Episode 10: From Trained Opera Singer to Hallmark Director And All The Hats In Between (With Eva Tavares) Artwork

Booked & Busy Filmmaking Podcast

Welcome to the Booked & Busy Filmmaking podcast! This podcast for multi-hyphenate film creatives looking for the motivation, inspiration and information to navigate the film industry with confidence, stay resilient and get their stories made! Hosted by actor, writer, director Katrina Reynolds (aka KAT)!

Kat is a musical theatre performer who's been on Broadway, an actress who's been in multiple network TV shows and Hallmark films and an award filmmaker who didn't go to film school.

We hope you'll stick around as Kat interviews directors, writers, actors, producers, and independent filmmakers who wear alllllll of those hats and we learn about their journeys as storytellers and the ups and downs they've navigated as creatives.

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Booked & Busy Filmmaking Podcast

Episode 10: From Trained Opera Singer to Hallmark Director And All The Hats In Between (With Eva Tavares)

September 07, 2025 • Kat Reynolds

This episode is so incredibly inspiring! We chat with Eva Tavares all about her early creative life as a trained dancer and opera singer, her time on the stage as a musical theatre performer including the life changing role of Christine in the Broadway National Tour of Phantom Of The Opera, and her seamless transition from the stage into acting, directing and writing for film.

We get deep into the importance of mentorship and the valuable lessons learned from patience in this industry. Eva also shares so many important takeaways from her experience as an indie filmmaker on beautiful projects like her the short film that's opened many doors for her called 'A Little Vacation' and the challenges and triumphs of her high concept music videos she's directed.

Eva's passion for storytelling has carried her from singing on stage to directing for Hallmark with many lessons and major wins along the way.

Multi-hyphenates! This one is for you!

Chapters

02:23
Eva's Creative Journey: From Dance to Opera

04:42
Life on the Farm and Its Influence

06:53
Navigating Family Expectations in the Arts

09:32
Early Career: From University to Professional Work

14:09
The Importance of Smaller Roles and Backstage Experience

15:32
The Impact of the Banff Citadel Program

15:38
Transitioning to Toronto: Seeking Opportunities

17:40
Suzatsuka and the Journey to Phantom

19:56
The Experience of Playing Christine in Phantom

22:32
Navigating Personal Challenges in Performance

23:35
The Journey of Suzatska

26:54
Facing Life and Death in Auditions

32:22
From Musical Theatre to Film

37:51
Embracing New Opportunities in the Pandemic

42:52
Embracing the Journey of Creation

46:36
The Importance of Safe Spaces in Filmmaking

50:31
Valuing Every Crew Member's Contribution

53:26
Innovative Storytelling in Music Videos

01:06:21
The Art of Storytelling in Film

01:08:02
The Hallmark Make Her Mark Program

01:08:52
The Journey to Directing a Hallmark Movie

01:12:58
The Importance of Representation in Film

01:14:20
The Emotional Impact of Storytelling

01:16:02
The Challenges of Directing with a Baby on Set

01:18:17
Mutual Inspiration in the Creative Journey

01:18:57
This One Time

01:23:51
The Low Stakes of Creativity

01:30:17
Finding Joy in the Process of Creation