Is Us” starring Mandy Moore and “Colony”. (My good friend Summer McCoy got me my first few set PA jobs.)
I felt so cool driving around the huge studio lots on a golf cart with celebrities. I loved LA immediately. A city where it is always sunny, even on the bad days. A city where artists are respected and appreciated. In LA, I did not feel too loud or like I had to make myself smaller. LA loved me.
I think my FAVORITE first job in LA was working as a video game casting assistant (on Destiny, Alien, and FallOut4). Through that job, I was able to attend E3, which was a huge gamer convention. **As I stated above, in high school, I worked at GameStop, so this was an incredible experience for me. I was able to meet with some of the higher-ups in the gaming industry.
When I was 26 years old, I produced my first feature film, “Miranda Veil.” An indie horror film about a girl who cannot die. I produced alongside my good friend Jordan Henderson, bringing on his company Planet Froth. This film was so memorable because I was able to hire many of my favorite collaborators.
Around this same time, I moved into the Franklin Village area in Los Angeles, which I still count as some of the happiest days of my life to date. I loved the little French area. It felt safe and affordable and was within walking distance of coffee shops and bookstores. My studio apartment was littered with piles of poetry books and unfinished paintings that I did with my friends.
As I worked my way up through the industry, I was able to secure bigger and bigger jobs. From PAing on shows like “TeenWolf” to being a Producer’s Assistant on “America’s Got Talent” to working as a lead researcher and in-house producer for “Jared Leto.” I got to the point where I was working 9-5 for Jared Leto; and spending the weekends producing indie music videos, commercials, and even working on Kanye West’s “Sunday Service.”
In 2019, I stood on the Tribeca Red Capet with my college best friend, Lauren Musgrove, for the premiere of our feature film directed by Jared Leto, “A Day in The Life of America.” This film was very special to me because I met, now Purple Magnet, editor Matthew Roscoe while working at Jared’s compound. I also discovered so much about who I was and wanted to be, looking up to my Executive Producer, Emma Ludbrook. My dreams of becoming a producer were happening so rapidly.
In January 2020, I decided to *temporarily leave LA… I wanted to see if I could find a better work-life balance. I moved to Denver, CO in 2020. We shut down due to COVID in March 2020. I looked back at LA, realizing returning to the home I had built was not an option.
While on lockdown in Denver, CO my college best friend Lauren and I decided that we should start our own production company. It felt like a glimmer of light. On September 8, 2020, Purple Magnet Productions, our Virgo company, was birthed.
As of today, I have producer credits on seven feature films and counting, including films in post-production. I had two meetings yesterday about taking on two new feature films.
I currently have an Associate Producer credit on Netflix for the film “The Tutor.” Big shoutout to long-time friend and Producer Joey Stanton for bringing me onto that film; it meant so much to me.
Today, I live bicoastal from LA to Atlanta. Ha, well I have been living in Florida the past three months… I will be in LA this Spring and Summer casting, working, and producing on Purple Magnet’s next films.
In my spare time, I am studying for the law school admissions exam to apply to entertainment law programs. I want to do basically what I am doing now but with a law degree. I am also in classes to get my 200-hour yoga teaching certificate.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When making films, financing, distribution, and sponsorships are my main focuses moving forward. We have been so lucky and blessed. Prayers have been answered time and time again, but we need the momentum to keep going and to keep growing.
We can make a $million dollar film for $300k. I cannot even imagine what we could do with $10million dollars.
Finding financing is the backbone of business growth. We have made these films relentlessly within any budget we can achieve. However, it is time for us to begin finding proper financing and to sell the films we have made. This is new territory. We are now entering the industry angle of both financing and selling films.
There have been countless obstacles. Yet, we persist. We are learning how to scale a business from 0-> upward.
Every obstacle has made me examine what truths I am telling and if I am being honest with myself. Positivity breeds positivity. I believe that anything is possible. I try to look back at every obstacle as a lesson. Some of the hardest phases of my life have made me a better and stronger person.
CONTRACTS. I am the self-proclaimed contract queen. Contracts make me feel safe. I wish I could have a contract with everyone in my life for everything.
I am very grateful to have people I can trust in my life. I am excited to enter my 30s with not only the smartest and coolest collaborators; but collaborators from which I truly feel loyalty. I believe that is the main thing I am looking for in my teams: loyalty and commitment to growth.
Overall, I think my biggest lessons and advice would be about having contracts in place. Contracts are there to help both parties understand what the agreement is, without them there is much room for debate. If your contracts are not tight, make sure you have a great paper trail.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Wow! I love this company so much!
I think we are unique because we are built on love and friendship. All of our collaborators have a raw passion for building this dream company with us. We are all creating together to make as many dreams come true as possible. We are different in the ways we are nomadic. Our teams travel all over the USA, shooting all year long.
PMP has grown so much to the point where people will be like, “I just saw your writer on a billboard in Time Square.” Such cool stuff… We are growing so big, so fast.
Purple Magnet Productions is now three years old. We plan for the company to grow for the rest of our lives.
Lauren and I started Purple Magnet to showcase our films. We have been friends for roughly 12 years. We own the company 50/50. We have both always been very ambitious, but are two different people. Like a Venn diagram really.
People would describe me as an outgoing introvert. I spend a lot more time alone than most would think, especially because of my loud and social personality. I am very much a team player. I LOVE BEING A PARTNER. I LOVE HAVING A PARTNER.
Purple Magnet’s dream is to “build something different.” We have built the company on the pillars of being: “Magical, Colorful, and Honest.” We are majority women-owned and operated.
We are committed to honesty, even when it is hard. We are committed to raising up voices and telling stories that have yet to be told.
Purple Magnet has had film premieres and won awards all over the world. I truly believe we are one good move away from everyone knowing our company’s name. I feel truly blessed and grateful for all of my friends, collaborators, and colleagues. The future feels full of possibilities.
We recently started taking on managing social media accounts. We are currently managing about 6 social media accounts? We have an Associate Producer, Haley Hammonds, who does socials with me. (Note: Haley is also a great character actress, acting in now two Purple Magnet films.)
Purple Magnet’s biggest growth goals this year will surely be revolving around: social media, film investors, sponsorships, and feature film distribution.
About our films:
Purple Magnet’s first horror feature film, “The Third Saturday in October” was featured in the Los Angeles Times.
My most recent music video Directing for Charlie Argo’s song “Hold On Savannah’ was picked up and featured on CMT. My next Directing project, “Glass Dolls,” a film about the beauty and pain of womanhood, is currently being edited.
Purple Magnet has had numerous viral videos, including half a million views on our music video for Erica Sunshine Lee, a Trop Rock Singer. Our short film, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” showed at the Oscar Qualifying LA International Shorts Festival. And “Blossoming,” our queer talk therapy short film about friendship, swept across film festivals this past year.
As a Purple Magnet producer, I have two feature films in POST PRODUCTION.
“Ugly Sweater” is a film about a girl with Ivy League dreams who suffers from severe anxiety. “Ugly Sweater” is directed by Purple Magnet co-founder Lauren Musgrove. The film stars Deja Monique Cruz from Disney+ and supporting actress Mya Morton from Forbes 30 under 30. “Ugly Sweater” is currently being submitted to film festivals. We are looking for appropriate distribution deals.
The second feature I have in post-production is “Spiral Into The Yellow Void.” This film was produced by myself and Jordan Henderson (co-founder of Planet Froth). “Spiral Into The Yellow Void” is a film about a psychic healer who heals others while battling her own personified depression. Directed by Levin Garbisch, who directed my first feature film as a producer, “Miranda Veil.” The film “Spiral Into The Yellow Void,” stars Monique Candelaria from “LoveCraft Country” and supporting actor Ellar Coltrane from the Oscar film “BoyHood.”
“Spiral Into The Yellow Void” was also special because my friend Bronwyn Adams-Cohen, who I gave her first-ever set gig merely years ago, came on as the LEAD Production Designer. We love growth.
Simultaneously, as those films all wrap up, Purple Magnet is in PRODUCTION for our documentary “Stop Drop and Roll,” which is about burn survivors and Epigenetics. Co-directors Autumn Ruch and Lauren Musgrove are examining how generational trauma is passed down through the perspective of burn survivors. I am producing!!
Haha. Oh yea. Sometimes, we also do events! We have thrown two warehouse fundraisers in LA, one funeral-themed rave in Atlanta, and co-produced a small horror film festival in Atlanta.
You can learn more on our website at: www.
How do you define success?
I love to dream. I can see these big-picture goals of owning a multi-million dollar, even multi-billion dollar, production company. I would love for Purple Magnet Productions to be the next A24, or even Warner Brothers, one day. We at Purple Magnet are hoping to build something a bit different, aiming to build something based on kindness and care.
That being said, I do think success is finding value in the present. Success is finding beauty in those little moments. Not being in love with potential but enjoying each step.
Good things are built. The magic is in the work you are avoiding. Direction, not speed.
Success to me would be bringing up a whole team to the top as well. I have never dreamed of seeing success alone, but I have dreamed of seeing the top surrounded by my favorite people. I’m not really a selfish person. I sincerely love leading and being part of a team.
Success is safety. Knowing that you and the people you love are provided for if anything happens.
Long live Purple Magnet Productions! Here’s to friendship, growth, hope, film, and passion!
Pricing:
- Feature Films $300k-10Million+
- Music Videos $10k+
- Commercials $20k+
- Social Media Management $1k/month – $8k/month
Contact Info:
- Website: www.
purplemagnetproductions.com - Instagram: www.instagram.com/
purplemagnetproductions - Facebook: www.facebook.com/
purplemagnetproductions
Image Credits
Beanie pic: Mya Morton, PMP actress, and producer, Forbes 30 under 30 Lauren Musgrove, Co-Founder Taken by Tashina Southard Colorful picture: By Haley Hammonds Checkerboard floor pic By Ricky Rhodes at the Sidewalk Film Festival Group photo at the SideWalk Film Festival By Jaysen at Secret Playground Photo Camera photo by Suzan Jones
