Talking With Producer Mariya Miloshevych about Storytelling

This edition of Talking With the award-winning independent producer Mariya Miloshevych, who has found success by focusing on compelling stories.

From narrative films to commercial campaigns, Mariya is interested in telling well-crafted stories about identity, family dynamic, and social impact. But it’s her problem-solving skills and work ethic that have opened doors in her career.

Mariya started at the bottom as a Directors Guild of Canada permittee on the FOX series The X-Files alongside Chris Carter and worked her way up. She has worked on the development stage of the Damon Wayans Jr television pilot Kill the Orange-Faced Bear and is part of the Motion58 producing team on the upcoming film Firesky. She has produced many commercials for notable brands, including a Webby nominated spot for Expedia.

After a decade in the industry, it’s obvious that Mariya is just getting started.

To learn more, we are Talking With Mariya Miloshevych:

As a Producer, what do you think makes a good story for the screen?

MARIYA MILOSHEVYCH (MM): Story goes so much further than the screen. The screen is just one component of the story. Everyone has a cinema camera in their pocket these days, and just because you can shoot - doesn’t mean you can create a story. The classic story starts with a protagonist on a mission, with the world on his back, and a compass to guide him through. But these days, stories come in cinematic masterpieces but also six second TikTok’s. My job has always been about bulldozing through the things that restrict the story. It looks different every day.

There are so many films where you can tell the budget went straight into spectacle to appeal to the masses and sell tickets, instead of spending that time and energy honing the script. And don’t get me wrong - I love action and sci-fi. Those are my favourite genres. I’m a sucker for a perfect “walking away from an explosion” moment. But anyone with enough backing can do that. A lousy story with big explosions is well... Transformers. It's entertaining but not endearing. Working on indie films is a choice for me, not a circumstance.

Where do you start once you’ve found that story?

MM: Once the story is solid and it feels like it has a heartbeat and is ready enough, I jump straight into development. And I say “ready enough” on purpose, because the truth is, the script keeps changing all the way up until the final edit. There will be rewrites, adjustments on the day, and there will definitely be changes in the editing suite. So, I don’t marry myself to the exact version of the story. What I do protect, though, is the throughline - because that’s what got the project greenlit and financed in the first place. The spine stays. The fluff can evolve.

If the story isn’t financed yet, then my first move is packaging. I’m building the leverage that makes someone actually say yes. The magical trifecta is: script, director, cast. You typically need at least two of those locked (or realistically attachable) to have a real shot at financing, because money follows confidence, and confidence comes from attachments. From there, it’s a slow build into the next stage of development: none of it is riveting. Securing financing, working out the kinks in the budget, and starting to form the production skeleton - crew, locations, schedule, logistics, and a million other puzzle pieces that all have to click. That’s the part I actually love, because it’s where the project becomes real. I always want my finger on the pulse, because producing is basically anticipating problems before they become problems, while keeping everyone aligned on what we’re trying to make.

You’ve worked in both narrative and commercial projects; what’s that been like?

MM: I approach each project the same. No matter whether it’s narrative or commercial, every project has a story to tell. To me, commercials are like mini short films that require a much faster approach and execution. I haven’t worked with film studios yet, but I imagine commercials are much closer to it than indie films. We all have our clients who call the shots, creatives who expect their vision to be executed exactly as they expected, and a whole machine behind it that has to move fast, stay precise, and still stay on budget. So in that way, commercials trained me really well for studio-level work: the stakes are high, the expectations are specific, and you’re constantly balancing creative ambition with real-world constraints - time, money, approvals, and egos.

Indie narrative is different. It’s usually more intimate and more chaotic, but also more personal. You’re not just executing a vision - you’re often building the vision while you’re making it, rewriting the script as you go, and wearing five hats at once. It’s scrappier, but it feels more rewarding. Both worlds taught me the same core thing: the job is to protect the story and deliver the result. The pace changes, the approvals change, but the responsibility stays the same.

Do you prefer film or TV projects?

MM: Honestly, I don’t see them as opposites: film and TV are like cousins. Same DNA, different personalities. You approach them similarly at the beginning: you’re still building character, tone, stakes, and a world that feels real. But once you’re in it, they’re totally different beasts.TV feels a bit easier to tackle in the sense that you have more runway. You have time to explore, adjust, and evolve the story. If something isn’t landing creatively or technically, there’s room to maneuver; you can problem-solve and refine key components as the season builds. That flexibility is key.

And as an audience member, I love TV for the same reason. We get time to get invested. We get to watch characters grow, see relationships change, and really live inside the world. It’s a slow build, and you get to savour the escape. What I love most about both film and TV is that they let you step into a completely different universe. But TV lets you stay there longer, and you escape with your favourite characters. If I had to choose, I lean toward TV for the long-form storytelling… but film will always have that special kind of impact when it hits perfectly and leaves you thinking for days.

What do you attribute to your success as a Producer?

MM: I genuinely think it takes a very specific personality to work in film, especially in production. You have to like pressure. You have to be calm in chaos. You have to be the person who can hold ten moving parts in your head and still make a clear decision. I love problem-solving and multitasking, and that’s always been my strength. I got into the industry 12 years ago, and even when I was still in college studying film, I already knew I was creative but not like in the “traditional artistic” way.

I’ve always loved the creativity of filmmaking: the endless stories, the endless approaches, the fact that you can reinvent the process every time and still never run out of things to say. But I also knew my creativity lived in the technical world. My brain goes straight to: How do we make this happen? What’s the easiest or best way from idea to execution? I get excited by the limitations, because every project comes with obstacles: time, money, location, weather, personalities, approvals… And I genuinely enjoy turning those restrictions into an advantage or a new angle. I don’t see problems as reasons to quit; I see them as an opportunity to flex my creative muscles.

And another thing I really pride myself on is how much I care for my crew. I’m people-first, always. No matter what we’re making, no matter how intense it gets, there will never be a moment when I prioritize the project’s success over the well-being of my folks. Because to me, that is success, building something great without destroying the people who are making it.

Who has had the biggest influence on your career?

MM: I think it’s my mom. She’s the person who showed me what it actually looks like to wear five hats at the same time - running a business, holding down a family, keeping everything moving, and still making sure there was joy in it. She made “impossible” look normal, and I think that wired something in me early.

She’s also the one who showed me how to stay steady under pressure. How to problem-solve without panicking. How to take care of people while still getting things done. And how to lead without needing to be the loudest person in the room. A lot of what I do as a producer, juggling priorities, anticipating needs, making hard calls, keeping morale up, comes directly from watching her. She taught me resilience, work ethic, and this very specific kind of competence where you don’t wait for perfect conditions… You just figure it out, and you make it happen.

What’s been the biggest hurdle in your career, and how did you overcome it?

MM: I don’t know if I’d call it the single biggest hurdle, but it’s something I’ve been facing for years, and it’s real. I immigrated to Canada at 17 and pretty much jumped straight onto sets. I started from the bottom and worked my way up until I landed in the producing seat. And the funny part about starting early is that ten years later, you can end up in a position where you’re leading people who have been in the industry longer than you’ve been alive. That messes with your head if you let it. The hardest part becomes confidence, feeling like you can say “I belong here”, and not shrink just because someone else has more years or a louder voice. Especially because producing isn’t a job where you get to “quietly” prove yourself. You’re making calls, setting tone, and people are looking at you for certainty even when you’re figuring things out in real time.

And then add the reality of the industry: film is still predominantly male, and being a young woman adds layers to everything. You’re not only doing the job, but you’re also constantly navigating perception. You have to be competent and likable, firm but not “too much,” confident but not “arrogant.” The way I continue to work on it is by reminding myself that I didn’t end up here by accident. I earned my place through consistent, dedicated work. I show up prepared. I do what I say I’m going to do. I protect my crew. I solve problems. And over time, results speak louder than anyone’s assumptions.

Anything else you want to leave us with?

MM: I think the one struggle that basically everyone can resonate with, no matter the industry, no matter the title, is imposter syndrome. I deal with it constantly as I grow in my career. And what’s funny is… You can be ten years in and still feel like you’re “starting out.” Like you’ve done so much, worked so hard, sacrificed a lot… but you still haven’t “arrived” the way you thought you would. Or you look around and convince yourself you should be further, faster, bigger, more established. For me, it always comes back to self-confidence and self-respect. I’m hard on myself. My definition of success is a moving target. I hit one goal and immediately raise the bar, so it can start to feel like nothing is ever enough. And that’s where the spiral starts, again and again.

But the truth is: if you genuinely love what you’re doing, and you’re honest about your abilities, you’ll be okay. You’ll keep growing. You’ll keep getting better. You’ll keep earning your place. And yeah, it sounds corny, but I really believe it’s about the journey, not the destination - because the destination keeps changing anyway. You never fully know what the universe has planned, or where you’re actually meant to end up… so you might as well enjoy the trip while you’re on it.

Keep up with Mariya Miloshevych at MMProducer.com