Filmmaking Is Never Perfect — Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

Those words resonate so loudly now.

The first time I heard the phrase “get comfortable being uncomfortable” was almost a decade ago in my son’s karate class.

Picture a dozen 10-year-old kids in a very uncomfortable karate stance: a front lunge with the right hand punching forward and the other secured by their hip. Shoulders and hips squared to the mirror in the front of the class.

All frozen in that position…going on 5 minutes.

I could see the angst on their faces. Sweat gathering on their brows. Breathing labored. All of them waiting to be released from this medieval torture.

All the while, Master is weaving through the orderly lines of kids, telling them: “Get comfortable being uncomfortable!”

Now, for a 10-year-old to steady their mind and surrender to this awkward position is like me telling you — surrender your phone to me for 24 hours. It just seems unfathomable.

But in that moment, I thought: could I do that? Could I work through the muscles starting to shake and my head screaming enough! Could I calm my mind and just breathe through the pain?

About that time, Master released them, and a sigh of relief echoed across the room. We parents all laughed, but I thought: this is good for them - toughen them up. Glad it's not me!

Fast forward a decade later. I am writing my first blog unable to see out of my left eye.

The brain is an amazing organ. It has kicked in to optically balance the vision between a working right eye and a legally blind left eye. After two eye surgeries, I see differently now.

The prognosis? Wait and see. Healing is not linear and can take up to a year to assess how my vision will stabilize.

So now what?

In this moment in time, do I go down the rabbit hole and stay awhile? Or do I keep moving?

To be honest, I have been in the rabbit hole a few times, as I tried to process: “Why is this happening to me?”

The funny thing is — will the answer really matter? Will it change the present?

The truth is, life happened. And the only control I have is how I respond. Taking one day at a time, one step at a time. Literally telling myself: one foot in front of the other.

My healing is not perfect. Oh! So far from it! How I would love to have broken a bone, slapped a cast on it, and voila! Fixed. But that is not my journey and that's ok.I take solace in believing this trial is just another chapter in my story.

As I think about my filmmaking journey, I reflect on those chapters and get some comfort from that imperfect path.

For every door that opened, there were 10 more that closed. For every perfectly prepped production, there were 20 more obstacles keeping us from finishing.

But the through-line here is: I didn’t stop. One step at a time — moving forward.

Now, don’t get me wrong. There’s always that inner voice that whispers:

• “What if this happens?”

• “What if it’s not good enough?”

• Or my personal favorite: “They don’t care about what you have to say.”

Oh, these are strong voices. Although your brain thinks it’s protecting you, it can go into overdrive sometimes.

I call that alter ego “Becky.” And when Becky gets going, I simply say: “I appreciate the observation, but I’m good.” She looks at me, then lets go of the steering wheel and moves to the back seat.

We all have fears. But at some point, when does faith take over? Faith in yourself. Faith in those around you. Faith in God.

If you have a dream — write a screenplay, make a movie, become an actress — then do it.

When I need a pep talk, I put Top Gun: Maverick on and listen to Tom Cruise yell at Miles Teller: “Don’t think, just do!”

And that’s what you need to remember. No matter how imperfect your situation, there is always one small step you can take.

Want to be a writer? Start with an outline. Get a copy of Save The Cat and fill in the beat sheet.

Want to shoot your first movie? Write a 2-minute short you could film in your house. Use your cell phone, pick one scene, and shoot it.

Always wanted to act? Find a monologue from your favorite movie and film it on your phone.

One small step leads to the next. Don’t get caught up in perfection. It’s about consistency. Show up today and do one thing toward your dream. Use what you have in front of you — the rest will come.

I am showing up today.

It’s quite blurry on the outside, but this one step is helping me see from the inside what is clear…

You don’t need perfect vision, or a perfect plan, or perfect gear. You need courage, presence, and the willingness to work with what you’ve got.

👉 Your turn: What’s your one small step today? Write it down — then do it.