We recently had the chance to connect with Erin Morris and have shared our conversation below.
Erin, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I usually wake up around 4:00 am! I like to listen to music, make my coffee and journal my thoughts. After the journaling session, I say my prayers for the day and get dressed for the gym.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Erin Morris, an Emmy winning filmmaker based out of Kansas City, Missouri. I am a natural born storyteller that helps entrepreneurs with their brand by showcasing their story through video work.
What makes me so unique is that I am currently working with BetaBlox, a startup incubator that accelerates growth in small businesses. With BetaBlox, I help produce and edit a docu-series called The Blox. The knowledge I have gained from The Blox helps me better understand the marketing funnel process and how I can fix the bottlenecks in their business through educational video.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
The women in my family inspire me to be a hard worker. My grandmother grew up poor, but she was happy. She learned that through hard work and dedication to learning, you can do pretty much anything. This was passed to my mother as well.
My mother, Wanda, is still a single mother currently. She had to raise me on her own, therefore, she had to work hard. Not only was she raising a child and holding a full time job, she was performing in plays and was a professional wrestler. She was juggling so much and carrying so much pain, but she did it with grace. She worked hard to perfect her craft and went on to win awards for her performances. She always told me that I could do anything that I put my mind to.
I still hold this philosophy today and it really helps me get through learning something new.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
Recently, I was put in a new leadership position with The Blox. I kept telling myself I was ready for this. I told myself that this was my Superbowl.
Going into the week, I learned that it was a lot of multitasking and juggling different things. There was some miscommunication on my part and I was not the best at expressing my frustrations and emotions. The position had all eyes on me and I didn’t like the attention. I felt the pressure and I cracked under it.
I ended up stepping away from the shoot week because I was not feeling myself nor acting like it. I did not want my team to see me in this state of mind. I did not want to continue because I would not be my best for them either, so I left. Luckily I had a co-leader who knew how to run the production. I knew they were in good hands.
When I got home I felt my depression wash over me and I took the time to release my emotions. I cried for a couple of days. My support system had my back and they comforted me and told me that I was still a great filmmaker. I sought help of my professional medical team. I felt better after the comfort and love. My cheerleaders did their job, the doctors and counselors were so helpful and my confidence slowly came back.
After much thought and journaling sessions, I was really proud of myself. I gave true leadership a try and I chose to step away when I realized I was not healthy. I chose to step away so the team could fully do their jobs and succeed that week. I am still a little bummed that I missed out on a season. I have never missed one. But this pain I held about leaving turned into positivity when I knew I made the right choice for me and the production in general. I took these negative thoughts and countered them with something positive. I handled the situation as best as I could. And that is true power; when you come to the realization that you know your mind and body. And you know what is the best decision for everyone.
I have a long way to go before I can be a leader again, but I am willing to take in the knowledge to have a chance.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I believe the film industry tells the talent and crew positions that it is normal to have 12-14 hour work days. It is normal to burn yourself out and constantly search for a job. The industry also tells people that no matter how hard you work, you still might not get the opportunity. There are so many things the film industry just gets wrong!
I came into the industry to make change. And I know I might not make a big industry shift in Hollywood, but I will be sticking to my beliefs when it comes to my own projects. Filmmaking is not about the money. It is not about the fame or showing off your latest camera or technology. Filmmaking is an art of telling a true story. It is about captivating an audience and make them feel something or think differently. And you don’t have to work your crew or talent to death while making art.
I chose to pay my crew and talent first before I have any of the budget leftover. I chose to feed my crew healthy options so they have energy throughout the day. I chose to keep my working hours to a minimum because I know that people have schedules and lives. I want a healthier industry. I want the industry to recognize that it doesn’t have to be this way at all. Things need to change, and it starts with small independent boot-strapped films and television!
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What light inside you have you been dimming?
There is a part of my personality that I have been dimming for a long time. When I was younger, I loved fashion. I loved dressing up, putting on makeup and being dolled up in general. I love shopping, putting together a good outfit and showing the world who you are through clothing.
In high school, I struggled with my mental health. As I progressed through my teenage years, my mental health started to decline. My confidence was so low that I gained a lot of weight that was not healthy for a woman my size. I stopped dressing up. I only bought comfy clothing. I don’t think I wore jeans for two years straight and unfortunately this spilled over into my adult life and I still covered up my body and dressed down. Even when I lost all the weight and looked my best.
After much self discovery over the last two years, I realized that I was holding back that little girl inside of me and her yearning to dress up and feel pretty. I exercise and am close to running 3 miles a day. Enough was enough. I look great and feel great in my body. I deserve to dress up! I am slowly reintroducing my love of fashion back into my life. I hope one day I can have a full wardrobe that makes me happy.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erin.morris.mov/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theerinmorris/
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