Since 2016, The Reel Women has interviewed hundreds of women working in film and TV. This page pulls real, unedited answers straight from that archive, organized by the questions we hear most. Nothing here is paraphrased or generated. Every quote is attributed to the woman who said it, with the week she was interviewed, so you can trace it back.
Have a question about working as a woman in film and TV that isn’t answered here? Submit your own profile and add your answer to the archive, or browse full profiles in The Archive.
Why did you decide to work in film or TV?
“I didn’t think it was ever a decision. I knew that I loved to write and that I was good at it. So when I discovered that writing in dialogue form came most naturally to me, film school was the next logical step. There, I fell in love with writing for television and have never looked back.”
@skylarharrison, interviewed January 2016
“I decided to work in the film industry because I didn’t necessarily see women like me. I wasn’t getting roles I’d audition for either. So, I fought to create my own film company so I could depict what I wanted to see, what those in my community wanted to see.”
@BlackNikonChick, interviewed February 2016
“People and stories. I didn’t grow up watching a lot of films or TV shows, but I come from a family of writers and relatives who love to tell stories. I really dove into film in high school and college. I love what the medium has to offer, but at the core it’s definitely the chance to understand who we are.”
@janawinternitz, interviewed March 2016
“I was a film critic and I was tired of complaining about the same issues, basically not enough female stories being told, and inaccurate or monotonous portrayals of women. I had an idea for a short and decided to just go for it. I’ve been addicted ever since.”
@shmelvispresley, interviewed May 2016
“I’ve always been fascinated by humans, their diverse backgrounds, and how we all connect and live with one another. The magic of directing and filmmaking is it’s the only career where you get to collaborate with every type of artist. That moment, when we all come together and share one vision, is what made me want to be a filmmaker.”
@bpoletti, interviewed July 2016
What advice would you give other women trying to break in or stay in?
“Don’t assume you have talent, take that talent to the gym and use it. Work on it every day of your life. Even when not on a set, read scripts, do plays, do standup. Talent is innate, but needs a workout.”
@amberdawnlee_, interviewed February 2016
“Respect yourself. If you can’t find jobs or projects you could work on, create your own projects and opportunities. Don’t wait around until someone decides that you are ‘good enough’ to do it. Give yourself time and opportunities.”
@m.olchawska, interviewed April 2016
“For actresses, my advice is to always speak up. Participate. Talk with the writers, collaborate with the directors. Don’t wait to be told what to do. You have a voice and you have power, recognize it and use it. For ladies behind the lens, my advice is: just do your job. Be so good no one can ignore you. And, hello, hire each other!”
@xo_seri, interviewed May 2016
“Be ready to work three times as hard and be ready to be your own launching pad. We also can’t wait around for an opportunity to be handed to us. We must create our own opportunities and be prepared to create them over and over again.”
Interviewed June 2016
“Keep telling your stories. It’s so important, now more than ever. I believe in my heart that equality is on its way for us, but in the meantime, the great heart of our society needs women telling their stories. They need to hear our voices.”
@JenPonton, interviewed September 2016
What’s the biggest fear women in this industry have about the future?
“My biggest concern is not giving enough of what I want to give or what I could give. I guess I’m afraid I won’t be brave enough to really figure out what it is, or not be focused enough to really deliver on it. It is a fear of not showing up to potential.”
@madeleine_johnson, interviewed March 2016
“Definitely that ticking clock for motherhood. That is the central pivot on all my plans. It definitely puts a pin on anybody’s calendar who wants that for themselves. So all of those plans are shifting around the assumption I’ll be in a place economically, and in my relationship, where I can raise kids in a stable environment.”
Interviewed May 2016
“The portrayal of women in the media is huge to me, as well as the blatant sexism which is rampant in the industry. I think there’s a lot forgiven in ‘the male creative genius,’ and the spoils are the allowance of women being mistreated. I hope to help shape the conversation in a new way.”
@blankmylife, interviewed June 2016
“Women not feeling like they have a place, specifically in film. I can’t describe how many times I was the only girl in my film production classes or on set. Women have such a distinct voice that too often is extinguished. And a voice that deserves more of a place in the industry.”
Interviewed July 2016
“EVERYTHING. I fear I’ll never be as successful as I want to be, that I’ll never see my work executed the way I want it to, that I’ll run out of ideas. But it’s all bullshit. All the unknowingness and uncertainty about the future is what keeps me going. It’s scary as shit, but you gotta push through it.”
@skylarharrison, interviewed January 2016
What does a defining career moment actually look like?
“The moment I decided I no longer wanted to pursue a career as a ballet dancer. After high school, I started dancing professionally and was downright miserable. When I finally allowed myself to say, ‘Hey, you’re allowed to do something else with your life,’ it was a huge turning point.”
@skylarharrison, interviewed January 2016
“It was a mindset shift for me. I’m a perfectionist, which is one of the reasons I like film, because you have the time and resources to really curate and be specific. Realizing I didn’t always need to be right allowed me the freedom to fail. Failure creates opportunity. Honestly, it does.”
@janawinternitz, interviewed March 2016
“Deciding to direct my first short film marked a huge shift for me. At the time I’d been working and booking as an actress for a few years. And while I loved it, the down time in between bookings was really wearing on me. I had so much creative energy and wasn’t regularly using it.”
@xo_seri, interviewed May 2016
“Honestly, being dropped by my agency was a huge awakening that maybe I wasn’t meant to be an actor. I wasn’t great at auditioning and hadn’t been successful right out of school and now felt like I had publicly failed. For the first time, I had to consider: if people aren’t clamoring for me to perform, why do I want to do it?”
@blankmylife, interviewed June 2016
“After living in Seattle for 4 years working as a freelance photographer but never truly pursuing my dream as a filmmaker, I decided I was going to leap into the unknown. I packed all of my things, moved to LA with no real plan, and just started finding creatives I liked working with. I’ve never been more peaceful.”
@bpoletti, interviewed July 2016
What does a successful moment actually look like, according to women working in the industry?
“I would say right now, this very moment, I feel happy with my work. I’m having a film premiere in Atlanta and I sold out of tickets. That’s a successful moment for me so far.”
@BlackNikonChick, interviewed February 2016
“There are little things along the way, but starting my own company was empowering. It laid the groundwork for doing my own projects and having the opportunity to decide what I want to put out into the world.”
@janawinternitz, interviewed March 2016
“Although I have been awarded for the best short at a film festival a few years back, I choose finishing my feature film. The whole post-production was so long, draining, and very challenging on many different levels. I feel very proud of the project and happy to be able to move on to the next stage.”
@m.olchawska, interviewed April 2016
“Tina Fey wrote a role for me on ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,’ which was pretty much the most wonderful thing I could have ever asked for! I want her to be my Bossypants for the rest of all time.”
@JenPonton, interviewed September 2016
“I consider it a success anytime a woman tells me that something I said, did, or content I created was inspiring, encouraging, or helpful to them in any way.”
@latresabaker, interviewed October 2016
This page is pulled from The Reel Women’s ongoing interview archive and is updated periodically as new interviews come in. Want to be featured? Submit your profile here.