This year, I interviewed 42 of the top women in Hollywood—showrunners, directors, editors, cinematographers, casting directors, writers and more—as part of @WWfilmchallenge’s virtual event series. Here’s what I learned (thread for #FilmTwitter) 1/?

1. The number one lesson is that everyone has their own path to success in the film and TV industry. Some started out as lawyers, or software engineers, or athletes. Some jumped in right out of college; others got their first industry job in their 40s. 2/?

1 (cont.) Some used connections to get their foot in the door. Others worked their way up, starting as an intern or assistant or PA. Some started in unscripted and pivoted to scripted TV. Others credit their directing chops to spending years as an editor. 3/?

1 (cont.) Becoming a successful filmmaker is not like becoming a doctor, which is difficult and time-consuming but has a prescribed path that everyone takes. For filmmakers, it’s never clear what unpaid gig will open doors or what random connection will give you a big break. 4/?

2. People like working with people they like! This shouldn’t be a big surprise. When you’re slogging through your 11th hour on set in freezing rain or up at 3 a.m. in the editing room, you want to work alongside people who make you laugh and whose company you enjoy. 5/?

2 (cont.) Like everyone always says, it’s about who you know. This may make it hard to get your foot in the door initially, but once you have a few gigs under your belt, this should be a relief (as long as you’re pleasant to work with). 6/?

2 (cont.) If people like and trust you, they’ll hire you again and again. There are, for example, many directors who ONLY work with one composer because of their talent and great personality. 7/?

3. For every film or TV pilot you want to make, you should be able to answer these two questions: Why are YOU the person who should tell this story? And why should this story be told NOW? 8/?

3 (cont.) This is when your unique background, experiences and perspective should shine through. Think about your favorite films and series. Can you imagine anyone else telling that story in exactly that way? 9/?

4. On a similar note, when you sell a pilot or find an investor for your film, they’re not just buying into your idea; they’re buying into you as a creator. What are you bringing to the table as an artist that no one else could? 10/?

4 (cont.) If I gave 10 writers the same logline, they’d write 10 completely different screenplays. And if I gave a script to 10 different directors, they’d each interpret it differently. Your own uniqueness is what makes your take on the subject special. 11/?

5. Take the time to learn from those who have come before you. Even though there are some aspects of how the industry works that are hard to know from the outside, there are many, many resources about every role of production, from webinars to books to podcasts. 12/?

5 (cont.) The most successful people in the industry have gained a lot of knowledge, and many have shared much of that knowledge publicly. Look up recordings of film festival panels or Q&As they participated in, as well as magazine and podcast interviews. 13/?

6. There’s value to every step of your career, & several of our guests have warned against rushing or “skipping ahead” so to speak. One editor told us that you can’t just skip past the assistant editor stage; she learned so much about cutting and recutting episodes as an AE. 14/?

6 (cont.) Showrunners have discussed how new writers often want to jump to being a showrunner, but by working up the ranks of the writers room, you learn so much about how to structure an episode, and you get to watch how various showrunners lead. 15/?

6 (cont.) On the flip side, don’t turn down opportunities you’re qualified for just because you don’t “feel ready”! Lots of talented people suffer from imposter syndrome. Definitely take opportunities when they come; just don’t feel “behind” if you’re moving step by step. 16/?

7. Respect the work of those in all other departments. Filmmaking is a collaborative art, and every piece is integral. Can you imagine a film without sound design, or lighting, or costumes, or sets, etc.? The whole thing would fall apart! 17/?

8. Don’t just network up; network laterally. It’s great to connect with and learn from those ahead of you, but your strong network of peers is who you’ll grow alongside. Those are the people you can turn to for feedback or refer for gigs. You can help lift each other up. 18/?

9. Be nice to everyone. That casting assistant will become a casting director; that PA will become a producer. (But hopefully you’re nice to everyone anyway.) 19/?

10. In terms of practical tips, you wouldn’t believe how many filmmakers recommend watching your favorite movies with the sound off! This way, you can pay attention to the cinematography, lighting, editing, etc. Watch how your favorite filmmakers build their films. 20/?

11. Fun homework: Almost all of our guests have recommended watching a ton of films and series, both as a way to learn and as a way to keep up with the industry. It’s a way to feed your brain with the visual language of various genres. 21/?

12. Another piece of homework: Many screenplays and pilots are available online. Read them! You can also find series bibles and lookbooks for various projects. This will help you see how the pieces come together for the final product you see on screen. 22/?

13. Take care of your mental and physical health, whether that means meditation, therapy, journaling, exercise, nutritious eating or a good sleep schedule. 23/?

14. No matter how high up someone is in the industry, they’re still human! It’s been so refreshing how kind and down-to-earth all of our workshop guests have been. They’re so eager to help the next wave of women in film and TV. 24/?

That’s it for now! We’re continuing the @WWfilmchallenge virtual workshop series next year — you can find upcoming events at http://womensweekendfilmchallenge.com/virtualevents . 25/?

You can find highlights from our past events on our YouTube channel ( https://bit.ly/2OSWo2w ) and Instagram ( http://instagram.com/womensweekendfilmchallenge). Right now, the full recording of our workshop with showrunner @Elle2Tha is available on Patreon ( http://patreon.com/womensweekendfilmchallenge). 26/?

(I should add that our virtual workshops are donation-based — it’s our way of breaking down financial barriers to the film industry.) 27/?

Thank you for reading, #FilmTwitter! I hope you found some of this advice helpful. Keep creating in the new year — we need your unique voices now more than ever! 28/28