The Reel Women

Category: Actor

  • Chrissie Homer

    Chrissie Homer

    “Do the thing, just get on with it. You’re going to do it anyway so anytime you aren’t doing it is just wasting time.” – Brett Goldstein

    Writer & Actor — @chrissie_homer

    What pulled you into film and TV in the first place?

    Growing up our family source of entertainment were comedy shows, Vicar of Dibley, Fawlty Towers, Dad’s Army, not your classic tv shows for a seven-year-old but I just loved them all. They always made me feel really comforted and safe, and when I thought about writing, I just loved the idea of writing someone’s new favourite comfort show. The show they put on when they feel sad and know instantly it will cheer them up. And that’s always the pull when I’m writing, how will this ultimately make someone feel? Will this make a person’s world better by seeing it?

    What do you think the industry gets most wrong about women like you?

    I think the industry makes the mistake of thinking that women like me aren’t ready for the next step. They don’t understand that women like me are relentless, not in an aggressive way, but in an I’m-here-and-I’m-going-to-keep-knocking-at-this-door-until-you-let-me-in way. We can multitask, we can do the part-time job, the childcare, and still dedicate the time to write, take a course, create something by ourselves, and we can do it with little support too. We’re scrappy, and we won’t stop until we decide to.

    What does success mean to you?

    Success for me isn’t about money or fame, it’s about being able to spend time working on my craft, sharing ideas in a writer’s room, and being able to create something that people enjoy.

    What are you most proud of that most people don’t know about?

    I got my first BBC writing credit (and pay cheque) on a topical comedy show this year, and due to work demands and childcare, I did my submission within a 2-hour window rather than the standard 24-hour window that’s given for open submissions. I was absolutely thrilled and really proud of myself for not giving up and not missing the deadline.

    What keeps you going when the industry makes it hard?

    Watching my favourite comedy shows or nerding out on how they got made listening to podcasts or reading the writer’s books. It reminds me of what I’m working towards and also, obviously, make me laugh. And having a network of supportive creatives around me is essential too, people who remind me I’m capable of doing this!

    What is one piece of advice you wish you had heard earlier?

    I caught an Instagram clip of Brett Goldstein when he was asked what advice he’d give his younger self, he said ‘Do the thing, just get on with it. You’re going to do it anyway so anytime you aren’t doing it is just wasting time.’ It really resonated with me – I’d always wanted to write and I’d always wanted to act – so I should probably just get on with it. And accepting you won’t be perfect when you start something – in fact you might even be bad. But it’s OK because you just started. That piece of advice has set me up for any kind of rejection now because ultimately we are always still learning.

    Anything else you’d like to share?

    I’d love people to find me on Instagram @chrissie_homer or email me at chrissiejayneh@hotmail.co.uk and I’d love to start building a network of fellow female writers, so please get in touch!

  • Alison Wesley

    Alison Wesley

    “Get a partner who can say the hard things you can’t. Sometimes it would’ve been nice to have a lioness alongside me to help strengthen my soft words.”

    Producer, Writer, Actor — @the.mural.film

    What pulled you into film and TV in the first place?

    I have always loved stories that people can see themselves in. My background was in writing music and books, but two years ago, a script fell out of me. Literally. I was driving when an idea came to me. I had to pull the car over, cancel my plans and voice record all of it at once. I was inspired to write it after a vandalism to my husband’s restaurant because when something happens that I wish I could’ve handled differently, a story emerges. This film is basically my wish for how it could’ve gone.

    I put it up as a staged reading and afterward, our Director approached, wanting to direct if it ever became a film. The same day an investor appeared as if by magic.

    So, why am I in film? Magic.

    What do you think the industry gets most wrong about women like you?

    In my opinion themes that speak to women can often be obvious or dramatized when it’s the little things, the subtle things that we might not even notice in our lives that make it difficult to truly feel seen or heard. In my film, this is a big theme: the feeling the need to apologize for oneself, even subtly. Getting out of the way, smiling at strangers, etc. I love films that highlight these daily life aspects that might seem small but add up so quickly.

    I have personally found that the industry favors the big things and they also might not take me seriously because I am new, full of hope and optimism and that somehow reads as weak or in need of lots of help. It’s been nice to produce my first feature (along with writing, acting and a million other things) to prove to some of them that, I’ve got this. Me, and an amazing team of course.

    What does success mean to you?

    Action. To me, the outcome doesn’t matter but holding an idea that never sees the light of day is failure. Acting on it, in any way possible, is success.

    What are you most proud of that most people don’t know about?

    The most proud moment I’ve had on this production was at the wrap party when a few very experienced crew members told me, this was the most organized set with the best food options ever. Out of all the things, making sure we had good food (our story is set in a café after all!) was priority!

    What keeps you going when the industry makes it hard?

    Trust. The way everything has happened in my life, film or otherwise, has had a flow. The minute I feel that I’m pushing the river I know I need to pivot. I have to trust wherever ideas come from, the people who believe in them enough to back them and me, and the process.

  • Lizzie Worsdell

    Lizzie Worsdell

    “You don’t have to know everything.”

    Actor & Producer, Founder of Eldub Films — eldubfilms.com

    What pulled you into film and TV in the first place?

    I wanted to act ever since my mum took me to see a production of Scrooge at the Oxford Apollo when I was about 4 years old. I then was an actor until about 2018/2019 when I decided I wanted to pivot towards producing. I saw a gap in the industry for women both behind and in front of the camera and I wanted to tell female focused stories and show a side of society that isn’t normally explored onscreen. I wanted to tell the stories I wanted to see and wanted to have a bit more control over what was created and what I worked on. Alongside acting I had worked as a celebrity assistant and so I had a lot of transferable skills. Producing lets me bring together talented creatives and help turn ideas into something that can genuinely connect with an audience. During the pandemic I did a Masters at Raindance in producing, set up my own production company Eldub Films and the rest is history.

    What do you think the industry gets most wrong about women like you?

    That life is over at 30 and that there are no interesting stories to be told about women later in life. There is more to us than falling in love and menopause.

    What does success mean to you?

    Success to me would be making the projects that I have chosen to make and am proud of. Being recognised for this and being a respected voice in the industry. Being able to help other women in the industry move forward.

    What are you most proud of that most people don’t know about?

    That despite everything I’ve been through in my life, I’ve never given up. I have looked after myself for a very long time even when it’s felt impossible.

    What keeps you going when the industry makes it hard?

    My belief that my turn is coming. People want to hear the stories I’m telling and I will get my chance eventually. It has to be someone, why shouldn’t it be me. Plus the incredible other women I meet in the industry and the incredible stories they have and their support.

    Anything else you’d like to share?

    You can find out more about her work at eldubfilms.com or lizzieworsdell.com. She’s always looking for female voices and collaborators with a story to tell.