We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Annetta Marion. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Annetta below.

Annetta, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I am thrilled to be making my living as an artist. I never thought that someone like me could be so lucky.

I’ve had a number of “regular jobs” as a Computer Engineer since that’s what I went to college for, earning both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

When I started working “regular jobs” out of college, I loved every second of it. I had evenings and weekends, and holidays off, which was an insane treat since I never really had that luxury. (I worked retail during high school and waited tables all the way through college.) I suddenly had sick days and vacation days, regular paychecks, health insurance, and a 401(k) account for retirement… All these amazing things were new to me, and I loved them them all. I also loved getting dressed for the office and carrying my new briefcase :)

So as much as I loved having a “regular job,” it was just a job for me. It was not my passion. I didn’t even realize this until I accidentally directed my first short film, and BOOM fell in love and found my passion. I fell in love hard and quit my last engineering job within a few months of directing my first film. I started all over again in the entertainment business, not knowing one soul who did this kind of work for a living.

And I am still as thrilled and happy about what I am doing now as I was when I totally changed my path. The thrill of making films and television has never dulled for me or gotten ordinary. It’s literally the reason I’m here on earth, and I’m so grateful to be working professionally making movies and television.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I work as a director, primarily in television.

I’m a Primetime-Emmy nominated director and showrunner known mostly for my work on “Oprah’s Master Class” and NBC’s “Making It” with Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. My latest project (that I produced and second unit directed) is the Apple Original “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” which premiered at 2023 Sundance to standing ovations, won a Hope Filmmaker award at SXSW, premiered in theaters and on Apple+ and recently received seven Primetime Emmy Nominations, which is a record for this season.

I was working as a Computer Engineer after college when I ‘accidentally’ made my first film. I was volunteering with an abortion rights group, and my co-chair and I were tasked with writing a grant, which was no fun. We were big fans of independent films, so we thought, “Let’s make a movie!” We had no idea what we were doing, but with the help of friends, we went on to make a 30-minute documentary about abortion rights. And I freaking loved every single minute of it! I had finally found my passion. We premiered that short film in January, which also happened to be the month I got my Master’s degree in Computer Engineering. By April 15, I had given my notice and quit my job and was starting over in the film and television industry. And I never looked back.

I knew no one in the industry; I worked my way up on the production and producing side of things because it was easier to earn a living there while directing my work. And now, I am a dedicated, hard-working director and director/showrunner who knows the inside out of her crew, can work in multiple formats and genres, and really enjoys making deeply personal and thought-provoking content.

I have a great advantage as a director because of all the years I worked as a line producer and showrunner. I can pivot quickly and easily and already be ahead of options since I naturally think of what’s best for the story, character, budget, and schedule. The importance of budgeting, scheduling, and treating people well is just inside me; I couldn’t get rid of that if I tried.

Thinking on my feet and being able to pivot quickly is also something that I’ve honed in my documentary work. Other directing superpowers of mine from working on hybrid documentary projects are:
– I know how to work collaboratively, and I love it. I know the difference between when something is “mine” vs. when I’m a custodian of something precious, like working as an episodic television director.
– I know how to edit in my head, so I can easily prioritize when making hard decisions quickly.
– I’m an expert in providing people with what they need to do their best work; for people on-camera, that gives them what they need to become vulnerable and emote.
– I know how to listen. And also to hear what others say, even if it’s not verbal.

One of my mottos is, “Bring it on.” I am a professional problem-solver, whether those problems are creative or logistical. I truly believe all problems can be solved when the people involved want them to be.

Also, from all my years studying and performing improv across NYC, I also believe in an attitude of “Yes, and…” It’s the opposite of shutting people down. And that there are no mistakes. There are only unexpected turns in the path and life, and what one can accomplish really changes when you can get those ideas into your bones.

I’m most proud of doing good with my powers. One can choose Fear, or one can choose Love; I choose Love.

I make inspiring and aspiring work. My brand is beauty and poetry, and being brave. As a creative person, it’s really important to be super thoughtful about what we put out there in the world. It’s our responsibility, to tell the truth and with love.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I grew up in a blue-collar family. I learned to work hard when I was a little girl. I also learned to keep my nose down and focus on doing my best work; if I do, I will get noticed and rewarded.

What I learned is true to some extent, and my work ethic is still profound. I also learned that rewards are proportional to one’s hard work and talent, and that’s what I had to unlearn. One can be smart and talented and work her butt off, but everyone must also be gifted the opportunity to shine. And one generates opportunity through people who know and trust you, and their networks.

So I had to unlearn that it wasn’t ONLY all about talent and hard work, and I also had to learn that opportunity and community are key.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Speaking of community, I wish I had known about industry membership organizations like New York Women In Film & Television sooner. I did know about industry membership organizations in general, but I didn’t join for a long time because I didn’t understand how they applied to me. I wish I had known to join any and all industry organizations sooner rather than later.

And not only join, expecting something for yourself, but join to help others. Show up and work like you’re making a million dollars despite volunteering your time. Show up and keep showing up reliably. It feels good to support others in a meaningful way. It’s the right thing to do and good karma, plus you will start to build your community sooner rather than later.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.annettamarion.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annettalm/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annetta.marion/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annettamarion/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnettaLM