Inspiring Conversations with Morgan Lester of Unofficial Pictures

Today we’d like to introduce you to Morgan Lester.

Hi Morgan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
It’s quite possible that I was raised with all the wrong character traits for this industry. I’m sensitive, trusting, gullible, rule-following, and worrisome. The road has been winding, and it’s hard not to become distrustful and bitter at times. I was raised a far cry away from the TV/Film and Ad industry. Like… a gap-toothed country kid riding her horse bareback by the creek… FAR. But I eventually got braces and a college degree and drove my jam-packed Honda Accord down to LA.

In 2012, I found myself red-faced atop Tahquitz Peak above the town of Idyllwild surrounded by an exhausted cast and crew. We’d all spent the better part of the morning hiking, crawling and climbing the mountain to capture the final shot of our movie. The Writer/Director of the film, a local to the area, had cleverly concealed what we were up against for our shoot day. By the time we recognized how strenuous the trek was, it was too late to turn back. Unethical maybe, but effective. At 8,800 feet the air was thin and cool, and a few people were still angry at his deception. But, the shot? The shot was stunning. At the top of Tahquitz, I wrapped my first feature at 21.

We had pulled off a rag-tag, duct-taped version of MALCOM & MARIE. Not the plot (we wish), but the process — a movie where everyone had some sort of stake. Conceptualized in our acting studio, a guest teacher and a collection of determined actors pooled their resources to make a feature decent enough to win the Best International Feature at the London Independent Film Festival and release on network and streaming.

Filming VERTICAL was a baptism by fire in how to cut corners (for better or for worst) and not take no for an answer. Even more, it was also a lesson in standing up for myself, the imbalance of our industry and navigating complex situations.

The following year, I made a pilot pitch with a few of the cast and crew from VERTICAL. Then, a short film, and another. I began writing and producing with other industry folks. By 2015 I had some traction and a decent slate of work but I had some war wounds too.

Up to that point, I was coming up with people who held one focus: make the thing at ANY cost. Financial, emotional, relational… getting it done “By any means necessary.”

Safe to say, I no longer agree.

That light bulb clicked on for me somewhere around the Mexican border as my then-producing partner stood in the middle of the road screaming at me. She had taken a wrong turn — one I told her was a wrong turn… because we had cell phones… with GPS… — on the way to the Salton Sea where we were meant to shoot an atrocious short film. We were an hour south of where we should be and She. Was. Losing. It. There I was spending my last $20 on gas to make a short I didn’t think was good with a person I definitely wasn’t vibing, and for what?! It was time to get serious about what wasn’t working for me anymore.

Over the next several years, with practice and a few repeat learning experiences, I created these guidelines. (Hear me when I SAY… life and work are best when I stick to them!)

1. Do I enjoy the person/people I will be working with?

I can be neutral on who I’m working with and still want to take the job, but if any part of me says ‘NO’ then this is not how I want to spend my time. No need to tolerate jerks.

2. Do I like what this project is about?

If I don’t like what it’s about, I don’t want it on my company’s name. If I’m neutral, then money talks.

3. Am I being paid well to do this work? (If not, can I afford to expend my time, energy and own money to contribute to this?)

Roughly once a quarter I agree to work on a project that is unable to compensate at my company’s usual rate. Sometimes it’s to help out someone I respect or return a favor someone has done for me. Sometimes it’s pure enjoyment of the content. Sometimes it’s to build a new relationship. But, I’ve learned to use my resources sparingly for projects below my rate.

And the most important questions of the lot:

4. Does my benefit from this project justify the experience I am having while working on it?

Maybe everything was balanced when we signed the deal memo, but scope creep is creating a disproportionately larger workload than originally agreed upon. Maybe the client didn’t uphold their end of the production schedule and there are now unfixable problems. Maybe someone started behaving unprofessionally, creating an uncomfortable work environment for someone on the team.

Whatever the reason, if the benefit no longer matches the experience — it’s time to reconsider.

5. Am I willing to walk away from this project if it no longer works for me?

There is no project that I’m unwilling to walk away from if the circumstances call for it. Let us all learn from the many thousands of people who continued to work with and enable Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby because the work was more important to them.

(OKAY, it’s not always sexual misconduct… sometimes it’s a client cashflow issue or changing terms… but walking away should always be on the table.)

This industry can be biting and harsh. The tides can change by the hour. But I started out with the smallest, wimpiest tool kit and a 1000-gallon tank of energy. Now, I’ve got my own company — Unofficial Pictures LLC — and incredibly solid powerhouse friends, colleagues and connections as far as my eyes can see. I’m so lucky to be surrounded by talented, sincere, and driven people. If mistakes and mishaps are anything, they’re a faster route to a better you. I’m SO glad I’m done with the lessons of my 20s so I can focus on the lessons of my 30s.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Instead of going through the many countless struggles, how about a message to anyone coming up:

Hey there! This place you’re putting your dreams on? It’s vast, with a lot of different paths. Don’t be so resistant to walk a path you didn’t expect to walk for a little while. Try it out… it might get you to your destination in a bigger, better way!

Fact checks everyone. Seriously. If someone is telling you something, you better off confirming that piece of information.

Lean into what you don’t know. There’s no point in trying to fake it til you make it. You’re going to get so much farther if you say, “I’ve never done this before, will you explain it to me?”

It’s tough working with friends. Balancing the friendship while navigating different working styles and professional values. If you’re going to work with friends, be as professional as possible, respect one another’s time, and be prepared that not all friendships can take the heat.

Manage your time and manage your workflow. A step-by-step process creates efficiency, creates client trust and makes it easier to improve your process each time. As you expand your team, it becomes very easy to onboard others into your system.

And don’t put all your enjoyment on the outcome! Maybe the thing will be great. Maybe the thing will suck. The only part you have control over is enjoying what you’re doing while you’re doing it. That’s why we choose to work with people we like. 😉

As you know, we’re big fans of Unofficial Pictures LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I’m the Owner & CEO of Unofficial Pictures LLC. We specialize in creative and production services in the narrative and advertising space. Our unique mission brings diversity and inclusion in front of and behind the camera. This is not only embodied in who we work with but the language used, creative processes and our work environment from end-to-end. We strive to be so seamless in this effort that many don’t even realize it’s intentional (how it should be).

In our narrative arm, UOP originals tell socially conscious stories with an emphasis on underrepresented voices. We currently have a WWII-era limited series set on the Menominee Tribal Territories in development with Simulated Skies. We also recently had the honor of working on Powderkeg: Fuse — the female director incubator run through Paul Feig and Laura Fischer’s digital content company.

In advertising, our recent credits include Goli Gummies 2022 Campaign with J.Lo, Revo Video Campaign, Cricket Wireless, 3M Nexcare™ among others.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The Covid-19 pandemic has created changes in practices that I view as improvements. Going through a collective trauma with the entire world has hopefully resulted in a paradigm shift in how we value life and health for others as well as ourselves.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://unofficialpictures.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unofficialpix/