Writer/actor Sujata Day (HBO’s INSECURE) talks about how she used the internet to launch her career and make a short film.
Key Insights
- The internet is a great way to tell your story, especially if you come from a community often underrepresented in mainstream media.
- Don’t think that you have to live in a major city to make films and get your project noticed. Use your location to your advantage when crafting your story. Available technology will support filmmaking from anywhere in the world.
- Social media is a wonderful conduit for connecting with like-minded people outside of your immediate circle. Don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone and strike up conversations with someone you’d like to get to know.
- Creating content for the web allows for a lot of creative freedom, is low risk, and is often very inexpensive to produce. Do what you can and reach out to your circle of friends or peers to help support you, even if they are not filmmakers. Just create.
- Share your work and ideas and don't get stuck in getting to perfect - even if it's not the thing that will make or break your career, it contributes to your overall body of work and is always a learning experience.
Actor/Writer
With her infectious personality and unique sense of humor, Pittsburgh native Sujata Day has established herself in Hollywood as a multi-hyphenate performer, creator, writer, and director. She honed her comedy skills at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, graduating from its prestigious improv program. Sujata is known for her starring role as CeCe in Issa Rae’s The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. She's recurred for three seasons on HBO's Insecure. Previously, she's worked on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Life in Pieces and The Grinder. Sujata is a Sundance Lab fellow and Sundance Film Festival influencer. She was a narrative features juror for the prestigious Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles in 2018. Her narrative directing debut, Cowboy and Indian, screened at over fifteen film festivals. She made the 2018 list for NBC Asian America Presents: A to Z. Sujata is honored to be the 2019 HBO Visionaries Ambassador. more...