We recently connected with Maya Harwood and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Maya, so excited to have you with us today, particularly to get your insight on a topic that comes up constantly in the community – overcoming creativity blocks. Any thoughts you can share with us?
It’s crucial to avoid overworking yourself. It’s easy to let work take over your life, but prioritizing your well-being is even more important. Taking time for yourself, as well as spending quality moments with friends and family, should hold equal significance to your professional responsibilities. Remember, balance is key to a fulfilling life.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I recently graduated from Savannah College of Art & Design, with my BFA in film & television with a minor in producing. During my time at SCAD I had the opportunity to work on over 24 student films being the lead producer on 14 of those projects. Since graduating SCAD I’ve been able to producer a student-run multi-cam sitcom entitled “Aspiring Failures”. A story about a set of twins who return home to find out their parents have left them not only the family house, but the family business.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three things I’ve learned are: 1- Be organized 2- Be on time 3- Ask questions. Being organized is a key skill one should have for any career one may have. It is especially important for those going into the film industry. While on set life may be hectic and chaotic, the work you do in pre-production & post-production can help things run smoothly. Being on time seems self-explanatory. However, you’d be surprised at how often people arrive late. I am a huge believer that early is on time, on time is late, and late is never accepted. And asking questions is a great way to learn new things. Even if you the boss of the group you still may not know everything, and that’s ok. Always ask questions no matter how big or small because someone else may be thinking the same thing.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
If you’re asking me professionally, I would say I have grown to learn how to stand up for myself and my co-workers. Understand that it is my job as the producer to stand up for my cast & crew and to know when they’re not being treated the right way. Having tough conversations comes with the territory. It’s not always fun but sometimes it has to be done.
If you were to ask me about my personal life, I’ve gone through many challenges over the last few months. Graduating college and trying to find a job in a really tough industry is extremely hard and stressful. Thankfully I had a great support system behind me, pushing me to not give up. Know that everyone goes through a period of time of not knowing. Just keep pushing yourself and the perfect job will find you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mayaharwood.com
- Instagram: mayaharwood
Image Credits
Mackenzie Schaeffer & Catilin Sellman
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