We caught up with the insightful Dora Endre a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dora, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about the best boss, mentor, or leader you’ve ever worked with.

The first really good boss that I had was a producer back in early 2020. I think it is surprisingly rare to find a supervisor or boss who makes all their employees, both cast and crew, feel safe, nurtured and encouraged. It was a great collaboration because he was decisive, clear and firm with the budget, timelines, schedules, creative concept and casting. He was a quick problem solver too! We had great debates and discussions throughout the whole process. He was really practical and present, but never in a daunting sense.

In my opinion, sometimes the problem with producers, financiers or other creative collaborators is that they have good intentions but they are dreamers. It is really tough to execute a project when the person leading the ship is chasing illusions or is inconsistent. Also, nobody should be ashamed to admit if the plan or vision they had in mind turned out not to be perfect. It is okay, we are humans, nobody can calculate with every detail and circumstance. But as long as we listen to others and are willing to put in the work, most things can be fixed or made better.

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.

I’m a writer-director and first and foremost, I consider myself to be a curious person. I am really interested in observing people, places, nature and getting inspired by them. I like to make stories up, experiment with different art forms, put myself into weird situations in order to explore my limits and to grow. I love to consume art in huge doses, hang out at modern art galleries, attend movie marathons and go to underground concerts. I am a big admirer of talent, passion and hard-work. These days, I am very much motivated by such contemporary artists as Tom Odell, Imre Bukta and Anders Thomas Jensen. I like playful people with depth and passion!

I have been working on stage plays, sketch shows, devised theater, commercials, short movies, etc. Recently, I’ve worked on marketing videos for the Tanganyika Wildlife Park and The Eagle Academy Foundation. Both are really inspiring organizations! I enjoy collaborating with people who are socially sensitive and forward-thinking. I believe waiting for that big gig to knock on your door, putting aside money for years so that you can shoot that “amazing proof of concept” or complaining about the industry leads to nowhere. We can practice and develop our craft and creativity on a daily basis. There is always something to create. Whether it is a short experimental film, an abstract little essay, a sketch about your next-door neighbor or a quirky song on love.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I have times like that on a weekly basis! On many occasions, I find it important to take a step back. Especially when I’m experiencing a hard day, a tough project and there is turmoil inside or around me. It is completely normal to have doubts or fears too! And it is okay to talk about them. Even if what you see on social media tells it otherwise. More often than not, what happens in the digital world is that people project a form of success, living, looking, feeling they wish they had. We live in this wild race of projecting, building “avatars” who travel the world, pet animals, make gourmet dishes for dinner, meditate with friends on the beach, raise kids beautifully all while furnishing their homes following Feng Shui. Oh, and they always work on their dream project too. Complete BS! You know, I think people who look the same, act the same, have the same habits are straight on boring. By showing your breasts or striking the usual “cute guy” pose you only demonstrate low self-worth and self-esteem. Be yourself! That is what’s really exciting, attractive and fun. I know this is somewhat of a cliché, but it is so true.

All in all, I think it is great to keep our feet on the ground, pivot, take a step back and even change plans or careers. What works for me in overwhelming times, is to surprise myself. Putting myself into a stimulating situation can help shifting my perspective and overcome distortions. It does not have to be a huge move! Going to a coffee shop I have always wanted and trying out the weirdest – potentially most disgusting – drink they have on the menu. Or hopping on a train or bus and getting lost in a new city, discovering it with no plans. Or chatting with random people at a store. Those are little recipes for MAGIC!

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

I think I’ve gotten relatively lucky early on. For instance, weeks after arriving in New York I came across this weekly, entertainment business workshop taught by a wonderful producer from L.A. She has given us an unusually practical, simple perspective on the industry. I remember how she emphasized the importance of looking out for opportunities, searching for gigs, talking to people, pitching your project at least for an hour every day. She was great at making us realize the utmost importance of consistency, even once you had industry representation.

I think being introduced to my rights both as an individual and a creative professional, techniques of relaxation and breathing, basic principles of negotiation and psychology, would have come in handy earlier too. It would be wonderful to include these subjects in the primary and high school curriculum. I very much recommend The Basic Business, Legal and Financial Aspects of the Film Industry [The Biz] by Schuyler M. Moore and the work of Tamara Levitt.

When people ask me about my take on acting and film schools, I cannot help but to say: you can invest your money and time in much better ways! 90% of the skills and knowledge I possess in the field is a result of autodidacticism, they had very very little to do with formal education.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.doraendre.com/video-services
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/de_videoprods/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dora-endre/
• Other: https://vimeo.com/user79413201