In The Studio: Bert And Bertie

There are very few female film directors in Hollywood but directing duo Bert and Bertie, otherwise known as Katie Ellwood (Bertie) and Amber Finlayson (Bert), are forging a name for themselves.

Aleks Krotoski joins Bert and Bertie as they direct their latest film, Troop Zero which stars McKenna Grace, and Oscar winners Allison Janney and Viola Davis.

The film is set in rural 1977 Georgia, where a misfit girl dreams of life in outer space. When a competition offers her a chance to be recorded on NASA's Golden Record, she recruits a makeshift troop of Birdie Scouts, forming friendships that last a lifetime.

To get a real insight into the Hollywood system and the role of directors in the making of a film, Aleks joins the Berts on location in Louisiana as they shoot the film and in the studio during the edit. However there is a twist - not only are the directors both women with young children, but the writers, producers and the majority of the production crew are also women. Something unheard of in Hollywood and Aleks discovers that Bert and Bertie are proactively trying to change women’s opportunities in the industry through their ability to hire film crew.

Other contributors to the programme include Co-Writer - Lucy Alibar, Producer - Kate Churchill and Production Designer – Laura Fox.

• Presented by Alesk Krotoski
• Produced by Kate Bissell for the BBC World Service

Publicity contact: EM3