The interview was recorded in March 2024 and has been edited for clarity and conciseness. This article is the first of two parts.
The Chronicle (TC): Before we start, would you mind introducing yourselves quickly?
Ilana Wolpert (IL): Sure. I'm Ilana Wolpert. I graduated from Duke in 2015. I was an English and Theater major, and I am a screenwriter. I write for TV and film and most recently was a co-writer on ‘Anyone But You,’ which came out on December 22, 2023.
Jacqueline Monetta (JM): That's great. I'm Jacqueline Monetta. I graduated from Duke in 2018. I was a Public Policy major and earned certificates in Documentary Studies and Policy Journalism and Media Studies… I started at United Talent Agency, working there for an agent, and now I’m a creative executive at Olive Bridge Entertainment.
TC: Both of you went to Duke and have written films — Ilana, you wrote ‘Anyone But You,’ and Jacqueline, you, wrote a film at Duke. What are your thoughts on the filmmaking scene at Duke?
IL: I feel like Jacqueline probably has more experience with it than I did because I wasn’t really doing any filmmaking at Duke. I took Neal Bell’s screenwriting class, which was my introduction to screenwriting. It was influential enough that I decided to pick up my life and move to LA after I graduated. But that was really the extent of my experience — one very
JM: Actually, same. I came into Duke not thinking I was going to pursue filmmaking. Since I majored in Public Policy, I thought I wanted to work on the Hill or do something in policy or journalism. But through my classes and internships at Duke, I fell in love with the process of making movies.
I was working on a documentary that I started in high school called ‘Not Alone.’ Duke allowed me to do an independent study class, which helped me finish it. Before that, the documentary consumed a lot of my time — time I should have been spending on my courses. Because of Duke, I was able to screen it in a theater on campus and have a panel discussion about mental health and teen suicide. From there, I fell in love with filmmaking, though I never thought I could pursue it as a career.
I took a screenwriting course, directing classes and participated in The Chronicle’s pitch competition. By senior year, I had job offers for both consulting in New York and working in the mailroom at an agency in LA. I had enough support from Duke, my family, and friends that I decided, Alright, I'm going to try to do this thing.
TC: That leads to my next question. Entertainment is a notoriously hard industry to break into. What do you think helped you get started and establish yourself in LA?
IL: I had a lot of close friends, some from Duke, who were really supportive. My best friend, who graduated with me in 2015, convinced me that we could both be writers. I trusted her — and she was right.
I think going to Duke and having that mindset of working very hard and staying focused was something I carried into my career. I was an assistant for several years before I was hired as a writer. Now, I’ve been a full-time writer for the last four and a half years. I knew that the grind is the grind, and sometimes you have to work really hard before anything hits.
JM: It's a mix of luck and really wanting it. There's a director who says, It takes a million miracles to make a movie. I also think it takes a million miracles to make it in this industry.
At Duke, I attended an entertainment event on a whim. Amy Unell, who worked at Duke and was a mentor to many, suggested I go. I remember standing in line for a quick interview with a recruiter from UTA because I overheard someone say UTA had the best culture. After a five-minute conversation with the head of HR, I got her email, followed up, and eventually landed a job at UTA.
UTA was really competitive, but that experience gave me my start. I always recommend agencies as a starting point if you're unsure what you want to do in entertainment. You see all the different jobs, meet people, and create a network. My mailroom class includes some of my best friends for life.
IW: I second that. I never worked at an agency, but I had friends who did. I was a personal assistant instead, which was a different experience. It takes a million miracles to get to the end result, but you have to really love it.
There are a lot of great people in this industry who just want to make great stories, but you also have to navigate working with the right people.
TC: How do you think Duke prepared you for your careers? What helped, and what didn’t?
IW: There’s a lot you can’t prepare for, but my academic background in Shakespeare definitely helped. I never expected that my deep study of Much Ado About Nothing would become the foundation for a movie!
Duke also introduced me to incredible people. When Jacqueline and I met, we clicked immediately because of that shared experience.
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JM: This career is tough to prepare for, but Duke helped me learn how to network, talk to people and think critically about stories.
One of the most valuable things is the Duke network — there are more Duke grads in entertainment than I initially thought. We have Duke events in LA twice a year where industry professionals connect. That’s how I first met Ilana. There are also more senior industry figures from Duke who are great mentors.
Arnav Jindal is a Trinity sophomore and culture editor of The Chronicle's 119th volume.