The Road Less Traveled: Unconventional Careers In Entertainment

  • Thursday, October 24, 2024 / 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM (PDT)
  • With UCSB alumni Frances DeLoach and Ndidi Oriji

Interested in a career in the media industries, but not sure what route to take? Join us for a panel discussion with two UCSB alumni who have forged their own unique careers in the world of entertainment and get valuable tips on how you can too! After graduating from UCSB, Frances DeLoach and Ndidi Oriji each forged non-traditional paths and created sustainable careers in the entertainment industry. Along the way, they’ve prioritized making meaningful change in their communities. Learn more about how skills developed at UCSB can translate into industry expertise in ways you might not expect.

Biographies

FrancesDeLoach_Headshot

Frances DeLoach

A visionary editor and producer, Frances DeLoach has cemented her legacy in the realm of film and media. Hailing from West Covina, California, Frances embarked on her journey with a passion that led her to a Bachelors of Arts degree in Film & Media Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Frances’ introduction to filmmaking began in high school, when her band was selected to be in John Singleton’s iconic film Higher Learning. This is where her love for the process of filmmaking began. Mothers, a narrative short that she produced, was selected as part of the Emerging Directors program at the 2018 American Black Film Festival. It won five awards at the Back In the Box Film Festival & Competition including Best Actress and Best Short.

Frances founded FDL Entertainment, a film and video production company catering to non-profit and corporate organizations. Notable partnerships include Kaiser Permanente, The University of Southern California, The NAACP, and the City of Santa Monica. Frances was selected to help develop The Brotherhood Crusade Media Collective, an intensive 11-week program supporting filmmakers from communities typically underrepresented in film and entertainment.

Being a part of the African American as well as the LGBTQ+ community has given Frances a unique perspective and drive to inspire others to tell our stories. Through her endeavors, she kindles inspiration, encouraging others to step forward and tell the stories that define us all.

Ndidi Oriji headshot

Ndidi Oriji

Ndidi Oriji is the Senior Vice President of Standards for NBCUniversal’s Media Group. She leads teams located in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York, overseeing the review and evaluation of program and advertising content airing across NBCUniversal’s portfolio of broadcast, cable, and streaming properties. Ndidi serves as a primary adviser to senior leaders, manages legal and reputational risk, and drives content policy initiatives when issues of public or strategic importance arise. She also serves as NBCUniversal’s representative on the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board, an industry body focused on consistency and uniformity in TV parental ratings.

Prior to her current role, Ndidi was an attorney in NBCUniversal’s legal department, an Entertainment associate at Loeb & Loeb LLP, and a Mergers and Acquisitions associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

Ndidi holds a bachelor’s degree in Black Studies & Law and Society from UC Santa Barbara (’00), a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law (’03) and is a licensed attorney in the State of New York. The summer after her first year of law school, Ndidi was a legal aid intern at Beijing University’s Center for Women’s Law Studies and Legal Services in Beijing, China.  She is a member of Corporate Counsel Women of Color and has served on the Executive Committee of the Nigerian Lawyers Association.

In addition to her professional activities, Ndidi has maintained strong ties to the UCSB community. She is a member of the Social Sciences Dean’s Cabinet at UC Santa Barbara, and Chair of UCSB’s New York Advancement Council.  Ndidi is also the founder of Naija Diaspora Moms, an organization that aims to empower Nigerian mothers in the diaspora, and a co-founder of two cultural enrichment organizations: Naija Happy Hour and Igbo Roots for Kids.  For more than a decade Ndidi performed improv and stand-up comedy in her spare time. But then she ran out of spare time.

This event is sponsored by the Carsey-Wolf Center
as part of its Black Hollywood programming focus and
its Storytelling for the Screen workshop series.