Kendra Doshier is the founder of Number6 Films, an independent company run out of San Antonio, Texas. A senior Communication major at Trinity University, Doshier has concentrated her studies in Creative Writing and TV/Film Production and has broadcasted feature projects as well as several shorts. She has professional experience in writing, directing, narrative cinematography, editing, casting, and post-production. Doshier has completed several original screenplays, including Number6's upcoming feature, Rapture Police. She specializes in entertainment writing, cinematography, all aspects of Film & TV production, foreign languages, and social media. She is a champion of no-budget independent films and an industry rookie looking to expand her network! After she graduates from college, she plans to move to Los Angeles to build on her independent portfolio and continue her passion for screenwriting. At some point, she would love to work towards upgrading to better production equipment, and pursue a career in the TV & Film industry as a writer and director.
What is the current project you are working(and/or promoting) on?
Right now I'm in the middle of a few projects... a few promos here and there, and I do a lot of multimedia/videography work for theatrical productions and corporations alike (most recently:Hamletmachine, Tragedy: A Tragedy, State of Alaska Department of Revenue). For the past two years, I've been working on a drama feature called Rapture Police; the film follows a well-rounded college student caught between the academic world and the drug world, and her misadventures along the way. I directed, edited, and co-wrote the film with my good friend, Adan Gonzalez. Adan is a brilliant writer, musician, and creative thinker, so it was definitely a treat to work with him on a big project like this. The film is in post-production right now and I'm taking my time to really refine the final cut so we can premiere it at its absolute best. It was scheduled to premiere this Fall, but obviously the nature of this craft is very unpredictable and contingent upon several different factors - and since I'm a full-time college student, I had to adjust my timeframe. Right now, Rapture Police is due to premiere in the Spring of 2012. Everybody involved worked so hard to make the film come to life, so we are definitely excited to see the finished product!
How do you define success?
Fulfillment. Success is that feeling at the end of the day where you can sit down, take a deep breath, and know with every fiber of your being that you've done everything you could and you've benefitted from the choices you've made. A lot of it is accepting your struggles as part of a process, and knowing you'll be alright; being able to say "What I've done is enough, and I am happy with where I am right now." I can't really base success off of material things, trophies, winning titles, or an edge in a competition. Those things might be nice, but they don't really show for anything. Comparing your success to someone else's is just as toxic as it is counterproductive. At the end of the day, the thing that leaves me with the most hope is knowing that my success is tailored to who I am and what my goals are. So, in that sense... to me, success is knowing that you're on the right track and that you've still got a lot to look forward to. Success is momentum.
How do you handle rejection?
All across the board, rejection is a necessary evil. It's definitely something that will never go away, as it comes with the whole package of growth and self-improvement. With every gain, somewhere there is a loss. That's really the only way I can rationalize it. I really do believe that rejection builds character, as do most of the tougher things in life (Thanks, Mom!). In my professional life, I try to keep myself in check and take it as an opportunity to improve. I'm fairly competitive, so something like that will always sit at the back of my mind. There's a definite motivator there. As for my personal life, rejection stings a little less every time. I don't profess to be the almighty Oprah when it comes to personal rapports, but in the wise words of every badass in history: "Shit happens." Honestly, I'm pretty sure by the time I'm an old lady, I'll let those kind of things roll off my back and go for another bloody mary.
Did you always want to be a filmmaker?
I went through several phases of wanting to pursue different creative occupations. It was always something creative. I first wanted to be a writer and illustrator, because all I did was draw and write stories since I was able to hold a pencil. I used to write stories phonetically before I knew how to spell, and my mom kept all those "books" I made. Then at some point I wanted to be a singer. Then a print journalist (for newspapers - what the hell was I thinking?). Then an actress. Then a playwright. Then a magazine columnist. Since the beginning, it always came down to being a writer. I am more creatively inclined and not very skilled in left-brained tasks (sciences, logic, analyzing data, long division, other various things that most normal people can do with ease, but I cannot), so I was always in love with telling stories rather than solving problems. I was always an observer before a learner. Now that I know I want to be a writer and director, I feel like I have a lot to look forward to.
What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
People-watching. I love painting abstract pictures of people through the lens of film. While I adore cinematography and the idea of setting a tone through the picture, I spend a lot of time tending to dialogue, as it's the very stuff that gives film substance. Dialogue is my favorite aspect of writing, because it tells you a lot about characters without explicitly spelling it out for the audience. I love linguistics and self-expression, and I believe that merely learning the intricacies of a human is enough of a story by itself.
What is the best thing about being one?
Having my vision come to life is a very surreal and rewarding experience. Getting to work with new talent is always a reward on its own, but seeing that transformation from a mere idea to a full-blown creation is the best feeling in the world. It is the ultimate gift, to see and feel something so real that used to be just a thought in the back of your head.
What is the worst thing about being one?
My struggle is not so much about being a filmmaker as it is being a female filmmaker. While I am very proud of who I am and work very hard, I know my career path will be a bit more of an uphill journey than that of my male counterparts. I know at the end of the day, it comes down to passion, initiative, and savvy - but I have had instances in the past where I was the only female in a male-dominated creative field and I wasn't taken seriously. It was frustrating, but I worked very diligently at establishing myself. The catch is that I completely realize that this was just the little leagues -- I've still got a ways to go, bigger fish to fry, and more hard work ahead of me. As far as the filmmaking process goes, I never knew just how much time I'd have to sacrifice in order to carry out my vision and create a film. Editing alone has probably taken 5 years off my life. It has certainly altered my sleeping schedule forever, but I am perfectly at peace with that. I'll sleep when I'm dead. At this early juncture in my career, one of the hardest things to deal with is scheduling. Production managers are so important. When you're doing things on your own and managing a cast of 10+ actors and having to coordinate their schedules along with your own... it changes you! I don't know how I've done it for this long, but I can't wait to have a real production team one day. I know by then I will truly value all the small production roles that make up the process. The things you thought wouldn't matter all that much -- they totally matter.
What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?
2 independent features, about 10 shorts, 8 corporate videos, and a few promos. I'd love to work on a TV series in the future; I love the idea of a continued episodic storyline.
Who is is your favorite filmmaker?
Sofia Coppola is absolutely brilliant. She has one of the most distinct styles I've seen and she approaches storytelling with such a tenderness towards detail. That's something I find to be very rare, because a lot of filmmakers sometimes get caught up in the bells and whistles that go into a production. She goes for the raw complexities of a character and doesn't lose sight of the importance of portraiture. Her ability to create a portrait, rather than just construct a scene, is remarkable. Her film Somewhere is a perfect example of her ability to tell something without spelling it out for people; she merely introduced the audience to a character, and that was it. I think she is fairly underrated, and maybe that could be attributed to her under-the-radar, muted public persona or the possibility that people are hesitant to approach her work with such confidence due to her family relations. I can't really put my finger on it. I do look forward to her future projects. I would love to achieve that caliber of abstract storytelling!
How has your life changed since you became a writer/filmmaker?
I never wasn't a writer. Since I've ventured into filmmaking, I can confidently say that I sleep less.
What is some advice you can give to someone who also wants to become a filmmaker?
1. Use Twitter
2. Buy a camera
3. Start small, use your friends as actors
4. Find internships tailored to your interests
5. Write, write, write
6. Grow a thick skin and keep trudging through
What do you like to do besides writing and filmmaking?
I like to go people-watching. Airports, coffee shops, malls, restaurants... as horrifyingly creepy as it sounds, I just love observing people. I think it helps my writing, because I can get a sense of how different people operate and I can have a realistic gage of human interaction. It's not like I sit outside a complete stranger's house and throw pebbles at their window at 4 AM - I am just a professional eavesdropper. Also, I love to perform. Most of my friends know me as this sort of creative volcano/goofy troll. I like to participate in theatre, especially improv comedy. I am a member of an all-female a cappella group, Trinity AcaBellas and I arrange all our music. The catch is that I can't read music! I think maybe it's more that I refuse to learn how to read music, so I just arrange by ear. Honestly, when I'm not writing and directing, I'm happiest when making music. In short: the right side of my brain is the only side that really works.
Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker?
I wrote for the Anchorage Daily News for four years in high school; I was a staff member for a teen column, Perfect World, and got paid to basically be a typewriter monkey who lived off caffeine, pop culture, offensive jokes, and deadlines. Every week I cranked out strange and irrelevant articles about painfully idiotic topics, but I always had a snarky approach to journalism, so I didn't chew my own legs off out of pure boredom. I've done several internships, but the most interesting one was for the State of Alaska Department of Revenue. I worked in media management and made corporate videos for the Alaska Pipeline Office for the entire summer; I basically learned a lot about the oil industry (Oh God) as well as how to troll downtown Anchorage for cheap art and free hotdogs (useful life skills). It was the ideal Summer job because it was so different and out of my comfort zone, and my coworkers were absolutely fantastic to work with. They thought I was a multimedia angel sent from Heaven above, when I was really just a poor college kid who was really good at Twitter, website building, and Final Cut Pro. I lucked out.
How would you describe your film education?
Self-taught with a few courses in video production, broadcasting, and screenwriting. I've had plenty of hands-on experience to sort of circumvent the formal teachings, but I'm always open to learn more.
What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?
AMERICAN FILM
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Virgin Suicides, Annie Hall, Chicago, Cool Hand Luke, Rachel Getting Married, Running With Scissors, Brief Interviews With Hideous Men, Girl, Interrupted, Somewhere.
FOREIGN FILM
Dogtooth (Greece), Io Non Ho Paura (Italy), Martyrs (France), Respiro (Italy), Angela’s Ashes (Ireland), Circumstance (Iran), Alexandra’s Project (Australia).
TELEVISION
Six Feet Under, The L Word, 30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Glee, The Walking Dead, Modern Family, Golden Girls.
How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?
In Anchorage, the film scene has just exploded over the past few years (tax breaks, hey!). A buddy of mine has worked on a couple of really cool projects already, and they're so eager to hire local talent and crew. They did a Drew Barrymore flick called "The Miracle" (used to be "Everybody Loves Whales") and just recently wrapped "Frozen Ground" with John Cusack, Nic Cage, and Vanessa Hudgens. John Voight was also doing a couple of projects up there - I know he was in Anchorage for quite a while working on a TV pilot. I'm not quite sure where things are headed as of right now, but I definitely know that Alaska has a lot of promise for those who are looking for hands-on experience in film. I'm considering going back for a while just so I can jump right into things. As for San Antonio, Texas - this place is pretty lame. Not a whole lot going on over here unless you're interested in public broadcast or guerilla indie projects. Head west like the rest of 'em.
How has social media changed the independent film industry?
Let's be real, social media has changed every industry. It makes distribution and word-of-mouth much easier on independent filmmakers. There is power in the Retweet! Personally, I think social media has helped me in terms of spreading the word about my upcoming projects... and without Twitter, I'd incessantly spout off useless crap and make sassy comments regarding pop culture to my friends and would end up being a cat lady. Thanks, Twitter. You've given me a channel to spread the sass.
How does independent film differ from the mainstream?
There's this grainy, edgy, raw aspect of independent film that is completely absent in mainstream film. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's awesome. And I know how much independent filmmakers pour their heart and soul into their projects, and usually that is very evident when you see their productions. That's priceless.
What's your opinion on crowdfunding?
Without it, a lot of brilliant projects would never have come to life. It's daunting to think about, and I've never tried it, but I am completely open to it for future endeavors. Sometimes, we all need a little push! I've helped with a couple indie projects in the past, but I'm hesitant to immediately trust who I'm helping. I know every dollar counts. Crowdfunding is a fantastic work in progress, and I think sites like Indie Go-Go and Kickstarter have the right idea. Sometimes it's an all-encompassing effort in order to make art and execute quality productions - we get by with a little help from our friends! (Not sorry for that tacky Beatles ref)
You could go back in time and see any film being made. Which film would it be and why?
Ghost. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall of that set while they were filming that excruciating clay-wheel scene with Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze. To burst into hysterical laughter, or not to burst into hysterical laughter? But... in all seriousness, I would want to go back and watch them make Dawn of The Dead or any of the Harry Potter films. I can't even begin to think of how cool that would be.
What's your favorite movie quote and why?
If this were open to television, anything that Sue Sylvester from Glee says is pure gold. As far as movies go... it's a three-way tie between these:
"What's your name?"
"Claire."
"CLAIRE?"
"Yeah, it's a family name."
"No, it's a fat girl name." - The Breakfast Club
"What a loss to spend that much time with someone, only to find out that she's a stranger." -Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
"The fourth dimension will collapse upon itself. You stupid bitch." - Southland Tales
What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels?
I'm of the class of thought that sequels and remakes are never as good as the original. What immediately comes to mind: I nearly keeled over when I saw them remake Dirty Dancing andFootloose. They're just revamped with light shows, sluttier actors, and hip-hop music. Appalling.
What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?
I'm sure the books are always better, but I respect those who try to make the films just as good. On the other hand, if it's a bad book - probably a bad movie. It's a coin toss.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thanks so much for the interview, I'm so honored! Your support of all the starving artists is so awesome... without people like you to notice us, we'd still be starving.
Number6 Website: www.number6films.com
Vimeo: www.vimeo.com/doshier6
Twitter: @LaKendrus
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