Adam Torres and Michelle Murad discuss Studio Place.
Subscribe: iTunes / Spotify
Apply to be a guest on our podcast here
Show Notes:
Have you ever wanted to launch a show? In this episode, Adam Torres and Michelle Murad, Writer, Producer & Host at Studio Place, explore how Michelle and Studio Place are helping to make podcasting dreams a reality.
Watch Full Interview:
About Michelle Murad
Michelle Murad is an actor, director, writer, singer, and dancer based out of sunny Los Angeles,California. Born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, Michelle knew from a very young age that the arts were calling her name. As a young child, she would create elaborate plays in her backyard starring a cast of friends and family. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre from the University of Maryland.
About Studio Place
Studio Place creates talk shows, podcasts and more! The state-of-the-art studios that connects creators with quality content while being part of a co-working social club.
Full Unedited Transcript
Hey, I’d like to welcome you to another episode of Mission Matters. My name is Adam Torres, and if you’d like to apply to be a guest in the show, just head on over to MissionMatters. com and click on Be Our Guest to Apply. Alright, so today is a very special episode. I’m coming to you from Los Angeles, California at Studio Place.
On site interview. In studio, my guest today, Michelle Murad, who is a writer, a producer, she is reverse engineering Tyler Perry’s model, which she’s known she’s wanted to do since she was just a a little kid. So we’re gonna get into that and so much more. She’s a show host. And she’s the dynamic individual.
I couldn’t wait to get her on the show. So first off, I just want to say, Michelle, welcome to the show. Thanks. Thanks for having me. Okay. So this is the setup. I’ve been watching your work and where I first met you and saw you was at a Tim’s story event in in Bel Air. It was this amazing house and it was one of Tim’s stories events.
And you got to, you were talking about stories. What is this place? Like I got to see it. I got to see it from my own eyes. Maybe we’ll shoot our show there. So finally, we’re here. We’re shooting episodes. We’re also pitching this 100 episode series to another network and all this other stuff, which we’re going to get into.
But just to get us kicked off. I know you’ve seen the show. We’ll start this episode the way that we start them all. Okay. What we call our mission matters a minute. And So at Mission Matters, our aim and our goal is to amplify stories for creators, for writers, for entrepreneurs, for those that feel they have a message to get out there.
That’s our mission. Michelle, what mission matters to you? I have so many missions that matter, but I think my number one mission that matters is to amplify voices of so many different stories and backgrounds of people that, haven’t really been given the opportunity to live their dreams. So you said it in the intro, I’m reverse engineering the Tyler Perry model.
So I hope to one day have, and it’s in the works, MAM studios, which is Michelle Allegra Murad and to have actors and writers and producers and directors be part of that, to live out their creative dreams, because I know how challenging it can be to get that big break. And so my mission is to To really help people lean into their dreams and mostly on the creative side, but.
But it’s starting to blend into other worlds. Yeah. Well, I’ve seen you in front of camera. I’ve seen you behind. I mean, you’re great on both. I mean, you helped us tremendously when we were recording and setting everything up. And I guess before we get, I do want to ask you, where did all this begin? You said when you were young, you knew about this, even though obviously the Tyler Perry model hadn’t been discovered yet, but he was, you know, still doing it, still creating it.
But when did you know, like, when did you know this was going to be a serious part of your life? You know, it goes back to like the time I was three years old and my mom, three years old, I would like to set up. I would dance for my parents, like I put on my ballet, my ballet outfit, and I would dance, and I would sing, and I would perform, and I felt so much joy doing that.
Like, and I feel like a lot of kids do like to put on shows, but then it got progressively more intense. My dad got a camcorder and I was like, can I borrow your camcorder? And I was seven and I set it up in my parents basement and I set it up and it was called the Michelle show. So I had my own daily talk show and then I went out.
What age was this? Seven. And then I had such a great name. The Michelle show. Well, we we, we, we brought it back, brought it back last year and filmed it outside last summer, which was really fun. And I would take my Barbies and I would. Film my Barbie dolls. So I would write scripted content and then film my Barbies.
And then I would also host a show and then I would direct my friends and like have these plays, like these elaborate plays in my parents basement. And I didn’t have a whole lot of friends growing up because I literally looked at. Each individual friend is like a bigger Barbie doll to be part of my product.
Oh my gosh. Yeah. So like I’ve always known since I was super little, you still secretly look at us like that. Like I see the world like a giant sitcom, a giant story. And when I was 16 and I was working at a pool the guy that I was working with was like, do you feel like you’re being recorded all the time?
And I said, actually I do. Yeah, I do. But it’s through my, The way I look at the world, like, I just look at it and I, and I try to tell people when they’re like tough moments or awkward or weird moments in life. I’m like, Ooh, plot twist or, Oh, that’s a good storyline. Which has been a really helpful for me and like, you know, conquering some hard.
life moments. There’s som in in the beginning and w that concept of breaking could be so difficult. Th and we’ve never talked ab one of the things that ma to come to studio place a Similar version of that in when at Tim Stories event, when you were standing in front of the big old audience and all that.
And I was like, and the reason I could feel that is because of all of my friends who grew up in the industry or that were creatives or trying to do this thing. And it was like people wanted a home. They wanted a place to be able to go and shoot to make it possible. To not be told, no, to be able to go out and.
Create their show and go and just do it. Can you talk to me about that concept of just like, just going and doing it? Because I see that in you too. Like just going to do it. Yeah. Well, I have ADD so I can’t like sit still, but it’s my superpower and my superpower is to like constantly be creating stuff.
And I came out to LA for acting and I got like a bunch of stuff and I just felt like, this doesn’t feel right. Like, I feel like there’s. Something more like I love acting but there’s more and and in that more process. I was like, what is it? What is it? What is it and went through a horrible breakup in?
2014 and That breakup encouraged me to like ask the universe or God or whatever you believe in like What do I do? I don’t know what to do. And I heard right, right. And I was like, wow, where’s this voice coming from? I was like, what? Right. So then I went back to school at UCLA for acting. I like avoided the voice.
And while I was in that program, I was like, I feel like I’m supposed to be writing. So I went to the head of the program and I told him, I said, his name is Brian Fagan. He’s incredible. CLA professional program. And there’s only 30 of us. Like this is a very selective group of actors. Very talented.
Jennifer Aniston was our comedy, like coach, like, yeah. For like a Mac, you guys were really slumming is what I’m hearing. You couldn’t find anybody. So you’re like, okay, got it. And so very, very talented people. And I felt like. We were all sitting in a circle talking about our motives as actors and I was like, I feel like this is a waste of my time.
And I went, I went up to him and he goes, I know people like you. You’re like the mini Kalings. You’re the ones that like, aren’t just. Actors you were like the creators and I was like, what do you mean? He was like, well, tell me some of your favorite shows and I was like, oh gosh, like they’re old though I was like they’re old shows.
Like I was like, I love everybody loves Raymond. I love Seinfeld. I love the nanny I was like like quoting shows that are so like they’re old and he was like He goes, do you know that each one of those people created those shows? And it was like this weird aha moment. I was like, huh? And then he goes, well, if you want to like be in the writing program, you can, you know, try to like submit something and like get it and you potentially would get in.
And, and I was like, yeah. And so I, I wrote something and got in to the program again. It’s like a small group of people, very talented people, but I was always told growing up that I was a terrible writer in school, truly, like, through teachers and, and I had, I felt so much joy hearing other people say the words that I put on the page and I was like, okay, this feels like.
And I won honorable mention for best original pilot, comedy pilot. And then from there, all these agents and managers started reaching out to me. And I was like, Oh my God, this is it. This is it. This is it. And then it kind of wasn’t it. I was like, I don’t get, I don’t get it. What? Like this should be like, if I’m winning these awards and people love my writing, why is it not happening?
And then in 2019, I was asked to be the TA in the producing program at UCLA again, and it was the trifecta. It was like that aha moment. Oh, okay. So I needed the writing, I needed the acting, and I needed to understand producing to really make something like happen. And so I had written this great script, was talking to amazing managers.
Yeah. I was even talking to Lindsay Lohan’s like manager and it’s a really great show idea and then the pandemic happened and I go, this is a really long winded answer to your question. No, I love it. I love it. If you can follow this and I just was like, okay, the pandemic, do I stop? I can’t stop creating.
Like I can’t stop moving because I just, that’s just who I am. And I said, you know what, I’m going to create my own show and I’m going to produce it. And I’m going to raise my own money. Wow. So this started back. Oh, this started in 2020. I adopted. I feel like I’ve known you for like a year and a half now.
In terms of following you. I know this is, I mean, I’m telling you, this has been in my bones. It’s been in my DNA since I was a kid. I just didn’t know the how or really where I fit in because there were so many things that like I can do and I can do really, really well, which is, you know, blessing and then a burden at sometimes.
But so, yeah. So I. I adopted this dog, Charlotte. She’s five pounds. And my sister in law got really upset when I introduced her over zoom. And I go, this is Charlotte. And she goes, what the? And she freaked out because she was pregnant and she was expecting a baby. And she wanted to use the name Charlotte.
And I go, okay, this is a show. And so I, wrote out five episodes. I put out a casting call, raised about 5, 000, had never done anything like this in my entire amazing cast. 22 people that I’ve never met before, built it over the pandemic and then bada bing, bada boom. It literally like led me into this incredible relationship, great new friends.
Endless opportunities like I won a ton of awards and then I connected with Andy Waldman shortly after and then We co created a show together and then he noticed like he would see it like every time I would interview someone I would be like, that’s an idea for a show. I was like, oh, that’s that’s a great idea Yeah, and he goes would you?
By any chance want to open, he goes, I’ll, I’ll open it, but you run the content part. So you get to help people produce their own shows. And I like kind of get goosebumps actually thinking about it because it is really like, it’s the DNA of who I am. I never waited for anyone to give me that go ahead because I just, I mean, I waited internally, but like, I then was like, if not now, then never.
And so I just like took that leap of faith and made my own show. And it’s like still doing really well. Like it was produced and it was up on in 2022. We just re won another award, like about like best directing and best writing and all these like great bests. And so this is my Dharma. This is my God given gift is to.
See people and see their talent and also be like a light to say, Hey, I’m your green light. Like if you feel stuck coming to studio, place, work with me and Andy and, and create your own show where people normally, you know, who have dreamt about this for years can only, you know, spend a couple hundred dollars and have like a product to show people, you know, as it’s so cool.
It’s incredible. It is. And I’m going to talk to some of the, and I’m going to use this word, you didn’t. I’m going to talk to the regular people out there. So some of the people out there, I’m going to look directly into the camera. Some of the people out there are thinking like, okay, yeah, all these names that were dropped, Jennifer Aniston, you can do this.
You can do that. All these other things. Amazing. But my story is the opposite. I was a financial advisor. I didn’t even know about being in front of a camera or doing an interview. So all these things that you did, I wish I knew about studio place when I was getting started, because I’ll tell you my first 300 episodes, which whether somebody uses studio place, no place, your home, whatever you’re doing, like go out there, one of my missions is to help people.
People just do it. Like, go do it. I like to say this all the time. I’m like my first 300 episodes were done on my cell phone. I didn’t even want to do the show. The other co founder was telling me at his name is Chirag. He was telling me, Adam, you have to do a podcast. You have to do a show. I’m like, I don’t want to do a podcast.
What are you talking about? He’s like, you’re going to interview me the first. I was so scared. I didn’t even, I didn’t even. Because we’re not like you. No, I’m, I’m talking to the other demographic. No, I use the word the regular people, us, you don’t have to, you don’t have, no, you’re not you, you’re a writer.
You’re a director. You’re a creator. You’re a Purdue, but wait, but here, listen to me, listen to me, listen to me. That’s a compliment to you. If. I didn’t grow up when I was three years old thinking about the world as a set. Like your talent that you bring is so much more than the studio. And the fact that people get access to you is something to, for them to be thankful for number one, but it can bring them on their journey faster.
Whereas I’ve done over 6, 000 interviews. So yeah, but that was just to even get decent in front of the camera, like, like in all reality. So hopefully I’m somewhat watchable, but I know, thank you. Thank you. But I’m just saying that’s now after all this time, I can’t even imagine where I could have been if I would have had somebody creatively giving me even some pointers on what to do earlier in the days.
And then so now that’s one demographic. But now I’m going to talk to another demographic. Hold on. Okay, I’m holding. The talented people out there that are like you, that grew up always knowing they should be doing this and always have wanted to be in front of camera. And they came to LA for this and for them in the past to even just have access to be in front of the camera is a big deal.
But what studio place has done is made it obtainable. So where there’s a creative staff, it’s not gonna, they don’t have to spend 10 grand to get a deal or this or that, but then, but if you look back 10 years ago, 10 years ago, you want to. sit in the studio. You want to have a set up. You want to do something like that.
If you’re lucky and then how much time do you spend on that project? You spend a year to get that one good clip. Whereas here, I mean, for those talented people that know they want to be doing this, they should be doing this. This to me is like the shortcut. It’s the shortcut. Do everything else you’re doing.
Like do that and launch your show. A talk show or a podcast. Like if you see yourself in that space. space. Like we, we don’t, we don’t do scripted content here. I do my, I actually. I actually wrote a scripted comedy series about this place. But I don’t know, but, but you do creativity. So I don’t know you, Andy, like everybody else, the right person walks in.
They may not be shooting it here, but I don’t, as far as I’m concerned, like this team comes with the package. Like, you don’t even know I’m already roping both of you in all this stuff. I’m like, Oh yeah. Don’t worry. We’re pitching shows. You don’t even know about that, that you’re both going to be pulling off by the way.
I asked for more money, so I guess that’s part of the deal. So to the, okay, there you go. So then, well, we’re going to, well, and apparently you know how to sell shows too. So we’re good there too. You raised, we’re good. We’re working on it. I’m getting, I’m learning. I’m learning. I mean, I, what I, my biggest takeaway is that you, Start with what you have, right?
Love it. Like you start with what you started with my phone. Start with your phone. If you don’t have access to a couple hundred dollars to film something, you start with your phone. Everyone has a phone and everyone has a story to tell, which is what Andy always says. And that’s something that I believe too.
And you know, if you have like a great story, write it out and put it on Tik TOK, put it on Instagram, put it on YouTube. There’s so many ways that you can get out. But what Studio Place does so well is we make it look, we make it look good. And you get to work with people that really, truly care. Like that’s the one thing that when people walk out, they feel like, wow.
Like, I feel like I worked with like people that know what they’re doing one and two actually genuinely care because I care because my name is somehow attached to this project, especially if it’s filmed here, that means a lot to me. Final question for you. Oh yeah. Okay. What’s next? Like, let’s dream for a moment.
This is the dreaming part of the segment. What’s next for you? Like what, what’s on the vision? What’s on the vision board if you have one? Oh, there’s so much on that. There’s so much on it. Come on, get it out there. We wanna hear. I’m ready to so I wrote, I was gonna say the Charlotte Chronicles. I, I’m ready to sell that show too.
I’m ready to film the scripted comedy version of this place Studio place. And I would love to sell that. I would also love to you know, even be open to a reality show about it. Cause it’s really funny, but I I’m leaning more into scripted. I’m in the process of writing a movie called love at first flights.
I also have another show called obsessed that I’m writing. And it is with my friends. My biggest goal is what we started off with is reverse engineering, what Tyler Perry did. But ultimately I really want to be like Adam Sandler in like spirit because he’s working with his friends. He’s making content with his friends every day is a day.
In the playground for me. Like, that’s what I want to feel like. I don’t ever want to get to a point where I’m like, I don’t want to drive here. And that’s, there have been moments like that because, because, yeah, because I don’t get to pick everyone that comes in here and there have been, you know, luckily, not many, situations where I’m like, I don’t feel in alignment with that.
But like, Luckily, and by the grace of a higher power god or whatever universe, like the people that have been coming in are shows that I’m so excited by. I’m so, like, moved by. Like, your show is awesome. Like, we have some incredible people coming in. So, the big dream is to, and I see it so clearly, is to have MEM studios be producing a ton of shows content.
You can stream it anywhere on your phone or whatever. Like it’s like virtual reality. Who knows at that point and to have a beautiful place in Malibu and a G wagon. And dang, I want, I want some of those things too. What else is on your list? I’ll bring my vision board out. I literally filmed inspo video before you came in and I’m really big on.
on challenging our, our mind or the matrix of our mind of like why we are where we are and why we think the way we think and how we can go above and beyond that. Like, so if I, if I want to be Tyler Perry, okay, everything that got me up until this point is working. Like I see that it’s working now let’s go even further.
So I like write old me versus new me. And like, what do I have to start thinking for new me and how I have to start acting with new me. Cause I used to be a nanny. I was a nanny like in 2021. That’s Not even three years ago. Three years ago. Three years ago. Yeah. Three years ago I was a nanny. I was a nanny.
Oh yeah, and like I love working with kids too. Like it’s just, I’m ready to be a billionaire. Well you’re talking about Adam Sandler generating billions of dollars in revenue on his content. So that’s the I’m ready for you to be a billionaire too. So thank you. And I’m sure the audience as well.
Thank you, Michelle. This has been a lot of fun having you on the show. I want you to look into the camera, tell everybody where they can follow you, how they can learn more about studio play, follow your social media studio places, show me, you know, like give us the whole rundown. I have a ton of, I have a ton of, I have a ton.
Michelle A. Murad on Instagram. And he’s so funny. He’s like pointing. He’s like, I’m like, keep looking at the camera. I’m like, do I have lipstick on my teeth? Michelle A. Murad on Instagram. Studio Place LA on Instagram. The Charlotte Chronicles are on Instagram. If you just go to Michelle A. Murad, you can see all the things.
Good Day Live, the show that I co created with Andy. We had over 200 episodes. It’s a lot, but my main thing, my main thing is I want to give back. People the opportunity to like pursue their dreams. So if you have a show idea or you want to be in front of the camera and have your own show, podcast, what have you DM me, let’s work together.
Let’s make magic happen and lean into your dreams because they can happen amazing again. Thank you for coming on the show. for having me. Absolutely. And then. To the audience as always, thank you for tuning in. If you haven’t done it yet, hit that subscribe button. This is a daily show each and every day.
We’re bringing you new content, new creators, new episodes, and hopefully new inspiration, because we want this to help you along and your journey as well. And in terms of how to learn more about Studio Place, Michelle, I will put all of that information in the show notes so that you can just click on the links and head right on over.