Today we’d like to introduce you to Carey Lundin
Hi Carey, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story started when I was a child – I saw films at the Chicago International Film Fest with my grandma and siblings, and I recall pointing to a movie poster and declaring that I would someday have a film in this fest. As a teenager, I could operate almost every kind of camera; 16mm, 35mm, polaroid, rangefinder. But we’re talking about the 1970s and the idea that a woman could become a filmmaker, was just that, an idea, not a reality. So instead I became a history major with a minor in film. However, my public TV station was hiring and I landed my first job on student crew. That job gave me experience into almost every facet of production, from location/documentary filming to really large studio shoots to sports remotes. By the time I left Wisconsin Public TV (then WHA-TV) I had won awards for producing and sound recording and I was able to handle and manage many types of shoots.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Despite the obvious bias against women as directors, I didn’t feel left behind. I mean, there were no women in the DGA, there wasn’t a Producers Guild (that I’m a member of now) and that meant I was essentially carving out my own path. Fortunately for me, I was an incredibly hard worker, which made up for any mistakes I made. My struggles were more about not having any mentors who did what I wanted to do – which was to make movies. You simply couldn’t find those people at that time, and looking back on my 20s, I might have moved to LA to find a job, but I didn’t know anything about the business and it was too intimidating.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I never thought of myself as an artist, I was a craftsperson who could also direct and produce and write. I specialize in comedic and also highly emotional storytelling. My work is characterized as whimsical and potent. I’m known for the comedic political series, Citizen Kate which hit a high water mark when our “butter bust of Obama” helped him win Iowa; the documentary Jens Jensen The Living Green about a pioneering conservationist, which is shown in many universities, garden clubs and parks organizations. I’m also known for creating one of the most effective organ donor campaigns in the nation for Gift of Hope, we raised donor registry levels to the highest in the nation. Finally, I was the creative director for a political media firm in Chicago, there I learned how to be persuasive and tell a story that moves people to take action. We did every level of political campaign and that’s what gave me the courage and knowledge to create series like Citizen Kate. What sets me apart is the willingness to stand up for what I believe in and to give it all I’ve got, even if no one seems to want to fund me. Eventually I find a way to make it happen. And from those experiences, new, even more amazing projects happen. That’s the key – find what you love doing and do that, and guess what? More projects just like that emerge out of the ether.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I love about LA is that everyone here has a dream. It’s a city like no other. It’s full of dreamers who could be the next big thing or could end up driving an uber. And Los Angeles is in pain right now as production moves offshore and the volume of work diminishes. If you stay in LA, you can’t help but love the fact that within an hour you can be in the desert, the ocean and the mountains. I love the ridiculous displays of wealth, because, well, it’s ridiculous. But what I don’t love is the traffic and the distances between people. I have great friends in the valley and Pasadena, and they may as well be living in another state! Finally, I’m proud of my city of Los Angeles for declaring itself a “sanctuary city”. Someone has to stand up for the immigrants who are the essence of America, because, that’s how I see the world too.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Images courtesy of Viva Lundin Productions
Portrait by Robyn Skwarczek
