By Lily Della Pietra
Welcome to NYWIFT, Christine Stoddard!
Christine Stoddard is a filmmaker, TV personality, and video artist named one of Brooklyn Magazine’s Top 50 Most Fascinating People. Her latest film is 5 Ways I Didn’t Marry You, directed by Tom Dunn. A 2025 graduate of Columbia Journalism School and the Columbia Painting Intensive, she creates imaginative films, deeply reported TV programs, and playful videos.
Currently, she hosts the TV show Don’t Mind If I Don’t with Aaron Gold. She also runs the YouTube channel Stoddard Says and terrorizes the Internet with her alter ego Art Bitch. Her feature film, Sirena’s Gallery, is streaming on Amazon and Tubi and was featured in The Brooklyn Rail.
As founder of Quail Bell Press & Productions, her film and theater projects have been recognized by the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, the Puffin Foundation, the Brooklyn Arts Council, and other organizations.
Get to know Christine, her roots in the film industry, and her experiences as a TV host!
NYWIFT Member Christine Stoddard
Welcome to NYWIFT! Please introduce yourself briefly to our readers.
I’m a multimedia storyteller working across comedy, drama, and non-fiction. Most of my work is in moving pictures: video, TV, and film. I have a background in poetry and photography, though I don’t think you ever stop looking at the world with poetic sensibilities or a photographer’s eye, if that’s who you are.
I draw from my arts and journalism training to bring real and unreal stories to audiences across platforms. Right now I’m having a lot of fun promoting my rom-com 5 Ways I Didn’t Marry You, playing with my character “Art Bitch,” and helping develop the YouTube show Don’t Mind If I Don’t (youtube.com/@dontmindtheshow).
What brought you to NYWIFT?
Columbia Journalism School! I had an indie arthouse feature, Sirena’s Gallery, streaming on Amazon, Tubi, and other platforms by the time I came to J-School, but I knew I wanted a day job in broadcast or the film industry. That would require more than lucking out at film festivals or with grant applications. It required an overhaul in my networking.
J-School encouraged me to join the Video Consortium, which I did, but I needed more girl power. I wanted to surround myself with ambitious, creative women like myself to discuss industry stuff, find collaborators, and help advance my career. NYWIFT seemed like the place for all of that and more, so I signed up, got approved, and here I am. I joined right around the time we entered production on my short movie, 5 Ways I Didn’t Marry You.
Stoddard on set
What initially drew you to the field of journalism and television, and how did your journey begin?
My dad was a broadcast journalist and photographer. My whole family loves movies, theater, and reading. I started writing as a kid because I was a little weirdo. But what else was I going to do while ignoring my bullies? It was kind of a no-brainer.
You have an incredibly diverse background in journalism, from anchoring to writing to producing. What has been the most fulfilling part of your career so far, and how has each genre shaped the way you approach your work?
I love hosting and directing. Writing is integrated into every part of the process. Anyone involved on the editorial side of things has to be a strong writer. When I’m on-camera, I write copy and scripts that are in my voice.
As a director, I get to oversee the overall vision for the project. In all that I do, I’m excited to be playful and connect with the audience, even while informing them.
Stoddard BTS
You are currently hosting two shows for Manhattan Neighborhood Network: Don’t Mind If I Don’t and Badass Lady-Folk. Can you tell us more about your experience in this position?
Don’t Mind If I Don’t is a comedy show all about challenging our dislikes and biases. My boyfriend, Aaron Gold, used to have a podcast about things he hated, and we developed the TV show from that. We interview experts and mega fans to show him why he’s wrong. It’s very fun and funny! I play the role of supportive girlfriend, giving Aaron the nudge he needs. I also help produce, write, and am the show’s art director. Watch at YouTube.com/@dontmindtheshow.
Meanwhile, I also interview incredible women and hear their stories across activism, creativity, and relationships. That’s the idea behind Badass Lady-Folk. It’s basically a feminist talk show. Watch the playlist on YouTube.com/@stoddardsays.
Stoddard hosting Badass Lady-Folk
Are there any themes or messages you strive to convey or that influence your work as a writer and TV personality?
I’m interested in playfulness, social justice, and women’s stories. I care a lot about emotional connection and relatability because I believe art and journalism are for everyone. There’s power in universality.
As a recent graduate from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, are there any projects you are currently working on or would like to explore in the future?
There’s my non-fiction series, Christine Stoddard’s New York, which you can watch on my YouTube channel, Stoddard Says: https://www.youtube.com/@stoddardsays. It’s about politics, the environment, and culture in New York State—the five boroughs of New York City, plus the Capital Region, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Southern Tier, and Western New York. Deep reporting and serious play with a social lens!
On the fiction side of things, my short film 5 Ways I Didn’t Marry You just dropped on YouTube. Even as I continue my news and documentary-making, I still want to keep making movies.
Connect with Christine Stoddard through her YouTube, website, magazine, and Instagram at @stoddardsays.
(Images courtesy of Christine Stoddard)
Lily Della Pietra
Lily Della Pietra is a current intern at NYWIFT and a student at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus. She is a Communications major with a concentration in Media Studies and hopes to continue following this path post-grad working in the entertainment field. Lily is very passionate about film and music, often practicing guitar or keeping up with the latest films in her free time. She is excited to work with the NYWIFT community and explore the industry!
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