when I was 11 living in a small town in Texas my best
living in a small town in Texas my best
living in a small town in Texas my best friend and I were bored so I had an idea
friend and I were bored so I had an idea
friend and I were bored so I had an idea let’s make a music video i styled her in
let’s make a music video i styled her in
let’s make a music video i styled her in a prairie dress sung by my grandma and
a prairie dress sung by my grandma and
a prairie dress sung by my grandma and grabbed a flashlight and a little
grabbed a flashlight and a little
grabbed a flashlight and a little point-and-shoot camera as we set out for
point-and-shoot camera as we set out for
point-and-shoot camera as we set out for the abandoned ranch behind my back yard
the abandoned ranch behind my back yard
the abandoned ranch behind my back yard I kept thinking of the song wolves by
I kept thinking of the song wolves by
I kept thinking of the song wolves by Bon Iver it was dusk and at the time I
Bon Iver it was dusk and at the time I
Bon Iver it was dusk and at the time I didn’t really know how to adjust camera
didn’t really know how to adjust camera
didn’t really know how to adjust camera settings so instead I would shine the
settings so instead I would shine the
settings so instead I would shine the flashlight at a fence or on the ground
flashlight at a fence or on the ground
flashlight at a fence or on the ground and give her directions based off of how
and give her directions based off of how
and give her directions based off of how the song sounded to me by the time he
the song sounded to me by the time he
the song sounded to me by the time he got back we were tired she had cactus
got back we were tired she had cactus
got back we were tired she had cactus spines in her leg and the flashlight was
spines in her leg and the flashlight was
spines in her leg and the flashlight was flickering out but we had something we
flickering out but we had something we
flickering out but we had something we had the footage that would shape my
had the footage that would shape my
had the footage that would shape my future and ultimately build my passion
future and ultimately build my passion
future and ultimately build my passion for filmmaking after my parents posted
for filmmaking after my parents posted
for filmmaking after my parents posted the video online the creative director
the video online the creative director
the video online the creative director of adolescent content saw it and I
of adolescent content saw it and I
of adolescent content saw it and I signed on with them and directed my
signed on with them and directed my
signed on with them and directed my first two commercials it felt like my
first two commercials it felt like my
first two commercials it felt like my dream was becoming reality
dream was becoming reality
dream was becoming reality I mean not only could I be a director as
I mean not only could I be a director as
I mean not only could I be a director as a female but also as a kid when I first
a female but also as a kid when I first
a female but also as a kid when I first started thinking about directing I
started thinking about directing I
started thinking about directing I didn’t know how few female and kid
didn’t know how few female and kid
didn’t know how few female and kid directors were able to work
directors were able to work
directors were able to work professionally I mean the job of the
professionally I mean the job of the
professionally I mean the job of the director is literally to direct the cast
director is literally to direct the cast
director is literally to direct the cast the crew being the leader of the set
the crew being the leader of the set
the crew being the leader of the set although I loved what I was doing I
although I loved what I was doing I
although I loved what I was doing I questioned whether I really belonged on
questioned whether I really belonged on
questioned whether I really belonged on set as the casting crew piled in I felt
set as the casting crew piled in I felt
set as the casting crew piled in I felt like they were wondering what’s she
like they were wondering what’s she
like they were wondering what’s she doing here or whose daughter is she
doing here or whose daughter is she
doing here or whose daughter is she people just couldn’t place me and
people just couldn’t place me and
people just couldn’t place me and eleven-year-old in the adult world of
eleven-year-old in the adult world of
eleven-year-old in the adult world of directing one time I told this woman I
directing one time I told this woman I
directing one time I told this woman I directed and she said oh like trois
directed and she said oh like trois
directed and she said oh like trois this feeling of not belonging was
this feeling of not belonging was
this feeling of not belonging was hitting me from all sides I mean at the
hitting me from all sides I mean at the
hitting me from all sides I mean at the time I was going into middle school and
time I was going into middle school and
time I was going into middle school and wasn’t sure I belonged middle schools
wasn’t sure I belonged middle schools
wasn’t sure I belonged middle schools kind of where cliques coming
kind of where cliques coming
kind of where cliques coming no more playdates no more toys
no more playdates no more toys
no more playdates no more toys everyone’s trying to figure out who they
everyone’s trying to figure out who they
everyone’s trying to figure out who they are and where they fit in even though I
are and where they fit in even though I
are and where they fit in even though I was excited about what I was doing I
was excited about what I was doing I
was excited about what I was doing I wasn’t sure if I could tell their kids
wasn’t sure if I could tell their kids
wasn’t sure if I could tell their kids because they think I was bragging or
because they think I was bragging or
because they think I was bragging or teachers because they think I felt
teachers because they think I felt
teachers because they think I felt superior to them it was really hard to
superior to them it was really hard to
superior to them it was really hard to navigate middle school especially as an
navigate middle school especially as an
navigate middle school especially as an introvert but when I’m on set I’m
introvert but when I’m on set I’m
introvert but when I’m on set I’m engaged it’s like directing gives me
engaged it’s like directing gives me
engaged it’s like directing gives me more energy sadly as a society we have
more energy sadly as a society we have
more energy sadly as a society we have really defined expectations of what
really defined expectations of what
really defined expectations of what people should or shouldn’t be doing it
people should or shouldn’t be doing it
people should or shouldn’t be doing it really any age I’ve learned that what
really any age I’ve learned that what
really any age I’ve learned that what I’ve been feeling and experiencing is
I’ve been feeling and experiencing is
I’ve been feeling and experiencing is ageism and I’ve heard it being talked
ageism and I’ve heard it being talked
ageism and I’ve heard it being talked about in a way that it’s something that
about in a way that it’s something that
about in a way that it’s something that older adults face but I think it affects
older adults face but I think it affects
older adults face but I think it affects us all because if what we can or can’t
us all because if what we can or can’t
us all because if what we can or can’t do is determine by our age then real
do is determine by our age then real
do is determine by our age then real Immonen ourselves and our society why
Immonen ourselves and our society why
Immonen ourselves and our society why can’t someone who’s 80 keep working if
can’t someone who’s 80 keep working if
can’t someone who’s 80 keep working if they love what they’re doing or someone
they love what they’re doing or someone
they love what they’re doing or someone who’s 70s start a business which brings
who’s 70s start a business which brings
who’s 70s start a business which brings me back to why can’t an 11 year old
me back to why can’t an 11 year old
me back to why can’t an 11 year old direct defying ageism and being able to
direct defying ageism and being able to
direct defying ageism and being able to direct has taught me so much and helps
direct has taught me so much and helps
direct has taught me so much and helps me grow in a lot of ways first it’s
me grow in a lot of ways first it’s
me grow in a lot of ways first it’s taught me that I don’t have to have the
taught me that I don’t have to have the
taught me that I don’t have to have the answers to everything when I’m on set
answers to everything when I’m on set
answers to everything when I’m on set someone will ask me about a certain type
someone will ask me about a certain type
someone will ask me about a certain type of camera lens to use or if we should
of camera lens to use or if we should
of camera lens to use or if we should use the Steadicam for a certain shot I
use the Steadicam for a certain shot I
use the Steadicam for a certain shot I used to freeze up and not know what to
used to freeze up and not know what to
used to freeze up and not know what to say because I thought I had to have the
say because I thought I had to have the
say because I thought I had to have the answers to every single question but
answers to every single question but
answers to every single question but then I just started asking well what do
then I just started asking well what do
then I just started asking well what do you recommend surprisingly people would
you recommend surprisingly people would
you recommend surprisingly people would share their opinions and even let me see
share their opinions and even let me see
share their opinions and even let me see the effect on camera it led to more
the effect on camera it led to more
the effect on camera it led to more knowledge and way better decisions for
knowledge and way better decisions for
knowledge and way better decisions for the next time in the four years since
the next time in the four years since
the next time in the four years since I’ve started directing
I’ve started directing
I’ve started directing directed commercials and short films but
directed commercials and short films but
directed commercials and short films but I still feel like there’s a lot for me
I still feel like there’s a lot for me
I still feel like there’s a lot for me to learn because in a way I think
to learn because in a way I think
to learn because in a way I think there’s always gonna be more to learn in
there’s always gonna be more to learn in
there’s always gonna be more to learn in school I was never someone who would
school I was never someone who would
school I was never someone who would raise my hand or confidently ask a
raise my hand or confidently ask a
raise my hand or confidently ask a question but in wanting to be the best
question but in wanting to be the best
question but in wanting to be the best director I can it’s in my best interest
director I can it’s in my best interest
director I can it’s in my best interest to find that more confident side of
to find that more confident side of
to find that more confident side of myself that more curious side of myself
myself that more curious side of myself
myself that more curious side of myself that speaks up and asks in order to
that speaks up and asks in order to
that speaks up and asks in order to learn directing has also taught me not
learn directing has also taught me not
learn directing has also taught me not to settle when it comes to my passions
to settle when it comes to my passions
to settle when it comes to my passions imagine what the world would be like if
imagine what the world would be like if
imagine what the world would be like if all kids grew up learning not to settle
all kids grew up learning not to settle
all kids grew up learning not to settle when it comes to jobs and relationships
when it comes to jobs and relationships
when it comes to jobs and relationships and finding happiness over all I’ve also
and finding happiness over all I’ve also
and finding happiness over all I’ve also learned that there’s a place for
learned that there’s a place for
learned that there’s a place for everyone I used to feel like the weird
everyone I used to feel like the weird
everyone I used to feel like the weird art kid that didn’t play sports but when
art kid that didn’t play sports but when
art kid that didn’t play sports but when I’m directing when I’m on set I’m a
I’m directing when I’m on set I’m a
I’m directing when I’m on set I’m a person with a purpose and a drive to be
person with a purpose and a drive to be
person with a purpose and a drive to be my best when I wake up for that 7 a.m.
my best when I wake up for that 7 a.m.
my best when I wake up for that 7 a.m. alarm for school I’m way less
alarm for school I’m way less
alarm for school I’m way less enthusiastic to get out of bed than for
enthusiastic to get out of bed than for
enthusiastic to get out of bed than for that 4 am alarm for being a on set can I
that 4 am alarm for being a on set can I
that 4 am alarm for being a on set can I see myself doing this for the rest of my
see myself doing this for the rest of my
see myself doing this for the rest of my life I don’t know and I don’t think it
life I don’t know and I don’t think it
life I don’t know and I don’t think it really matters because today what I do
really matters because today what I do
really matters because today what I do know is that I don’t want to be known as
know is that I don’t want to be known as
know is that I don’t want to be known as a kid director which I am or a girl
a kid director which I am or a girl
a kid director which I am or a girl director which I am but a great director
director which I am but a great director
director which I am but a great director thank you
”
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