#FemaleFilmmakerFriday – Being TOUGH.

Thank you so much to my supporters at patreon.com/katehackettwho help make posts like these possible. If you’d like to join me on Patreon, I’d love to have you: you get BTS, posts about the industry, and way more. If you have questions you want to see answered, please consider tossing in a few bucks to the Patreon. R

You have a very straightforward sort of personality. Did you develop a tough love attitude because of the way the industry treats women?

Yes and no. 

If anything, the industry expects women to be MORE patient, so I’m sure that my “tell it like it is”ness is a reaction to that. There’s no meanness involved, I’m not red-faced angry at someone for asking questions, but I see no reason to sugarcoat things.  The film world is a high stress world; there’s no time for that! The lessons I gleaned are to say what you need, ask for what you require, and be clear — works better for a man, admittedly, but if ENOUGH women do it… 

When I answer questions on forums like https://community.stareable.com, I’m answer as though I am speaking with professionals who are requesting assistance — they don’t need their hands held. Why waste everyone’s time? That said, I hope I do so with KINDNESS, because my goal isn’t to make anyone feel bad.

Of course…I think I’ve always been pretty aggressive. I remember at age 8, I turned to a girl in a Saturday rehearsal for a play and blankly told her, “We are not here for friendships. We’re here to …REHEARSE.” because she wanted to talk to me. So to some extent, that’s always been there. If anything, at this point, I think I’ve tamped it DOWN and THAT is entirely because of how the WORLD, not just the industry, treats women.

I can’t tell you quite what personality style works best for you — or for your set because different groups of people will need different things. I do know that I’m not afraid of being direct, but I am also (hopefully) encouraging. Every set is a new learning opportunity for EVERYONE, even the very best of us, and embracing that is important! 

Leave a Reply