Wow, that felt good.

I went to a networking thing tonight for my new client/boss, Jennifer. It was something I helped her put together as part of my job with her. Great panel of directors speaking – Taylor Hackford (White Nights just rocks, Dolores Claiborne just dark), Arlene Sanford (ER, West Wing, A Very Brady Sequel) and many others. A room full of professional women in the entertainment industry. Jennifer is on the board of directors for this organization and I offered to come up early and help set up.

Amazing night of conversation about why there are so few women directing. 7% of the industry, both in film and television. 7%. Think about that. Some statistics say 24% of women directing in TV but, as Lesli Linka Glatter pointed out tonight, if you count the women on the panel only once in those statistics, they become increasingly grim. Between Lesli and Arlene and Mimi Leder, they make up for probably 20% of that 24%, they work so much.

Anyway, I spent the night shamelessly promoting “Cinderella Drives a Pick-Up.” Had my usual bag full of soundtracks, a number of which I just gave out to people who I thought were important enough to have them. Many women were impressed with the accomplishment of shooting Cinderella and that felt good.

What felt even better was when the panel was talking about what women should do to make their mark and direct. All of them – every single one of them – said, grab a digital video camera and shoot a feature. Not a short, a feature. There’s no real difference in the money with digital and a feature makes a better impact. Make sure it’s something you’re passionate about. Just go out and do it. The three women sitting around me who I had talked to about the film all turned to me at the same time. The one next to me whispered, “Wow, that’s what you just did. You’re doing the right thing.”

I’m doing the right thing. I think I know that. And you all have been so incredibly supportive and encouraging and full of praise. But to have total strangers who haven’t seen anything I’ve done, who don’t know me, who have no investment in me look at me and go, wow, you’re doing the right thing, made me feel incredible. I’m doing the right thing. For a change, I really, truly believe that. There was no one there to counter that with some negative thing about “yeah, but…”. There’s no yeah-but.

Then the capper of the night – I went up and introduced myself to Lesli Linka Glatter. She directed on “Third Watch”, one of my all time favorite TV shows, and we chatted about that. I gave her a copy of the soundtrack for the film and explained what it was. She was very excited and responded positively when I asked if she would be interested in being kept on an email list about screenings, etc. She was very interested and wanted me to make sure to let her know what happens. I got a similar response from Arlene Sanford.

It was so nice to be told by women who are in positions that I aspire to tell me that I’m doing the right thing, that I should keep doing it and they’re proud of what I’m doing. I kept thinking, they don’t know me, they don’t even know if the film is any good. But I realized it doesn’t matter. It’s the same with the encouragement and support I get from all of you. It’s not necessarily about the project. Okay, yeah, it’d be great if every project is wondrous and amazing and everybody can truly say, yes, it’s great. But just the fact that there is this unconditional support, unconditional enthusiasm for any project I’m doing from you all and, now, these amazing women just takes my breath away.

I want to remember this moment. I want to remember this feeling, this feeling of absolute trust and belief in myself. I know what I’m doing. I’m doing the right thing. There is no question, there is no hesitation. This is absolutely what I’m meant to do.

Wow, that feels good.