Meet Julie Peley

We were lucky to catch up with Julie Peley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Julie 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?

I was raised in a family of hard workers and surrounded by a passion for doing what you love. Both of my parents work with people with mental disabilities, so I’ve seen them care for others—often before themselves—for as long as I can remember. And, of course, they’ve always cared for me, too. I feel incredibly lucky to come from such a caring and loving environment. It really shaped my personality and taught me to prioritize the well-being of others.
You know, caregiving roles are often associated with women, and my dad—who’s now retired—was the only man in his workplace. That gave me a powerful example of how men can also be nurturing. At home, he’s usually the one who cooks and cleans, so my view of family roles was never shaped by traditional patriarchal norms. I owe a lot of that perspective to my parents.
In the field I chose—filmmaking—it’s all about collaboration and creativity. You can’t make a movie entirely on your own. I mean, you can, but in my opinion, you shouldn’t—because it’s when different minds come together that something truly amazing can be created. For me, being on set is the most exciting experience: the exchange of ideas, the energy, and the drive to push yourself and others to be your best.
My role as a director of photography, requires a range of skills that people might not immediately associate with the job. As a woman in this field, you always have to prove yourself to others twice as much. I still have a lot to learn, of course, but here’s what I’ve realized so far: it’s as much a creative leadership position with high responsibilities as it is a management role, where you’re fully accountable for the well-being of your crew. That’s where care becomes essential. I take that to heart, because I believe you can only be a successful director of photography—or a valuable part of any film crew—if you care as deeply about the people you are surrounded by as you do about the project itself. That’s what I strive to do, and I’ll always keep working to get better at it.

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 was born and raised in Paris, France, and moved to the United States by myself in 2018, after getting offered a scholarship at the University of Miami for the MFA program. My passion for writing and photography led me to film school in Paris, where I started developing a desire to capture moving images, and to tell stories through the medium of motion pictures.
Coming from a French and European culture background, I am always interested in mixing my influences with international collaborators, to create a unique voice into my work. I have already worked on many sets as a director of photography, editor and director, and my most recent productions have received multiple awards in festivals. I now balance my time between being a professor for the undergraduates at UM and working freelance on film sets. I recently opened my production company “After Mountains Pictures”, named after my first film, which taught me so much about filmmaking as well as myself.

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?

If you are passionate by an idea and you want to tell a story, go for it. Creativity is such a subjective thing, so you are always going to find people who don’t like what you do, but it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that you believe in what you do. And you will find your crowd.

Learn how to work with people and delegate. Choosing your crew and your collaborators is the most important thing ever. And usually, you find these people at school. So cherish these friendships and relationships that you make during your studies, because some of them will become beautiful collaborations in the future.

Find a balance in your work. It is not all about filmmaking. Creativity comes from everywhere and I believe that life experience is as important as practicing your craft, it will nourish your imagination and make you grow as a person and a creative.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

Over the years, some of my friends have become like family. I’ve known some of them for more than half my life—they’re the ones who know me best and who have always helped me through the most challenging moments. I strongly believe that friendship is one of the most important things in a person’s life. For me, each of my friends has taught me something unique, opened my mind to new perspectives, and pushed me toward becoming who I am today—toward trying to be my best self.
Of course, I have filmmaking friends, and I love watching them work and learning techniques from them. But more broadly, I’ve found that it’s really about life skills—staying open-minded about the world and the people around you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.juliepeley.com
• Instagram: julie.peley
• Facebook: Julie Peley
• Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/fr/name/nm8859578/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_1_nm_7_in_0_q_julie%2520peley

Image Credits

Melanie Anderson:
Instagram:
riaand97
https://www.instagram.com/riaand97/#