“ Don’t be sad that the world isn’t kind to you. It’s not kind to anyone. Some of us are just better at pretending than others. ”
— Meghan McCullin
The Interview Q&A
Where are you primarily based out of?
Phoenix, Arizona
What role do you typically play on set?
Director
How long have you been working in the film industry? Where did you get your start?
I got my start making movies when I was in middle school with some online friends, my dolls, and a tiny camera. I didn’t come from money or a family that was already in the industry, so trying to make things work as an outsider hasn’t been easy. I come from a military family and moved around a lot growing up so making movies has been an outlet for me; it’s something to focus on when everything else in my life feels messy. I made silly stop movies that got a few thousand views on YouTube and then made friends in the small town of Yuma, Arizona who helped me learn how to direct live action films. Eventually I was able to attend the Sidney Poitier New American Film School at Arizona State University and that’s when things have really begun to take off for me. Needless to say, I just picked up a camera and did it. Of course going to college has been life-changing for me and without it I don’t think I would’ve had the opportunities I’ve been given, but I also had to take the initiative to put in the work outside of class. I recently graduated from ASU in December of 2022 and ever since then I’ve dived head first into the Arizona film industry. While I’ve worked in media for five years now, this is technically my first year officially working full-time as a filmmaker and it’s far from boring to say the least.
What are some of the biggest challenges you've encountered and how have you overcome them?
Trying to fund a project is always the biggest hurdle every filmmaker has to face. It’s an uphill battle for those on the indie scene who don’t have the same access to resources our Hollywood counterparts possess. My biggest challenge came when trying to tackle my first feature film, Saudade. I’ve learned a lifetime of lessons from that project including every little thing filmmakers don’t think about until they’re knee-deep in it to what it really means to be a director. I’m beyond grateful for every single person who took the risk and believed in me to help make it happen and I’m proud to say that after three years I can finally say the project is finished. Our biggest hurdle was getting the funding to make it happen. We were lucky enough to crowdfund $13k which covered about half the cost of production, but the rest was shelled out through private investors and then I ended up pitching my own funds into post-production. Overall, we spent about $25k, which is absolutely wild. We worked with an impossible budget and if it wasn’t for some really great friends calling on huge favors, I don’t think we could’ve done it. So if you don’t quite have the money to make it happen, just be sure to have friends in high places who can help you out when things get tricky.
Who is your biggest inspiration? What have they taught you?
My biggest inspiration is my mother, Melinda McCullin. She has always had my back no matter how big or impossible my dreams may be. She’s encouraged me to continue pursuing film despite the hardships and rejection I’ve faced. She does more than just encourage me in my career, she’s been on the ground making things happen whether that’s transporting cast, picking up last minute supplies, or making sure we’re all hydrated. She’s done the catering for several of my projects and those of you that work in film know how big of a deal having good food is to the cast and crew. She may not necessarily understand everything about the industry, but she’s done everything in her power to make sure I have the resources I need to bring my projects to life and there are not enough ways I could possibly thank her for everything she’s done. She’s taught me to stay stubborn and keep chasing my dreams no matter the odds. She’s also taught me to hold on to hope when things get difficult because at the end of the day, the sun will rise again and there will always be tomorrow.
What does it mean to you to be an inspiration/mentor to someone else?
Being a mentor is more than just giving someone advice every now and again. A mentor is someone who is right there on the ground floor with you, helping you build yourself and your career. That’s the energy I strive to bring when helping other women in film grow in their career. Whether it’s giving feedback on a script or an edit, showing up for someone’s first shoot, or sharing projects my friends are working on, I aspire to do as much as I can to help other women in the industry share their voice. Mentoring someone is a huge honor but also a major responsibility and not something to be taken lightly. I think the key to being a good mentor is to admit that we’re always learning all the time. You can learn new things from anyone, even the people that look up to you.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
My biggest creative influence is Tim Burton because I relate a lot to the stories that he’s told and I’ve always admired his visual aesthetic. Burton tells stories of “otherism” and people who don’t quite fit in no matter how hard they may try. Growing up, I was considered to be the “new girl,” the “quiet one,” or “the red headed step-child” and it always felt very isolating wanting to be included but never being enough. Because of that I think I’ve found a certain comfort in Burton’s films and those themes most certainly carry through in my own work. Now that I’m older, I’ve learned to embrace my individuality and I want to create films that let other girls like me know they’re not alone in feeling alone.
If you had one message to share with the world, what would it be?
Don’t be sad that the world isn’t kind to you. It’s not kind to anyone. Some of us are just better at pretending than others.
What’s are some of the biggest things you’ve accomplished in your career so far?
I have directed fifteen short films outside of school and one feature film thus far. My feature film, Saudade, is a horror that follows the story of a small tv crew from LA as they investigate some missing person cases in rural Minnesota and happen upon the killer himself. We completed the film with a budget of $25k over three years and I can;t wait to share it with the world. While I certainly wouldn’t say they are the greatest films ever made, they did provide great practice and formed the foundation from which I have gathered the majority of my filmmaking knowledge. I often say, film is a verb which means you have to do something to create something. When I stopped worrying about making perfect films, I opened a whole world of opportunities for myself. I’ve been featured at several local, national, and international film festivals from Arizona, Texas, Montana, New York, all the way to Italy. Outside of my directing experience, I have been the production designer on eight short films, and worked on ten other short films in various departments. I’ve also had the wonderful opportunity to be the Production Assistant on several big-budget productions with brands such as New Balance and Cold Stone Creamery and being a part of that world has been the greatest blessing. I’m only at the beginning of my career, so I have lots more in the works that I can’t wait to share in the future!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now? (No dream is too big!)
Five years from now I’m hoping to attend the centennial of the Academy Awards for a project that I’ve worked on. I have a lot of things in the works including a feature film that I’m producing called Slashed as well as a drama that I’m writing and hopefully will get to shoot sometime next year.
If you had one piece of advice for a woman who wants to get started in the film industry what it would be?
Just get started. If you want to make movies, you have to make movies. Get familiar with a camera or you can even use your iPhone to get started. Read scripts, watch films critically, look up tutorials on YouTube. I know not everyone has the privilege of going to college, but if that’s an option for you, film school really can open up a lot of opportunities. Media and entertainment is now more accessible than ever and so are the tools needed to make it so if you have an idea, you can make it happen.
What kind of projects are you currently working on that you can share? (Feel free to leave links to the projects to view)
Everything that is publicly available can be viewed on my YouTube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeyE0XFIdXztkmF2FCToCkQ
In addition I have three ongoing projects, two of which are currently in the festival circuit and the last is in its funding stage. Saudade (Directed by yours truly): An indie television crew from LA goes to Minnesota to solve a series of missing person cases when they end up happening upon the killer himself.
https://youtu.be/ENnxekx_8mk Lorgaire
(Directed by yours truly): Sibeal discovers she descends from a family of monster hunters known as the Lorgaire and has to rescue her friend Mani from a werewolf that’s taken him before it’s too late.
https://vimeo.com/781604867?share=copy
Slashed (Produced by yours truly, directed by Ana Masley): A group of college kids throw an 80s themed halloween party at a cabin in the woods, but when the slasher element gets a little too real, they have to figure out who’s killing them off one by one before it’s too late.
What does being a part of The Women in Film Project mean to you?
Being a part of The Women in Film Project has been a vital part in finding other women in my community who love film as much as I do. I have met some of my closest friends through The Women in Film Project and it has been an absolute honor to be featured as a woman in the industry. We are a small underrepresented community that is the lifeblood of this industry and it’s so important that we support one another through our creative endeavors.