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Renee Sotile Renee has won two Emmy awards for her work as a news photographer in Los Angeles. She has extensive experience working in television news covering high profile events including: Academy Awards, Presidential Conventions, L.A. Earthquakes, Floods, and the “Trial of the Century.” She is a native of Rochester, NY, but considers Los Angeles her home. |
Mary Jo Godges
Director / Producer
Mary Jo is an Avid/Final Cut Pro/Logic Pro editor and music composer with a background in journalism. Her career began as an on-air radio personality in Los Angeles. MJ is from Redondo Beach, CA, and a proud graduate of Loyola Marymount University.
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Short Bio:
Renee Sotile and Mary Jo Godges are a team that tackles every aspect of documentary filmmaking, from pre-production through post and distribution. Renee, a two-time Emmy-winning news photographer, and Mary Jo, who began her career in radio programming and music production, combined their talents in 2000 to create Traipsing Thru Films, Inc. Their first “mainstream” feature, Christa McAuliffe: Reach for the Stars, aired on CNN Presents. Sotile and Godges are also making their mark filming red carpet interviews for on-line LGBT magazines, and have been tagged “red carpet experts” by SheWired. They also produce colorful web films that can be seen on their YouTube Channel – Traipsing Thru Films.
Long Bio:
Renee Sotile and Mary Jo Godges are a two-broad documentary team that tackles every aspect of filmmaking, from pre-production through post and distribution.
Renee, a two-time Emmy-winning news photographer, and Mary Jo, who began her career in radio programming and music production, combined their talents in 2000 to create Traipsing Thru Films, Inc.
Their success was immediate, with their first documentary short Dykes & Their Dogs becoming a hit on the LGBT film festival circuit. That musical-comedy was followed by Lesbian Fashion? with Ellen Degeneres, Divas Breaking Taboos and Bessie, Billie & Ruth, which showcases the history of Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday and Ruth Brown. Bessie was broadcast all over the country during Black History Month.
In 2006, the dynamic duo premiered their first feature documentary, Christa McAuliffe: Reach for the Stars, which aired on CNN Presents.
They followed Reach for the Stars with two mainstream films, Astronaut Pam: Countdown to Commander and Samuel Goldwasser before returning in grand style to LGBT content with The Oldest LESBIAN in the World! and Michelle or Hillary? in 2011. All their films have received outstanding reviews and are in educational distrubution.
Renee and Mary Jo are also making their mark filming red carpet interviews for on-line LGBT magazines and bloggers, including LGBTPOV.com and FrontiersLA.com, and have been tagged “red carpet experts” by SheWired.
They also produce colorful web films that can be seen on their YouTube Channel – Traipsing Thru Films.