About the Writer
WRITER / DIRECTOR / ACTRESS
LISSETTE NAPOLEONI
After graduating from high school in Puerto Rico, I relocated to Columbus, Ohio, where I got a degree in Advertising from the School of Journalism at Ohio State University (graduating with honors). After graduation I moved to Michigan, and I got a Master’s Degree in Telecommunication Arts (video and film production) from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (with a full Merit Fellowship). My first job came as a director/videographer of a promotional campaign for Miller Lite/Leo Burnett in Detroit, Michigan. After that I worked videotaping castings for Video Portfolios in NYC. This video production agency had casting clients such as Elizabeth Arden, Calvin Klein, Paramount (TV shows), pilots, etc. In NYC, I also became a professional photographer, and specialized in headshots for actors and publicity pictures for musicians. I also participated as a model in several hair/runway shows for Jean Paul Mitchell products. It was during those years in New York City that I met Peter Valentino, and after relocating to the East Village we formed the band Neon Venus, https://www.neonvenus.com (official band website), for which I'm the lead singer. In Santa Monica, CA, we worked on community TV shows focusing on the arts and music. I directed/produced our first rockumentary in 2004, based on European tour of our band for the Armed troops, and I also directed/produced four Neon Venus music videos, and all these productions aired on MTV Español, MTV Puerto Rico and VHUno from 2003-2008, our videos, our youtube website. One of the videos was mostly shot underwater, in a pool, and I got to show my skills as a synchronized swimmer (as during my teens I was part of the national synchronized swimming team of Puerto Rico). During this time, I also took acting courses with Jeff Conaway (Taxi, Grease), that focused on film scenes. In 2008, I opened a venue in Las Vegas, NV, and then anotherone in Hollywood, CA. There, we teach acting, voice, photography and film classes, and produce monthly shows and plays. I organize and manage all events in Hollywood, and the shows vary from Improv, to stand-up, to rock performances. While I lived in Las Vegas, I also had the opportunity to host shows, dance and sing in several casinos including the Paris, the Palazzo, Sahara, the Excalibur, and others. In Hollywood, I also organize film meetups at the theatre and bring speakers to educate the community in all areas of filmmaking. Past speakers include producer/story editor Adam Coplan (The Last Samurai, Daddy Day Care, I, Robot, Wonder Boys, The Truman Show,The Matrix, Lethal Weapon 4, Conspiracy Theory). Also, producer/director Darin Scott Menace II Society, To Sleep With Anger, Tales From the Hood, Something Wicked, sound expert Lou Kleinman (Godzilla, Gladiator, The Bourne Identity) among many other speakers, https://www.meetup.com/Filmmaking-and-Screenings-in-Hollywood/. I'm currently in the development stage of producing an indie film based on an original screenplay I wrote: https://www.zeroesfilm.com and https://www.neonvenusfilms.com. Other activities I manage at the theater are art shows, as part of another meetup I organize: https://www.meetup.com/The-Hollywood-Painting-Meetup/. Our art shows, both in Las Vegas and Hollywood, have brought in profit for the theater and beauty to our walls, and some of the work showcased in past exhibitions, including my own fine art photography, can be seen at https://www.neonvenusgallery.com