Navigating the Film Industry as a Black Woman
By: Fifi
Growing up in South Africa, people of colour were always the majority, so, the biggest societal obstacle I faced was being a woman. The film industry is dominated by white men and as a black, foreign woman, it was intimidating at first, because I felt really left out. My time in the film and TV program (BFTV) has taught me a lot and I feel like I’m finally gaining my footing.
In the beginning, I felt like I had to walk on eggshells to give myself a good reputation and avoid being outcast. I struggled internally with how to be my authentic self and still make others feel comfortable around me. Being constantly worried about not stepping on toes took a toll on me and I decided to do some self-introspection to avoid feeling constantly unhappy. I want to share some problems I had and how I worked through them.
Overworking - I’m the only black person in my year of over 100 students. My race & gender mean I have to work harder than most of my peers to prove that I belong in certain spaces. This resulted in overworking, and eventually made me burnout.
Fix: Instead of letting myself become completely demotivated, I looked at my burnout and used it to learn my limits. Now that I know how much I can handle, I can distribute my time correctly and give 100% in all I do.
Social belonging - I love building personal connections and networking on set but there have been times when my appearance made it easy for some people to feel comfortable to dismiss me or act like I’m invisible.
Fix: I look for on-set experience with crews that emphasise acceptance and crews within my communities (black, POC and/or women filmmakers). Doing this has helped me feel more included within the industry, which, in turn, has fueled my motivation to keep working towards my goals.
Self-doubt: Everyone questions themselves and, being an artist, you can get really particular about your work. If people already treat you with a level of speculation, about your talent, it can make your self-doubt worse.
Fix: The more time I spent thinking about how other people viewed my work ethic, the less work I got done. Clearing my mind and making sure I focus on getting my job done in the best way I can, has helped me enjoy everything more. This, in turn, has made me feel more confident and doubt myself less.
I’m glad that the beginning of my journey had so many challenges because I was forced to address uncomfortable subjects and it showed me that I have what it takes to work through difficult things. I’m not exactly where I want to be yet but I am on the way and I’m happy with how far I’ve come and all I’ve learned. I can’t wait to see where my new mindset takes me!
Looking for more tricks? Explore more blog content:
Get an inside look at balancing school life with work at the SSU, find tips on thrifting and read about lessons learned from books!
Feeling left behind or lost? You’re not alone. Fifi’s story is a small look into the internal conflicts she faced as a black woman and international student. From hyper self-awareness to feeling like she found her place, this three year journey shows what can happen when you believe in yourself and work through obstacles!