After radio-television-film alumna Sheryl Guterman graduated from UT in 1973, she packed her car, drove to Los Angeles and talked her way onto the Paramount lot. Over the next several decades, she built a multifaceted career as a writer, editor and producer across television, film and theater. Guterman returns to the big screen as co-executive producer of “Lost and Found in Cleveland,” an independent feature directed by her daughter, Marisa Guterman. The Daily Texan spoke to Guterman about her journey.
The Daily Texan: Could you talk a little bit about what drew you to the RTF program?
Sheryl Guterman: I was the runner-up (in) a contest for journalists where you get a full scholarship to UT, but since I was 2nd prize … I wasn’t obligated to be a journalism major, which was great because there was a boy in my school who came back and told us about RTF when I was a senior in high school and he showed us stuff that he was doing. … My goal was to get over to film as fast as I could because I thought that was the coolest place to be.
DT: Why is it so important for you to give back to current students and support UTLA?
SG: It was something I would have liked to have had when I was (at UT). … I feel such gratitude when I take one of these scholarship students out to lunch … and they tell me ‘Me and my family were so happy to have the scholarship, I couldn’t have come if I didn’t have the scholarship.’ … I didn’t have industry jobs when I came (to LA), I was starting from scratch, but you can’t do that anymore.
DT: What advice would you give to current RTF students about going into the industry?
SG: It’s a really horrible time right now. … Everything is changing so rapidly right now because of artificial intelligence. One agency just signed an (AI) actor. That’s really bizarre. … If you can avoid working for the A-holes, then your life is going to be a lot happier. … There’s so many UT graduates now. I would totally use that network for jobs.
DT: How did you become involved with “Lost and Found in Cleveland?”
SG: One of the (writer, producer and directors) is my daughter. … She did not go to film school, but she’s had this idea since she was in high school about doing something about “Antiques Roadshow.” … I said ‘It sounds like a great idea. You’re so passionate about it. You should write it.’ … They raised (the budget) themselves. … I really became more of a co-executive producer as we went to post-production.
DT: Were there any standout moments during production that you still remember?
SG: There’s an adorable little boy we have in it. He was nine years old at the time. … It’s his first film and he really carried his part so well. … He was (in) the kids baking championship, and he baked Marisa a chocolate cake after the end of the shoot. … He and Dot-Marie Jones (“Glee”), have just become besties. She’s gone to New Jersey to see him. He’s come to LA to see her, and they actually did a baking show together. They’re just adorable together.
