Natalie Rodriguez

Natalie Rodriguez is an award-winning, Los Angeles based writer and director as well as a mental health and anti-violence and trauma advocate. After graduating from California State University, Fullerton, with a Bachelor of Arts in Radio-Television-Film, her first experiences in entertainment were an internship at the Conan O'Brien show and a position at Peter Guber's Mandalay Pictures, where she worked in the offices of producers Matthew Rhodes and Cathy Schulman.

Rodriguez has been a panelist at events hosted by organizations such as Google, Hispanicize, and YouTube, where she has shared her story as a female writer and filmmaker working in the entertainment industry. She has written for publications including the HuffPost Blog, Thrive Global, Anxiety Resource Center, Opposing Views, NowThis News, Hello Giggles, and The Mighty.

In 2017, she founded Extraordinary Pictures, a production company focusing on films, television, digital series, and social issue projects. The company has produced multiple projects, including development on a TV sitcom, "The D," which placed in the top-ten for best comedy screenplays at Stage 32. Rodriguez' second directorial feature film, "Howard Original," is based on an award-winning short film about a washed-up screenwriter named Howard, whose life is turned upside down when his pet cat comes to life.

Rodriguez' first feature film, "The Extraordinary Ordinary," which she wrote, produced, and directed, made its rounds through the festival circuit. The film stars John Posey, Alex Montalban, Maddison Bullock, and social influencer Ana Marte. The film deals with young adults, mental health awareness, recovery, and the aftermath of trauma. "The Extraordinary Ordinary" also won Best Film About Women's Empowerment at the Glendale International Film Festival, and scored nominations in Best Director, Best Female Director, and Best Picture.

Other screenplays and films by Rodriguez have also been featured and placed in the final rounds at HollyShorts Film Festival, NALIP: Latino Lens Film Festival, ShortsTV, Stage 32: Comedy Screenplay, Beverly Hills Film Festival, Culver City Film Festival, Indie Night Film Festival, Hollywood Screenplay Contest, Table Read My Screenplay - Austin Film Festival, and others.

Rodriguez was an ambassador for Jen Zeano Designs (JZD), a clothing company in association with USA Networks. While she continues to build her creative background, she is always open to collaborating with other artists and advocates. Her first young adult thriller fiction novel, "Elephant", was published in June 2020, a story about four childhood best friends who uncover a family secret. The book was a finalist at Clare Books' the Binge-Watching Cure II contest for 'Best Novel.' The sequel of the young adult thriller series, "Skeletons," was published in February 2021.