About me
Trish Appello, the Executive Producer of the comedic series “The EffYou 50s”, boldly declared, “I can thrive at 55.” This marked the beginning of her foray into the independent film/TV arena, where she discovered her professional, artistic, and collaborative passion. With her children now independent, it was finally “mommy’s turn.”
Trish saw the importance of on-set experience and embraced an educational path, including enrolling in the UCLA Extension independent film-producing certificate program.
Upon graduation, Trish realized it was time to tell the story that had lived inside her for almost two decades. As Trish was aging and finding more gray hairs, she also found her voice. She experienced a transformative journey often accompanied by menopause. This led her to coin the phrase “The EffYou 50s” to push back against societal expectations of women as they age. She realized very quickly she was far from alone.
This series was born from Trish’s experiences as a filmmaker and storyteller and the drive to share her voice. Today’s “Seasoned Gals” showcase their worth, declaring they still have much to contribute and that they can define their prime.
Welcome to The EffYou 50s!
What do you do and why do you do it?
I have always had an innate connection to “The Biz”, as we call it, as far back as I can remember. Watching TV with my six siblings back in the 1970s is, to this day, some of my fondest memories.
For fun, I used to follow Box office receipts (domestic and International), as well as the Nielsen ratings for TV. Fast forward to 201,6 at the age of 55, I started volunteering at a local Film Festival. I was asked to sit on the Board (Long Island Film/TV Foundation). I became the coordinator (liaison between the Filmmakers and the Expo). It was while I was coordinating LIFFE (Long Island International Film Expo) that I found my calling.
The independent Film/TV community is a very passionate group. Independent creations are films or television shows made outside of the studio system. This equates to stories and subjects being told in a more artistic and heartfelt way. Also, you will see a lot of out-of-the-box projects that are made on much smaller budgets and filmed within time frames that are considerably shorter than those of a studio project.
After screening many Indie films and conducting primarily all of the Q and As for the Expo, I could feel the blood, sweat, and tears of the creators’ work, as they spoke so passionately about their projects. I found my “People” and knew this was where I belonged.
After walking the stage at UCLA in 2023 with me Independent Film producing certificate, I again set forth on another path, I was set to write a script, star in and Executive Produce a proof of concept for the series I was developing “The EffYou 50s”, a series that explores women over a certain age who have decided that they are going to live the “Eff” out of their next chapter! Now, as I approach 64 years young, I am developing the series and have pitched “The EffYou 50s” to Streaming services. I have always been a late bloomer…But I always seem to Bloom!
What changed for you after age 50?
I found my voice and started a journey of self-care. Making my mental health a priority. I started to care less what people thought, and finally said goodbye to Trish the People Pleaser.
What would you tell the 20 or 30-year-old YOU?
It gets better BUT also, get to the part that you don’t care what people think sooner.
What do you think you’ll tell yourself in retrospect at the end of your life?
I decided in my mid-50s to live my life to the fullest, and I have accomplished that and so much more. People, especially the seasoned gals, tell me I am an inspiration. I love to hear this, but what I love is when I see them decide what their next installment of their life will look like and start to live the Eff out of their next chapter(s).
What impact do you think increased visibility can have on your business?
I am in an obvious business; optics are everything in the entertainment industry. I need Increased visibility to succeed.
Who or what inspires you and why?
Stephen Porges, he is kind, generous and accessible.
Something else I’d like to share
We live in a world of Social Media, and we get an inside peek into some of the most famous people’s lives. From the angle of fame, Jamie Lee Curtis inspires me. Jamie Lee was one of the first Hollywood stars to show her real body in an unretouched photo. She is a pioneer on so many levels of “aging her way” and is now Hollywood’s “It Gal” at the age of 66. Non fame: so many women that I have met along the way who are “Knowing their Worth and Showing Their Worth” on a daily basis.
