Meet Samina Martens

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Samina Martens. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Samina, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

My first love was always novels. I was a voracious reader as a kid, and felt so viscerally the impact of a well-told story. When I was in high school I developed a passion for photography and filmmaking, but it wasn’t until much later that a greater sense of purpose really clicked into place. It was a lot of little things that led to finding this – leaving a movie theater and feeling buzzy with inspiration because of what I’d just watched. Watching a scene come alive on a movie set. Sitting down with a family member and watching their favorite movie, and understanding more about them. Meeting my industry heroes and mentors. Returning again and again to a comfort TV show, or a worn, dog-eared favorite book, or the umpteenth watch of a great film. Stories are truly just human connection at its most basic form: they are how ideas are shared, emotions are externalized, and learning is passed from one generation to another. Once I realized the power these stories had, it led to an easy realization that what I wanted was to help tell them.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I work as an executive in film and TV development, helping to source ideas and then develop, package, and produce them as feature films or television series. So much goes into this process – negotiating deals, organizing financing, production logistics, marketing and distribution, and much more. But at the core of it all is the creative vision. My job is primarily to see that vision, understand it, and then help see it through, from a blueprint or tiny kernel of an idea all the way to a finished, tangible product that audiences can watch and enjoy.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I would say one of the most important qualities for someone coming up in the entertainment industry right now is Conviction. It’s a tough time for the industry. Fewer movies and shows are getting made and there are fewer jobs available. In order to get through the day-to-day rollercoaster that is Hollywood, I think you need a strong sense of who you are, what drives you, and what you want. This job takes extreme levels of tenacity and grit, and a strong conviction is vital, not just in terms of career goals, but also in terms of creative taste and passion. Standing strong in your own creative conviction can be scary, but is absolutely necessary.

The other vital quality I’d name is Respect. Everyone in this industry is connected, and no matter who they are or what they do, you have to treat everyone around you with a high level of respect. By its nature, filmmaking is intensely collaborative. There are very, very few instances where you’ll be operating solo. In fact, one of my favorite things about living and working in Hollywood is the strong sense of community it fosters! It’s so important to engage in that community in a respectful, helpful, and welcoming way.

There are so many other important qualities and skills I could name, but the last one I’ll call out is simply just Passion. It’s like everyone says: you really, really have to love it. Watch everything you possibly can, read everything you possibly can, talk to everyone you possibly can. Figure out what you love, and then chase it down! It’s the backbone of this entire industry, and will keep you focused and inspired through the twists and turns this career can bring.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

I’m by nature a planner (and oftentimes an overthinker!), and I think a huge challenge I’ve had to overcome has been – to my chagrin! – to learn to let go of control, stop sweating the small stuff, and instead remain flexible and adaptable during a tumultuous time in the industry. It’s a skill I really had to hone coming up on set, when an entire day can be overturned by anything from weather, to an unexpected obstacle, to a random whim. Focus on doing your best on the things that ARE within your control, and then let everything else go and just try to enjoy the ride. There will be ups and downs, good times and bad times. Successful careers are never linear, but your energy is best spent on your work, life, and personal goals, and adapting to whatever comes – be like water!