We were lucky to catch up with Christine Luby recently and have shared our conversation below.

Christine, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Looking back on my journey, one thing is clear: stepping out of my comfort zone and taking risks has been a constant theme. Whether it was moving from a small town in New Hampshire to London to pursue a career in dance, relocating to Australia during the Global Financial Crisis, or transitioning to LA with few connections to Hollywood, I’ve never done things by half!
Despite being American, moving back to the States felt particularly daunting. After settling in Australia, enjoying a high standard of living and free healthcare, I was quite comfortable. I had spent 15 years in the film industry, starting as an Assistant Director and later transitioning to Directing during the pandemic. Despite completing a film for Disney+, I felt I was hitting a glass ceiling, with job offers not pouring in as expected.
So, I decided it was time for another change. Having lived abroad for 22 years, it took me a while to readjust to American culture and establish myself in the sprawling city of Los Angeles. With few contacts but a willingness to ask for help, I was fortunate to meet my guardian angel, Eliot, who showed me the ropes, and helped me get an apartment, furniture and a car. However, there was a catch with my rather expensive one-year lease: I didn’t have a job lined up to cover it. Panic began to set in…
Then, just when I needed it most, I received an unexpected call: “Would I like to direct a film set in a castle in Ireland?”
Rom-coms, castles, and Irish charm—oh my! I headed off to Dublin with my rent covered and a renewed trust in the universe. Since then, I’ve directed my fourth and fifth feature films, signed with management, and have three additional projects lined up between Australia and the U.S. It’s true: leap and the net will appear!

Christine, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am deeply passionate about telling female-driven stories that explore friendships, romances, adventures, and coming-of-age themes. My work primarily focuses on romantic comedies and dark comedies, though I also enjoy being genre agnostic. This year, I have an edgy Christmas film set for release, and next year, I’ll be venturing into the creature feature genre. When I read a script, it’s about connecting to characters and stories above all else. If I believe I can elevate the narrative and present it in a visually engaging way, I’ll commit to it.

I initially got into directing romantic comedies because I’m a total romantic and have indeed moved across oceans for love, so rom-com’s were a natural fit. Growing up, I was inspired by films like Adventures in Babysitting and Pretty Woman, which resonate with themes of growth and transformation. These themes continue to draw me to similar stories.

What sets me apart is my technical background in Assistant Directing, which is a highly logistical role where you make the shooting schedule and run the set. As a director, I’m mindful of how my creative choices impact the budget and am able to schedule the shoot with maximum efficiency in order to bring in the project on time and on budget, having elevated it visually. I know how to speak with every department head to get the best out of them and how to collaborate with my actors in a safe, fun and supportive environment. I’m also keenly aware of how my energy sets the tone for the entire set, so I work really hard to find quick solutions when problems inevitably emerge. I also pivot quickly, like when you’ve had a plan for months and then you lose the location it was based upon. The sooner you come up with a new plan, instead of dwelling on the old, the better off you’ll be!

One project I’m particularly proud of is my episodic work on the Netflix series Dive Club. We had the standard shooting schedule of 4 days per 30 minute episode, which is no small feat when you’re shooting underwater, stunts and multiple locations with a large cast. The pressure of tight deadlines sparked my creativity, and I am especially proud of the unique visual storytelling we achieved in my episodes. I bring this same work ethic to every project, continuously pushing boundaries and striving for excellence.

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

Reaching out to professionals already working in your field is a great way to dip your toe into the industry before diving in fully. I wish that I had taken the time to find mentors and ask questions early on, because people are generally quite receptive to this and it would have made my journey much easier.

Nowadays, I encourage film crew to try out several different departments before choosing which one they will work in, because 10 years can fly by in a department that you may not enjoy. It’s also scary to change departments because people like to put you in a box, like that’s the only thing you can do. I find it rather satisfying to prove them wrong!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

For non-creatives, their career path is perhaps much more linear and structured, whereas the film industry is anything but! I’ve found that it’s a constant case of proving yourself over and over, at different budget levels, genres and networks. Just because you’ve had success on one streaming platform doesn’t make you a known quantify at another. Or reaching a certain budget level doesn’t mean you’ll graduate to a higher budget on the next film.

Not only is ‘success’ not guaranteed, no matter how many years you spend slogging away, but it is also not a meritocracy or ‘fair’. I think going in knowing that it’s not a straight path from A to B is helpful in the pacing of it all, because there are extreme highs and lows, so staying grounded is 100% key.

And you have to define your own idea of success because it’s not always obvious when you’ve ‘made it’, because making it is subjective. It’s important to celebrate your own milestones because no one will do that for you. Many defining moments in my career have only become clear in retrospect!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.christineluby.film/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christineluby/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-luby-a5172921/
• Youtube: https://vimeo.com/user61897426

Image Credits

Ericka Kreutz
David Fell