Maria Fortese, 32

Maria Fortese came to Drexel wanting to be a screenwriter. Instead, she emerged as a producer. While on an internship in Los Angeles as part of the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design’s Drexel in LA program at the end of her sophomore year, she developed the relationship that ultimately led to her first Hollywood job with Bay Films, the production company of famed director Michael Bay. She started during pre-production on Transformers: The Last Knight, a blockbuster with a budget north of $200 million — not exactly an average introduction to movie-making — and soon became Bay’s executive assistant. Today, she’s undergone something of a transformation herself, rising to vice president of film at Amblin Entertainment, the legendary production company led by Steven Spielberg, where she’s worked for the past seven years. At any given time, Amblin has around 40 projects in various stages of development, putting Fortese at the controls of one of Hollywood’s most active engines. Not bad for someone who grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, without any connection to the entertainment industry. Even graduating with a bachelor’s in screenwriting and playwriting seemed like something of a “fever dream” back in 2015, she says, so she also picked up an accounting minor, “just in case.” These days, though, she’s busy developing screenplays with writers, building partnerships with other production companies and navigating an industry that’s been destabilized by the rise of streaming.

“In some ways it’s so much cooler than I thought, and in some ways it’s so much harder than I thought it would be.” Maria Fortese

Fortese’s time at Drexel — working alongside like-minded people who shared her dream and learning from professors who had already lived it — helped her prepare for the challenges to come. And that summer in Los Angeles let her know those dreams were within reach. “I was never a super-confident person,” she says. “It gave me a lot of courage to say, ‘Well, I’m seeing other people doing it, so why don’t I try.”

In her own words…

My Greatest Accomplishment:

I’m very proud of the films I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of, so it’s hard to say if there’s one accomplishment I would deem the “greatest.” Being lucky enough to see any film get made is sort of astonishing, considering how many people are involved in bringing it to life and how much is working against it at all times. Whenever I can elevate a new voice or advocate for something I believe in, I feel accomplished. Filmmaking is very often a collective effort that can never really belong to just one person, but I’m proud of the relationships I’ve been able to foster and the films I’ve had a part in getting made.

How Drexel Shaped My Path:

Drexel introduced me to the possibility of working in film and making my way to Los Angeles, which I never would have done were it not for the program. Through a summer internship offered by the department, I was able to get a foot in the door working for a producer, who eventually helped connect me to my first assistant job, which directly led to where I am today. Giving me the access and the courage to pursue a field that felt especially daunting at the time was the greatest gift from my time at Drexel. 

Where I Hope To Be in Five Years:

I hope I’m still working with inspiring creators and working on meaningful films. I’ve been blessed to learn from and work with truly inspiring masters of their craft, who also happen to be wonderfully kind people, and I hope I am lucky enough to still be doing so for years to come. This industry is ever changing and can be incredibly volatile, so surrounding myself with good people is the most important thing to me. DM