We were lucky to catch up with Meredith Yinger recently and have shared our conversation below.
Meredith, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
I’ve always been an eternal optimist- looking for any shred of silver lining in a seemingly bad situation. Starting and owning my own production company, I’ve had to go from eternal to aggressively optimistic to stay afloat and motivated to keep going. A lot of this optimism has to do with how I was raised. My parents were always reminding me to count our blessings and be grateful for all of the wonderful things we do have. Coming from a place of thanks and appreciation versus lack. When challenges arose, it was always – let’s look on the bright side. It might seem easy to spiral, but I always believe there’s hope and where there’s a will, there’s a way it’s just a matter of finding it.
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?
Currently, I am the Director and Owner of She TV Media. She TV Media is a female-owned, full-service video production company focused on telling untold and inspiring stories of empowered women and minorities through stunning video content. She TV Media was created out of a lack of diversity and inclusion in the media, both in front of and behind the camera. I decided that in order to change the media, I was going to have to become the media. Since then, we have been creating stellar, important, and powerful content – through commercials, documentaries, a TV Pilot, and corporate videos.
I always tell people I am a filmmaker and documentarian by trade, but an entrepreneur out of necessity. Which, I have to say, is probably true for most indie filmmakers and creatives. We are constantly pitching ourselves, our ideas, our work, raising funds, developing products, marketing them, and creating communities. It’s terrifying, confusing, wonderful, and exciting all at the same time. I am insanely curious by nature and asking questions led me to my love of creating documentaries and interviewing, but has also helped me in growing a business. The beauty is that as I evolve, so does She TV Media.
This past year, I have made it my mission to complete the documentary Scars Unseen that has been 4 years in the making. Scars Unseen is a triumph of the human spirit documentary following three women who have overcome domestic violence and are paying it forward. It’s my feature documentary directorial debut and we are finally doing finishing touches! As we speak, I am finalizing the color and working on the music with my composers. Next, I will be submitting to film festivals and looking for distribution partners. I am so excited for the world to watch Scars Unseen and to see what impact this film can generate. I am looking forward to Scars Unseen being a launch pad for me to direct and produce more game changing documentary content.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Flexibility and the ability to adapt and evolve is the biggest asset you can have – regardless of what industry you are in. If you are able to be a chameleon and adapt and thrive, you will always succeed. When COVID hit, I sought out a business coach, and obtained financing through a relief loan to keep the business going during the most uneasy time. I applied (and still apply!) to every grant opportunity available whether that be for my creative projects/films or for the business.
DIY – instead of waiting for someone else to give you permission to do what you want to be doing, give yourself permission and create that opportunity for yourself.
Networking – I am a mega fan of networking – out of any situation, any conversation, we all have something we can help each other with or refer business to each other in some way, shape or form. There is an abundance of chances and connections to make and you never know where one conversation might lead. Some of my favorite clients and projects have come from conversations that did not have the intention of being a sales call, just a meet and greet or talk at an event that then led to creating something awesome together.
Persistence – this maybe should have been listed first! Persistence is so key in every.thing. Whether you’re starting a business, writing a script, filming a video, or promoting your work – keep showing up and keep pushing the needle forward. One of my life mottos is ‘if you never ask, the answer is always ‘no’. Continue to follow up for that info session meeting, pitch opportunity, business collaboration, new opportunity, etc. Be gracious, but It never hurts to ask, and unless you’re explicitly told to go away, things could have simply gotten lost in the shuffle.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am always looking for mission driven, female owned, or game changing companies and brands to develop video content with. From ideation to execution, She TV Media can be a creative extension of your team to bring refreshing ads, commercials, and docs to your audience. If you need a director or interviewer, I’m your lady. For my feature documentary Scars Unseen, I am also looking for distribution connections to streamers/film markets and those involved in educational content and promotion. Let’s make waves together. Feel free to reach out through the She TV Media website – www.shetv.me
email [email protected] or connect on LinkedIn
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shetv.me
- Instagram: @shetvmedia
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithyinger/
Image Credits
black and white headshot by Nick Giggans-Hill
