The Walkie Check- A holistic talk with creatives
The Walkie Check- A holistic talk with creatives
Go for Erica Duffy
Erica Duffy joins us on this episode of The Walkie Check to talk everything related to gear, managing your mental health, the film festival circuit, producing, and beyond. The perfect dialogue for your morning coffee or even just a daily dose of inspiration as you close out your work day.
Host: Layne Marie Williams
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Hello and welcome to the Walkie Check. Hey folks, welcome to the Walkie Check. I'm Layne Marie Williams, a film director in Los Angeles, California. We're super excited to be working with our friends at Noisefloor to bring you the most creative and talented people out there to share their experiences, knowledge and power. Hello and welcome to another episode of the Walkie Check. Today we're here with the one the only Erica Duffy. Since moving to Chicago eight years ago, entrepreneur and production powerhouse Erica has founded and grown Camera Ambassador. Erica's newest endeavor is serving as the executive director of the Midwest Film Festival. She is passionate about building relationships and fostering community and feels fortunate to have many avenues to accomplish this. The Walkie Check is sponsored by On Set Headsets, the standard of headset in Hollywood. Made with Kevlar reinforced wiring and water resistant microphone with a one year warranty on all products. Get your headset in different styles and colors including the camo and elite series available at film tools in all Panovision shops. Order online at onsetheadsets.com. The Walkie Check is sponsored by Media Exclusive where you are the star of your own business. Your genius is what you are passionate about. It's the whole reason you have a business. No need to worry about social media posts and what is currently trending. Allow us media exclusive to take that stress away from your mind. Media exclusive will work with you to create consistent on brand posts to increase your visibility allowing you to focus on your passions. Learn more and give a follow on Instagram at the.media.exclusive. The Walkie Check is sponsored by film craft studio gear. Own the icon: Filmcraft Studio Gear. The number one trusted brand of pro grade director chairs in film and entertainment, the storytellers choice.
Erica Duffy:Go for Erica Duffy. What an intro, thank you so much Layne Marie. Thank you so much for having me. I'm a fan of the podcast, so it's so wonderful to be in the hot seat now and being able to sit down and talk with you in this way.
Layne Marie:Aw, well. It's it's such a thrill for me too, I'm like covered and goosebumps just because I love you so much, and uh you know, any opportunity to elevate you and the work that you're doing, like sign me up.
Erica Duffy:Thank you. I love it. I'm here for this.
Layne Marie:We're going to talk about a lot of things today. But I think from my point of view for the filmmakers that are maybe aspiring or even more veteran, being able to pick your brain about you know, the ins and outs of running a camera and gear and rental house. Plus, now you're also the executive director at the Midwest Film Festival. So you're an expert in what it's like to be behind the scenes of the film festival submission process. And I think that being able to talk about those things will be super cool for our listeners.
Erica Duffy:Yeah, absolutely. I always love sharing any information and knowledge that I can. And I absolutely love, you know, passing that along and paying it forward because I didn't have a traditional, you know, background going to film school and getting into the industry. I'm very self taught as well as there was many people that paved the way for me and mentored me to the place that I am now. So I always love paying that forward and back and I'm so excited to get into some of these topics.
Layne Marie:So starting with camera ambassador and all that it is. It's a camera grip, electric rental house, and it's also a bran. When I think of camera ambassador, I immediately like see the orange Lotus logo. Everything about the camera ambassador is truly artists friendly, and I feel like I can say that firsthand from all of the experiences I've had and working with you and the teams that you've managed along the way. What initially inspire you to create your own company?
Erica Duffy:Kind of touching on the first thing that you mentioned just to you know, in case there are people listening who don't fully know who camera ambassador is, like you said we do carry you know, and we're a very kind of typical rental house on in one light that we have, you know, cameras, ARRI's, REDs. We have vintage lenses, we also have grip trucks and expendables we have a lot to offer to our rental clients. But something that is different about camera investor that's always been very important to me is our community work that we're doing. And I kinda have to remind myself a lot that we are still a rental house because sometimes my passions and working with artists and working with filmmakers and fulfilling that side of my passion on the community side gets away from me. And I had to remind myself like, okay, don't forget, at the end of the day, like we do still rent cameras. Because we do a lot of other things too, such as classes, gear demos, we do sponsorships, we have an annual grant that we do. I think in all of those things, it's really rooted in that everybody is invited here, and everybody is welcome here, the rental house can be an intimidating space. And we've always really tried to make it that there's an access point to that gear and to that higher end equipment to elevate your production no matter who you are, where you're from, you know, what level or skill set your in. So that's just- I wanted to kind of touch on that really quick, since you did mention that. But to answer your question in full, I never really intended to do what I've done. It wasn't like I sat down at a college or even you know, earlier, I meet a lot of filmmakers who knew they wanted to do what they're doing now when they were in like high school or middle school. And it definitely wasn't that for me, I fell into a lot of this. And I've always really been very open to whatever has come to me and not saying that I know exactly how to do things or what I'm doing and being open to the opportunities that come and being open to the potential of something that I didn't plan being what the next step should be. I actually have a background in non film, I went to school for a non film degree and then worked in camera equipment sales first, and I really really loved it, I was doing a lot of the operation stuff, the business side of it was something that I was really passionate about, but there was a side of it that I burnt out from really quickly because it was very transactional. And there wasn't a lot of, you know, I'd ship a camera, and I never got to find out what was created with that camera. And that was like a huge, missing step for me. So when I came to Chicago, and the idea of doing rentals was presented, it was something that really interested me because it was the technical side, the business side that I really, really love that behind the scenes operations that you mentioned, that I'm really involved in in multiple different avenues. But then I also got to personally be able to know the creator, build a relationship with the creator, and then see the incredible work that is the outcome of using those tools.
Layne Marie:That's a really good way to put I feel like the energy that you have in this community. And I feel it I sense it. I've collaborated with you a lot along the way. And it's just super cool to get to chat about it today. Speaking of which, so we touched a little bit on the tech side of things and, you know, you mentioned working at a camera house and how that kind of like first piqued your interest. When looking at these tools, what do you feel like is the most significant piece of advice that you would give people picking these tools up for the very first time?
Erica Duffy:I think that there is a little bit of a misconception in the industry that you know, you rent the most expensive camera and you're going to have the best project. And I think that's a very naive thought. And of course, high end tools do deliver high end quality of picture, potentially. But it really goes back to two things, in my opinion: one, is the person behind those tools. Like how are you choosing your settings, you know, are you shooting, you know, the combination of what you're using. And then the second part of it is the right tool for the job. The right tool isn't always the most expensive tool, if you're going for something that's, you know, really moody and vintagey and you pick a lens that's super clean, that expensive lens isn't going to tell the story and translate to your audience, the vision that you had when you were writing and designing that project. So being you know, conscious that picking the tools for the job for that specific job. And then being realistic in that like, if your story isn't good, and you don't have talented creators utilizing the tools, even if you rent the most expensive thing, it's not going to come out good. You know, and this might be counterintuitive from someone who owns a camera rental house because obviously I would love you to rent the most expensive thing. I always encourage people not to fall into that mentality because it doesn't always serve the project.
Layne Marie:Absolutely. And I think it's also important to grow over time, you know, like it's okay to start with something a little bit more standard. I mean, the first well- I used a camcorder when I was a preteen, my mom's camcorder, and made movies with that but didn't think of a career path in that certainly not not in Alabama. But picked up a camera again after I graduated from art school, and that was a Canon Powershot and I've been obsessed and in love ever since you know and now I now I shoot on the fancy fancies. So it's important to grow as your career progresses like you've got time to shoot on the big fancy stuff.
Erica Duffy:A lot of it too is like what is when you're looking at like cameras like what is the form factor of your camera like some people might you know, look at Canon and think that Canon or Sony maybe isn't as you know, in a teir as like an ARRI or RED and something. But you know what, in my personal opinion, the best camera to shoot like a conference or something that's run and gun is a Canon because of the form factor of that. So there's all these additional things too that when you look at the way that the manufacturer built that camera, they also built it with different things in mind, too. And so really looking at and not having those misconceptions of like, if it's not this or this, then it's not right for my project, looking at what that spec of that piece of technology is, in regards to what you're shooting, because maybe you're shooting a conference this weekend, and you're shooting Canon. And then in two weeks, you're shooting, you know, a music video, and you really want to go RED. And so not always being tied to like I only shoot one particular type of brand too, because the different brands offer different tools that I think are really beneficial to tap into that and when deciding what you're going to shoot on as well.
Layne Marie:Well and another thing that I wanted to touch on today too Erica was renting from a camera house or a rental facility of any kind can be daunting for let's say like a first time filmmaker, do you have any like do's or dont's or warnings for those that want to make that email or phone call for the first time?
Erica Duffy:Building a relationship with a rental house is one of the most beneficial things that you can do in your career. Because even if you end up owning gear, at some point, the chances are that you'll always have what you need every single job as well. So even if you're not renting as frequently, or maybe you are just starting off, and you're a student, and you might only have one project a year or something like that, that relationship is something that I think can be really, really valuable. For us, we've always really tried to change the culture around rental houses, because it has been something that has historically been a daunting or intimidating space. There's been a little bit of I think gatekeeping in the industry around it where like, if you don't know what a prep is, then a prep is not for you. But how was he supposed to learn? You know, there are all kinds of different film programs. And a lot of I mean, this is something I personally love about the industry. And it's also because it's partly how I came up, is there's plenty of filmmakers who never went to film school either. So how are you supposed to learn how to rent an order or to put an order in or to do a prep or how to properly check your equipment, if you don't do it? Like there's no other way to really learn it. So for me, at camera ambassador, I've always really put a lot of emphasis on that educational component. We offer free gear demos to anybody. It doesn't matter if you're a student or a veteran, you can come in, you have to schedule it so we make sure we have tax in the gear that we're looking for available so you can come in before you even selected the equipment you want to use because maybe you're trying to decide between a couple different options, you want to talk to a tech about those options, you can schedule that, that's free of charge. We've also implemented some additional things. And I've mentioned this before about a prep. So a prep, in case anyone who's listening, they don't know what it is, essentially someone from your team typically it's an AC or might be your DP or an operator will come into the rental shop. We have a really welcoming environment here with snacks and coffee a TV that we play different movies on music, we have like just a lot of things. And we have puppies. Yes, of course, how did I miss the puppies. And so you come into the space, when you are picking up your equipment. Instead of just coming in putting everything in your car driving way, we actually have all the gear that you're going to be renting and set out so that you can build the equipment. And what happens in this is there's frequently I would say there's one in 30 preps that don't have this happen. So it's very frequent that when you do the prep, you find out, Oh, I need a longer HDMI cable. Oh, I totally forgot to add batteries. And we aren't shooting where there's AC power. So we need batteries. There's things that when you actually are physically touching and seeing the equipment that you've selected, that you remember that you realize that you need for your shoot, and you're finding that out when you're still at the rental house, and you're finding that out before you get on set, which could ultimately save you a lot of money because you weren't finding this out when you know you're paying your actors and you're paying your crew and you're suddenly losing your day and your time because you have to run back and grab something. And we do something called Polaroid Prep here where we actually enter everybody who does a prep each month into a drawing and win a Camera Ambassador gift card. So we've done additional things that like are just like one more incentive to try to encourage people to do these things that may seem overwhelming or intimidating. And you know, just ask questions. We have a lot of information on our website as well. We have a more tab that in addition to all the gear that we offer that has a fax section, there's a student section that breaks down the you know the rental process it talks about when you want to put an order in what the steps are, when you contact us then we contact you back, when an order's considered book versus just a quote. We have all of those resources available on our website. But we're always available to answer any questions you can call us or email us and we're happy to help in any way shape or form.
Layne Marie:So along those lines, the community builders grant let's also talk about funding for said projects. This is an opportunity that camera ambassador also provides for filmmakers. It's been alive and well for a couple of years now. Right, Erica? How long?
Erica Duffy:We just finished up our fourth grant cycle. So four years now, wow, seems mind blowing and I cannot believe that we've been doing it this long. I think pandemic times definitely, like those years don't count in my brain. So I'm like, oh, yeah, it's only been two years. But it really, you know, we did continue doing it through the pandemic. And next year is our fifth year, and we already are in pre production on our grant cycle for 2023. And really figuring out, you know, for year five, what changes were going to make. And I can't give any specifics yet, but I will tell you that it's going to be bigger and better than it's ever been before. But kind of getting to your question about film funding, there could be a whole podcast just on that. Yes. To any filmmakers out there, it's so hard and challenging no matter who you know and how talented you are, it's probably the hardest thing in my opinion to get that money to get your project made. So for a couple years after we opened, I would get contacted from different organizations, different groups of filmmakers, and they were asking about sponsorship or funding. You know, Chicago is still very much an up and coming film city. We are, you know, growing leaps and bounds from where we were when I started eight years ago to where we are now it's so incredible, and I'm so proud of the work that's happening here. But one of the things that I think that we really have the opportunity here in the Midwest to retain filmmakers who are talented to stay here, instead of going to the coast is creating more opportunities for film funding. And there are a couple other organizations here in Chicago that offer grants and other funding opportunities, which I think is so awesome. But we wanted to establish something here at camera ambassador that was an annual thing so that people knew every single year, there was another opportunity for them to collaborate with us, apply for this grant we offer and help get their project made. This past year, we did expand this year, which I was really proud of. And the grant film fund is a$5,000 rental credit and a$5,000 cash prize. So it's a$10,000 grant. It's been incredible. It's been so much fun. And once I kind of got over when I was first trying to design like how do you do a grant. And this is a little bit of what I was talking about in the beginning where I've always been really open and really transparent that I don't always know how to do everything, so I put it out into the world of well, if I want to do a grant, what do I do, and I just kind of came to this place of if we are self funding, and we're not using you know, public funding or something like that, we can make it up, we can make up our own rules like you don't have to be a not for profit to decide as a for profit organization that you're going to allocate a certain amount of your funds into giving back to the community. So once we realize that kind of it seems obvious now, but it took me a few years to get there and talking to other people and mentors about this problem that I thought we had. We launched and it's been just so cool to see these now. There's been three short films that have all been completed of this, and all of them have gone on to win festivals. And I think for me, it's been personally so gratifying, really building the relationship with each of these winners because we see them, you know, they shoot and they edit and we're involved in the whole process. And it's just been just so wonderful to see the talent here in Chicago, and one of the requirements is that you have to shoot in the Midwest, which has been awesome to see kind of that full circle of you know, identifying a problem and something that you know, we can contribute to help find a solution to and then it actually working. And then there being amazing projects that are traveling literally the world and getting recognition back for Chicago.
Layne Marie:Yes. Love that. Any past winners, you want to shout out that we should tell our listeners to go take a peek at?
Erica Duffy:Yeah, oh my gosh, I love promoting filmmakers and projects. So our year one was a project called Patois and it's from director Andre Muir and producer Zach Moore. They are an incredible duo, and that project is so gorgeous. In the second year, it was a project called Zero Mile Mark with Link Wolfe. Also just very incredible. There's a whole component of that project that is about mental health and different programs that address mental health. It is a narrative but then the spin on it is that it's a horror. So that was a really, really interesting project. The next project that we had was from director, writer producer Sean Raju, and it's called A Nickname. I don't believe Zero Mile Mark or a nickname are out in like the world, so if you google this to watch it you can't find them online to watch them yet. They're still in their festival circuit. But they do have websites and social presence. So definitely check out those projects so you can be aware of when they are going to be available. And then we have been this year's project as well, which is hasn't even shot yet. So you'll have to stay tuned for more information on that.
Layne Marie:Ooo that's so cool. I love that. Yeah, you know, again, in the in the funding vein, I think the submission process for this particular grant, it's very filmmaker friendly. Whereas like there's a lot of grants out there that I feel like you really have to have almost a scholarly skill set in order to be able to make it through all of their questions. And the thing is, is it's like for filmmakers, when you're raising money from let's say, investors or whatever company you're working with, it's very much a pitch- like know your logline, know your synopsis, be able to talk about it in a way that's like professional, but also inviting and casual. And any references when you can point to visual lookbooks, or pitch decks, that sort of thing. And a couple of like, add mini production questions and that sort of thing and knowing your plan. And that's really all you need. So I think like, that's one great thing about the community builders grant is even if you don't necessarily have all of those tools doing this grant application will make it so.
Erica Duffy:Yeah, we've had a lot of feedback from applicants who were able to use our application process as a way to help formulate their project, there was questions that we asked that they hadn't even considered yet I've had numerous people give me feedback that they were projects that didn't win, but they were so grateful that they went through the application process, because it made their project that much better. And it led to whatever the next thing that they needed that polished materials to be able to present to. And we try to make it really accessible, just like everything else that we do here. And one of our ethos in designing everything that we do at camera ambassador, whether it's on the equipment rental side or on the community aspect side, is we try to design it from the filmmakers perspective. So putting ourselves in their shoes of what is their experience when they're going through this instead of from maybe like- okay, well as a business, how do we want to generate revenue? Or how do we want to market? Or how do we want to whatever we try to put ourselves in the shoes of the people that we're trying to reach. And I know that it sounds like basic or intuitive, of course, everybody's doing that. But the rental space and the filmmaking space, the grant space, all of these arenas within this industry are very historic. And there's a lot of things that are done, just because that's the way they've always been done. And so for me, when I say this, I am sure some listeners are like, well, obviously, you're trying to design it from the client or the filmmakers mind. But that's not how a lot of businesses in this industry operate. They just do things because they were always done that way. Yeah. And I've really tried to innovate processes and innovate the ways that filmmakers are interacting, whether it's with a rental shop, or with a grant application, and things like that, and been very conscious of that all along. And I think that something that I'm very grateful for is that I had never worked at another rental house before I founded camera ambassador. And at first I had a little bit of an insecurity about that and felt like maybe I wasn't equipped to do this. But I soon realized that it actually was like a superpower for me, because I didn't have these biases, or these ideas in my mind of this is how you're supposed to do it. Instead, I was more curious and more inquisitive and was able to design things in a way with a fresh perspective that actually served the filmmaker in a different way.
Layne Marie:Yeah, I love that. I think there are a lot of structures within the film industry in particular, that are inherently toxic. And my hope is that we can continue to do away with an aspects of it that are harmful to ourselves and to others. So I think making things more functional with the well being of others in mind is very significant.
Erica Duffy:It's easy to fall into those things because the set environment is such an intense environment, and you're working at your best and your worst. And sometimes it's easier to just kind of give in to certain things that maybe other people think should be done that way, you know, over time there's so many things that are unhealthy about the industry. But I think that the more you can surround yourself and decide that you're going to be a leader, even when it's hard. Whether you're a filmmaker or business working in this industry it is a slow change. And I can definitely say from my own personal experience watching the industry and I- you know, I don't have a lot of experience working on sets or working with film crews in Los Angeles or New York, other parts of the country. I'm really very dedicated to the Midwestern filmmaker here. But I can say that I've really seen a drastic change and I think Chicago is at the forefront of healthy change, diversity, equity, equality, all these things that are on a grander national scale. Chicago has been aware of these things for a very long time and working towards them. And I don't think I could have done as a woman in this space in a rental house. There's very few women run rental houses and there's very few women that even work in rental houses in the country. I think if I tried to have done what I've done in Chicago in one of the other big cities in the country, I would have struggled so hard, I don't know if I would have been able to do it. So I'm really grateful for Chicago and I think that we're paving ways that are becoming standards. And it is slow, but I do see it happening, and it's just exciting to see people starting to adapt to those healthy changes.
Layne Marie:Absolutely. Absolutely. Oh, my heart. So, within all of that, we've also got the work that you do with the Midwest Film Festival. You're the executive director. Let's chat about that. There's a lot to dive into there. Yeah. How did you find yourself in this position, and how are you liking it so far?
Erica Duffy:Everything we've talked about so far on the podcast today has all been about my work and in relation to working with the filmmaker, mostly in pre production. So you know, the gear lists and coordinating equipment, even funding with the grant, workshops and classes. Like you learn how to use the gear in pre-pro, you're not necessarily- you're not learning how to use it when you're editing. So a lot of my work has been focused in the pre production space. And even though I'm very involved and promote a lot of projects, as they come to completion, I love to go to screenings and things like that. It was really exciting for me when an opportunity came up with Midwest Film Festival, which is formerly been known as Midwest Independent Film Festival to become involved there because the film festival is almost the other end of the process. I would say formal distribution, like in a theater or on video on demand or streaming or something like that would probably be like the end-end, but the film festival circuit is either just before that are happening in tandem with that. So it was something that was exciting for me to be able to hop on to the other side of the process. And there's so much celebration in Film Festival work, it's so fulfilling for me to be the person and have the great privilege to tell a filmmaker, they have been selected as official selection into a festival. I feel like I'm like a celebrity in that moment because of the excitement and the joy and the achievement that they feel in that process. So I got involved originally, I was on the board of directors there. And then when an opportunity came up to join as the executive director, I sat down with my team here at camera ambassador, we had a pretty big meeting, because it was going to mean a pretty big shift for me, because I was taking on, you know, another very big role that was going to require a lot of time of me. And I'm so grateful for the team at came ambassador, because everybody was really supportive of the idea and my passions of wanting to get involved with it. And it has been a whirlwind. I can say that for sure. I think it's been similar with regards to my work at camera ambassador, where it's been a lot of experimentation and not just saying"Well, this is how a film festival runs. And this is how you do it". But instead saying"how should we do it", and not being afraid to be very publicly open to the fact that we are experimenting, and that we might do things that we don't like or the community doesn't like and we're going to change them then. We're going to try something, see the feedback that we receive and see how it works, and then adapt to that. I joined in November, in November of 2019, and part of my requirement with the board of directors of coming on in this fashion was that I felt like the festival did need to have a total rebrand to really look at these things that we've been talking about of you know, maybe potentially unhealthy ways that industry has run or festival circuits have run, the way its selection process happens, the way communication with filmmakers happen, and really look at the ways that we can grow and improve. The board was so receptive to this, we have an incredible group of people that are behind the scenes at Midwest Film Festival. So we shut down for a couple of months and you know, got a new website, we dropped the name as I mentioned before. We were, at that point, we were 19 years old. So for 19 years, nearly we'd operated as Midwest Independent Film Festival. So we dropped the independent, we still are supporting independent filmmakers. But it was just a slight variation, so people could recognize in our name that we are making changes, taking feedback and growing and we got a new website. I think I mentioned that. And then we relaunched in February of 2020 with an incredible full day long in collaboration with the Chicago Film Office film fair. And we sold out it was 400 people came out and it was just such a celebration of what you can do as an organization even that has such old historic ties to the community. When you can take a pause and say we want to look inward and we want to see what we can do to serve our community better and take the time required to actually ask those questions and look inward and not have you know ego or judgment of self in those ways. And then see the community come out in support it. It was great and then of course everyone knows in March of 2020, the whole world shutdown. So I you know really it was just like I have no- I had no idea what we were doing. It was like nobody know what yeah, no one in the festival space knew what they're doing because the festival is so run on in person events. That's what festivals are you, go and you network, and you meet distributors, and you meet other filmmakers, and you watch other films, like that is what you do. So it was definitely like a huge challenge for me. But I really enjoyed having to become creative and having to innovate. We really relied on the filmmakers. So we had already, you know, had certain filmmakers who were selected as official selection filmmakers. So we reached out to them and said, you know, what do you want? Do you want us to wait? Do you want us to do something virtual do like what would best serve you and your goals with your film? And being in this festival? Yeah, it was, it's crazy. I can't I think back, I'm like, Whoa, that was a lot.
Layne Marie:That was a lot, and it's still a lot tbh. But you know, I definitely, y'all really evolved during that time and you even did cute things like have the drive-in screenings. Yeah. That was, you know, really great along the way and something that should just be a regular thing in life anyways. Especially in LA it's very popular here. I haven't done it as- done it that much. I really need to to change that. But it just seems like such a cool way to go see movies because that's how it used to be done, you know?
Erica Duffy:Yeah we had one project that I can think of in particular that the filmmaker actually had shot it, written it, the whole thing. They were imagining it at a drive-in. Aw. And this was like far before drive-ins became, you know, popular again. And this was something that a lot of people started doing that was like part of their goal and they hadn't figured it out when distribution came along, how they were gonna do this drive-in thing. But that was part of like their whole plan from the beginning. So it was really cool to just be able to see that during the pandemic the artists really were so, it was so cool to see what was happening because artists have just such an innate need to crete. Like when they can't create, it like crushes them, it like makes them antsy, like they're not able to like function as themselves. So it forced them to look at,"well I can't create how I've always created, but I must still create so how can I create"? And all these really cool ways of connecting and creating were invented. Like new things that no one had ever done before came out of that. And I think that's one of the silver linings. And for us, we did some other things. Like we had a music night where we showcased films that had a really strong musical component or like a really beautiful score, like something that stuck out about it with music. But we decided to take it one step further and we actually had one of the videos that were playing as one of the official selections had a band and we asked the band if they wanted to come and play at the drive-in. So we had like an opener and live music and it was in October of 2020 and at that point that was like the first live music that I had seen since like January 2020. And it just felt so good to just hear live music and then following, you know, it then got dark and then we played all these films. And so just like doing things that like maybe some point in our history of 20 years, I'm not sure. They had a musical live music act at some point, but I never knew of it. And it was just cool to see, even as an organization, these cool new things pop out of, well how do we connect now that we aren't able to connect in the same way?
Layne Marie:So Cool. So innovative. You're such a renaissance woman. With the film festival side of things, running the circuit can be pretty demoralizing for filmmakers as well as incredibly exciting. Do you have any words of wisdom that you would impart on a filmmaker that is dealing with a lot of rejection?
Erica Duffy:Yeah, so I've talked about this on a couple of different panels or you know, guest speaking things that I've done that something I personally didn't know as a producer and as a filmmaker myself with the festival circuit is that programming is so much more than,"is your film good?" We have watched films that I just fell in love with. It was one of my most favorite things I've ever watched. But there wasn't a spot with the programming that it fit in. Right. And I remind people of that frequently because if you think about the festival circuit as a whole, there is all types of genre specific festivals. So, you know, you might have a film or a project that's really good, but it doesn't fit into the genre of what they're looking for. You might have a film that they absolutely love that your film is 28 minutes long and they only have 19 minutes of time. Yep, yep. So even if they wanted to, they are out of time. So I like to remind people not to measure the success of your film solely on does it get in, because there's a lot of factors outside of"is this quality, is this good storytelling, is this production design good, you know, is the acting good". All those components that like we measure as good or not, those things sometimes don't make any difference, so reminding filmmakers of that. And then the other thing that I really like to remind people of is that even if you aren't selected as an official selection, people are still watching your work and you're now on their radar. So maybe it's not this project, maybe it's the next one, or maybe it's the one after that, or maybe you say you're a DP, maybe the next project you DP with a whole different set of, you know, director and other crew mates your name was in their lap. Like this isn't like a computer generated thing. This is real humans behind these festivals that, you know, and I can only truly speak for Midwest Film Festival, but we watch every single film that's submitted to us in full. We review all of them, we analyze all of them, we give notes to each other. We have, you know, sessions where we talk about the films together and even if there's a film that isn't selected in official selection, we now have that name, that creator is in our wheelhouse now. And that is something that you don't know the outcome of what positive impact on your next project or your future projects or your career that that submission even is going to impact.
Layne Marie:For those that do feel discouraged from rejections, just know that it's a, it's a part of it. Absolutely. So while hearing no and you know, especially like if you're doing the film festival circuit for the very first time- yeah, those no's are just as valuable as the yeses and also the film festival circuit is not the end all be all. And I say that with lots of love. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. It's, you know, they're like, you know, the most important thing is getting your work seen. So put it out there and that's one way to do it.
Erica Duffy:And the other thing too that I always remind filmmakers is, and this is one of my most favorite things about filmmaking too, filmmaking is subjective. Mm-hmm. One person can watch it and absolutely love it and another person watches it and absolutely hates it. You know, like we attach these things of like good or bad or you know, right or wrong or this or that. But like at the end of the day that's what's cool about this is that it's subjective. And as you know, someone who is in the position I am at Midwest Film Festival, I do get to see every single screener's feedback and I'll watch a film and I'll oftentimes I'll watch it before reading anything cuz I wanna be able to have my own thoughts and opinions on it without seeing what other people said about it first. But I'll go then and read our screeners feedback and it'll be like one project will get a one from someone and someone else gives it a 10. And it's like how are these two different opinions so vastly the different end of the spectrums with it. So there's another component of it with the festival circuit where I know it can be really challenging to get those denials and it's exhausting and it can also be expensive. And it's really hard because most films that are making a festival circuit are your baby. You've poured so much love, sweat and tears into it that it can be devastating and hurtful and discouraging to get those nos. But remind yourself that it's subjective. If you're not getting into that festival or there's people that are watching it that aren't liking it, there's someone else out there that's gonna watch it, that's gonna love it and there's another festival out there that's gonna watch it and wanna be involved with it. So it may just be that you're in the wrong circle of people that are watching it. Actually I think Layne Marie, you gave me this advice a long time ago when I was asking you cause I've, you know, watched you have a lot of success in the film festival circuit and you know, we've done a couple panels together even at Midwest Film Festival where you spoke and I remember you, this is something I've never forgotten is you told me to really do my research on festivals. What is the demographic of audience that attends that festival? Because you might have a film that just isn't the type of work that they're looking to program there. So looking into the different festivals, the people that would be attending it to find out if your work is even something that, you know, maybe they've played films like that in the past or if it is a genre festival, tapping into that kind of thing too. And I also remember that advice cuz I don't think it is necessarily healthy and the most beneficial way for a filmmaker just to like play the numbers game a submit to a hundred festivals so you can get into 10. Like instead be intentional and pick 20 film festivals that you think are festivals that would really be interested in your work- target those ones.
Layne Marie:Yeah. And it really can get expensive. So yeah. You know, planning ahead of time like okay, I'm gonna set aside 500 bucks or I'm gonna set aside$40 and then I'm gonna get a bunch of discounts and waivers and I'm gonna cold email everybody and their mama. Whatever it is you gotta do, there are ways to do it. There's not any one way to accomplish getting your film seen. And you know, I think the biggest thing too, I feel like, especially for first time filmmakers, there's a little bit of like a scarcity mindset, which I totally understand and I have that at times too. But just trust that you'll keep making stuff. If it's not this one, maybe it's the next or you know, maybe the film that you shelfed for a while is gonna have a life later in your career. Anything is possible, like we've been talking about. Just, just stay open to the different ways that your work can be found.
Erica Duffy:I always think about too, and this is something I try to practice with any project that I sign onto and anytime I talk to a filmmaker who's in that beginning phase of pre-production, setting goals of why you're making this project. Because I think that there can be such a wide answer to that question. And when you directly think about it in relation to like the festival circuit, filmmakers can get to that point in the process and become discouraged or um, feel like their films a failure. But if you were intentional from the get go of why you wanted to create that specific project, or maybe you're a crew member of why you signed onto that project, the answers can vary. It can be like maybe you're signing onto that project cuz you have some bills to pay or maybe you're signing onto that project cuz you love that script or maybe you're signing onto that project cause you really wanna get into Sundance. Like there's a really wide variety of answers to that. You know, I think of some projects that I've done, the reason I signed onto it is cuz I really wanted to work with that creator. So I've myself gotten into situations where I've been potentially discouraged because it wasn't performing in the way in the distribution process that I would hope. But then I have to remind myself the whole reason I did this is cause I really wanted to work with that director and I got to work with that director and now I have a really strong relationship with them and I, you know, know, have built that comradery with them. And so like who cares if it's doing well in distribution? Like, you know, being realistic with yourself and reminding yourself why you chose that specific project and not getting swept away by like the standards of how, you know, society or our industry measures the success of a project because that is different for every single person.
Layne Marie:Yeah. I wanted to also touch on self-care, and wellbeing, and you know, practicing mindfulnes, and all those, all those buzzwords that we love to tap onto regardless of whether or not they're buzzwords because they are meaningful and beneficial. And as much as we love our careers, and working in film, and the people and the tech, and all these new things, how do you stay sane?
Erica Duffy:Oh man, I don't always, no. Just to be totally transparent. I think I've gotten better at it over the years, definitely later in my career. I mean, not that I'm not far into my career, but I would say from like the first, you know, year to like year four or five even, I would really just overextend myself. I would always deliver though. So that was what was kind of for me personally, what I think I really struggled with and I think there's a lot of producers, particularly the producer role types in this industry, who can relate to that because we are like really resilient and I think you have to be resilient to be a producer. So when you like take on too much, it all still happens. It all still works out. And for the most part, everybody from the outside thinks you're just crushing it and it's all happening. But from the inside, you know, it can be really isolating and exhausting and almost feel like a betrayal of self because at the point when you signed onto it, you totally felt like it was feasible or else you really wouldn't have. But then some point in the thick of it, there's a moment like, what am I doing? So I just wanna say that first because I've had so many people just say like, how do you do it all and how are you doing this and all this stuff. And the reality is, like I struggle just like anybody else I've, you know, sit on my shower floor and cry just like everybody else. Like I struggle in the same ways with mental health, work-life balance as I think most people do. But for me, I've tried to give myself permission that it doesn't look the same for me as it does for everybody else. And like celebrating those things for myself. So like a good example for me is I have no problem and I don't burn out from working six or seven days a week. For me personally, it's not an issue. I don't need the weekend. That's just not how I function. But what I do need is I need three to four weeks that I don't work because it takes me one to two weeks just to even get to the point where I can relax. So if I try to take like weekends off, it doesn't actually help me decompress and take care of myself. Whereas if I, you know, can set up this schedule for myself where I'm pushing through that busier times, but then I take off a month, I then have that time to refuel. Then I also know that I have that time coming to take care of myself and have the time to like decompress so then I can actually relax and take care of my mental health. I remember when I first kind of had this ethos and I talked to my family or I'd talk to my mom and she'd be like"you're working too much. Like you're working seven days a week for months on end. Like this is crazy". Mm-hmm. or like,"I'm worried about you" kind of mentality. Once I was able to really own that and like show myself that like even though maybe other people aren't used to this mentality of thinking this is what works for me and owning it, mm-hmm, that I've fully been able to take advantage of that. Like there are things that are, for me, that's the way that I function and the way that I'm able to take care of myself and just kind of leaning into that maybe it's not a societal norm or even an industry norm, but that is what's norm for me and actually allows me to take care of myself.
Layne Marie:Yeah. I think you touched on a lot of really important things there. Even just figuring out like what is the schedule that works best for you and knowing that it's not necessarily gonna look like your best friends or your frenemy at work. You know, like you'll find what that looks like for you. Like for me, I'm still kind of figuring it out, but because of the nature of our career path and the film industry, it's kind of like in small spurts for me. Like I'm sort of on a staycation right now, but I'm popping on to do this podcast interview today, and then tomorrow I'm popping on to do another podcast interview, and then that's it for the week. I mean, there's a couple conversations still happening here and there, but I'm trying to set a boundary with myself that I just finished a really big shoot, I'm really exhausted and uh, I've earned the right to chill for a second. And I think that's a big misconception and also struggle for artists and entrepreneurs is that we're always on. And that's true to a certain extent, but at the same time I think it's that much more important to go on that vacation for four weeks like Erica was just saying. Like, take that time because ain't nobody gonna give it to you.
Erica Duffy:You know, that it's also like there's this mentality that, you know, you're gonna do that. Like you're gonna take off this spurt or I'm gonna take off this chunk of time and like we're gonna miss out on something. Ugh. But the reality is even if you did miss out on something, if you hadn't taken that time off to refuel and rest, you weren't gonna be able to do that in the way that you wanted to show up for yourself or show up for the other people that you're working with. So reminding yourself that like you have to take care of yourself in order to then be able to go on and be successful. But the reality is, is like if I miss one of those because I'm taking care of myself, something better is waiting for me. Yeah. That I'm prepared for and I'm ready for. And it actually wasn't a miss, it was actually exactly how it was supposed to be. And you know, as I kind of started this whole interview talking about that, I've really been open to not thinking that I have the whole plan and I have it all figured out, but rather being open to whatever's gonna come to me. I'm sure there's things that I've missed out on, but because I had availability, cause I didn't take those other things that maybe I missed out on, those were the things that really were meant for me. Yeah. And changing your mindset and your internal dialogue, cuz that's the biggest enemy is like this internal dialogue. Whereas I can shift that focus and even something that you kind of alluded to was like that I deserve this time off. Mm-hmm. Like I earned this time off. Giving yourself that permission slip. Mm-hmm. Is going to make a big impactful change, cause if you can change it internally for yourself, that's only going to like spread out and like bleed from your existence in a positive way.
Layne Marie:Yeah, absolutely. It's like radiance starts first within, you know? Absolutely. Like, you can't extend it out if you don't have it within yourself, and so finding those practices that help bring that out, whatever that is, you know. I know I've found that to be very important in the things that I do. And now that I have those tools, they're not just cameras and lenses and you know, terra decks and fancy lights. It's the tools that you yourself utilize in order to function at your best every day. And maybe sometimes that best is not as best as it could have been. And that's okay too. Thanks for going there. I mean, you know, this is supposed to be a holistic talk with creatives, so we love it. We could talk about it all day every day we do. But you know, there's so much more to it. And uh, at the end of the day, we're all just people. Mm-hmm. Um, I feel like that's a really important aspect of this project that I want to make sure is always there because I do think in social media it can get so highlight reel, so career focused, so image based, that we're missing the elements that make it human. And that's what keeps us from truly connecting with one another and having empathy for each other.
Erica Duffy:I think the more that like you can allow yourself to be vulnerable, what I have found is when you do that and let your walls down, suddenly other people feel that they can too. And then they'll confide in you and be vulnerable back to you and then suddenly it's actually serving you, cause you're like, oh wow, I'm not alone in feeling like this, or I don't have to just kind of keep this all bottled up, like there are other people feeling like this. And sometimes if you can be the first person to acknowledge that and put yourself out there, that attracts other people to know that they're safe to be there in that space with you. And it's really beautiful when you let yourself do that. At the end of the day, if it isn't the connection and the people, you know, what else else is there? Like that's at the core of everything, even in storytelling. Like we're developing characters, we're talking about people and their stories and who they are, and it's an imitation of art, it's an imitation of life. So yeah, I definitely think that that is so cool, that part of this podcast, you're leaning into that and it is an important part. And that's, I think one of the things too of just like these are things that are slowly changing in the industry. I don't think there was a podcast 20 years ago talking about emotions and struggle of mental health, of working in the film industry. Like that just didn't exist before. You just buckled up your shoes and you went to work and you got it done and you didn't talk about those things. And so I think it's really cool that this podcast is a platform for that because it's exponential, the impact that it can have.
Layne Marie:Yeah, I hope so. I really hope so. Well, Erica, this has been an absolute delight. I could literally talk to you all day, and this podcast interview would be like four hours long. Someday we'll have to do a part two. Thank you so much for your energy, your time. I feel like you really expanded on some important topics that I know will be really helpful for filmmakers of all backgrounds, so thank you for that. Absolutely. Yes, absolutely. Thank you so much for having me on. And to anyone listening, my door is always open. You can email me@ericacameraambassador.com. My Instagram is@hello.erica.dufffy. You can find me on our Camera Ambassador website as well. But please reach out. One of my most favorite things that I do as part of my work is build bridges, whatever that looks like. I keep a crew Rolodex. I'm constantly getting asked for, um, recommendations for different set roles. I love kind of thinking through all the different little moments, or I heard someone say they're looking for this or doing this, and then suddenly I meet someone else who's doing that and connecting those people. So I just wanna encourage, if you're listening and you have just a sparkle of inclination to reach out and there's something that you wanna talk about, collaborate about, I am always here and I would absolutely love to connect with you. This episode of the Walkie Check is sponsored by Camera Ambassador, a one-stop shop carrying everything from cameras and lenses to grip trucks and production supplies. Their equipment roster includes high-end brands, such as ARRI, RED, Canon, Cooke, ZEISS, OConnor, SmallHD, Teradek, and more. They've also got you covered with specialty items such as anamorphic lenses, gimbals, and grip trucks. Founded in 2014 by Erica Duffy, Camera Ambassador's one of three equipment rental houses nationwide, owned and operated by a woman. Providing excellent service with quality gear, Camera Ambassador now carries both of the newest RED cameras, the Kimodo and Raptor. Learn more about Camera Ambassador scholarship opportunities at cameraambassador.com. Thanks so much for joining us on this episode of The Walkie Check. Be sure to give us a like and follow on Instagram and Facebook at the walkie check and at Legacy Marie Pictures. Also special, special thanks to our executive producers, Noisefloor LTD, and we look forward to the next episode.