We were lucky to catch up with Films By Circe recently and have shared our conversation below.

Films, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

We launched our production company in 2019 with very little experience or education in how to do anything– from producing our first short film to launching a website. Putting yourself out there can be scary, especially if you’re learning on the go! Being a female-driven company in a male-dominated sphere, we were opening ourselves up to criticism in a way that we hadn’t experienced before.

But at the end of the day, we were tired of only seeing the male perspective represented in media and knew that amplifying female voices was worth the risk of any negative feedback we might receive. So far, it has paid off! We’ve made 12 short films and launched a podcast, all to mainly positive reviews, and met some wonderfully talented collaborators along the way!

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?

Prior to starting our company, we had each found ourselves stuck in unsatisfying corporate day jobs, despite having creative backgrounds. Ally started attending acting classes back in 2018 with the intention of pivoting career paths, but was disappointed by the shallow, unsubstantial roles that were available to women. Knowing that Jenn had a knack for creative writing, Ally approached her with an idea for a comedic short. They shot it with the help of two friends the following week and the rest is history!

That’s when we created Films by Circe, a production company devoted to dismantling the male gaze one vision at a time. We have since written, produced, and released 12 short films that reformulate the female narrative while empowering collaborators and viewers alike. We have also launched a podcast, where we reveal the darker side of working in Hollywood, which we hope will one day change the status quo.

Our mission is not only to create a space where womens’ voices are valued, but also to build a platform for them to stand on.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

So much of the film industry’s finances are spent on big-budget projects from popular, corporate studios. Sometimes this can mean that smaller productions and artists are ignored or not given the support they need to create. There are so many talented filmmakers with great ideas but little-to-no resources to make those ideas come to life. We can help support independent cinema by visiting local theaters, seeing and promoting indie films, and donating to fundraising efforts where you can.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Not all actors, screenwriters, and filmmakers are rich! Most of us are struggling, and this is becoming more and more apparent with the growing number of Hollywood creatives that are striking. We get into the film industry because we love it and most of us have to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. It is worth it to be able to express ourselves and share our art, but it can get exhausting, and there are many days where you just want to give up. It takes a lot of passion and sacrifice to keep going!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.filmsbycirce.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/filmsbycirce/
• Other: https://vimeo.com/filmsbycirce