We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shauna Garrett a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Shauna, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
As a black woman in filmmaking, a field dominated by non-women and non-BIPOC creatives. it can be difficult to be the only one “in the room” that looks like me. It took a long time for me to reckon with the fact that every set I step onto, I have to do my most excellent, best work in order to make a lasting impression. And it’s hard to be in that mode all the time! But it gives me soul-satisfaction to know that every creative task I take on, whether I do well or fail in it, I have learned more and given my all into it. Things that have strengthened my competency and effectiveness beyond aptitude: approach every new project as an opportunity to learn new tricks of the trade and make lasting bonds with other filmmakers, finding creative solutions and troubleshooting on-the-fly, and seizing opportunities for leadership when they arise. Codeswitching is another element that has come into play for me, personally; while I never minimize myself to fit a mold, it is important to modulate my language and tone in order to communicate professionally, safely, and succinctly. In a professional environment and particularly in leadership positions with many safety hazards and protocols, it’s imperative that each creative be on the same page and getting to that point has been an interesting skill I’ve had to develop. By adjusting my syntax and using proper on-set language/lingo, I am then able to provide clarity, safety, and camaraderie with whomever I am communicating with.
Being the only one in the room, especially in entertainment or corporate settings, gives a unique opportunity to be the FIRST in something, to represent the unrepresented, and give a voice to the voiceless. It empowers and emboldens the next person who may be the only one of their kind in the room. It’s an opportunity to not only excel but to relieve undue societal pressure that requires us to work twice as hard for less, and have to constantly prove our value to our teams.
Empathy has been the biggest tool at my disposal and it is indeed a muscle to develop and maintain not only for creative work, but in every day life. The ability to empathize makes me a better person, storyteller, friend, and leader.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a freelance filmmaker, primarily as a gaffer and electrician/set lighting technician for film, television, commercials, and I camera operate on live productions. I also direct film and documentary-style pieces, as well as do photography (mainly portraits, album covers, and concert photography). My latest venture has been starting and legitimizing my boutique production company, Monday Routine Productions, LLC. – a collaborative brainchild founded by myself, Dymond Muhammad, and Aurora-Rose. Since the summer of 2018, we have worked to build a safe haven for BIPOC creators to tell their stories and histories of how they got to where they are. We aim to have our first two documentary projects released in 2023, as well as to fund and film our first short film. Our mission is to give an inclusive platform and stage to voices commonly unheard in present-day media, with the goal of creating, producing, and lending support to various engaging narratives across different platforms. I am thrilled and honored to be at the helm of the company!
For more information, visit mondayroutineproductions.com
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?
Three qualities I believe helped me on this journey to get to this point are humility, tenacity, and the empathy to view everything with a lens of love. For people just starting out in a career in entertainment, please know that for the average person, things are ROUGH! Things don’t immediately fall into place right out of the gate, others can be overly competitive without realizing it, and we can not control everything…We can only control how we react and respond to extraneous conditions. Remember that you can not necessarily manage the unmet needs and expectations of others (and you’re not responsible for them), you can only how up do YOUR best and hope to learn new things along the way. Don’t let imposter syndrome influence you into taking up less space than you deserve, especially as a creative because you have a right to be there! Fight for your place with both boldness and humility. Keep your ego in check. Know the value of your work (monetarily and conceptually) and advocate for yourself. Know that there is ALWAYS a solution to things; sometimes it takes troubleshooting, healthy compromise, or unlikely routes to make things happen. Surround yourself with colleagues and friends who will root for you and lift you up. Lastly, know when to walk away from certain gigs, professional relationships, etc. because if it doesn’t align with your spirit or is antithetical to your values, it’s hard to take pride in working on it.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
My biggest area of growth this past year has definitely been my introspective sense and concept of community. I went through a very self-reliant phase, where I didn’t accept help for things and didn’t want to been seen as only my needs instead of a whole, well-rounded person….But I wasn’t whole or well-rounded at the time. I needed help, and I needed community. That dawned on me the most during the summer of 2022, when chronic illness exceeded my capacity to manage it and I had no choice but to rely on others for help physically and emotionally. It reminded me how much we are built for communion and deep connection. It’s imperative to find friends, colleagues, and mentors who are invested in you as a person and allow you to reciprocate that communion.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shaunagarrett.com, https://www.mondayroutineproductions.com
- Instagram: @shaunagarrett_ , @shaunagarrettfilm , @mondayroutineproductions
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaunagarrett/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-CYFMuXU8lFLTjI5IMzTJA
