359 - Director Roxana Baldovin - The Power of Hustle: Cold-Pitching Your Way from Music Videos to Feature Filmmaker | Indie Talk

The MAKE IT Podcast

Hello, Hello!

In this edition of Indie Talk, Chris is joined by Director Roxana Baldovin. She discusses her career journey from growing up with an immigrant background in Brooklyn to directing music videos for major artists. Roxana also shares insights on navigating the unpredictable music video industry, building her skills as a director, and her transition into narrative filmmaking.

We also talk about:

• Growing up immersed in multiple cultures in Brooklyn due to her family's immigrant backgrounds
• Getting her start directing by cold-pitching directly to artists at concerts and persevering until landing early opportunities
• 
  Why directing alone on a major music video project for the first time was challenging but helped Roxana fully own her role as director
• Navigating the music video industry and the need to have thick skin due to high rejection rates and uncertainty about whether projects will even get made
• Why commercial work involves more structure, resources, and money compared to music videos
• Building a core team of trusted collaborators is important while also allowing flexibility for different project needs
• Learning from mistakes and gaining experience over thousands of hours of work builds directing confidence and skills
• Staying true to your artistic vision while also listening to and incorporating others' perspectives is key to success in the film industry

Enjoy!

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