Exclusive Interview with Diane Foster

We are chatting with Diane Foster today, welcome! Tell us how 2022 is kicking off for you so far? Any new projects you are working on?

We are busy at WallyBird Productions! We have two feature films and a feature documentary in post-production, two short films, education series, and a movie musical all in development, two documentaries currently filming, several music videos filming soon, and a Live show I am staging. Booked and Busy as they say, and I could not be more grateful for all the opportunities and incredible people I am working with. I am looking forward to all that this year will help me learn and grow from and also be a space that I can shine from. 

You started WallyBird Productions and we just love all that you do. Would you share a little with us on how you got started? 

Thank you so much! I had been freelance producing for years and acting in lots of different independent films. I went through a divorce and spent the next few years rebuilding my life as a single mother to two children. I was working all the time doing other jobs that were not my passion to pay the bills. Then, in 2018, my only brother Wally, passed away tragically and it debilitated me. My family is very close and my siblings and my mother and father are my best friends, so losing my brother was the hardest challenge we went through. It was a long period of grieving, and still is to this day, but I got a source of inspiration from him when I decided that same year to start my own production company and do more than I was as a freelancer. Like a spark, the name of my company came to me! I asked my parents, since it was a childhood nickname we called my brother, and if they would be ok with it. They said Wally would be honored and they are too. WallyBird Productions was born that day! 

I will forever honor my brother’s life that was cut way too short, and also make an impact with the films and projects we are involved with. Sometimes through the hardest points of life comes a lighthouse and I am using that light for good. So, here we are 4 years later, and the momentum is building. I am excited about the future of WallyBird Productions and know that forever, my brother is with me cheering me on.

What has been the most impactful project that WallyBird productions has been a part of so far? 

We have been very lucky to have several! We strive to make an impact as well as entertain!Projects that have made an impact for communities that we are extremely passionate about include:

-“Building Black Leaders Scholarship”, being a sponsor to JUNO’s Guitar Bootcamp that gives free guitar lessons and education to the Black community

 -“I Am America”, awarded a 15K grant to give back to the Immigration Center for Women and Children for underprivileged & undocumented youth as part of the Women Excel Project 

-“SHIRi”, winner of the prestigious Stage 32 Short Film Contest that screened at the Oscar qualifying Hollyshorts & Raindance Film Festivals and hasd an all female head staff including Writer, Star, Director, and Producer

-“Make A Wish”, premiering at over 130 film festivals worldwide including some of the worlds best genre festivals

-“Dissonance”, donated a percentage of our film fundraising to “The Trevor Project”, the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ young people under 25

Share with us one goal you have for 2022 and your career and why it is important to you! 

I am working on myself in every aspect of my life and that transcends into my business, career, and personal life. My life has changed so much over the last 6 years and in many ways I am just getting started. My first goal is finishing my directorial debut feature film, “Easter, Bloody Easter” that I also starred in as well as produced. I have several other projects in post-production and others in development. My future for WallyBird Productions is a full functioning movie studio. I want a staff of passionate and diverse talent to be working together to make several films a year from inception all the way through to distribution. I will be part of the positive change for more inclusion in media and that is really important to me because representation truly matters. My dreams are big and they are my destiny.

Tell us where to find you on social media and check out all you have going on. 

Check me out at the socials below!!

Diane Foster  IG x FB x IMDb x Twitter

WallyBird Productions  IG x Official site

End of Interview