Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sassy Mohen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Sassy, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
I’ll start by stating that the film industry has improved greatly regarding parity for female filmmakers. However, there is still a long way to go.
This question makes me think of when I started pre-production on my first feature film, Happy Holidays (happyholidaysfilm.com.) I was a junior film student at Chapman University, and in the two years prior, I’d started slowly realizing that I wasn’t getting the same opportunities as my male counterparts. I had grown up with very supportive parents who put me in TV production classes in 3rd grade. My public middle/high school prided itself on helping its students succeed by paying attention to their individual needs, so they had let me start directing playing in 7th grade through graduation. I went into college with the naive idea that all educational institutions were doing everything they could for each of their students.
When it started becoming clear to me that I wasn’t being selected for certain opportunities and, therefore, most likely wouldn’t be selected to direct a senior thesis (only a handful were,) which was the whole point of going to film school for me, I decided I would take matters into my own hands and make an independent feature film. At first, most people were incredibly supportive of the idea; no one at Chapman had done that before, and it was high time someone did. Then, as it started to sink in that I was going to do it and wasn’t just full of hot air, I started getting a lot of pushback from the school, especially from my male peers. I recently digitized all the behind-the-scenes footage from Happy Holidays and came across a tape of our first “open crew call” meeting. It was me and about 10-15 men, and the meeting quickly turned into multiple attendees berating and belittling me about why I shouldn’t do this. At the time, I was so stunned I barely knew how to react, but after thinking about it, I realized they were just plain wrong. It sounds so basic, but it is true. And I’m not saying you should just plow through life and not pay attention to advice you get along the way, but I feel like if you are the only person who looks like you in a room, the main thing you need to pay attention to is your gut instincts. You have to trust yourself. Once you trust (and love) yourself, all that nefarious toxic stuff evaporates because it no longer matters to you.
The other thing to remember is that we’re all just people. Every wonderful and terrible person around you is made of the same stuff you are. Like you, they have things they’re proud of or embarrassed about, and most importantly, they are not untouchable. It’s funny, in addition to that pushback I got from my peers for Happy Holidays, Chapman also fought me throughout the entire project, initially labeling it “too ambitious.” A year later, after we’d finished shooting Happy Holidays and were in the middle of post-production, I told my high school AP English teacher what Chapman said about the project. He laughed and said, “Well. That’s just their opinion.” That sentiment sticks with me when I’m the only woman in a room; no matter what everyone else says, that’s their opinion, which doesn’t mean it’s correct.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
That’s a great question! Right now, I am so excited about numerous things. I’m in development for my next feature film, “On the Hook,” an abortion road trip dramedy in the same tonal lane as Little Miss Sunshine or Tangerine. Working on this script has been a thrilling experience. Firstly, my husband and I took the road trip in the film ourselves last summer, which was an eye-opening experience that simultaneously made me deeply appreciative of the support and infrastructure that California has to offer. Secondly, the feedback I’ve been getting has been so amazing. Women’s equality & reproductive justice are critical issues to me, and this script has been fantastic in opening up that discussion with others and further educating them on the problems.
Speaking of Happy Holidays, I’m also super excited to be re-releasing that project. So many alumni are doing spectacularly in the industry, myself included, that my reps suggested we re-up its distribution. I went back into the project, and being perfectionists, we definitely should do that, but let me re-master the entire thing first. It’s been a trip re-cutting the scenes and also watching myself grow as a filmmaker. I also joke that Chapman was right when they said it was “too ambitious” and that all the haters were right when they said I didn’t have enough experience, but my answer at the time was… so what? Who cares if it’s an impossible task I’ve never done before? That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try. Going through the raw footage, especially in the early part of the project, countless times, I’ve been like, “Why on EARTH would you make that decision as a director??” The answer, of course, was that I’d never done this before. But what was so cool was that looking at the latter half of the project, you could see me, the DP, and the actors grow as artists. That project was literally a crash course in filmmaking, and it taught me the foundation of all my skills. I can’t wait to re-release it to the public in its shiny new form.
Simultaneously, I’ve just finished the festival run on my last project, ‘How to Hack Birth Control’ (birthcontrolhacks.com). The City of West Hollywood also endorsed the project, and we recently had a fantastic screening and Q&A for the project put on by WeHo City. That has opened up many new opportunities, and we will have more screenings and Q&As coming soon!
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?
That’s a great question; I think the first would be determination. This goes back to what I said earlier about trusting your gut. Filmmaking is not for those with thin skin. Your success will NEVER look how you pictured it, and your failures will be 20 times worse than you imagined. That said, you need to be determined never to give up. If you know deep down that this is what you’re meant to do and, by god, you are good at it, you HAVE to hold onto that feeling and never let go of it. Even if you’re great, there will always be people who are “better” (or at the very least a nepo baby who will always get a place before you in line. #Fact) But that doesn’t matter; if there are people better then you, be determined to get as good as they are. If a nepo baby gets the job you’re a shoo-in for, NEVER take it personally. And with your determination, you have to be a realist in what you can achieve. Don’t make a film with a car explosion if you only have $1K for a project. Use that film and budget to show off your greatest strengths. Be determined and be smart.
The next quality that has helped me on my journey is the ability to collaborate. Filmmaking, and most creative jobs, is a team sport. You are just one person who can only see the world through your eyes. Some of my best ideas have come from collaborating with other people where we vibe off each other and come up with something x1000000 greater than if I had just done it my way. Collaboration also provides a great opportunity to learn and grow as an artist. On top of that, if you find people you vibe with, you have unintentionally built yourself a support network of other filmmakers, which leads me to the last quality that has helped me, which is…
The ability to ask for help. No one can do this alone; by “this,” I mean life in general. When I was younger, I struggled mentally, physically, and financially; essentially, I worked in every single department of being a functioning modern human. But, through that entire process, I always asked for help when needed, even if it was just calling a friend and talking on the phone. There is nothing wrong with needing a hand or guidance; no one will hold that against you, and if they do, they’re probably someone you shouldn’t be surrounding yourself with anyway.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
Take a BIG deep breath and remember that the sun will eat the earth in about 5 billion years, so whatever problems are overwhelming mean bupkis in the big scheme of things. We only get one shot at being alive, so we might as well do everything possible to enjoy the ride.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sassymohen.com
- Instagram: @SassyMohen
- Facebook: @SassyMohen @SassyMohenFilms
Image Credits
Main Profile Pic: Marc & Paula Kayne Photography Pick with Lips Shirt: Marc & Paula Kayne Photography All others provided by Sassy Mohen Films
