We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Maureen Kedes. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Maureen below.
Maureen, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Let’s face it. Most of us have moments of insecurity. Most of us have moments where we feel like a kid on the playground and wonder how we suddenly became this professional that others look up to. Three bizarre, but defining, moments of epiphany for overcoming the imposter syndrome stand out for me; moments when I “owned” my skills and more importantly, my uniqueness. One was my father who taught me, if you don’t know something, say what you think with authority and people will believe you. A second was when I was read a silly dating self-help book a million years ago, and it said, “hold yourself in high regard, and if you are not feeling confident, act “AS IF” you are.” The third was during my years studying and performing improvisational comedy. You have to own whatever is thrown your way by audience suggestions. We used to play a game called The Expert and it was a talk show where you are suddenly an expert guest on whatever the audience yells out. You have to immediately act with authority as if you are that person. Most of the time it works!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I always tell young people especially, that most of the choices and pathways you take, whether good or bad, ultimately add to your eclectic and enriched experiences. They carve their way into your being to make you a unique individual.
I am always evolving and reinventing myself. This seems to be my calling.
I spent my early years as an actor in Los Angeles. Then quit the industry for 22 years to raise my two children in a stable home. Before it was trendy, I worked from home and created a public relations business. I got to use my writing skills and there was an ever present learning curve as I boned up on new clients. It was a lucrative and fun, yet stressful, time.
Six years ago, I relaunched my acting career and came back to the industry by way of independent film projects. Many people told me I was too old to start over. Yet I have completed 55, shorts, full-length features and some television movies and episodics.
But breaking through to the mainstream, rather than just independent projects, when you come back to the industry at my age is not easy. So, rather than relying on casting decisions or having to sell myself to powerful agents, I decided to put the power in my own hands, by leaning in to what I do best: writing.
During the strike I was prolific and now have two original feature projects aligned with a production company. We are making offers to actors and directors. I have one non scripted documentary series with a 5-time Emmy winning producer attached and one award-winning scripted streaming series that we are shopping.
I don’t mean to make it sound easy. I work and work on the writing. I get opinions and feedback from people whose minds I value. I rewrite and rewrite. Having the core confidence to listen to yourself is vital. People told me I need to write within a certain genre. For me, I write from inspiration or ideas and put myself in the shoes of the audience and of each character. I did not listen to those who tried to pigeon hole me. Because of that, I now have a romantic comedy, a heartfelt coming-of-age road movie, a police thriller, a historic dramatic series, and a teen comedy.
Updates are on www.maureenkedes.com and www.imdb.me/maureenkedes
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?
Rules to live by:
1. Read.
2. Listen.
3. Gain Experience by doing. Say “yes” a lot in the beginning.
4. Take Risks.
5. Be kind. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Say something positive before reacting. Apologize if you forget that rule.
6. Be professional.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
With the WGA and SAG strikes, I supported the union workers. But I also saw this industry wide slow down as an opportunity to focus on my writing. In the independent world there were still opportunities to work, but I chose to take a break from acting altogether during that time in order to create content. And I feel that the content is some of my best work to date. I think we can all look at negativity and try to make something positive from it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maureenkedes.com
- Instagram: @maureenkedes
- Linkedin: Maureen Kedes
- Other: www.imdb.me/maureenkedes
