The board of TV execs seemed so positive. ‘Your presentation was the best one of the last round!’ they said. The film director Elena Rossini had been called back to pitch her documentary on the globalisation of beauty to the most senior figures in the network. She was excited, ready, prepared.
‘We love it. But can we help you find a male director for it?’
Aagh.
It’s probably happened to you, too. That moment when you know someone has totally missed the point of what you’re about.
What do you do?
If you’re like Elena, this.
You build a community of the people who do believe in it, and in you.
Listen here:
How to build a community who’ll bring your vision to life, with film director Elena Rossini
It took Elena 8 years to get her film The Illusionists created and released, 6 of those with nothing but rejections.
Maybe it’s an ongoing battle for you.
- Clients don’t get what you do and continually want changes.
- Customers and commissioners turn down your work for reasons that just sound like excuses.
- Your agent doesn’t seem to understand your work, or what motivates you.
- Your family or friends think you should be using your time and energy differently – focusing on a regular job, doing less hours, spending more time with them instead.
Elena joins me on this week’s Creative Life Show to talk about what she did instead.
- How she found people who shared her values about her work, and the social media platforms that changed everything (and got Stephen Fry tweeting about her work)
- How she crowd-funded the film that she wanted, filming across four continents to make a film that’s been critically acclaimed and shown across the world
How to find the people who get what you do
Most people won’t get what you do.
Most people won’t share your values, or your style, or your priorities.
But out there there are people who do get it. There are people who will cheer you on, tell you the thing you need to hear at that moment, buy your work, tell their friends, be the only people you need to have around you.
I often work with clients on ways to find people in an area they’d like to do more work in. In just a few minutes, we’ll often come up with a whole list of ways to meet and build relationships with people who do get it.
Where to find like-minded people
- Social media – and you only need one platform, not many
- Participating in Facebook groups
- Finding meetup groups in your area
- Looking for events on Eventbrite
- Online event listings for your local area
- Guest blogging on sites that share your interest
- Commenting on blogs in your sector
- Going for coffee, or just arranging a phone chat, with anyone you know who shares your interest
- Picking up the phone to a friend, colleague who you know believes in your work
If you’re feeling a bit isolated, challenged, or are going through too many rejections, pick one of those, and take action this week. Then let me know how you get on.
I’ve had some amazing guests on The Creative Life Show, but Elena Rossini really is one of the most inspiring.
Come and listen now:
How to build a community who’ll bring your vision to life, with film director Elena Rossini
My favourite quotes from Elena Rossini
‘When I see something that I’m frustrated about, I turn it into a creative project. It’s very healing and cathartic. Every time I do that, magical things happen.’
‘One reason I never got really discouraged is that I like to take things that can be seen as a problem and turn them into a strength.‘
Share this post