Jen McGowan
March Filmmaker of the Month
Jen McGowan is a director based in Los Angeles. Her most recent feature film, the survival thriller, RUST CREEK, was released in theaters by IFC Midnight, hailed as “the feminist thriller Hollywood needs right now” by Harpers Bazaar. When it dropped on Netflix it premiered at #3 of all film & tv in the US and stayed in the top ten for over a week. McGowan's first feature KELLY & CAL (Juliette Lewis & Cybill Shepherd) premiered at SXSW where she won the Gamechanger Award. The film was released theatrically by IFC Films to rave reviews. She got her start with award-winning short films, CONFESSIONS OF A LATE BLOOMER and TOUCH, which played at over a hundred festivals worldwide winning the majority.
In television she has directed The Purge for Blumhouse/USA and Twilight Zone for Monkeypaw/CBS All Access. With her partner Eliza Lee she co-created the series, Angelica, about the last remaining abortion clinic in a small Midwest town.
In partnership with Level Forward, she is the creator of Glass Elevator, an international skill-sharing, networking & jobs resource for professional women in film & television. With over 5,000 members, Glass Elevator was named Best in LA by LA Weekly, is part of the Sundance Women’s Initiative Resource and was featured in Forbes. Take the Lead Foundation identified McGowan one of 50 Women Who Will Change the World in Media & Entertainment and WeForShe selected her for the 2019 DirectHer program. A Film Independent Fellow, finalist for the Clint Eastwood Filmmakers Award, recipient of the AWD Breakout Award for Excellence in Directing she was named one of Vulture’s Women Directors Hollywood Should Be Hiring.
Filmmaker Interview
What are the specific qualities that, in your opinion, make a film great?
A strong point of view, a good story, beautiful images and great performances
What’s harder? Getting started or being able to keep going? And what drives you to continue making films?
Obviously COVID makes shooting harder. It’s possible but to do it properly it’s expensive, tiring and slower. One of the things that I find most challenging is on set I have to wear both a mask and a shield so it’s very hard for anyone to hear me. I have to project all day. Unless I need to be heard over long distances I tend to be pretty quiet on set normally. It’s my preference to be able to approach an actor and whisper them my notes. That is just not an option right now. I’m testing a walkie talkie app so I can whisper to them from a distance. We’ll see how that goes.
How do you know when your story’s finished, when to walk away?
It’s never done. I walk away when my deadline arrives.
How many films have you completed? What is your favorite project you have worked on and why?
In terms of films people know, I’ve done three shorts and two features. I’ve done a bunch of other shorts in film school and what not but those are more experiments that anything. I could never pick a favorite. My favorite is always whatever I’m working on at the moment.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
My inspiration comes from my daily life. Small moments during my day, news stories, images I see online, conversations with friends, anywhere & everywhere.
What are the next project or projects you are beginning work on?
I’ve got a top secret tv show I’m shooting in March that I am over the moon excited about. Follow me on social to hear about it when I’m allowed to share it. And, as always, I’m in the process of setting up some movies as well. I fell good that I will be shooting one of them this year. Which one, tbd.
If there is one or more thing you think would make the film industry better, what would it be?
I believe that when our industry reflects its audience we will get the best, and most profitable, work.
