Meet Kristin Fairweather

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Fairweather.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Kristin. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been a deeply curious person with a devotion to storytelling- mostly in the form of film and television shows, but also as an avid reader. My family, despite having artistic talents, always worked in very traditional corporate jobs. Although I was drawn to film and tv, I didn’t pursue it as I felt obliged to follow my family’s path and I also didn’t think the dream of working in entertainment was a realistic possibility.

I decided to focus on another love of mine- politics and social justice. I interned and studied, getting my Masters Degree in Government from the University of Pennsylvania and then went on to work on campaigns and in state and local political offices. All along my passion for film never wavered. I poured over industry news, reviews and watched anything and everything. Finally, I got the nerve to take the leap and follow my passion.

I entered the business as a producer and learned so many invaluable lessons about collaboration and storytelling from script to screen. I got the nerve to jump off that cliff of risk again a bit into my entertainment career and followed my dream of directing and writing. After working on short films, commercials and PSA’s I finally got the chance to direct my first feature film this summer.

It’s a whimsical holiday film in the rom-com genre I love so much- it’s called “A Snow White Christmas.” I worked with an exceptional cast. It was a dream collaboration. The film premieres on the Ion Television network in December and is also available now On Demand through this link. Another project I co-wrote with Joy Lenz (“Second City/Suits Spinoff”, “One Tree Hill”), is in the process of being optioned, and I am attached to direct that next. After shadowing in the Ryan Murphy television directing program and directing in film, my plan is to toggle between the episodic and feature worlds. I’d love to get into directing and writing in the Netflix rom-com world as well as some of in some of my favorite tv shows.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Ha- anyone that says it’s a smooth road to navigate the fickle world of the entertainment business is either insane or insanely naive. It requires a constant faith in yourself and your vision despite the many, many obstacles and voices of dissension you will encounter.

The good news is that as I see myself growing and coming into my own confidence as a creator the voices of dissension matter less. Some struggles I have encountered are ones I know others have dealt with as well-  balancing work and family demands, struggling with “imposter syndrome”, the cost of entry as a freelancer with a family to support, biases encountered as a female creator, and also an incredible learning curve when I first entered the business.

The silver lining in every obstacle I’ve hurdled past is that I’ve grown and not needed to learn many lessons twice. It’s also not a bad thing to have beginners eyes in a cynical business. As one of my dearest friends in the business likes to quote from “Jerry Maguire”- this business is “an up-at-dawn, pride-swallowing siege.” It takes so much work, and faith and sheer fortitude- but damn is it worth it. I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

I love directing and writing and the collaborative nature of this business. It requires heart and vulnerability. The lows can be low, but the payoff in seeing your work get on its feet is magnificent.

We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I am a freelance director, writer, and producer. I have moved away from producing other people’s projects as I can’t manage my current workload and be the type of producer I love to be. I’m most proud of my efforts to hear other people’s stories and feel them as my own. I love work that has a strong feminine perspective.

It’s important to me to have diversity in front of and behind the camera on all projects I work on. I think what sets me apart is that I work incredibly hard but I’m a sunny person that also loves this job.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My feature premieres this month, and I am attached to direct another film. I’m looking forward to telling more stories and getting to see some more of the work I’ve written come to life.

The biggest change is that the entertainment industry is starting to recognize the way in which women and POC have been historically marginalized- and I’m proud to be a vocal and involved part of that change.

Contact Info:

• Website: fairweatherpictures.com
• Phone: 215.519.6065
• Email: kfairweather8@gmail.com
• Instagram: kfair8
• Facebook: fwpictures
• Twitter: kfilm8

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