Living genuinely. Celebrating imperfection. Making memories. Embracing wear you are in your life and how you live. Welcome to WEAR THEY ARE: A Snapshot of Fearless Females and How They Got There- a series where all of these concepts come to life through the stories of women who’ve embraced them firsthand.
I’ve spoken before about my love for the unbelievable kick-ass group of women I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know throughout my career thus far. You know the saying “It takes a village”? Well, it does. I don’t care if you’re a stay-at-home Mom or a CEO- you didn’t get there alone. And you’re not alone now.
On the heels of International Women’s Day, I’m expanding that village to include Lizzie Spratt- Atlanta based Reality TV Producer and dog mom to Mr. Felix the Cockapoo. I first met Lizzie in 2013 when I was in Atlanta for 24 hours producing a client event. That was the extent of our in-person interaction. Yet, here we are 5 years later, still in contact and supporting each other from afar. And if you ever run into Lizzie, it would be incredibly easy to see why that is.
With one of the most infectious personalities I’ve ever encountered, Lizzie makes you feel like you’re in on some sort of inside joke from her first hello. She’s warm, bubbly and whip smart to boot, not to mention tenacious about her work. With a show roster that includes The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Don’t Be Tardy, Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta, Hollywood Divas, My Super Sweet 16, and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, this 28 year-old is just one of the powerhouse producers behind most of our guilty pleasure TV shows. And she does it all with a smile that can be seen from miles away.
I am so proud to sit down with Lizzie to share the story of how this early riser proves that one way or another, you’ll end up where you know you’re supposed to be.
HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START IN TELEVISION PRODUCTION? IS THAT SOMETHING YOU ALWAYS KNEW YOU WANTED TO DO?
Entertainment has always been my passion and deep down I always knew is the field I would work in, though it took me a few years to realize that I was supposed to be BEHIND the camera vs. in front of it. In college, I majored in Theatre at Georgia College & State University, and was constantly bombarded with the inevitable “How are you going to get a job with that major?” Trying to answer this question made me doubt myself a little, but I knew I didn’t want a “normal” career. About a month before my college graduation, the show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo came to town and their production team enlisted the help of our Theatre Department to stage an interview room. My teachers offered up my services to help their team, and it was then and there I realized that I could be pretty good at this. And the rest is history!
WALK US THROUGH YOUR TYPICAL DAY AT “THE OFFICE”.
This is such a tough question, because we are doing something different EVERY DAY… especially when it comes to different shows! Generally, my team meets at our production office where we talk through our scenes and locations for the day (usually 2 or 3) and then we are off to make magic happen. Sometimes shooting locations are near each other, and other times we are driving ALL OVER the city of Atlanta. Because I work in reality TV, everything can change at any time (I am talking cancelled scenes that we worked very hard to put together, or adding 2 extra scenes in a day because something crazy happened). Once we’ve captured what we need, we head back to the office to confirm everything for the following day. Sometimes if it’s been a really rough day, it ends at the bar. And then we do it all over again.
TELL US ONE THING ABOUT WORKING IN TV THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD NEVER GUESS.
Reality TV is (mostly) real, and my job is A LOT less glamorous than you think. But I do enjoy the perks when I can!
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE SHOW TO WORK ON, AND WHY?
I have been incredibly blessed to work on some amazing shows, so it’s tough to pick just one. Working on The Real Housewives of Atlanta has opened many doors for me, and has taught me SO MUCH about this industry. Everyone on that show really helps one another, and I feel like if I can excel on that show, then I can do anything. Don’t Be Tardy is organized chaos and just plain FUN! And my favorite thing about Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta is that the end goal is always HAPPY. Ultimately, my favorite things are getting to LEARN, have FUN, and be HAPPY on the shows that I work on.
HOW DO YOU UNPLUG AND PRIORITIZE “ME” TIME AT THE END OF YOUR WORK DAY?
Usually, I wrap my day pretty late, so I like my “me” time in the mornings. No matter what time I have to be at work (it varies every day), I make sure I wake up early enough that I can enjoy my coffee, play with my dog, light candles, and scroll through Pinterest with out stressing about having to get ready. Mornings are my favorite time of day. It helps that I’m a morning person.
NAME THREE THINGS THAT CAN BE FOUND IN YOUR PURSE AT ALL TIMES.
1.) iPhone. 2.) Lip gloss. 3.) Visine (Might sound silly, but long + tiring days always give me dry and red eyes).
HOW DO YOU DEFINE THE WORD “FEARLESS”?
Being confident and comfortable in yourself and decisions, no matter how big or small.
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ON A TYPICAL SATURDAY MORNING?
Usually working! If I’m not at work, then I’m enjoying my coffee and either heading to the dog park with my boyfriend and puppy, Felix, or lounging on the couch with my roommate watching Gossip Girl.
I BELIEVE THAT EVERY WOMAN HAS A TRIBE OF LIKE-MINDED LADIES WHO HELPED THEM GET WHERE THEY ARE (I.E. IT TAKES A VILLAGE.) DO YOU HAVE A FEMALE ROLE MODEL? WHO IS SHE, AND WHY?
Women in the entertainment industry (and every other industry) are AWESOME, and I am lucky to be surrounded by so many powerful ladies. By living a freelance lifestyle, I get to learn and take things from everyone that I work with. There are too many to name, but I am so appreciative that they share their time, energy, and wisdom with me.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING FASHION MOMENT TO DATE?
Wearing a bra strap as a necklace in high school. WHY DID WE DO THIS?!
AND YOUR PROUDEST?
When I dyed my entire head of hair violet. I felt like I was queen of the world and could do anything!
IF YOU COULD SHARE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE WITH YOUR YOUNGER SELF JUST AS SHE WAS STARTING HER CAREER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
You can 100% do this, but you will have to make sacrifices. Explain to your friends and family that when you are on a show, you will work A LOT, but it will absolutely be worth it. And when it comes to your career, always put yourself first!
For a bit more on Lizzie, you can catch her on social at @lizzie_spratt on Instagram and Twitter. For Felix’s adventures, follow along at @felix_the_cockapoo on Instagram.
Build your tribe. Wear you are now.
xx
Natalie
Natalie
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