Ava Duvernay

the guide WORK & MONEY

networking for introverts (cont.) career coach (and an intro- vert), has had luck with this plan. She recalls attending events with an extremely extroverted CEO who aimed to collect as many business cards as possible. “I would set a much smaller, focused goal,” she says. “I’d try to meet, say, four people who work in business development, which was my field at the time. And in the end the CEO and I would realize the same results.”

Script your intro. Samuel C. Pease, a managing director at New Directions, an executive career-coaching firm in Boston, helps clients draft a three-sentence elevator pitch that nails down their unique talents, their professional background, the kinds of jobs they’re seeking, and the “ask”—a.k.a. the next thing they need. Not sure how to

craft your own pitch? Get the THE VIEW FROM HERE I’d been publicizing other as far as running your life—and basics down first, including people’s films through my own brought it to the set with me. what might bring you closer to marketing company. Running a film is like running a your larger goal (inside info business. It’s like a small on new ventures in your field, AVA How did you make the leap? company: You have a hundred or say, or a personal introduction so employees. There’s a task at to a power player). Then put Secretly. I started writing a script DUVERNAY hand, and there’s a budget this into language that feels at night and on weekends, and to meet. There’s a goal, and it has natural, not forced, coming out FILMMAKER eventually I shot my own short to get done. of your mouth. Practice in the on a Christmas vacation. It was The force behind the upcoming mirror. Also, be prepared with imperfect and crazy and civil-rights drama Selma is also nerve-racking and not good, but How has your childhood a few specific questions. Once the first African-American woman you get someone else talking, to have won best director at I did it and then just kept going. influenced your films? you can relax and listen. the Sundance Film Festival. Ava I grew up in a matriarchal DuVernay took some time to What came next? environment, raised by a lot of Duck out now and then. speak with Real Simple about From there, I shot a documentary women. My mother, grand- If you’re at a big event, like a creativity, changing careers, and in my spare time while repre- mother, and aunts are huge conference, resist the pressure maintaining grace under pressure. senting clients. Then I took 15 figures in my life; most of my to attend too many panels WRITTEN BY Jane Porter days off right before one of work so far has been focused on and parties, says Cain. Taking my big campaigns to shoot my black women. My family much-needed breaks helps Did you know growing up first narrative feature, a film emphasized following your heart. introverts recharge. Return to that you wanted to be a called I Will Follow. When I started making films, your hotel room, go for a walk, they really cheered me on. That’s or find a quiet spot in the filmmaker? lobby where you can decom- No, I had no idea. I wasn’t like Do you wish you had come helped me move forward. press. As you probably know, Steven Spielberg, knowing as a to this second career sooner? introverts draw energy from kid I wanted to make films. I At one point, I did think all those What’s your leadership being alone, while extroverts didn’t become a filmmaker until years in PR were a waste, because style like? draw it from being around my mid-30s. [She is now 42.] I got started very late. But I came Having been part of the crew in others. Stepping away for to see my time as a publicist as the past, as a publicist, I’ve seen a few minutes will help you Tell us about that. formative. I took every single the tendency to diminish crew by come back stronger. I transitioned from a career that thing I learned from that—not as not calling them by name or

was going quite well. For 12 years, far as the publicity tactics, but not taking a few extra minutes to HITTWESLEY BY PHOTOGRAPH

168 NOVEMBER 2014 | REALSIMPLE.COM 100% ODOR the guide WORK & MONEY PROTECTION* AVAILABLE IN 3 FORMS compliment work. I try to PRODUCTIVITY inspire people to want to PRIMER come to work every morning. To do that, it’s pretty easy: FIX THOSE You just treat people like they LAME FILE want to be treated. “Don’t wait for permission to NAMES If there’s a file on Selma is your first major do something your computer motion picture. Has it called something like been really different from creative.” “presentation your indie projects? 3dembythisone I thought naively that all my doesn’t feel like work to her, finalfinalfriday.ppt,” problems would be solved because she loves it. That’s you probably know when I had millions of dollars how it is for me. about the agony to make a film, but no. Every of losing precious time filmmaker has a day when You directed and cowrote you’re running out of time searching frantically Selma. What’s the hardest (and perhaps and you’ve got to get the part for you? scene and you can’t. No fruitlessly) for critical INVISIBLE SOLID The writing. I will help you amount of money fixes that. items. “Names with- GOES ON DRY & STAYS DRY clean out your trunk or do out organizational whatever you want instead of structures are useless,” So what do you do? writing. I really respect people says productivity It’s about embracing the who can write anywhere, but expert Laura Leist, the same ideals and instincts you I’ve got to light a candle and author of Eliminate the embrace as an independent have the right slippers on. Chaos at Work. “Pick a artist with no money: “We strategy that suits your are going to get this done by How do you push through hook or by crook.” needs, whether it’s by the challenge? date or by content, and In writing Selma, I had to go apply this across all You’re still very involved away. I had just directed an relevant files.” Which with independent film. episode of Scandal, and my docs warrant which I distribute the work of black head was filled with murders treatment? For files independent artists through and trench coats and the created repeatedly for a collective called AFFRM, president and sexy stuff. the same purpose— the African-American Film Immediately after I wrapped say, a weekly-meeting Festival Releasing Movement. that, I went to a friend’s place agenda—lead with in another state and wrote. the date (11.22.14. With all you have going CLEAR GEL wklyagenda). For all on, how do you balance What helps you stay in NO WHITE MARKS others, begin with the work and personal time? the zone? content. “And when From the outside, it may I would love to give you applicable, add V, for seem as if I’m always working. a beautiful answer. It’s a version, followed by a But that’s not how I look at deadline, usually. number, to distinguish my life. There’s no “I’m here drafts,” says Leist. So at work” and then “I’m off What’s your advice for the document above work.” It’s more like “This is someone wanting to work might be named what I do, and I love it all.” in a creative field? This is my life, whether I’m dembypresentationV3. To not wait for permission. ppt. “The time that with friends and family or I’m The key is: What do you want? on set or it’s date night or you spend renam- If you want to be famous and ing,” she says, “will I’m editing. I know a woman have a big car and a fancy be nothing compared who left the entertainment house, that’s a different thing. with the time that industry to open a bakery. You have to ask permission for you’ll save when you’re She’s now in a commercial that. But if you want to make no longer hunting kitchen baking all day, and it a film, say, and your reasons down randomly named are truly for the experience of files.” —Kaitlyn Pirie doing it and for the story- SMOOTH SOLID telling and the art of it, you SKIN SOOTHING CONDITIONERS don’t have to ask anyone.