Meet Virginia Powers Hendry

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Virginia Powers Hendry a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Virginia, 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.

I’m not sure I ever will totally overcome imposter syndrome… that’s like asking “when are we going to smash the patriarchy?” As a director who is fairly new to the craft, I have put together a team of really qualified artists, and I make sure I communicate my vision on any given project, to the best of my abilities. For myself, I spend a lot of time in prep. I think this is key to feeling confident that you know exactly how you are going to tackle the project, and so when challenges arise, you can solve problems and pivot with your team. I also believe that the more we do something, the more confident we become. How are you an imposter if you are actually doing the work? In moments of self-doubt, I try to be show myself the same kindness I would to my best friend.

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’m originally from Memphis, TN, but grew up mostly in Florida. My stepfather is a retired preacher, so we moved around to various cities in Florida for his job, but lived in Hollywood, Florida from the time I was ten until I was eighteen. And I grew up watching my stepdad preach sermons to a crowd in a church, and witnessed the power and impact of storytelling. I have always loved movies, and knew I wanted to be part of that magic making from a very young age. I moved to Los Angeles after I graduated from film school in Orlando, and have been writing for years, mostly in my spare time, while working various jobs in the film industry. Recently I have started directing, and I have fallen in love with that, and want to focus on directing all these scripts I’ve written. I also had two daughters, and I think being a mom has helped me focus on the kinds of stories I want to tell, and the legacy I want to leave behind. I want these girls to believe that anything is possible if you work hard and stay focused. And I want to make films that highlight the struggles of being a woman in a visceral way through genre. Generally speaking I want to watch and create stories about people in marginalized groups burning their oppressive systems to the ground. Currently I have a short film called “Gaslighter” on the festival circuit. We’ve played twenty-one festivals so far, and I’m so excited that the film will stream on SHUDDER Oct 15-Nov15 as part of Etheria Film compilation.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I think as a writer/storyteller the most important quality you can have is empathy. The best way to have empathy is to read, read, read. Education is super important, and you can always find opportunities to enrich yourself and keep your mind open. Travel whenever you can. Join groups made up of people from different backgrounds than you. Sign up for a cause you believe in. If you can stomach it, read the news from reputable sources, so you can maintain your critical thinking skills and form a perspective. The world needs more empathetic people in it, but if you are trying to tell stories that connect with an audience, you need to understand people and have a relevant point of view. So live life. Engage with the world. Find your community. For me, I’ve been lucky to have found people who are like-minded and trying to accomplish the same thing I am. There is beauty in the support in a community. It feeds the spirit. It informs the art. And you need your friends and they need you. But making friends and forming a community is active. Be confident. Being modest serves no one. Be kind to everyone. And never quit. Being an artist is a lifelong pursuit.

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

One of the things I am constantly telling my daughters is that they cannot solve problems with a chaotic mind. You must find a way to calm yourself first. You have to find a space so you can breathe and center yourself -and you cannot skip this step. The more you can focus on specific problems and specific solutions, the faster you can move past being overwhelmed in a moment. If it’s a longer term issue than just a moment(s), you still have to calm your mind and figure out what the specific issue is. I tend to get overwhelmed easily, especially trying to be a parent while pursuing my own dreams and career. What I am not willing to do is sacrifice my goals to be a better parent. I don’t think it would make me a better parent anyway. I see a lot of women around me doing that. I think we have to find a way to stop pressuring ourselves to be perfect, and be ok with people not liking us, or thinking we aren’t the best mom ever. I think we all need to get better at saying no, and then not worrying what people will think of us after. We also need to get better at asking for help and accepting it, and not believing that makes us weak.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.finalgirlgina.com
• Instagram: @virginiapowershendry