We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lori Webster Fore. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lori below.
Lori, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
Growing up, I loved adventures like THE GOONIES and HOME ALONE, character-driven stories like LOVE & BASKETBALL, and classics like GOODFELLAS. But when it came to stories about people like me where I’m from, I felt like something was missing. More often than not, stories about the black experience in the South skewed toward race films. However, my own experience had been so much more than crosses burning on my lawn. In the spirit of my grandfather, a sharecropper turned landowner, I set out to change the narrative. My aunt had no idea that insisting one summer afternoon to cut off the TV “while the Lord was talking” during a thunderstorm would ignite the storyteller in me. It was in that downtime that I put pen to paper to tell stories of my own.
My middle school English teacher further fanned the flames by allowing me to write short stories instead of papers for homework assignments. By my senior year in high school, I decided to combine my knack for writing, visual art and music into a capstone project that would mark my directorial debut. So moved by the heart and authenticity of how John Singleton portrayed his community in BOYZ N THE HOOD, I directed a homegrown crime drama about twin brothers torn apart by a murder of mistaken identity. The synergy from creation to screening had me hooked! From that moment I knew I wanted to pursue a creative / artistic path professionally.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My journey has been shaped by an unwavering commitment to crafting nuanced yet relatable stories about everyday people, who are often prejudged or overlooked. The Director and Writer I am today is shaped by my exposure to diverse cultures around the world, milestones in higher education, and invaluable life experiences. My documentary background specifically has nurtured my ability to mine impactful themes in subtle, organic moments and has become a distinctive quality of my storytelling. It also has sharpened my narrative directing acumen by making me pragmatic and agile in the face of the unexpected. As a Professor, I gain inspiration by paying it forward to the next generation of filmmakers as well.
I grew up in Eastern North Carolina where there is no such thing as strangers because we are either kin or friends or likely to get acquainted after a warm hello. Thanks to the support of this village, I cherish being in community and foster camaraderie, be it on set or in the classroom. I set the tone for healthy collaboration and creativity by leading by example. Through a curated culture of mutual aid and respect, everyone in my orbit shines in their areas of strength and rests assured that they’re in good hands. I lead with a clear, compelling vision and poise under pressure. Short of being the loudest person in the room, I make people feel part of something special.
My mission as a Director and Writer is to bring hidden gem stories with fresh perspective to the big screen. I see myself continuing to explore the intersection of the black experience with womanhood as well as championing the underdog. I also look forward to building a body of work across genres – from historical fiction to thriller to action / adventure. I am most inspired by the work of Gina Prince-Bythewood, Kathryn Bigelow, Ryan Coogler, and Barry Jenkins. I am an activist at heart and will forever champion marginalized people both on-screen and behind-the-scenes. The true power of movie magic is honoring what makes us unique and building connection through shared humanity. I consider this my North Star.
Currently, I have a TV series in development with Wondaland Pictures and also recently directed a short film proof of concept for my upcoming feature film.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the adventure. My work has enabled me to travel all over the world and connect with people from all walks of life. I’ve also been part of historic movements and on the frontlines of pivotal world events through the content I’ve created. No two days ever look the same, and that’s perfect for my maverick spirit. I’m also able to feed my endless curiosity and forever be a student of life.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I was working as a Video Producer for a major tech company and finally had good pay and stability all wrapped in one. I was creating meaningful content. The problem was the content was so formulaic with little to no room for creativity. What’s more is my corporate job took up all my time and gave perks readily and often to encourage me to keep at it. There was a contagious complacency in the work culture that ran very counter to how I approach my creative projects. Volume was prioritized over quality and work / life balance was nearly impossible. With no time outside work to pursue my own creative passion, I became increasingly stifled. Creativity is my water and oxygen, and it was clear that I urgently needed to pivot.
The fear of the unknown gave me pause. Leaving a stable job to become a ‘starving artist’ at that stage in my career would be a head-scratcher for most and wasn’t appealing to me either. In fact, the idea of starting over was downright terrifying. Was I really ready to risk it all? After much consideration, I knew the answer was yes.
It all boiled down to betting big on myself. Afterall, I had moved cross country from a small town in North Carolina to the entertainment capital of the world on the strength of a dream. It was only right that I go all in to see that dream through. At the end of the day, if I kept playing it safe, I would only get safe results. I had to take a risk…but a calculated one. I built up my savings, reduced my monthly overhead, and went for it.
That decision turned out to be the best move I could’ve made. The first year was hard, adjusting to a new normal, but within two years, I was earning more money independently than I had working corporate. I began to travel nationwide directing high impact content, surrounding grassroots movements for social justice, political campaigns, public health and more. I had the flexibility to take on projects of my choosing and finally put myself out there as a Director and Writer on my own passion projects. In addition to a growing roster of projects on commission, I’ve gained traction independently through highly competitive artist development programs and promising new partnerships with production companies. My journey as a filmmaker is still unfolding, but the road ahead looks promising with projects in the works for both the big and small screen.
Contact Info:
- Website: hiddengemstories.com
- Instagram: @hiddengemstories
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/lori-webster-fore-a53a524/
- Youtube: @hiddengemstories618
Image Credits
@photos_nataliemarie @seriesfest