Rising Star Christine Luby On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry
An Interview With Eden Gold
You don’t need to have all the answers yourself. Hire great people, trust their expertise, then work with them to uncover awesome ideas. It’s always better to say that you don’t know how to do something and ask for help rather than pretending that you know how to do everything. Let the best idea win. Hot tip: Take classes on communication, because if you can’t clearly communicate your vision in a direct and inspiring way, your collaborators can’t make it a reality! Make sure you know how to speak well and be decisive.
As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Christine Luby.
Christine Luby is a Film and TV director, with her work streaming on Netflix, Peacock, Disney+, and Tubi. After 13 years in the film industry, Christine stepped up to directing during the pandemic when she was living in Australia. Now, back in the US, Christine has a film coming out this year and will start shooting her next movie in October, a tropical romantic comedy.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I was raised in the woods of New Hampshire, where I (no joke) had a pet raccoon growing up. So, a career in the film industry was not the obvious choice for someone like me. But I was always interested in storytelling and was a member of an incredible dance company that told narrative stories through movement. One of my favorite productions was based on Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree. That was an early experience of using the body as a vessel for story. A Film Studies class in high school followed, but it wasn’t until my last semester in college, where I took a Dance for the Camera class where I was exposed to choreographers such as Maya Deren and DV8 Physical Theatre, that I made the connection between movement and film.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
After college, I moved to London to pursue a career in contemporary dance, but back in those days you had to re-train at age 30, so I always knew I would have another career. As chance would have it, I got a glimpse into film production when I was on the set of a dance film, and I got curious about what was behind the camera. From there I worked on student films, faking it till I made it to build up credits. My first long-form credit was on a dance documentary, which brought both of my worlds together beautifully. When the GFC hit London, I moved to Australia and continued working in production until the pandemic hit and I had an opportunity to start directing in 2020.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I think that many filmmakers have a lot of their identity wrapped up in their career, which is certainly true for me. What’s interesting is that the more I lean into my core being and feminine power, the stronger I am as a leader. When I worked as an Assistant Director in the early days, I initially felt that I had to AD like a man and rule with an iron fist, but as soon as I leaned into being calm and clear, I brought a humor and a lightness to set which inspired creativity rather than terror. I came up the ranks being yelled at and humiliated by my superiors, and I’ve just never thought that was a good environment for learning, so I’m leading the change.
It has been said that mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
On my first film, I thought I had to have all the answers as the director and have everything figured out in advance. During this one scene, we ended up with a different kind of boat than we had shot listed for, and it threw me for a loop, plus I was operating on zero sleep. I was pretty stressed out while we were blocking the scene, but I trusted the actors to make the blocking work, and my DP and I worked out the angles pretty quickly from there, and it all came together. That was such a good lesson in trusting your collaborators and knowing they will have your back. It’s since become my favorite scene in the whole film!
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I am about to start another Romantic Comedy set in tropical Australia, which I’m really excited about. I also have an edgy film coming out this Christmas called Holly Jolly Christmas. After a slow 2024, next year should be full speed ahead!
As a rising star, you’ve likely faced challenges along the way. How do you stay motivated and overcome obstacles in your career?
Staying centered is extremely important in riding the highs and inevitable lows of the entertainment industry. I draw on exercise, yoga, meditation, a healthy diet, and prioritizing sleep and self-care as much as humanly possible during a shoot and get right back into my routine after wrapping a project.
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
Having authentic representation in front of and behind the camera is essential for underrepresented people to see themselves on screen, and we can expand storytelling by getting away from the tropes we so commonly see and uncover unexplored stories.
I was recently at an event at Tribeca Festival x Easterseals and had fascinating conversations with disabled filmmakers who gave me such a fresh perspective about portraying disability on screen. For instance, actor Mat Fraser was saying that if an actor has a noticeable disability on screen, the able-bodied actor should clock the disability with their eyes because that’s what happens in real life, so why not depict that on screen? My initial instinct would have been to portray the opposite, so I really appreciated his perspective on this.
Seeing Emily Blunt play a director on The Fall Guy is important and means that little girls might now include “film director” in their career aspirations. It’s hard to imagine something when you haven’t seen it, and historically depicting the director as male did a great disservice to all the would-be female directors out there. Depicting inclusivity on screen is important not only for authentic representation but also to inspire the next generation!
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
- Collaboration is key.
You don’t need to have all the answers yourself. Hire great people, trust their expertise, then work with them to uncover awesome ideas. It’s always better to say that you don’t know how to do something and ask for help rather than pretending that you know how to do everything. Let the best idea win. Hot tip: Take classes on communication, because if you can’t clearly communicate your vision in a direct and inspiring way, your collaborators can’t make it a reality! Make sure you know how to speak well and be decisive.
2. This will sound weird, but to some degree, it’s quantity, not quality.
I see a lot of emerging filmmakers put this huge emphasis on making their first feature, often waiting years for the stars to align in order to make their perfect film. Now you can spend 10 years trying to do this, or you can go out and shoot something low-budget because it’s a learning experience, and either way, you’re going to make mistakes. I say that it’s better to shoot a film and complete it quickly rather than perfectly. Because at the end of the day, work begets work, and having got your first feature out of the way, you’re more hirable for a second feature, and before you know it, you’ll be a feature filmmaker.
3. Everyone has imposter syndrome. It’s not just you!
Everyone goes through stages of this, whether you’re just starting out, moving up budget levels, or working with A list cast. It’s really just your fear talking, and the more you push through the fear, the stronger you become! You are not alone in this, but also…don’t let it hold you back.
4. Knowing the business side of show business is not just recommended; it’s essential. Talent alone isn’t enough; you’ve also got to know how to sell yourself and talk the talk before anyone will let you take the reins.
Work on your personal branding. Take a class from Carole Kirshner to get started.
5. Each film or TV episode is its own marathon, and you will get exhausted, so you must find ways to keep your energy high. As a director, the vibe that you bring to set affects the mood of everyone, so you must learn how to keep that energy high even when everything goes wrong, as it inevitably does.
Hot tip: Listen to music on the drive to set, meditate during the lunch break, and have a special drink to pep you up when the days run long. And prebook in self-care during your weekends so that you can refuel before the next week. And when all else fails, coffee and dry shampoo.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Use your downtime to refill your creative cup. Go see theater and dance, go to art galleries, and create in other mediums because it’s amazing the ideas that spring up from these environments. Oh, and podcasts! Some of my favorites are The Mel Robbins Podcast, On Purpose with Jay Shetty, Let’s Shoot with Pete Chatmon, and Happier in Hollywood.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
Spreading kindness could absolutely change the world. Being back in the States after 22 years abroad has been shocking in some ways to see how divided we are. Bridging the gap by approaching situations with kindness and compassion goes a long way, and leaning into chance encounters and talking to strangers is a good place to begin. Intentionally connecting with others helps everyone feel less alone.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
It’s true that you need champions to light the path ahead of you in this inconstant industry, so shoutout to Steve Jaggi of Jaggi Entertainment, who believed in me early on and gave me my first four credits to kickstart my directing career.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
If You Always Do What You’ve Always Done, You’ll Always Get What You’ve Always Got. ~ Henry Ford
To me, this is such a great reminder to go towards what scares you. I’ve been scared many times to stand in the spotlight, especially as a girl from rural New Hampshire with no connections to the film industry. I was scared to begin directing, scared to move to LA, scared to stand in my power. But each time I’ve pushed through the fear, I’ve come out stronger.
Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone. — Neal Donald Walsch
Habituation and a sedentary lifestyle lead to a boring, unhealthy life. Mix up your routine to keep it interesting, and don’t let fear hold you back. Identify fear, say hello to it, and then wish it well as you move beyond it!
How can our readers follow you online?
https://www.instagram.com/christineluby/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-luby-a5172921/
https://vimeo.com/user61897426
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
I reckon that breakfast with Robin Williams would have been one of the most profound, hilarious, enlightening meals ever!
Photo credit in orange sweater Ericka Kreutz
Other photos: David Fell
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
About The Interviewer: Eden Gold, is a youth speaker, keynote speaker, founder of the online program Life After High School, and host of the Real Life Adulting Podcast. Being America’s rising force for positive change, Eden is a catalyst for change in shaping the future of education. With a lifelong mission of impacting the lives of 1 billion young adults, Eden serves as a practical guide, aiding young adults in honing their self-confidence, challenging societal conventions, and crafting a strategic roadmap towards the fulfilling lives they envision.
Do you need a dynamic speaker, or want to learn more about Eden’s programs? Click here: https://bit.ly/EdenGold
