Up Close with Film Producer Nathalie Zagar Abitbol

Nathalie Zagar Abitbol is a producer and script supervisor who has always believed in living life with intention, passion, and curiosity. Born in Mexico City to French parents, she was raised at the intersection of cultures, languages, and perspectives, which gave her the incredible opportunity to grow up surrounded by diversity. She speaks French, Spanish, and English fluently, and this multicultural background shaped her love for communication and storytelling.

She studied at the American School Foundation in Mexico City and graduated in 2016 with a full International Baccalaureate diploma and two Advanced Placement courses, Language and Literature, and Biology. During those years, she dedicated herself to a wide range of artistic disciplines: 15 years of classical ballet, 10 years of piano, 4 years of figure skating, and 3 years of musical theater. The arts were always her outlet and her passion.

Today, Nathalie is a certified script supervisor and producer with over 30 projects to her name, including two feature films and six drama mini-series. Three of the projects she’s worked on have won awards, and many have been screened at international film festivals. One of her greatest achievements has been earning the trust and recognition of directors and producers who recommend her because of the quality of her work. Hearing that her contribution makes a difference on set is one of the most fulfilling parts of her journey. She is also proud to be part of the HollyShorts Film Festival reviewing team, where she helps determine which submitted films will be screened—a role that keeps her connected to emerging voices in cinema and sharpens her critical eye for storytelling and innovation.

We chatted with Nathalie to talk about life in Los Angeles as a film producer.

Welcome! Let’s dig in. How would you describe the projects that you typically prefer?

I have worked on projects with many different genres, and although they each have their own special thing, I think that the best genre to work on is comedy. That is because once the cast and crew all feel comfortable with each other, it is a pleasure to walk on to set and think “let’s see how much we are going to laugh today”. For example, the feature film I recently worked on called “We Want the Virus” was one of the most fun crews I have been a part of. Each day we knew we were going to cry of laughter and enjoy ourselves, which made it so complicated to stay serious and not laugh mid take! Going back to keeping the set vibes high and happy, when people are laughing and having fun, all of a sudden, the job doesn’t feel so rough. Another genre that I really appreciate to work on is Horror because there are so many special effects and makeup that is done and I enjoy watching the processes of transformation, as well as all the tricks used for props and blood makeup. It is a completely different set vibe, where everyone tends to be more careful and quieter, but watching the monitor and having the effects come to life simply impresses me.

Do you have a specific creative process when preparing for a project?

My process on each project is different, but they all start by reading the script and talking to the writer and/or director of the film. Once I have made myself familiar with the script, that is completely up and down front and back, then I start discussing objectives with the Director. What kind of budget are they working with, what would they like the film to look like, even discussing other films that inspire this particular project. After doing that and getting a clear vision of what we are working with, we start talking more business points such as possible locations for shooting, tentative dates and time frames, crew members to be considered, and equipment to add to a list. Once that is done, we try to make everything come off the paper and become a reality. Location scouts, and interviews with different potential crew members. Once the crew has been established, we start working with head departments on their different pre-production breakdowns, we need to see mood boards, inspirations from different films and ideas on how to create the film. Then we start dividing up the budget according to each department and what they will need to get for their preparation. When the location(s) is/are established, and all permits are in order, then the designs of each head department start to look more accurate to what they will actually be. We need to create some storyboards with the Director and Director of photography to start visualizing the film. We add or remove elements from the equipment list and then start finding rental houses which will give us the equipment needed. While all that is happening, casting is being done. We upload the project and sides and start receiving self tapes and resumes. The way I like to do this process is by accepting all self tapes turned in, then selecting a few that we liked the most and handing out callbacks, and then we like to have chemistry reads in person, so that finally we can decide who has been cast for what role. Once we have all that done, Director starts having meetings with the actors and rehearsals in order to prepare for the shoot days. In the meantime, we need to take care of crafty and all the supplies that will make the set memorable. Seeing what kind of catering we will be providing, if there will be carpool needed, and other details to make sure production runs smoothly.

Finally, when the shoot dates arrive, I always like to be present on set to make sure that everything is going as it should and that everyone is happy. If there are some problems or complications, it is my job to find a solution to that without the problem getting out of control. Everything has to go as smoothly as possible.

Has there been one particular moment in your career that you’re most proud of?

There have been a few to this day. The first one was when the short film Alpha 27 screened at the Hollyshorts Film Festival. I had so many high expectations on that film that once the final product was shown on the big screen at an Oscar-qualifying festival, I was absolutely moved and felt so proud of the team. I imagine it had a special sentimental value because everyone on that team is so talented and they are the best people to work with, but also because I had worked logistics at that festival and seeing that film be selected meant a great deal to me.

Another moment that I cherish and keep very close to my heart was the last day of shooting for the film We Want the Virus. I remember perfectly that it was a short-scheduled day, and once the martini was called out everyone felt a mixture of emotions; excitement and sadness, all together. We had finished this whole movie, and it was looking fantastic, but at the same time, the project came to an end and there would be no more call sheets expecting us to come in for a day of work. I am really proud of that whole team and the passion that everyone put into this project, and I am so eager to see the final product at the first ever screening.

Congratulations! Have you set any new 2025 professional goals to achieve?

My goals for this year are to keep perfecting my craft, work on personal projects, maybe actually write the script I have always wanted to write. This year I decided to take a step back and work mostly on myself and enjoy the time with my family. I have been far from them for some time now and I really need this time to enjoy them. I plan on refreshing my work ideas, my processes, keep learning from people who inspire me in order to become an even better version of myself. I have some future plans for work that I am developing, keeping in touch with a few people to see where their goals and plans are taking them; brainstorming on a few projects that I would love to make come true. It is a very calm year for my goals, because we also need some time to take care of ourselves, and this year is dedicated to that in my case. I am keeping myself in shape both physically and mentally and staying active with small job opportunities that come my way.

Finally, how can people find your work?

Thank you so much. People can look up my work on IMDb.