NYWIFT Blog

By Sofiya Saykovska

Welcome to NYWIFT, Erin Anne MacDonald! Erin is a multi-talented force in the world of film and theater. From her early beginnings in musical theater to becoming an acclaimed writer, producer, and actress, Erin’s journey is one of growth, resilience, and passion. Her diverse body of work includes projects like Vicky’s Big Break and the short film Bump, which have solidified her as a voice to be reckoned with in the industry.

We spoke with Erin about her roots in Milwaukee, what led her to the world of film, and how she balances the many roles she takes on in the filmmaking process. Join us as we dive into the insights and experiences that fuel Erin’s creativity.

Photo courtesy of Erin Anne MacDonald.

Introduce yourself briefly to our readers, and, what brought you to NYWIFT?

Thank you so much for having me! I’m so excited to be a part of this organization. I met [NYWIFT Board President] Kim Jackson at the awards ceremony for the Soho International Film Festival at which EN Media premiered our short film Bump.

How did growing up in Milwaukee shape your perspective as an artist?

Milwaukee. Well, actually I’m from Franklin. But I think of Milwaukee as my conscience. Milwaukee is home. Milwaukee is my family, the place I always wanted to leave until I left and couldn’t wait to go back and tell my family about everything I’d seen so very far away from what I’d known, the place I didn’t grow to love as much as I do now, until I grew into valuing things like what home means to me. That speaks directly to the stories I need to tell with a frustrated and honest voice, which I work so very hard to make clear throughout all of the art which I create.

Photo courtesy of Erin Anne MacDonald.

I am so grateful for my family. They are this wild juxtaposition of caution while always encouraging me to take the greatest risks. My parents would never phrase it like that, but that’s what they did, and I could not have asked for a better push/pull of encouragement and warning, even if it did, does, and always will drive me crazy. What love I have from my family. Irreplaceable.

There is a wonderful sign at the Mitchell International Airport which reads “Recombobulation Area.” It’s brilliant, and it’s fun. But, to me, whenever I go home, it sort of translates to me to something like… “Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself.”

What inspired you to transition from musical theatre to film, and how has your training in theatre influenced your work in film?

Ha, how long do I have? I went to school at The University of Miami for musical theatre and moved straight to NYC.

I went on Craigslist, found an apartment, flew my pet rabbit up to Wisconsin (that’s another story), drove my Acura Integra up north, and then drove to the city with my mom and my sister with a thousand bucks which, if I remember correctly, went straight to rent.

I remember when we got to Washington Heights – I had a panic attack and I told my mom I wanted to go back. She said to me, “No, Erin. You’re staying. You’re home.” I got a restaurant job the next day. I did the waiting in line at 5 AM for Equity calls after getting home from work at 3AM. I booked off-broadway shows. I did the things.

A memory that is burned into my brain: I looked at my at-the-time boyfriend and asked him to not to come to the show I was in, and he said, “Let’s get this straight. You’re not getting paid, you’re working every second you’re not in rehearsal, but you don’t want me to come to the show.”

That was the moment I realized I needed to figure out how to do things the way that I needed to do them.

Photo courtesy of Erin Anne MacDonald.

So, I started modeling. I’ve always had body image issues – and this is usually puzzling to people when I talk about it, but getting into modeling helped me more than any therapist ever did. Because my measurements and my weight no longer had anything to do with me – it only had to do with my work. That gave me the confidence to start auditioning for films. After playing some great roles in a number of films and a parade of vengeful-murder-scorned-women in what could be a boxed set of docudramas, I decided to start writing.

Tell us about Vicky’s Big Break – what themes do you hope audiences will take away from the film?

Vicky’s Big Break was born long before I knew it, but it has turned into a labor of love over the past two years which believe has the potential to turn into one hell of a cult classic!

My production partner Evan Enslow and I were in LA for First Glance Film Festival for a screening of our first venture out of EN Media, a short film called Care, which we produced together, and I wrote and starred in. While we were there, we had not yet met our UPM, David Zoeller, in person – everything between us for Care had been done remotely – and he said there were a couple of people he would like us to meet.

Photo courtesy of Erin Anne MacDonald.

I often joke that this joint venture only came to fruition because it was cloudy outside. I was laying by the pool, and Evan came out of the hotel room and said, “Do you want to come meet Dave? You don’t have to.” I looked up at the sky and I said, “Eh, the sun’s goin’ away, why not.” So, Evan and I went to go meet Dave, Mitch Levene and Amelia Clover, and the rest is history.

Vicky was originally a pilot, but after extensive conversation, we all decided that it would work much better as a feature, so Mitch and Amelia went to work rewriting it into what it is today.

Photo courtesy of Erin Anne MacDonald.

What attracted you to produce Bump, and how do you think it complements your other projects?

Well, we have the strikes to thank for Bump. We had to halt work on Vicky, so we took that opportunity to say – hey – what can we do while we’re waiting? And we seized that moment to work with a dear friend and colleague of ours, Marc Amadin, a very talented writer and actor. He brought Kyle Kasabian into the mix as our director, and we did a pretty speedy pre-production during the strikes and shot the movie in three days in LA. It was fun, it was fast, it was incredible cast and crew, and it worked out! Wouldn’t be here with NYWIFT without Bump.

As a writer, the scripts I’ve written tend to have steered more towards romantic comedy, but my current feature I’m working on is a psychological thriller. I’m always interested in challenging myself with different genres. If you’re telling a story that’s honest for you, your voice will be there – no matter what world your characters are living in.

Photo courtesy of Erin Anne MacDonald.

As an actress, writer, and producer, how do you navigate the different roles in the filmmaking process?

Put your hats on a shelf. Know which one needs to be utilized and when, and, most importantly, let your team know when you’ll have one of those hats off so they’re not like – “Erin – where the hell is your hat?” This was my experience when we shot Care. I wrote this film, I produced it, and I’m in every single scene of it. And I was underwater for, like, a third of it. You have to delegate, delegate, delegate, because I can’t produce from underwater.

Stay in your lane. Make sure everyone around you knows which lane you’re in at any given time, and let them know if you’re going to be getting off the freeway at a rest stop. You can lead and listen at the same time. People get places by acting like they know everything, but what’s the longevity on that, and is the outcome what you even wanted in the first place?

Stick to your vision. Remember that humility and standing up for your work and ideas are not mutually exclusive. Don’t be afraid to talk to strangers. There is no shame in carrying a tray of hors d’oeurves. I wrote most of Care on a server note pad at work. Own all of you. The right people will see it.

Surround yourself with people who push you, not people who tell you that you’re wonderful. Praise should be earned. If you don’t ask, you won’t know the answer. People  want to work with people who ask questions when they don’t know the answer.

Photo courtesy of Erin Anne MacDonald.

What advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers and actors looking to break into the industry?

I would ask them questions, because I have them, too. If you stop asking questions, you’re stunting your growth. This industry is in constant flux, and, why are we here in the first place? To create. If we already knew the answer, we wouldn’t be in this field. Never think you’re too good to ask a question, and never think you’re not worthy enough to speak up.

Where can our readers find more of your work?

You can keep up with me at:

www.erinannemacdonald.com
www.enmediany.com
www.vickysbigbreak.com
@erinannemac
@enmediany
@vickysbigbreak

And – our short film Care is available to view at www.care-film.com.