Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Noel Aldridge.
Heather, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
What happens to a dream deferred… does it explode?
No, it waits tables. And wait tables I did, when I first moved across the country to pursue a career, any career in film and TV. I always wrote, this art form first emerged through endless poetry and diary entries.
I originated from an academic background, and when I fell in love with acting, I knew I had to swallow my pride, and take on the waitressing mantel. While I auditioned during the day, I waited tables at night, learning not only about fine dining cuisine and wine, but most importantly about relationships between people.
What better birds-eye vantage point than a server to become instinctually attuned to non-verbal body language, communication styles, and reading the energy of relationships. I was a completely nocturnal creature in NYC, coming home from work at 3 am, and then writing on my computer my thoughts, my life, my poems, and my ideas until 5 am.
When I landed the role of Maggie Gyllanthal’s stand-in for an Independent film, I fell in love with being on set and discovered all the vast creativity found behind the camera. This film, “Sherry Baby,” was so low budget that I filled in as an additional set PA (Production Assistant) on the days that Maggie didn’t work. I quit my waitressing job and dove head first into the film industry.
I took my next job as a set PA for an HBO pitch pilot,” Mother,” and then, the first team PA for another Indy film, “Choking Man,” all the while working as a post-production house PA on my off days. I was a company girl and happily immersed in the entertainment industry.
As soon as I moved home from NYC, to give LA a try, I got a job working on set as an additional set PA for, “Criminal Minds.” I heard whispers that there was an opening in the production office for a part-time Office PA, and after I landed that, I soon was asked to go full time. After two seasons of, “Criminal Minds,” I was hired to be the Line Producer’s Assistant and worked for two consecutive producers over the course of eight seasons.
After sending our showrunner a sample of my written work, I was offered an opportunity to move up to the writer’s department as a writer’s assistant. I was promoted to head writer’s assistant for four seasons and then was given the freelance episode to write, Episode # 1411, “Night Lights,” which recently aired on January 2, 2019. I was smitten with every single aspect of this process.
From pitching stories to constructing a writer’s board, then to a beat sheet, outline, first draft, second draft, and production draft. Living, breathing, sleeping, and simply existing within a script as a full-fledged writer was absolute heaven. I had always craved that fulfilling “Artist” experience in which artists would describe getting lost within their art form, losing track of time, night turning into day, their attention focused solely on their work, and their existence completely immersed within their creation. I attained this fully during this process.
Being described as “obsessed” with writing my script, doesn’t even begin to cover it. I have worked on set before, as I discussed, but it is a whole different animal when you are actively monitoring and protecting your vision as a working writer, sitting in the “Big Boy’s” chairs at video village, and working in tandem with the director.
Being a vital presence in making creative decisions and fighting for your words on the page was absolutely exhilarating. I learned so much about the politics, being open to collaboration and loving it, the challenges, which battles to fight, and the things in which to just let go. Basically, the kind of stuff you simply cannot learn by attending an expensive film school, but only through experience. I cannot be more grateful for the opportunity I was given.
Of course, I got the bug and acquired a rabid hunger to repeat it, and therefore I am currently in the throes of searching for my next gig, since “Criminal Minds,” series wraps on May 10th. I can get rather tenacious when I want something really bad, and the thirst I have to repeat the experience with my freelance episode is all consuming. I am always on the lookout for writing inspiration. I find the main things that jolt my creativity are associated with indulging the senses.
Particularly nature, as you can find me on the beach every weekend, as a necessary re-set for my soul. Music is also a definite spark for my creation process, for I have synesthesia, which entails seeing colors in all forms of music. All my senses are heightened, which lends itself in writing a description, as well as envisioning a scene down to the barest of bones.
I find poetry particularly inspiring, the ultimate concentration of all of the senses, distilled into language. I often frequent open mic poetry nights and enjoy performing my poems at spoken word nights. Words are powerful, magnificent, and inspiring. I published a book of poetry last year called, “Feral Black Sheep,” which can be found on Amazon and Blurb.
Has it been a smooth road?
Working my way up in the film and TV industry, smooth? Interesting, yes. Not exactly smooth. I’d say that the biggest takeaway is learning to advocate for myself in an industry that is still male run, male-oriented, and male-centric has been the most significant attribute. I’ve worked for various “Old Hollywood” producers who were used to having secretaries, as opposed to assistants, and therefore not encouraging, supportive, or game for mentoring my interest in advancing.
Also, the writer’s department is most certainly a competitive atmosphere, which lends itself to an imposed autonomy and a bit of alienation, as opposed to the perceived academic camaraderie. This is difficult for me, as I enjoy all kinds of types of people and personalities and thrive in interpersonal connection. I’ve learned not to take things personally, but instead focus on maintaining professional relationships and putting my sole emphasis and my emotional energy into my work.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
My background is what truly sets me apart as a writer. I have endured a trifecta of early life trauma, which garnered me a wealth of empathy, resulting in the ability to see all topics from a multitude of perspectives. When I was 15, I sustained third-degree water burns on my thighs from a freak accident, was then immediately diagnosed with a tumor on my spine, and next at 16, began my four-year struggle with severe anorexia. In fact, the current project I am working on is based on my early childhood trauma “trifecta.”
I am comfortable in the dark. Dark things do not scare me, as I feel I have emerged stronger, learning to rely on my creativity expressed through writing to take me through the pain, and survive. I also have an innate insatiable curiosity about life. I want to know exactly what makes people tick. I will go to any lengths to learn. I truly want to understand.
My strengths as a writer also have a strong basis from my uncanny luck in being privy to the inner workings of a television show for a blessed fifteen seasons. It’s completely rare to have 15 seasons under my belt on the same show, but it certainly has given me a well-rounded view. Knowing the ins and outs of each department most certainly aids in my ability to write a producible script.
Where do you see your industry going over the next 5-10 years? Any big shifts, changes, trends, etc?
Thankfully, women are becoming a respected commodity in my industry as the world evolves, so I have high hopes for it. Political and social movements like #MeToo have removed the scales from the eyes of an industry with a notorious “glass ceiling.”
I feel that in the next 5-10 years, there will be more opportunities for women, and an evening of the playing field, so, therefore, I am very hopeful. The feeling then is if more women are able to secure Executive Producer and Showrunner positions which would enable them to choose the creative content they want to produce, there will be more opportunities for writers like me to get my material out there.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Greg St. Johns
Kevin Sharp
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