Meet Pamela Keller of Adventure Pam Productions in Sawtelle

Today we’d like to introduce you to Pamela Keller.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my career in San Francisco, working at George Lucas’s Industrial Light and Magic’s commercial division and on big blockbuster features helmed by directors such as Tony Scott, William Friedkin, and Wes Craven. Everything was so exciting, and I wasn’t really sure what to focus on, so I chose Casting, because of my love of working with actors. I moved to Los Angeles and got a job as a Casting Assistant for network television, and the position didn’t quite resonate with me; the job wasn’t what I thought it would be. This is one of the reasons I always encourage folks just starting out to try working in different positions within the industry to see what they connect with; there are many artistic avenues you can take.

When I produced SNL Alum Julia Sweeney’s 3rd monologue “Letting Go of God”, everything clicked for me; producing was my jam. I decided I wanted to focus on television and worked in production accounting on a couple Warner Brothers shows to learn everything I could about the budgeting process from some wonderful mentors willing to teach me everything I wanted to know. From there, I found my way into producing youth programming.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The freelance lifestyle definitely isn’t for everyone, but neither is the regular “9-to-5”. Challenges and obstacles have made me who I am as a producer and as a person, so I have to say I’m grateful for it all. I would advise someone just starting out to build a support group of friends that aren’t necessarily in the business that will weather the tough times with you. Having a side hustle helps (so I’ve heard). Volunteer with groups where you can grow your network such as the Producers Guild. Seek out mentorship from those who can offer advice and guidance, and be a mentor to others as well. Lastly, I think being open to varying opportunities is key. I went from working in theatre to big-budget features, to broadcast TV, to digital, to theme parks. I’m very fortunate I’m able to explore different facets of the business.

Please tell us about Adventure Pam Productions.
I’m a producer and executive with over 15 years of experience in scripted television and feature films. Depending on the project, I’m hired as either an individual or through my company Adventure Pam Productions.

My body of experience lies primarily within the youth market, working with companies such as Awesomeness, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. However, I work with projects for Millennials and Gen Xers as well. Recently, I’ve been expanding into the immersive horror space and themed entertainment. There are some exciting projects coming down the pike.

I believe the audience wants to see themselves reflected in the content they consume. I strive to build inclusive teams, both in front of and behind the camera, cultivating an inclusive environment for ideas to be heard from diverse perspectives. I’m passionate about dramatic themes related to overcoming adversity, coming of age, adventure and survival. I’m drawn to challenge the norms, break stereotypes, and empower the viewer through storytelling.

What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
I would say a “proud” moment was during my job as a producer for Julia Sweeney’s play “Letting Go of God”. Julia’s first monologue “God Said Ha!” amassed a sizable cancer survivor fan base due to the subject material of both her brother and her own battles with cancer. We weren’t sure how the audience was going to receive the ending of the monologue, where *spoiler alert*, Julia’s journey through faith and religiosity lands ultimately on a new personal system of non-belief “I don’t believe in God at all!” Every night, I would crack open the door, and listen to Julia’s inspirational words extolling the mysteries of life and the universe we live in surrounded by the tiny lights of the star backdrop, and witness every audience member on their feet, some of them undoubtedly undergoing cancer treatment, clapping enthusiastically with tears in their eyes. It was wonderful to feel the audience being uplifted; the triumphant feeling, that life is precious and we’re all very lucky to be alive. Winning awards and accolades are wonderful, but there’s nothing like experiencing that immediate feedback with a live audience.

That being said, I’m proud of the female teen lacrosse show “Versus”, a partnership between Awesomeness and Gatorade that won an AdWeek award for Best Branded Content. Gatorade did a study that found while the number of C-Suite female execs is low, 96% of them played a team sport in high school. The challenge was to create a show that would encourage girls to consider joining a team sport. The market research findings were that after watching “Versus”, teen girls were more likely to agree that sports help teach leadership, increase confidence and build friendships, hopefully creating more future female CEOs.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
That’s tricky. It’s similar to what I said earlier – every choice we make and everything that’s ever happened to us makes us the person we are today, so I can’t really think about what I should or could have done differently. There’s quite possibly a multiverse where different versions of me have made different choices and are living out different versions of my life, who knows?

Image Credit:
Dorian Hill Photography

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