Join us here on ALC for Women With Cameras on Wednesdays, where Dorie Hagler will be highlighting the thoughts and experiences of a professional female photographer or filmmaker. Her goal is to share great work by great professionals who are not yet in the limelight. This week, she spoke with director Lauren Meyer, on her recent work.
Lauren Meyer is an Emmy-nominated Director who also enjoys working as a Director of Photography and camera operator. She has developed a strong reputation for compelling storytelling, and her work has been seen on just about every network and cable channel as well as Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. She loves championing the underdog and crafting beautiful imagery to share stories. She is currently in post-production on the documentary “The Other Boys of Summer,” which explores civil rights in America through the lives of the Negro League baseball players. She began her career in Los Angeles and is currently based in NYC. She began filming “The Other Boys of Summer” as a passion project in 2007 when she realized if she didn’t go and interview the players now, their personal stories would be lost forever.
In a time where civil rights are in headlines daily, Lauren is more determined than ever to show a different perspective to the reality of civil rights in America. With class and perseverance these unsung American heroes changed baseball and changed America.
Her current fundraising campaign for the film’s distribution budget became an instant favorite on Kickstarter and she raised her target goal in just a few days. Click here to see what the buzz is all about.
Q: If you could only bring three pieces of equipment with you on a photo shoot, what would you bring?
A: This is my weakness. I always bring too much. Every shoot is different and obviously requires different gear. I’m going to say this is a typical location video shoot (not a dream budget) where I need to be mobile and cover a lot of different things without a lot of crew and set up time. I’m taking for granted that I can have lots of charged batteries, media and someone else to handle sound. My current camera of choice is the Canon 300 Mark II. My favorite lens is a 70-200mm 2.8L. But, that isn’t the best lens for handheld or wide shots, so I’ll need a wider lens. I’ll grab my 24-105mm. It’s not the prettiest but it is the most practical for getting a range of shots in a run and gun situation.
So if I could truly only have three items, I would chose the Canon 300 Mark II, 24 – 105mm lens, and my Sachtler FSB6 tripod. I can tell just about any story with those three items. Other things I need are a hat and good comfy shoes (preferably 2 pairs to change out mid day like Garry Marshall used to do).
Q: As photographers, we all get that “got it” feeling when we get the shot we are after. What needs to be present in an image for you to get that feeling or know you nailed it?
A: Authenticity and emotion. If someone lets down their walls and shares their personal story with me, their image resonates. It’s the intangible that comes from within when you let your guard down. One of my recent projects where this is evident is an episode of “American Doers”. That was a series I directed last year that shines the spotlight on people who pursue their dreams in spite of all of the roadblocks and hurdles along the way. The episode that features Mama Shu is my favorite and a perfect example of the “got it” feeling.
Q: How do you balance your personal work with your client work? What percentage of your work is what you are passionate about and what percentage is produced to pay your bills?
A: I’ve always loved TV/Film/Photography and using it to share stories. For many years, I worked in reality tv because it paid the bills. I loved the process of directing and shooting, but I got tired of how I had to answer the questions, “What are you working on? Anything I’d know?” I felt like I always needed to justify my answer. I would frequently say how much I love what I do despite not being “proud” of the show or content.
A few years ago, I decided to change that. I started to reach out and cultivate new contacts and look for possibilities where I could use my directing and shooting skills to tell stories that I was excited to share. Now, I’m proud to have shot and directed projects I no longer have to answer by saying “I’m working on this horrible show, but…. I love what I do.” I’m currently finishing up a documentary that I began 10 years ago and most of my paying jobs are now with people I like and projects I’m proud of. I realized it isn’t about always working on network or cable or digital shows that people think are impressive, it is about loving what I do.
Q: If you didn’t have to worry about earning a living, what type of work would you do?
Storytelling. Shooting and directing profile pieces that inspire people. There are a million interesting stories to be told out there but the challenge is getting people to pay you to tell them. I love championing the underdog. And I love being able to craft beautiful imagery to tell those stories.
Q: I often feel that I keep making photographs because I don’t know how not to. Why do you keep making photographs/films?
It makes me happy. The idea of going to the same office everyday and sitting behind a desk everyday sounds like going through life with handcuffs on to me. I need to be outside and meeting new people and seeing new things to stay happy and inspired and be my best. I love sunlight and can’t imagine not making pictures.
Q: There are many obstacles and gatekeepers that present challenges to getting my work seen. But I know my worst gatekeeper has been me – I had to learn how to get out of my own way. What has been your greatest obstacle and how did you overcome it.
A: Fear is the greatest obstacle. One way I’ve overcome it was to ask myself “ what is the worst thing that can happen if I ________.” Usually the answer isn’t as bad as the fear keeping me from going after it. I had to learn to not be afraid to make mistakes.
Q: What is your dream assignment/project?
A: Directing a scripted fictional series based on my documentary. I want to work with writers and actors and a full crew to bring the story to the screen. I want to dig deep into the characters and create a world where people look forward to the next episode because they connect to the people and their stories and need to know what happens.
