We had the good fortune of connecting with Brooke Dooley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brooke, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
Over the last 18 months, I have been in a deep reflection zone about my identity so I love this question!

I am from a small town called Tracy in central California. Lots of farm land, lots of orchards, not much to do except use your imagination! My parents met at an elementary school, he was a bus driver and she was a teacher. They divorced when I was 8 years old and I developed into a person who took on a lot of responsibility to help keep the peace and keep things easy. Both of my parents worked outside the home so there was always a schedule for me after school. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays with Meme (my grandma), Wednesdays with a family friend and Fridays with a different family friend. Having this type of schedule at a young age trained me to be flexible and low maintenance (and also how to make a killer calendar!!!). I actually love that about myself: that I can go with the flow and pivot as needed. This trait has come alive in my producing career and it’s served me well since production can be so unpredictable. Another aspect of my identity and upbringing that has impacted who I am today is being surrounded by love and friendship. No matter whose house I was at or what was going on in my life or in their lives, there was a strong foundation of love and support for me. I am so grateful. I think I would have turned out very different if it weren’t for all of the people who gave me a safe space.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I used to separate “artists/creatives” in basically this other batch of people until I discovered that all careers could hold space for creativity. As a Producer, my job is to help bring the written creative to life and make sure the crew has the tools they need to make it happen in a safe, efficient and fun way! There are different steps for commercials, films and live events. And every time I start a new project, no matter how times I’ve done it (over 200 projects to date!!), I think “OK how am I going to help pull all of it together?” And then….I just start.

I am challenged to think creatively every step of the process. There are a lot of departments and people that turn to me for answers on budget, on time, on tools, on safety, on client approvals, etc. Managing all of these “tabs” in my head takes some creative thinking because every question, and every answer and every action is a piece of this larger project puzzle that has to come together as best it can.

Years ago, when I interviewed Nicole Nichols, Oprah’s Exec VP of Communications, she gave me one of the best pieces of advice ever. She said, “Brooke, learn to make decisions. Whatever the outcome, make the decision.” This guides me daily. I fear getting stuck in the I-dunno-what-to-do-land and then time and money is wasted. I do mess up AND I also get it right, but one thing I do is always MAKE THE FREAKING DECISION and then live with the consequence whether it’s negative or positive.

Another thing I’ve learned over the years is WHAT QUESTIONS I should ask and WHEN TO ASK them. I have a practice that if I can answer a question in my head first, then I don’t need to say it out loud. If I can’t answer it, then it’s something that I need to bring into the group to discuss.

I love that producing is a very collaborative craft. I cannot do it alone. I depend on having a solid production office team to take care of the admin stuff (timecards, invoices, etc.) so I can focus on being with Director, DP, Production Designer, clients, etc. Shoutout to all of my amazing production managers and coordinator and office PAS!!! 🙂

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Bars/Restaurants: La Cita in DTLA (Thursdays nights for Cumbia Fever), Salsa & Beer #2 in NoHo, Bar Bandini in Echo Park, Viet Noodle Bar in Atwater Village, GRA in Echo Park.

Activities: Walking around Lake Hollywood Reservoir, Hiking to the Wisdom Tree, Hollywood Farmer’s Market.

Coffee Shops: Coffee Commissary in Burbank.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Oh wow this is a tough one. In every season of my life, there have been pivotal people who have inspired and supported me. My inner female friendship circle: Ali, Jessica, Renee…Danielle Deffenbaugh, Monica Giselle, Debbie Formoso, Karen Bethzabe, Steph Barkley. These women have rich souls that feed me with wisdom and laughter!!! And having male friends who are models of masculine vulnerability and have creative minds and hearts of gold: Erahm Christopher, Chase Joliet, Jawny McQuade, Charles Whitcher, Bobby Soto.

Website: https://www.brookedooley.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookedooley/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-dooley/

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.