We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Taylor Foster a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Taylor with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My work ethic comes from the fear of boredom and my love of being busy. By the time I was six years old, I was a part of a competition dance team. I knew that I had to work hard to get better, and I knew I had to give up after school time and weekends to be a part of that team. My mother is not a stage mom, she never pushed me into it. So, each year she would ask me if I was sure I wanted to continue, and without fail I always said “yes, but can I do more this year?”
This upbringing really taught me that hard work is rewarded. It also kept me out of trouble and connected me with like minded people. I looked up to my dance teachers and studio owners – business women with a great work ethic – and saw their work ethic.
The short answer is – I don’t know any other way.
When the pandemic came, it was the first two weeks of my life (that I can remember) that I didn’t have anything to do. And I was miserable!! I love having my schedule full and feeling like I have the skills that can contribute to a project. If I don’t have work, I’ll join a class, learn a new skill, or network.
The trick is loving what you do. I will work hard for what I want. Always have, always will.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I grew up on 13 acres of land in North Texas. You can call me a country girl. I even used to think of the suburb as the big city. So I feel like film really taught me about the human condition. Everyone around me had the same lives, the same stories, and the same desires. But through film, I saw so many different kinds of people, different stories, different desires. It taught me how big the world is when my world felt so small. I grew up dancing on a stage, and in middle school I started to pivot to the acting world. Dance was a beautiful expression of emotions, but acting felt like a refined version of that. When I was 17, I booked the lead of a movie, and I knew right away that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to make movies. I want to tell stories through this media.
Now, I’ve been living in Los Angeles for 9 years. I’ve been on various sets, at various levels, and I still love it. I love it all. Whether I am on a sound stage for network gigs, or on location for an indie film, I always leave set feeling full-filled. Leaving like this is where I belong.
I just recently stepped into my most satisfying role yet – director. I am making my directorial debut on an indie feature film called “Wally Jackson and the Probability of Love and Car Accidents.” It’s a coming-of-age rom-com about a lovesick neurodivergent math genius who tries to improve his “probability” of finding love with math equations. After Wally’s high school girlfriend Scarlett (played by me) breaks his heart, he searches for love the only way he knows how. He decides that the only way to improve his statistical probability is to improve himself.
My friend Austin Wolff wrote the script and is playing the lead, Wally. He has felt that Hollywood has only showed one end of the spectrum, and his story lives on the other end. A neurodivergent playing a neurodivergent, where the story isn’t about him being neurodivergent.
I love what I am doing. I hope to continue to tell stories about mis-represented individuals. Especially, if they leave the audience feeling good in the end.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I am speaking about the journey of life, not my journey in film.
1. Have a good support group.
Friends, family, partners – whoever is in your life. Find your people. The ones that celebrate your wins with you, consoles you on your losses, and are the people you equally want to support. I owe everything to my people. I wouldn’t be here without them. I moved away from my family, so I made a new one in Los Angeles, and if I didn’t have them I doubt I would be where I am today.
2. Have confidence or learn how to fake it.
No one starts knowing all the answers. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t let other peoples comments dull your light. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.
3. Don’t take everyone’s advice.
Just because you view someone as higher up in your industry, doesn’t mean they know what’s best for YOU. Listen to the note, but that doesn’t mean you have to take the direction.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
Imposter Syndrome.
Stepping into a new role on set comes with it’s own challenges. I know that I am where I belong, and that I am good at what I am doing. But I am so new to being a director that I try to remind myself “you don’t need to prove anything.”
I am attempting to recognize the feeling, and attempting to correct it with reality.
I was at a party recently talking about my film and I met a fellow director. Once I said to him “Oh I am directing a feature right now” – BOOM – imposter. “How dare you call yourself a director.” But I recognized the feeling, didn’t allow it to control me, and continued.
But if anyone has advice on when that goes away, I’m all ears!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.taylrfostr.com
- Instagram: @taylrfostr
- Twitter: @taylrfostr
