Design Thought Leader

August 17, 2012

Actor Julie Delpy on Being a Female Director

“It’s a hard thing, because, you know, I think directing is very much about problem-solving, and it’s very rational. You know, you have to wake up at this time, you have to know your shot list, you have to know what scene you’re [doing]—I mean, you have to know your stuff. It’s not something you can take lightly. Not that acting is something you can take lightly, but acting is more emotional, so it’s a different kind of job. So I feel a lot of studio heads and stuff, or people that are handling millions of dollars and putting that on the table to make movies, are very concerned with the fact that women have the reputation to be more emotional and not as rational or as organized or as meticulous—I don’t know, something like that. …

But the truth is, I am an emotional person when I need to be, but I can also completely shut down that part of me. You know, when I know I have to make a movie, I really think of the money that I’m spending, I’m really thinking of the time that I’m spending. I’m pretty rational when I start working on a set as a director. I don’t feel that creative when I’m directing, I’m just really, really, really focused on making everything work. Just like any other business, you know; I feel like I’m dealing with doing business.”

Source: “Julie Delpy, Keeping It Real In ‘2 Days In New York’”

Labels: Filmmaking