We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dineta Williams-Trigg a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Dineta, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
It comes from the reality that my life is not bad. I am grateful for everything and everyone that I choose to surround myself with. There are people who did not sleep in a bed last night or had any dinner. I am grateful to the universe that I have food and a roof over my head. It’s easy to stay positive when you think of the things that are right with your life.
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?
I am a filmmaker. I understand how difficult it can be to get your movie made, let alone in front of an audience. Being a film festival director allows me to work with other independent filmmakers and help them tell their stories. I dig being able to work with the other artists in my community and beyond. We held a very successful fundraiser in the spring of 2023 to cover some of the costs of A Night of Misfit Films November 2023. We were able to direct a festival in Montreal Quebec, showcasing a majority of Canadian filmmakers May 2023. My next goal is to become a non profit, so that we can direct many festivals at many different venues.
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?
1) Believe in yourself, don’t take “no” as the final answer 2) Don’t listen to the “Haters”
3) Be Kind
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
I remember to breathe, I plant my feet on the ground and remember who I am. As long as I am breathing there is always hope.
Contact Info:
- Other: https://www.anightofmisfitfilms.com https://www.facebook.com/anightofmisfitfilms https://www.instagram.com/anightofmisfitfilms https://twitter.com/anomff https://vimeo.com/wefilmfestivals https://www.youtube.com/@WeFilmFestivals
Image Credits
Matty Steinkamp, Jim and Elena Thornton. Gauthier RAAD
