Today we’d like to introduce you to Madi Pickett.
Hi Madi, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I was a teenager, I remember watching the behind-the-scenes making of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. That was my first introduction to what a film crew does and to realizing it could be a job. I remember an interview with the key hair stylist where she talked about her inspiration behind some of Katniss’s hairstyles. I was in awe at the level of detail and attention that went into something as simple as the placement of her braid in one short scene.
I also loved to watch press tour interviews for movies, and I remember thinking, “Man, you can tell they get really close when filming a movie. The people involved become your family.” I always loved the idea of movies bringing people together.
I knew I wanted to go to film school when I was 16 years old. I looked around at film schools in California, New York, Canada, and the UK. I decided to stay close to home and attend Utah Valley University.
In school, I specialised in producing and production coordinating. That allowed me to be a student producer on the UVU F.E.M.M.E. project for three years. F.E.M.M.E. stands for Females Empowered by Movie Making Experiences. I led a group of female-identifying students as they were paired with a female industry professional, and together we all created a short film. My senior year, I worked with Jerusha Hess, Edi Patterson, and Toni Hale on a pioneer comedy.
F.E.M.M.E. was the reason I chose to attend UVU; there is no other university in the world that has a robust female-led filmmaking program. I credit my experience with F.E.M.M.E. for so much of my professional goals and growth. Through F.E.M.M.E., I met great mentors who have guided me as a young filmmaker. Their friendship and mentorship have meant so much to me, and I don’t know where I would be without it.
I’ve worked professionally in the film industry for four years and have done so many different areas of production: office assistant, production designer, costume designer, set production assistant, production coordinator, a bit of camera and lighting, and directing.
I truly love it. I love that film brings together so many diversely talented people all working toward the same goal. It’s so fun to problem-solve and create together. I feel that bond that I dreamed of as a teenager with the other people on the crew. I am still working my way up in the industry, but I am so happy that I get to create for a living.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it has not been a smooth road. The film industry is unstable and goes through drastic ups and downs.
COVID, the writers’ strike, the actors’ strike, and Utah film budget cuts. These are just a few of the hits the film industry has taken in the last 6 years. Each time, it slowed down the number of projects being made and therefore the number of jobs available.
That’s the industry as a whole. I’ve also experienced a layer of personal struggles as a creative. Trying to move past fear of putting your art out there for people to view and express their opinions about. It’s also a crowded space and hard to get your work seen by the right people. I’ve dealt with impostor syndrome and wondering if I chose the right major. There have been many times I’ve been rejected for a job or project that I really wanted to work on. In college, I really wanted to intern at NBCU and Jimmy Fallon; I applied every year and never got it. Some people don’t have the same taste as you, and that is okay. You’ll find the people that do, and it will feel like magic.
It’s difficult to make money off your art and to be self-employed or freelance. But when it works, you realize you wouldn’t trade it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I freelance in the film/Tv/commerical industries. Most of my experience is as a production assistant. In this role, I support the creatives and the flow of production. I’ve worked for companies and brands such as Delta, Nike, Michelob, and Chevy. I’ve also worked on an independent movie musical that is in theaters now. It is called Brotherhood: A Cinematic Musical. I’ve done a bit of TV with Marshals, HGTV, and Hulu.
Over the past year and a half, I have made a transition into art direction, costume, and set design. I’ve worked for companies such as Bucked Up, Owala, and Carhartt. I really enjoy making and sourcing pieces that serve the character and add production value.
Independently, I like to direct story-driven spec ads for brands I love. I’ve done one for Jif that is about a little boy waking up for a midnight snack and making friends with the monster under his bed. I am currently working on a few more for different beauty brands.
Because I have worked in multiple areas of film, I have a wide understanding of what needs to happen in all aspects of production. It’s made me adaptable and a quick learner. That sets me apart and makes me a good asset to any production.
F.E.M.M.E. is one of the projects that I am most proud of. I hope to continue to champion women in front of and behind the camera. I’ve got a few projects in the works that do just that.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I would say more than luck, it is about work ethic, attitude, and being personable. The film industry is about making connections and being a good person to work with. People must trust you to deliver what you say you are going to, or communicate and problem-solve when you can’t. Being a kind and fun person gets you invited on someone’s next project.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://madifayefilms.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madifaye_/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madi-pickett-719034225/
