We recently connected with Rebekah Varghese and have shared our conversation below.
Rebekah, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
How have I overcome imposter syndrome? The truth is, I haven’t. Truly, I don’t think I ever will, at least not completely.
When I first started my career, I would look up to filmmakers, producers, and directors that I admired and think about how I couldn’t wait till I was that far along and just as confident and competent as they were. But as I journeyed along, moving from smaller film roles like PA, AC and Grip, to larger roles like Producer and Director, I was struck by how much I still didn’t know. I began to be wracked with self doubt and to avoid larger roles due to the stress. Even though I had years of experience under my belt, I was sure everyone could see how much of a fake I was and that almost anyone else was more qualified than me.
The anxiety was too much for me. I completely burnt out. I took nearly a month off work to recuperate.
When I finally got back on set, I reconnected with an old friend of mine I hadn’t seen for years. He moved through life so calmly and freely, just enjoying life, people, and the moment he was in. He didn’t seem to worry about how he was perceived or what to do next, he just took each challenge as it came and faced it with a laugh. Despite his confident appearance, as we connected more, I found out that he also had imposter syndrome on occasion and sometimes wondered how he’d gotten to where he was at.
Something about the way he embraced life, despite occasional bouts of imposter syndrome, shook me out of my own anxiety. I wanted to enjoy life like he did and worry less. I started saying yes to almost everything–even if I didn’t feel qualified–and my career took off faster than it ever had before.
Am I more confident than I was before? Certainly. Do I still have imposter syndrome? Absolutely. The truth is, in the world of filmmaking, there’s always more to learn and there’s always someone who is harder working, more creative, or better connected than you are. But I know now that everyone suffers from imposter syndrome sometimes and I’m not going to let that stop me from moving forward.
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?
When I was three years old, I saw my first live performance and I was absolutely hooked. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I wanted to be involved in creating art. I began learning violin when I was four, started acting when I was eleven, had read most of Shakespeare’s works in my early teens, then moved on to directing when I was seventeen. I couldn’t get enough art to satisfy me. I finished my degree at twenty and jumped immediately into building my film career.
Together with my husband, we started Ghese Productions, a full service film production company based in Phoenix, Arizona. We’ve been involved in productions from KIA, Mountain America, Lincoln, Harrah’s Ak-Chin, Laika Studios, and more. We’ve produced multiple short films, our work has played on television here in the US and as far away as India, and won the Chandler Film Festival’s Comedy short film category in 2023. Most recently, I was the 2nd AD for the made for TV Film, the Abigail Mysteries.
Not wanting to give up theatre, on the side, I’ve worked in costume design, set construction, lighting design, prop construction and directing for theatre. I’ve worked at theatres across Phoenix, including Phoenix Theatre, Childsplay, Arizona Broadway Theatre and Arizona Opera.
Currently, I am producing a show for Arizona PBS, I am an adjunct film professor at Huntington University, I’m working as the Casting Director for a new pilot and I am the Program Director for IFP Phoenix (a sister program to the Phoenix Film Festival), a non-profit focused on educating and building community for local filmmakers.
Working at IFP Phoenix is one of the most special pieces of what I do. I absolutely adore Phoenix and I’m committed to further developing the film community here. Through my work with the non-profit, I get to meet filmmakers in many stages of their careers and help them find connections at whatever level they are at.
If you’d like to say hello, come check out my work with IFP at the Phoenix Film Festival in April or send me a message on the Ghese Productions Instagram page.
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?
There are three skills that I think are the most important to cultivate as you begin your career.
First, you need to be a hard worker. Even if you don’t know how to do something, there will always be a need for people who can show up on time, work hard and get the job done.
Second, you need to be kind. Though it sounds a little cliche, it’s hugely important. Across the board, I would rather hire someone who can do 75% of what I need and do it while treating the people around them with kindness, than hire someone who can do 100%, but is rude or upsetting to those around them.
Third, no matter how far along you are in a career, there’s always more to learn. Be curious, don’t be afraid to ask questions, to learn from those around you and to say “I don’t know”.
Knowing how to compose a shot, direct an actor, hang a light, or build a set are all great skills to have, but if you have those skills without the ability to work hard, be kind, and stay curious, you’re not going to make it very far.
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 more people to collaborate with! I love working with all forms of creatives, not just filmmakers. If you’re an actor, painter, writer, sculptor, dancer, musician or anything else, I’d love to hear from you and get to know your story. Who knows how we might be able to help or encourage each other!
I’d particularly love to get to know musicians who are interested in creating music videos or restaurateurs who have a great story and tasty food and want to get their brand out to more people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gheseproductions.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gheseproductions
Image Credits
Photo of film panel, and photo of classroom, Samuel Varghese Photo of Red Carpet, Co-Media Clock Strikes Two photo, Rebekah Varghese Photo of Rebekah on set with white blouse, Edward James Hernandez Photo of Rebekah on set with slate and photo of couple on bed, Akin Akinwande
