We recently connected with Christina Hulen and have shared our conversation below.
Christina, 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 has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
The quick answer is, I haven’t and I hope I never will.
Imposter syndrome is a daily struggle, especially in the writing aspect of my work. It’s very solitary and the entertainment industry is so subjective. It’s very easy to constantly question your value and talent. It’s even easier in a field with constant rejection to spiral into a negative mindset; to become frozen and not create anything at all.
Over the years, I found a few things that help me move past those moments. They still come but I don’t linger in them. One, I surround myself with people that are smarter and more talented than myself; people whom I trust to give me their honest opinions.
While writing is solitary, directing a project is collaborative. I value hearing multiple opinions from the cast and crew. The trick then, is to cull them down to only those that enhance the project.
Two: Change the scenery. I find if I’m too much in my head about a project, something as simple as a change of scenery helps enormously. Going for a walk, writing at the beach, going for a drive can all help break the cycle. The moment I stop thinking about the problem, because my senses are overtaken by new sights and sounds, is the moment the solution presents itself.
Three: The longer I’m in this business, the thicker my skin gets. There have been plenty of rejections and plenty of optioned projects that went nowhere, and plenty of people that have said no one wants to make the kind of work you’re doing. Each one can chip away at your confidence, but my answer to that last comment is, “someone does.” I just have to find them, or as I’ve done most recently, make the film myself.
I’m currently in post-production on a short narrative film called, “Everything’s Fine”, which opens the discussion around the long-term effects of PTSD for a woman and her wife after a mass shooting. It’s not subject matter people were jumping to do. Female led, queer and political are the trifecta of subjects that most studios and investors shy away from. So, I gathered an incredible group of cast and crew, all more talented and smarter than myself, and we made the film on our own. We were very blessed with a number of individual donors and a generous grant from the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, which allowed us to make the caliber of film we wanted. Check your local film festivals around June 2023.
The reason I hope I never overcome Imposter Syndrome is because that little grain of self-doubt is the thing that continually pushes me to do better, try harder and learn more. I heard a great quote that speaks to this the other day, I’m paraphrasing, “Whenever you feel yourself stumbling, don’t worry, it’s proof of forward momentum.”
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a filmmaker. I write, direct and produce narrative features, shorts and TV series. I can’t think of anything more exciting than creating something from nothing and watching it come to life.
I began as a writer. That is something that has always been in me. Writing became my outlet to tell the stories I wasn’t seeing. I love history, so much of what I write has some basis in fact. I especially love to illuminate the lives and accomplishments of LGBTQIA+ individuals whose stories have either never been told or have been erased or whitewashed from history. I’ve been frustrated that as far as we’ve come with LGBTQIA+ characters in film and TV, even now, most of the time they are relegated to supporting characters or if they are the leads, then the plot revolves around their gayness.
I write stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. They just happen to be on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. For instance, in my latest film “Everything’s Fine”, my two leads just happen to be a lesbian couple. While their same sex relationship has no bearing on the story, I think it’s tremendously important to have films and TV shows where LGBTQIA+ characters exist in a myriad of circumstances.
Because it can be difficult to find studios or backers interested in female led, LGBTQIA+ films with difficult subject matter, producing and directing became a natural progression. I’ve become equally passionate about directing as I am about writing. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing exceptionally talented actors bring your words to life. Even more exciting, is when they interpret a scene in an entirely new way that elevates the whole piece.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three qualities or skills that have had the most impact on my journey are:
A love of reading. My mother instilled the importance of reading at a very young age. She was a voracious reader. To this day I have a stack of books by my bedside. And, reading hundreds of great scripts became a very useful training tool. To see how well established writers handle particular situations in a script has been invaluable.
A love of history; also passed to me by my mother. I’ve always been naturally curious and my mother fostered that curiosity by taking me traveling throughout the world. Being exposed to new people, tasting new foods and being immersed in different cultures was probably the beginning of my love of storytelling. Once you experience something new, the innate desire is to share that experience with others. Rather than collecting photo albums, I collect ideas, characters and dialogue that later get transformed into something new while, hopefully, retaining the authenticity of the original inspiration.
Tenacity. Also, from my mother. Let’s just give her credit for anything good I accomplish right now. She was a bulldog. She was a single mom, sometimes just barely making ends meet. But, somehow, she managed to do all the important things she wanted to accomplish. She never quit. I think she gave me that same attitude. If you’re passionate about something, you just keep at it and surround yourself with good, like-minded people who support your goals.
For anyone thinking about becoming a filmmaker, being well read and knowing how story structure works will always serve you. In terms of breaking in, find your tribe. By that I mean, find those talented people around you that are interested in telling similar stories. Volunteer on sets to learn how they work. Then set your mind to it and do it.
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’m always looking for people to collaborate with. Especially, producers and financiers looking to make LGBTQIA+ content. Anyone interested in chatting can reach me through my website: christinahulen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://christinahulen.weebly.com/
- Instagram: @christinahulen
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chulen
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinahulen/
- Twitter: @christinahulen
Image Credits
Connie Kurtew, personal picture and poster pic Kim Turner, Nacia & Charlotte pic, McKenna, Chris&Charlotte pic
