In the world of book writing, an author really gets to have control over what he or she writes, which is why it is very satisfying. With the help of a great compatible editor, you really have something in the end you can call your own.
I have always been interested in how strange it is, when you date someone and break up, and then you both move on and continue your lives. What do you owe them, if anything, for that time intimate time spent together? What does that time mean, if anything?
I don't think I have advice for female directors as opposed to male directors. I think all first-time directors should try and be as prepared as they possibly can, because it's hard!
I love Nicole Holofcener and Lynn Shelton, both for the same reasons: their films are funny without being forced, intimate and real while also being hugely entertaining.
My first job in acting was in a Scott Baio movie called 'I Love N.Y.' My role was Italian Girl. I sent my 8x10 to a casting agent in the booklet, 'The Ross Report,' which is where all the agents were listed before that little thing called the Internet. I read for this tiny part. I couldn't have been more excited to get it.
'The Look of Silence' was an unforgettable, chilling documentary.
Film is the toughest one for me, as there are many fingers in the pot, so it can be disappointing. However, to have your work seen on such a large scale, that's a very exciting prospect.
Books are really fun because your 'voice' is pretty undiluted. There is a very direct connection between yourself and your audience. You will have an editor, but their job is to help you clarify or improve your voice, not change it.
Television is fantastic because you get to follow a group of characters over time, and their stories can enrich and surprise you. And you get to work with a group of people over time as well, which can be very satisfying with the right group.
I love feeling like I'm 'on the pulse' of things. Nothing more satisfying, more valued, more exciting as a writer. Because shaping pop culture really means that you're saying something that a lot of people want to hear.
Sweet lordie, there is nothing more fun than getting people in a room to talk about their relationships - in a setting that everyone knows is light and fun but also real.