Women! We can do this!
What to do when a male exec wrecks your nerves? Well, I speak on this because it’s an interesting part of the business, running into and hopefully over, an unwanted and unneeded speed bump, that rears its ugly head at women who are trying to find financiers, publishers, or just book parts. No matter what the amount is, or the part is, or however we may think we need these headaches to further our careers, I would caution you to listen to your FIRST INSTINCT. I know there have been many a times I have pushed through with something that didn’t feel right for me, because reps or others thought it would be good, but at the end of the day, there was always that nagging feeling inside me to run in the other direction or sit this one out. Listen to this feeling. I’ve been lucky enough in acting, that my whole everything just shuts down and I can’t move forward. At this point in my career, knowing how much I’ve done, on my own, and knowing the relationships and work I’ve done to create this career, saying no, is no problem. I know who and what kind of situation Yolonda can not deal with.
Recently, on this path of mine, I had the unfortunate dealings with a financier that thought he was a little too big for his britches and he wanted to get into mine. Wellll… I can truthfully say, I hadn’t been in this situation before with my film, though as a woman, I think it happens all the time. Sorry, I can’t speak for men on this one, but Ladies, know that there are many organizations, and producers out there for you. This business is run on fear. This is how they get people to jump at things that are not good for them, like “you’ll never work if you don’t take this.” “This money may never come if you don’t jump at this offer”. Don’t jump at the first one, and think this person is the only one. Look at the end credits of any film. There’s like million producers on every film. Don’t do something you will regret, thinking you will get funding, or a part. I think there is always gonna be some sort of dance that we have to do to get what we want, because few are straight forward and have their minds 100 % on your film. I’ve noticed, the ego in this business, definitely trumps brains most times. I was lucky enough to have learned, listen to your gut. I have an internal 3 strikes method, that seems to work for me. Yeah, this dude, struck out. Anyway… NEXT. Another thing, don’t think that these wolves in sheeps clothing are always white males either. This one looked like me.
Organizations to look into for women filmmakers: Sundance, GameChanger, Chicken and Egg, NYWIFT, WIFT, Tribeca Film Institute, ARRAY….
Women directors to follow, besides yours truly :-) #YolondaRoss, #ClaireDenis, #AnaLilyAmirpour, #DebbieAllen, , #AvaDuvernay, #AllisonAnders, #VictoriaMahoney, #RosemaryRodriguez, #ElizaHittman, #Liz Garbus, #FrancesBodomo, #ReedMorano #Numa Perrier, #Jatovia Gary, and the list goes on…
Look at the films you are interested in, and are possibly like your film, see who’s producing them? What connections you have to them or others? What networks are you a part of already, or which ones can you join to help you make your product? Investigate and talk with friends in other departments. While having a meeting with an editor that I will be working with, she mentioned a producer that was on my list of “ Must contact”. Luckily, she was able to make that introduction. It definitely can be a rubik’s cube to finding the right producers, but in no way is it impossible. Good Luck!!
#WomenDirectors #Avatec #ChickenandEgg #GameChanger #SundanceFemaleFilmmakersInitiative #SeeJane #TribecaFilmInstitute #Cinereach #AdrienneShelly
