• printer friendly
• mail this article
• iPod format
• digg

By Mayra Marquez

DAILY BRUIN CONTRIBUTOR

mmarquez@media.ucla.edu

Most reality shows are likely to draw groans and revulsion, but for producer, director and UCLA graduate Mary E. Glynn, her work on episodes of MTV’s TV show “Flipped” has gained positive reviews and feedback for the strikingly real scenarios plaguing young people today.

“It’s been challenging, great and ultimately rewarding,” said Glynn, who has worked on a total of three “Flipped” episodes ranging in subjects from class clowns to racism to her most recent, teen violence.

“Flipped” is a show in which real people’s lives are essentially flipped for them to see the alternate side of their actions. Past episodes have taken school bullies and flipped them into nerds, the ridicule of an entire school, in hopes that they realize the consequences of their previous lives. According to Glynn, many times after the episodes air, the teens portrayed will take a 180 degree turn for the better.

“They’re just really hard subjects because they are very real and when involving young people, it gets more difficult,” said Glynn.

The episode on teen violence is scheduled to air in late July or early August. The issue of teen violence is one that Glynn spent much time researching for the episode only to find some alarming realities.

“What I’d like to see people get out of it is that it’s real and it’s happening, and to try to help people out in the situation,” said Glynn. “And also to be aware of the signs, because what we found out in our research is that there are precursors to potentially violent relationships. I just want people to be more aware of what’s happening around them.”

The reality genre is one that Glynn has explored before and calls one of her favorites. She produced a documentary, “Hidden Victims,” on domestic violence for Lifetime Television and an MSNBC documentary “Betrayal,” which tackled acquaintance rape.

“When people think of reality TV, what they start thinking about is ‘Survivor’ or ‘Temptation Island,’ but before all that what reality TV meant was real people, real lives not done in tabloid style. It was more hardcore documentary-style programming ... and that’s the kind of style I really like,” Glynn said.

Glynn’s other favorite genre is film, in which she is also active and has just produced her first feature, “The Kingston High.” The film, directed by Stephen Townsend, also a UCLA alumnus whom Glynn became acquainted with while at UCLA, follows the story of a high school goody two-shoes and his last attempt at the girl of his dreams. 

“He brought the story to me years before we produced it when I was still working in development,” said Glynn. “I tried to get it sold for him in a couple places, but they wanted us to attach famous people and we were like, ‘Wait a minute, no one knows who we are.’”

“The Kingston High” received favorable reviews from its premiere at the Hollywood Black Film Festival and at the Pan African Film Festival, where the film was shown twice due to the overwhelming positive buzz from the premiere.

Glynn’s career in the entertainment industry has spanned over 10 years and began here at UCLA in her days as an undergraduate student.

“I came from a really small town and didn’t know too much about the world. I think the way UCLA influenced me is that they really showed me that there are a lot of opportunities out there for people of all races no matter what color. UCLA is like this huge melting pot of people,” Glynn said.

The opportunity that started Glynn’s career rolling was working for Academy Award-nominated director John Singleton (“Boyz in the Hood”) through an internship class. She was a communication studies student, but found her home in films, having worked on Singleton’s “Poetic Justice” and “Higher Learning,” which was filmed at UCLA.

“UCLA is a school that allows you to find a balance and that’s the biggest thing that I learned at UCLA. I know that I don’t just have to do one thing. I can do a lot of different things in different areas. UCLA is a perfect example of that kind of school,” Glynn said.

Balance is what Glynn has kept in mind in her pursuits of various arenas of the entertainment industry. According to Glynn, it is not easy to move around from different genres, but that doesn’t stop her pursuits.

“Well I think it’s crazy,” said Glynn. “I wish I wanted to be a doctor or a lawyer. My mom probably wishes that too, but you know it brings me joy and I’m passionate about it. Even though I’m starving, I might as well keep going for it.”

Comments

Post a comment