Women Behind the Scenes Spotlight: Dana Calvo

Today’s Women Behind the Scenes spotlight is shone on television writer and executive producer Dana Calvo.

Dana actually got her start in journalism working for several well-known outlets. It was during that time that she got married and had a child. It was also during this time that she got to know Maureen Dowd, who became her mentor. Maureen introduced Dana to legendary TV producer Aaron Sorkin, who asked Dana to be a researcher on his 2007 movie Charlie Wilson’s War. She then was asked to work on Sorkin’s short-lived series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. That was how she broke in to the industry.

From there she worked as an executive story editor on the short-lived series Journeyman and followed that up by working as a writer and co-producer on Greek. She then moved on to be a writer and producer on Covert Affairs; a writer and producer on Franklin & Bash and series creator and writer on the short-lived drama Made in Jersey.

It was at this time (in 2012) that she ended up working as a writer and co-executive producer for the streaming series Narcos on Netflix. Her work in journalism covering drug trafficking and her knowledge of Spanish came in handy for the job.

But Dana had always wanted to do a journalism show, but any time she would pitch that idea, she was turned down until Good Girls Revolt landed in her lap. The new Amazon streaming series, based on the book by Lynn Povich, will debut at the end of this week.

Good Girls Revolt details the true story of the female staffers at Newsweek who sued the magazine for gender discrimination in 1969. It centers on a group of young women working at the fictional News of the Week, exploring the counter culture and revolution.

The series stars Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect and True Blood), Genevieve Angelson (Backstrom) and Erin Darke (Kill Your Darlings – who is girlfriend to Harry Potter portrayer Daniel Radcliffe) as well as Joy Bryant (Parenthood), Chris Diamantopoulos (The Starter Wife and Silicon Valley), Grace Gummer (Extant and Mr. Robot), Hunter Parrish (Weeds and Hand of God) and Jim Belushi (According to Jim).

Good Girls Revolt will be available for streaming on Amazon on Friday, October 28.

Who would you like to see in our next spotlight? Please share your suggestions with me @RuebenRambling. And, please make sure to check out our previous spotlights on women behind the scenes like Jessica Goldberg; Nora and Lilla Zuckerman; Bethany Rooney and Moira Walley-Beckett.