Director's Biography
“From Suffering to Satori” marks **Courtney Scott’s filmmaking debut, at the age of 67, after spending ten years producing and directing public affairs programs for television.
In 1970, following graduation from Sonoma State with a BA degree in Psychology, she fell into a career as a copywriter, first as a copywriter in direct mail adverting in Los Angeles, then at ad agencies in San Diego. Almost immediately, Scott began winning awards, including the prestigious Los Angeles Belding and NY Art Directors honors for her work for clients such as The San Diego Zoo and National University.
Later, after a move to an agency in San Francisco, she decided to switch careers and attended photography classes at City College. She then embarked on a new career in commercial photography and enjoyed success working with a roster of corporate and portrait clients. In the late 90's she moved into video production for clients and then into television where she honed her skills as a writer, director and producer. During that time, she produced and directed the following programs:
NATIVE VOICES, a half-hour TV program that explored the relationship of Native Americans and the environment. Included were interviews with Cheech One Road, a local radio producer and writer and Dorothy One Road, a Sioux who grew up in the traditional native culture. Music provided by famed native songwriter/performer Jim Boyd. Written and produced by Courtney Scott and Ann Mitchell. Won Best Environmental video at the 1995 Northwest Video Awards
MONEY, THE ROOT OF POLITICS, a one hour program that tackled the thorny issue of campaign finance and the effect of money on politics. The program interweaved clips from famous films about politics, IE: Jimmy Stewart's famous filibuster scene in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” It also featured interviews with campaign finance reformers including Ralph Nader and US Rep. Peter De Fazio, and a Democratic Party official who was responsible for raising campaign funds. One of his quotes was, ”Congress members spend six hours a day raising money.” Written and produced by Courtney Scott in 1996
BEYOND THE FRONT PAGE, a one hour public affairs series that ran for one and a half years from 1996-1998. This was an interview-intense program that featured a variety of local activists on many issues. Jeff Lamb, former president of Oregonians for Voices in Annexation, and Harry Lonsdale, former candidate for US Senate are two examples. Written, directed and produced by Courtney Scott and Carolyn Brunett.
MAD AS HELL TV1 Starting in 2000, Scott began work on her longest-running series of one-hour programs, that combined a mixture of politics, performance art and music that she wrote, directed and produced—and co-hosted with nationally-syndicated radio personality and writer Clyde Lewis. Clyde wrote many of the political skits for the series. Guests included a range of activists in many fields, including author Kris Milligan, writer/filmmaker Daniel Hopsicker and campaign finance activist Doris Haddock (Granny D) The interviews were interwoven with music, poetry, acting skits and performance art from a variety of local artists, including hip hop artist Mic Crenshaw. This program aired from 2002 through 2007.