We’re looking forward to introducing you to Emma Kragen. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Emma, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Making my own projects! I’m ready to make stuff that I feel passionate about, that I want to make. It is so much more fulfilling.
I’m obsessed with this quote from the Duplass Brothers: “The cavalry is not coming.” It is my current mantra for filmmaking. Especially in 2025. If you want to make something, figure out how to make it yourself. The truth is that even the “traditional gatekeepers” are in a state of figuring things out, so I’m here for bypassing the traditional systems and getting the work out where people can see it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Emma Kragen, and I’m the co-owner of Zemma Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company. Our bread and butter is short form promotional content that we produce for brands, non-profits, corporations, you name it. I got my MFA in Cinematography at UCLA, and I shoot everything we produce. My partner, Zach Marion, serves as director, and we co-produce.
We released our first feature documentary, WHERE SHE LIES, in 2020, and it is now streaming on a number of VOD platforms. At present, we are in the process of making another longer-form crime documentary that we’ve been working on for four years (and counting!). We also just began a short-form true crime documentary series under the handle @unxamined that will be telling the investigation of a missing person in real time on social media.
And finally, we are pleased to announce the release of HOA, our first vertical “scrollable sitcom” direct to all social media platforms @thatHOAshow. It follows a cast of characters surrounding a Homeowners Association in a luxury high-rise in Los Angeles.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
Imposter syndrome! I spent so much of my earlier career feeling like I was “faking it till I made it.”
I actually feel confident that I know what I’m doing, even though it usually feels scary. I have enough experience to feel confident in my ability to problem-solve obstacles that will inevitably arise both in life and in projects. In fact, I use fear as a gauge to determine when I should fully leap into a new venture. It serves at a gut check that something will challenge me in a good way.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Nobody cares what you got on the SAT test, the AP exam, or frankly [in my industry] where you went to college. Enjoy the ride, because you’ll never have less responsibility than you have now. None of it is that serious.
Candidly, I’m still working on this at present – I take everything very seriously and can be guilty of pushing myself in unfair ways.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
My late father, Ken Kragen. He taught me (and classes of adult students) about honesty being the most important policy. I carry that with me through my life and business practices. Acting with integrity is paramount, even when it feels harder. He has an [out of print] book, LIFE IS A CONTACT SPORT, which essentially lists the philosophies that I was raised on, that apply to both business and life. I subconsciously follow those philosophies daily.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Constantly! Every time I achieve a new goal, the goal posts move again. I’m working on living a more contented lifestyle and celebrating the wins.
(See previous: I am sometimes unfairly hard on myself.)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zemmaproductions.com
- Instagram: @zemmaproductions
- Linkedin: Zemma Productions
- Facebook: Zemma Productions
- Youtube: @zemmaproductions
- Other: @thathoashow @unxamined @wheresheliesdoc
