Description

I wouldn’t be surprised if people thought this was a director-only podcast; it’s usually who I host. My guest today, Rachel Noll James, has directed films, of course, but she didn’t direct her last one, INHERITANCE (2024), which is the subject of a lot of discussion in this episode. 

What I’m really getting at is finding guests who make films happen, whose force of personality in a variety of different disciplines — acting, producing, writing, directing — brought the images at your theater or on your screen to life. Rachel is doing all those things, for her own projects, with the production company she co-founded, and also grants for early career female filmmakers. 

What a dynamo and the perfect podcast guest. I’m so thrilled to talk acting, writing — filmmaking — with Rachel Noll James. 

INHERITANCE (2024): “Estranged sisters Lucy and Paige reunite to bury their father, becoming entangled in the complicated web of their past as they realize that they have inherited more from their father than just money.”

In this episode, Rachel and I discuss: 

• How she got started in filmmaking as an actor and how she wasn’t good at waiting around; 
• The art and science of acting — how much is taught and how much is naturally-given talent;
• The roles of “filmmaker, actor, entrepreneur” and how they are intertwined for indie filmmakers;
• How she produced and wrote her first film, DON’T PASS ME BY (), but didn’t direct it — was that challenging?
• The process of directing yourself and what means as both an actor and director;
• Writing and whether you write for your own role and the challenges of switching roles as an actor;
• What she’s learned as an actor;
• How her production company, Emergence Films, whose goal is to “shift the mindset around the way women conceptualize, make, distribute, and market independent media” influences her work;
• If she feels like it’s getting better for female filmmakers;
• How she wants someone to feel when they watch INHERITANCE;
• Why there aren’t more films like this;
• The incredibly deeper meaning behind a plot point that stands out in the film (no spoilers but you’ll know it when you see it);
• If she’s a proponent of reading her reviews;
• How Emergence Films is creating a more direct connection with their audience;
• What’s next for her and her company.
• Her thoughts on film school and the short v. feature debate.

Rachel's Indie Film Highlight: ADULT CHILDREN (2025) dir. by Rich Newey

Memorable Quotes:

“ I learned very quickly that it requires a lot of waiting around for other people to give you opportunities, which I was not very good at doing.”

“I think it requires a tremendous amount of access to your own emotional body, which a lot of people don’t have.”

“ I spent seven years working at a marketing company which is something I never planned to do. And at the time I was like, ah, stupid day job. I don't wanna be doing this. But I'm so grateful I did because there's just certain life skills and like business skills that are so helpful.”

“ I think there's a lot of self-consciousness to being an actor on a set, especially when you're starting out.”

“Something that was really important to both Sienna and I, my co-founder, is having both come up through LA and through Hollywood as women on predominantly male sets where, again, no shade to male sets, and there's a lot of wonderful men doing amazing films, and it's just, it's a different energy and I think it can feel very unsafe in a lot of ways, to ask questions, to learn, to not feel objectified, to not feel like you're one woman in a sea of all men.”

“I think it’s because Hollywood still has this mindset that female content is niche or doesn’t sell, which is proven more and more is not true.”

“ Hey, mom and dad, how about instead of a thousand dollars on film school, you give me that same hundred thousand dollars and I'm gonna go make up my first feature.” 

Links:

Follow Rachel On Instagram

Follow Emergence Films On Instagram

Follow Emergence Films On YouTube