Kimberly Senior has had an extensive directorial career both on and off-Broadway. Her productions have garnered dozens of awards and nominations across the country, and she most recently earned the LA Drama Desk Award for Best Production of “Disgraced.”
“Chris Gethard’s Career Suicide” will premiere at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival on April 29 and will debut on HBO May 6.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
KS: Through equal doses of comedy and memoir, Chris Gethard guides us through his victories and challenges battling “lifelong massive depression.” Part narrative, part stand-up comedy, “Career Suicide” offers insight into mental health and inspiration for both those in the struggle and those who love them.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
KS: Chris is so candid and such an electric performer. It’s been a tremendous honor to help him sculpt the story over the past year, finding what is dramatic and humorous, and what translates from page to stage to film.
The content is so important, and Chris deftly navigates the material without ever being prescriptive or discursive. I am drawn to stories where there’s a howl at the center of it — a question to be solved, and a trauma to be healed. Chris’ work draws attention to something incredibly important while normalizing a taboo subject.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
KS: “I can help” — whether it’s themselves or others. Of course, I want them to have had a satisfying and entertaining experience, but mostly I hope that the the film resonates, heals, and inspires.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
KS: I directed it as a play for the stage previously, so figuring out how to translate it into a film was the biggest challenge. It was also a delight. Being able to provide the viewer access to more intimate moments and Chris’ emotional journey was a new tool previously unavailable. It required a rethinking of the story and, in many ways, a more detailed and specific point-of-view.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
KS: I joined the project after it was in motion with producer Judd Apatow and HBO, so I’m not the best to answer this question.
W&H: What does it mean for you to have your film play at Tribeca?
KS: More than anything, I am so thrilled that it provides access and exposure for more people to see it! I believe it is so vital, and the merit of Tribeca will encourage more people to see the film.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
KS: For this specific project, because I was crossing over from the theater to film, the best advice came from my lighting designer, Alan Adelman. He kept reminding me to look at the monitors and the camera’s point-of-view rather than at the big picture of the stage. He reminded me that my eye was not the lens anymore.
In a more general way, the best advice I have ever received has been from my mentor, Martha Lavey, the former Artistic Director of Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. She consistently reminds me that I belong in the rooms that I am in — that I have worked hard and continue to do so, and that my ethic is the center of my power. It helps to not be intimidated and just do the job!
I’m not sure I remember the worst advice I’ve received. I imagine it falls in the category of fear, of bending, of not standing up for fear of consequences or absolute power or authority.
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
KS: I don’t know who said it first, but there’s a quote floating around the internet about teaching our daughters to worry less about fitting into glass slippers and more about shattering glass ceilings.
My advice would be to own the place from which we work — we are women, and that is the center of our power.
I also believe that we need to advocate for each other and raise each other up. If you are in a position to mentor, do it. If you are in a position to be mentored, seek one out!
My other advice, for anyone really, is that it’s quite powerful to say, “I don’t know.” I think we spend so much time needing to assert what we do know, but there is equal power in acknowledging what we don’t. Then seek the answer, be curious, and be brave in your curiosity!
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
KS: I wish there were more to choose from! I remember when I first saw Penny Marshall’s “Big” and learned that a woman had directed it. I thought, “Wait! What? Women can direct movies?!” That was a big moment for me.
Sofia Coppola is a tremendous inspiration. “The Virgin Suicides” is still one of my all-time favorite movies. It is handled with elegance and grace coupled with a direct muscularity. The acting is phenomenal, and the way a world is created with such specificity in all aspects of the work has been a huge inspiration.
W&H: There have been significant conversations over the last couple of years about increasing the amount of opportunities for women directors yet the numbers have not increased. Are you optimistic about the possibilities for change? Share any thoughts you might have.
KS: My background and professional upbringing is in the theater, where there might be more strides being made in terms of equality. What I can say is that progress is slow. We can’t suddenly expect studios and executives to hire women just because they’re women, and we wouldn’t want that!
Not only do we need to create more professional opportunities, but we also need to create more educational opportunities. We need to raise up a mighty new generation of women! I believe there are fewer female directors because there are fewer female directors.
I am optimistic. If we continue doing the great work we’ve been doing, while mentoring the next generation, we will make it impossible for the gap to exist.
