Interview: Joanna Pickering—Actress, Writer, Producer— on Independent Films, DIY Attitude, Feminism & Surviving The Entertainment Industry

Joanna Pickering (Photograph Tina Turnbow)

Joanna Pickering is a film and stage actress, writer and producer. She has worked in many independent movies and trained at The Lee Strasberg Theater Institute. She recently finished working on a film in Washington DC cast in a lead role co-starring alongside Alice Eve to announce soon. She has a theatrical release “Alice Fades Away” due at the end of the year with an Emmy award winning cast, and is now writing her own material represented with 3 Arts Entertainment.

She is an expert writer for Backstage magazine, as well as a published writer and activist for gender equality. She is included in a new web series with New Voice alongside world esteemed activists, and this month in New York City, she is moderating on the panel for The Girl Summit and The Imagine This International Female Film Festival— giving advice and networking opportunity to young independent female filmmakers.

You can see Joanna Pickering on March 24th at The Imagine International Film Festival in New York, tickets on sale here

Joanna Pickering starring alongside star cast, announcing April 2018

indieactivity: Tell us how the journey began? What triggered the actor in you?
Joanna: It happened later than most as I had an academic scholarship —I kept getting prizes each year in science. I did a degree in Mathematics first. The transition to the Arts is not as big as people think, as Math is probably the highest art form and it requires a big imagination with solid technique skills. I explored performance after for my own development in expression. I realised I can’t be locked up in a room all my life doing equations.

I love telling stories. I love being dramatic. I was starting to model in front of the camera—yet my biggest fear was standing in front of others, performing, public speaking. I love to conquer fear in myself. I go straight to where I am most afraid. I thought if I can teach myself to stand on a stage, just once, and express myself, then I will have achieved some valuable new skills. What I did not anticipate is once I stood on that stage, and felt the magic happen, I would never turn my back on it.

Joanna Pickering as “Dylan” on set of “Alice Fades Away” Photo Jackie Cooper, director Ryan Bliss-

indieactivity: Did you study acting after this?
Joanna: Yes, I applied to The Lee Strasberg Theater Institute, and I learnt with great people and coaches who are dear friends now. But, I was also exploring — writing, experimental DIY filmmaking, travelling the world, collecting stories, being completely nomadic. I lived all over the world —and I really lived in these places. It provided me with the greatest study, and a huge expanse of material to work with. I have lived in the poorest, bustling corners of the Arab world.

I’ve lived in isolation in Bergman style remote islands off Sweden. I’ve gone from Parisian decadence, and fast life in Monaco, living in The Ritz Carlton and racing sports cars, to down and out in a caravan in a carpark with some cockroaches. That’s all essential material. Mainly, I’ve always found myself surrounded by some of the world’s most skilled artists— I studied them, and collaborated.

indieactivity: How did you use that for making your career in film?
Joanna: I knew I had stories to bring to life from every corner of the world. The need to perform or write was finally greater than the need to go and find the source. I started performing in independent films. I learnt most of what I know by being on sets working at lowest budget level, making mistakes, being thrown in the deep end. I began to really focus, and on the types of artists I wanted to work with. I tend to pick scripts that have messages I believe in, and I’ve turned down commercial work.

Joanna Pickering on set, behind the scenes, in hair and make up, photo Jackie Cooper

I remember flying into an audition, at the time as a starving artist, and there was a film on my Virgin in-flight entertainment and I had turned away the script years before, for the lead role. It was still shit—naked vampires wrestling in mud. I’d rather starve. I ignored a lot of that noise. That noise is money, fame, sexism, exploitation. I try to stay true to myself. I just filmed an artistic political film that I am proud to be involved, and co-starring in a lead role with A list cast. It’s out this year. And I am now represented at major level, but for writing also—I am writing on my own projects.

indieactivity: Explain your acting process?
Joanna: I do lots of character and scene work, but when it comes to acting, I play in the scene, and try to just let it live. I usually forget my preparation. I rely on the energy taking me and the scene where it needs to go. I like to let it fly. That doesn’t mean I am not in charge of my technicalities, but it should be an autopilot. I do focus and aim to commit 100 per cent to what I want, and how to get it, and I am not leaving until I get it. If I can’t focus or connect, I am the worst actor—there is no middle ground for me. Then, I must go back to the drawing board and make stronger choices.

indieactivity: How do you create character?
Joanna: I do the first readings and I find all the lines in the script that scare me and make me nervous to perform. All the expressions and movements that make me think, “Fuck, I can’t do this,” and that’s where I know a character is lurking that is furthest from me. I go directly to those parts, and first I let them scare me, but really I am already thinking about them. Then, slowly, I explore them, find what works, what does not, and I gradually commit to them—the physicality, the movements, the postures.

A character holds so much story in their body and movements. I build in the given circumstance and keep exploring. I start believing I may be able to do it, so I start planning my objectives, my motives, my needs. I learn the lines, so I can almost not worry about them. And then, there arrives a point —when I am ready, I am sure, I know what I what, and I am hungry to get it, to actually play for it. I keep that focus strong.

If the preparation is done, and the commitment strong, I should start to have fun, start playing a character—acting.

indieactivity: Do you take courses to improve your craft?
Joanna: Nothing beats what you learn working on professionals sets. However, I recommend all professional actors to keep coaching whenever they have spare time. I work newly with incredible directors Paul and Cathy Calderon. I also work with the wonderful Russian Art Theater. Directors on film sets are so busy, so you must not take anything personally, but it can be tough work. An actor needs to find safe spaces in their own time, and classes can offer the feedback and reassurances from a director that you shouldn’t demand on set.

It is also a place to explore with bigger risks— finding the skills you know less in yourself, and opening up more character possibilities that way. In a class, you can keep failing, until you find something totally new, and without running up time, money and takes. That feels good!

indieactivity: How did you get into the film business?
Joanna: I had no initial intent in producing, but I’m also not the type of person to sit around and wait to be told when I can or can’t do something. I was finding myself cast in some great potential roles, but the projects were not yet green-lit. I would offer to connect the right people. I prefer acting over talking. This industry has so much talk. On occasions it has been quicker to go and find the money myself. I just found a few million for a new film, so now it’s tied up in legal. More talk! It has nothing to do with being an artist. But, it’s vitally important—without the right funding, creating art becomes solving problems rather than freedom of expression for the artist.

indieactivity: What is it like working on the film business?
Joanna: The actual film making business is about money, and where you have billions of dollars you have elitism, power imbalance, discrimination, nepotism, corruption, sexism, racism and exploitation. So to answer the question, as a female, I spend a lot of time fighting sexism. I write articles and speak on panels and for female film festivals addressing gender inequality, like the one coming up at the weekend.

Sexism is something I have handled every day of my life since leaving an all girl’s school, since being ahead of the boys at university in math and in science— it’s been a shock. In the entertainment industry, I have often been underestimated. Then, its like chess, and you can quietly plan a strategy to create an equal playing dynamic, but it takes time. It’s work that really has to be done. It’s a full time job—when all you want to do is stand on a stage or perform in a movie without all the bullshit.

Joanna Pickering behind the scenes, photo by Craig Macleod

indieactivity: What do you want to change about the film business?
Joanna: A huge improvement in female content. More lead female actors driving the scenes—such a thrill to play. Female characters written to break down gender stereotypes. More female crew behind the cameras. We just nominated the first ever female cinematographer for an Oscar. We need more financing for women in film. We need to look in the same respect to increased diversity in our movies. And, what I really want to see is current movements like #metoo not be a surface movement —for people behind the scenes to actively do everything to uphold this new code of behaviour, and not just create a spoken narrative to hide old ways.

indieactivity: Tell us about the Imagine Film Festival that is coming up on March 24th?
Joanna: It’s a Girl Power Summit in New York City. It’s aimed to inspire and empower women in film. Its mission is to provide an opportunity for local women filmmakers and storytellers to meet industry leaders and change makers. There will be screenings, awards, presentations, talks, workshops, and networking. I am moderating on the panel— with successful industry film makers—and I will be guiding our talks, focusing on crucial female agenda, addressing the challenges we face and active solutions

indieactivity: What tip or idea would you give to young actors?
Joanna: Demand to be paid. Practice saying the word “No” — Say no to the shit exploitative scripts, projects, time wasters, propositions, the people bringing the professional bar down. So what if it takes longer? The people who are the real deal will respect you more

Elizabeth Hopland & Joanna Pickering

indieactivity: What do you want to be remembered for?
Joanna: Opening doors and empowering younger talent to go ahead—while I do an excursion to Vale do Javari…I’ll write about it.