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Ask the question, even if you think it’ll make you look bad.
I wish I asked more questions when I first started, but I was always afraid people would think I was too ‘green’ or somehow realize that I shouldn’t be there. I would always try to figure it out myself. Which is a strength, yes, but it came from a fear of losing respect. So I stayed quiet and pretended I just got it. Generally speaking — People enjoy answering your questions, they enjoy having the answers, they enjoy helping others. It makes us feel good and needed. So ask. No one is thinking poorly of you.
As a part of our series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Izzy Stevens — Indie Spunk.
Izzy Stevens is an LA-based Australian/American Actress, Writer, Producer, and Award Winning Director known for her lead roles in ‘Occupation’, ‘Occupation: Rainfall’, ‘Underbelly’, ‘Puberty Blues’, and ‘Another Mother’. Best known for her lead role as Bella Bartlett in the Australian film franchise ‘Occupation’, which can be found on Netflix, Izzy recently reprised her starring role as Bella in the sequel ‘Occupation: Rainfall’ which was released worldwide in January 2021.
Izzy is also the CEO and Founder of Indie Spunk, a coaching and mentorship platform and inclusive content studio helping filmmakers, writers, actors, directors, and creative entrepreneurs use their resourcefulness, break industry norms, and develop their own award-winning creative work. Izzy’s bold yet empathic personality combined with her visceral passion for storytelling catapulted her into the coaching and mentoring actors and filmmakers from all over the world, encouraging them to take a leap of faith in their careers. Whether it’s helping clients navigate finding new representation or producing an award winning short film, Izzy has devoted herself to empowering her clients and removing the barriers that may stand in the way of their success.
Today, Izzy is gearing up to launch her film focused podcast, ‘indie spunk’ and currently has a television show in the works. Her dedication to her community inspired Izzy to launch her own film focused podcast ‘indie spunk’ which highlights and champions emerging independent filmmakers, giving them and other film community members a platform to share their knowledge and experience! Izzy intends to inspire listeners through sharing her own personal anecdotes, alongside other industry professionals and special guests. With her infectious personality, Izzy is determined to revamp the film sector of the podcast world, as she feels there aren’t many film focused podcasts left standing.
In 2021, Izzy produced the comedy thriller Operation: ‘WhiteBoy’, which received accolades at the 2021 Cannes Diversity Film Festival. She also wrote, directed, and starred in ‘Seafoam’, a psychological thriller short film.
Izzy wrote, directed, edited, and produced ‘Placidyl’ (2016), which was selected for Cinema Australia’s Sunday Short’s Program in 2017; ‘Phenomena’ (2018) which became a Tropfest Finalist and was broadcast nationally on ABC; and ‘Leap’ (2018) which won Best Experimental Film at Redline International Film Festival.
Izzy has starred in a number of short films including ‘Swipe Left’, for which she was nominated for the Best Actor Award at the Maverick Film Festival.
In her free time, Izzy loves getting outdoors, dancing to live music, traveling, and watching any and all kinds of films. She’s passionate about sustainable living, loves to cook, and can usually be found enjoying a great book and a glass of wine. Izzy is a huge wine lover and enjoys exploring wineries and vineyards around the world.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?
It’s such a pleasure, thanks for having me back! Sure — I was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. My parents divorced when I was a toddler, which brought me four fabulous parents who all instilled different life perspectives in me, and encouraged me to go after what I loved. I’m grateful for them. I also grew up with my big brother Josh, who’s just about to have a baby! I can’t wait to be an Auntie!
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
Sure. I started out as a ballerina, and worked hard to get a scholarship to a performing arts high school. Once there, it became clear that I wasn’t cut out for the Ballet lifestyle. I wasn’t so disciplined or demure, instead my rebellious and outspoken personality fit right in with the musicians and actors. I started a punk band, moved to the acting stream and fell head over heels with those forms of expression.
When I was about 16, an agent approached me after seeing me in a play and asked to represent me. About a month after signing, I booked a series-regular role on an Australian network drama TV show called Underbelly. Thinking back, it all seems kismet. I graduated high school while acting on set 3 days a week and performing in a regional musical theater. Those were some of the busiest and happiest days I’d lived so far. I never looked back!
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
What I love about this line of work is the variety of people and perspectives you can be exposed to. I’ve been lucky to shoot documentaries about subjects including: an Ethiopian community in Sydney’s outer west, PTSD in Australian Military Vets, how people found love on dating apps, and so much more. It requires you to be open, adaptable and curious.
As an actor, I loved working with the hilarious Temuera Morrison, who played my Dad in the film ‘Occupation’. Our characters were fighting to save the world from annihilation, but he had me in stitches every day. It made it tough to keep serious.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Absolutely. My very first agent, Sonya, was an incredible, unwavering cheerleader all throughout my early career and into my 20s. After a few years of early success working in TV in Australia, I signed with a big manager out in LA. But then came a big lul. I struggled to book anything, and I was eventually dropped by my LA rep. I went through film school to become a director, a passion I always had, but it really felt like my acting career wasn’t going anywhere.
When I told Sonya that I thought it was time for me to officially stop acting — it had been 3 years since I’d booked anything and it was breaking my heart — she told me to hold on. Sonya said, ‘Do one more audition, we’ve just had a script come through and the director knows your work. Try one more time.’
Luckily she kept her belief in me even when I didn’t, because a week later I’d booked the role, and it kickstarted a new chapter in my life, with even more fulfillment than I’d ever experienced.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
I have a few mantras that help keep moving in the right direction. They’re pretty self-explanatory, but they help me stay humble, curious, and move forward even when it is uncomfortable.
‘Do it scared’
‘Ask more than you answer’
‘Don’t get it perfect, just get it going’
I am very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
Absolutely! It makes a huge difference. What we see represented on the screen, we accept as relevant, valuable and expected. As a world, we are wonderfully diverse. Seeing all the intricacies of ourselves represented accurately in media helps us all feel accepted and understood. It’s such a no-brainer.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
As a mentor to filmmakers, I am lucky to help incubate a wonderfully diverse range of stories. As a filmmaker, I am about to direct a film called ‘You Better Run, Hunny’ and it’s written by another Australian actor/filmmaker Gemma Scoble. ‘You Better Run, Hunny’ illustrates the struggle of living and working in LA, a relentless, chaotic city which sparkles from the outside but will eat you alive on the inside. The LA obsession with purchased beauty & forever-youth is distilled into a character that reluctantly sells water for a living. I think it’s curious how we’ve commodied water, something humans need for survival, and have turned it into a luxury product.
Which aspect of your work makes you most proud? Can you explain or give a story?
Honestly, it’s seeing all the actors and filmmakers I get to support through my mentorship business ‘indie spunk’ achieve levels of success they initially thought impossible. When we start working together, I have them fill out a detailed questionnaire which outlines their big picture career goals. I tell them to dream big, without limitations.
When a client sticks with it, chips away, takes little steps over and over, and then a couple years later we look back at their answers and see how many of those things actually manifested? It’s the coolest thing. Helping creatives build big, abundant, unapologetic careers in the film & TV industry makes me incredibly proud.
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Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
1 . Ask the question, even if you think it’ll make you look bad.
I wish I asked more questions when I first started, but I was always afraid people would think I was too ‘green’ or somehow realize that I shouldn’t be there. I would always try to figure it out myself. Which is a strength, yes, but it came from a fear of losing respect. So I stayed quiet and pretended I just got it. Generally speaking — People enjoy answering your questions, they enjoy having the answers, they enjoy helping others. It makes us feel good and needed. So ask. No one is thinking poorly of you.
2 . Listen to your gut and act on it immediately.
I’ve always been good at this in every other aspect of my life, but not always in my career. The industry will always give you reason to second guess yourself. But your gut knows best, even if it seems illogical. Listen to it. Act on it. It’s wise.
3 . Success means nothing without good people around you.
I’ve always been incredibly ambitious. Because I’m passionate about what I do, but also because deep down I crave stability and freedom. So I can sometimes find myself hyper-focused on my career. I have to remind myself frequently to nurture and touch base with my core people. They are the ones who make me laugh til I cry, who keep me grounded, and who will be there for me if I have everything, and if I have nothing. They are the ones I want to share my abundance with. They’re who I do this all for. Nothing is more important than that.
4 . More for them means more for you.
Share share share! Share what you have, share others’ work, refer people for jobs or opportunities, lend support where you can, make introductions. When you share and support others, not only do you feel absolutely incredible, you also become a magnet for others to share for you, too. Being a giver is the best way to feel high on life and reap alllllll its rewards. Share!
5 . If they’re judging you, just remember to give them a good show!
Fear of judgment will end us all. I always think that if anyone is in the same boat as me, hustling similarly to how I am hustling, then they don’t have time to judge me, and they’re really the only opinions I might consider important anyway. Cuz this sh*t is hard!! If anyone has time to judge me or laugh at me, they’re probably feeling empty about themselves, and that sucks. But hey, if they’re watching, I might as well give them a damn good show.
I used to really be afraid of what everyone thought: When I started acting, when I called myself a director for the first time, when I started a mentorship business. ‘What will they think?’ ‘Won’t they laugh at me?’ Only in the last year or so have I really started to release that grip on myself and just embrace that it’s simply none of my business. I just have to live my life for me.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. 🙂
I’d really dig a cocktail hour with Phoebe Waller-Bridge. What a legend.
How can our readers further follow you online?
Check out my brand new podcast indie spunk. You can also find me on IG @indiespunk and @izzystevens.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
It was such a pleasure, thanks for having me and asking such thoughtful questions!
Izzy Stevens of Indie Spunk: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.