[ Karen/NASA - 8 - 12:59:23 ]
Hello. We will begin our chat with Loretha Jones in just a few minutes. Please make sure you have read her biography at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/TODTWD98/jones.bio.html before joining the chat. Loretha will be joining us live on location of her current film, Fraternity Boys depicted by the photograph on her bio page.

[ LorethaJones - 10 - 13:05:15 ]
Hi this is Loretha - I'm live on location of my new film"Fraternity Boys" outside of Los Angeles. We're filming scenes from an abandoned warehouse today while I'm chatting with you.

[ LorethaJones - 16 - 13:06:25 ]
RE: [T.G.I.F./OHaraParkMiddleSchool/OUSD] Did you want to be anything else besides a producer when you were little?
Yes, I wanted to be a doctor.

[ LorethaJones - 17 - 13:06:46 ]
RE: [Felicity/McDonoughHigh] Do you enjoy working with movie stars?
Yes,I do - most of them are just like regular people.

[ LorethaJones - 18 - 13:07:40 ]
RE: [T.G.I.F./OHaraParkMiddleSchool/OUSD] Are you married? If yes does your husband help you with your movies? Do you have any children?
I'm not married and I have no children. I do have 10 nieces and nephews who live nearby and they come and help out on the sets sometimes.

[ LorethaJones - 19 - 13:08:07 ]
RE: [T.G.I.F./OHaraParkMiddleSchool/OUSD] Where were you born?
In New York City.

[ LorethaJones - 23 - 13:10:34 ]
RE: [Geng/BurleighManorMiddleSchool] My cousin wants to be a movie director someday. What suggestions do you have for her?
I would first suggest for her to watch a lot of movies and try to take film classes. When you watch movies take notes on how the actors move and talk and show their emotions. Be very critical as you watch and compare what makes different actors and actresses more effective. Taking photographs helps develop your visual eye. You can even use a small disposable camera. Then paste them on cardboard to tell stories. We do this in the film industry and call them "storyboards."

[ LorethaJones - 26 - 13:12:51 ]
RE: [T.G.I.F./OHaraParkMiddleSchool/OUSD] Do you know who Suzanne Todd is?? She is a producer also and worked on Austin Powers.
I know who she is but I don't know her personally - she and her sister are producers and worked with Demi Moore.

[ LorethaJones - 32 - 13:15:34 ]
RE: [Felicity/McDonoughHigh] What is your new movie about and when does it come out?
The film called, Fraternity Boys, is a story about a group of lawyers, teachers, and police officers who get fed up with crime and decide to become vigilantes. It stars Robert Townsend, Heavy D and Vanessa Williams. Robert Townsend also wrote the screen play and is directing.- it comes out next year.

[ LorethaJones - 33 - 13:16:13 ]
RE: [Frances/12] How long does it take to make a movie?
It takes almost a year from the beginning to end to make the average movie.

[ LorethaJones - 38 - 13:16:53 ]
RE: [T.G.I.F./OHaraParkMiddleSchool/OUSD] What are your favorite movies?
The Godfather is my favorite movie.

[ LorethaJones - 39 - 13:18:28 ]
RE: [Jean/Garfield] What films/filmakers influence your work? Who do you consider to be your female role model?
I like old movies from the 40's and 50's - filmmakers like Willian Wyler and Frank Capra. Working mothers are my role models, I can't believe how much they can accomplish. They must have great determination, organization and energy.

[ LorethaJones - 41 - 13:20:23 [
RE: [Molly/WoodsideElementarySchool] How did you start your own production company?
When I was a lawyer I represented some directors. They liked my creativity and imagination and asked me to come and work with them. We then formed a company together. You never know how your life can change paths by the people you meet so it's good to be open to new experiences and posibilities.

[ LorethaJones - 42 - 13:21:31 ]
RE: [Felicity/McDonoughHigh] Do you like working with Robert Townsend and the rest of the cast of "Parenthood"?
Yes, that's one of my favorite jobs. Robert is like a brother to me and the cast and I have worked together for almost five years - our set is almost like a family.

[ LorethaJones - 43 - 13:22:07 ]
RE: [T.G.I.F./OHaraParkMiddleSchool/OUSD] Do you have any pets?
I have two cats; Shirley and Sylvia. Shirley has been with me for 15 years.

[ LorethaJones - 45 - 13:22:47 ]
RE: [T.G.I.F./OHaraParkMiddleSchool/OUSD] When your not busy what do you do in your spare time?
I like to read and play golf. I read alot of books, mostly science fiction.

[ LorethaJones - 46 - 13:23:39 ]
RE: [Geng/BurleighManorMiddleSchool] What are the bad parts of being a producer?
Firing people or telling a director that something they want to do is impossible for either technical or financial reasons.

[ LorethaJones - 47 - 13:24:36 ]
RE: [Geng/BurleighManorMiddleSchool] Did you watch a lot of movies when you were a kid? And, how do you choose which movies to produce?
Yes, I watched a lot of movies when I was a kid. When I choose movies I pick ones that are intersting to me because I'm going to have to spend almost a year of my life working on them.

[ LorethaJones - 48 - 13:25:45 ]
RE: [Felicity/McDonoughHigh] If you had an opportunity to be anybody in the world, past or present, who would that be?
Wow! That's a great question. I used to dream about being alive in the future so I could fly to other planets. So I'd like to be a space explorer.

[ LorethaJones - 54 - 13:28:18 ]
RE: [Molly/WoodsideElementarySchool] Is there any opportunity to be creative as an executive producer?
Absolutely. I help come up with the stories, approve the scripts, and hire the actors. So it's totally creative. In television particularly, executive producers have a lot of power.

[ LorethaJones - 57 - 13:29:12 ]
RE: [Felicity/McDonoughHigh] It is increasingly becoming more difficult for females to be recognized in their fields, it helps to have a mentor. Are you mentoring aspiring producers?
Yes. Aspiring producers, writers and directors. We always have a lot of interns on our projects. I feel it's important and I try to help in this area whenever I can. I also have my nieces and nephews on the sets getting to know what my career is all about. This chat today is also about mentoring.

[ LorethaJones - 58 - 13:29:50 ]
RE: [T.G.I.F./OHaraParkMiddleSchool/OUSD] Is it hard to produce a movie?
Yes, It's long hours and alot of work because you're supervising almost 200 people everyday in many different area.

[ LorethaJones - 61 - 13:30:26 ]
RE: [T.G.I.F./OHaraParkMiddleSchool/OUSD] What kind of movies do you like? Comedy, Action, Drama....?
I like drama and action movies, with a heavy dose of science fiction.

[ LorethaJones - 62 - 13:31:11 ]
RE: [Geng/BurleighManorMiddleSchool] Are you an animal rights activist? Are you a vegetarian?
I love animals.

[ LorethaJones - 64 - 13:32:15 ]
RE: [T.G.I.F./OHaraParkMiddleSchool/OUSD] Do you know any famous actors, actresses, or producers?
Yes--I've been lucky enough to work with several: Halle Berry, Al Pacino, and Spike Lee to name a few.

[ LorethaJones - 66 - 13:33:10 ]
RE: [Molly/WoodsideElementarySchool] Do you ever think about being a doctor anymore?
Sometimes when people I care about get really ill, I wish I could be more helpful. Instead I just show them my movies to make them laugh.

[ LorethaJones - 69 - 13:34:21 ]
RE: [Geng/BurleighManorMiddleSchool] My friend Jenny wants to know which courses in college would help the most for a career in producing.
Obviously film courses, but also business, and psychology. A big part of the job is knowing how to mediate between different types of people.

[ LorethaJones - 73 - 13:36:09 ]
RE: [Felicity/McDonoughHigh] Many people become famous and forget where they came from, do you go back to your old neighborhood? Do you get a funny feeling when you do?
I live in California now. I don't get to go back to my old neighborhood in New York. But there are many places in Los Angeles that remind me of my old neighborhood. I could never forget where I came from. It's a very important part of who I am.

[ LorethaJones - 74 - 13:37:19 ]
RE: [T.G.I.F./OHaraParkMiddleSchool/OUSD] How long has Sylvia been with you?
I got Sylvia during a film I made with Halle Berry two years ago. So she's almost 2 years old. She doesn't know she's a cat; and I'm not willing to tell her. She thinks she's part human and part puppy.

[ LorethaJones - 75 - 13:38:21 ]
RE: [T.G.I.F./OHaraParkMiddleSchool/OUSD] Do you know James Cameron or Aaron Ross? A teacher at my school, his daughter is going to marry Aaron Ross. He came to our Career Faire.
No I don't know James Cameron but I do know Stephanie Austin who produced a couple of his films. She's a female producer friend of mine.

[ LorethaJones - 77 - 13:39:21 ]
RE: [Molly/WoodsideElementarySchool] What film where you most excited about?
The Five Heartbeats because it was about friendship between five guys who were singers and I love music. I got to help produce some of the songs.

[ LorethaJones - 80 - 13:42:17 ]
RE: [Geng/BurleighManorMiddleSchool] Do you approve of "Take Our Daughters to Work Day"? Some people are arguing for "Take Our Children To Work Day".
I think TODTWD is very impotant because traditionally girls have not been represented in the process. However, I take both my neices and nephews to work with me. I think it's important that both boys and girls get to work with their parents so they can understand what their parents do while they're away.

[ LorethaJones - 81 - 13:43:22 ]
RE: [T.G.I.F./OHaraParkMiddleSchool/OUSD] Do you know Jim Carrey?
No, I don't. But I know Keenan Ivory Wayans, who Jim Carrey used to work for. Keenan gave Jim his first job on "In Living Color."

[ LorethaJones - 82 - 13:45:25 ]
RE: [Geng/BurleighManorMiddleSchool] Do you produce children's movies? That is, movies that do not have violence and other inappropriate themes.
Meteorman was a superhero for children but there was some violence. Although it wasn't real when the superhero was beating up the bad guy. My television series "The Parenthood" is a family progam (Sunday nights)

[ LorethaJones - 83 - 13:45:49 ]
RE: [Felicity/McDonoughHigh] Are you happy?
Very happy.

[ Karen/NASA - 84 - 13:47:06 ]
Thank you Loretha for taking the time out of your filming today to join us. We know you are very busy and appreciate it. We hope you enjoyed the chat!

[ LorethaJones - 85 - 13:48:49 ] Thank you for having me - it was fun. Good luck to all of you in your studies and future.