We recently connected with Maureen Kedes and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Maureen, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
If you are having a really bad day, Try this: smile. Put your electronic device down, look up and pull the corners of your lips upwards, show the world your teeth and fake it. I promise you, some of that happy energy will internalize.
I don’t really know where my optimism originates but unless you are imprisoned by horrific circumstance (and many are) you are almost being selfish by being unhappy. And that is how I look at it.
Take a moment to appreciate: that your heart is beating; that you have air to breathe; that you have food, clothing, shelter. Then, I believe, it is your duty as a human on this planet to appreciate the small things. It is your duty as a human to be kind to others; to say hello to the barista, the parking lot guy who takes your unvalidated ticket then tells you the rules. Let someone pass you driving. Stop for pedestrians, hold the door for others, tell someone something nice.
In the entertainment business, the odds of booking jobs is incredibly low for everyone. So how do I handle it? I keep logs so I see that my booking rate is not so bad. I enjoy the process. I stop and take breaks when it’s too much (there are always more opportunities) and I don’t forget to live my life: friends, family, travel. I pretend I already have the job when I audition.
And now, I’ve decided to take a new route, to let go of the “monkey bar ring” in the comfortable Indie world I found myself in after taking a 22-year hiatus from acting to raise my kids. After almost 5 years and starting at the bottom, working my tail off, and shooting 53 independent projects (can you imagine how many self-tapes that took; how much rejection?!) Now I’ve gotten more and more selective and have even stopped auditioning to create my own opportunities– so that I will no longer rely on others. I have put myself in the driver’s seat. I hold the control switch. I am in the power position. I wrote and am now producing four original film/TV productions that are gaining momentum — and it feels fantastic!
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?
I’m very excited about this next chapter of my career. It seems to be melding the best of my abilities. When I took off all those years (22!) to raise kids, I had a public relations and marketing business. I wrote press kits and had an internet radio show, and blogged for AOL. I put my “back up plan,” my English Lit degree from Columbia University, to good use.
Now, I’ve created several projects and find myself handling business the same way: with NDAs, websites, pitch decks, production meetings, LLCs, contracts, etc. Yet, in this circumstance, it also using all my creative juices in the writing and researching. Attaching talent to the projects is also really fun yet challenging.
I bought the rights to a biography; a historical drama. We are in pre-production on a scripted and documentary series. I have two other projects that are original features: a romantic comedy and a heartfelt, very unusual, road trip movie.
I am not settling for low or no pay projects. I want to go back to union work of the highest quality. The turning point for me was when he was complimented on his lavish affair, he announced loudly (and said straight to my face) “Now you can see where we spend all our money rather than paying our actors.”
I vowed I would never be like that. I saw seasoned, talented, veteran actors and crew working their tails off for less than minimum wage. People in positions of power know they can feed off the desperation of others and it is sickening. There are those producers who don’t have the funds and talent enters those relationships in almost a volunteer position, and that’s a different story. But my goal is to do mainstream, legitimate projects and keep moving onward and upward. That is what I am focused on.
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?
1. Stay organized, set realistic goals, work hard, be open minded & positive. 2. Put yourself in the shoes of whomever you are dealing with; see things from their perspective in everything you do.
3. Walk away from any one or anything that is negative or doesn’t serve you.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
My “To Do” list is always too long. One of my character flaws is, I lack patience. I move quickly through life and waiting is hard for me. When you hear Academy Award recipients say it took them 10 years to get a project off the ground, you know it’s going to be a slow journey. I have to constantly make lists. I have to be OK with days where nothing on my list gets accomplished. I have to reward myself when things do get done. I have to remind myself that a full inbox is a sign of success. A long To Do list means you are busy and successful. My best advice is if you are sitting all day and looking a screen: stop, get up, get outside, go exercise or giggle with a friend.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maureenkedes.com
- Instagram: @maureenkedes
Image Credits
headshot photograph in red leather jacket: “Cameron Radice Photography”
