My Filmmaking Journey

Follow your heart, take chances, sit in the scary.

By Janelle Lee Austin

August 30, 2024

Life’s journey unfolds differently for everyone. Some people graduate high school and head straight to college. Others get married and start families. Then, there are others—who drop out of college thinking they know everything, work odd jobs to get by and join a 'not-so-good' rock-n-roll band, praying to the rocker gods for a record deal. I was the latter.

In my 30s, I finally decided to give up on that dream. I dedicated myself to work, climbing the corporate ladder at a tech company. What started as an event coordinator job—icing beer down every Friday, ordering catering for meetings, and planning trade show events—evolved into a full-fledged career spanning almost two decades. I made excellent money, had great benefits, and achieved tremendous rewards in Marketing Communications. I was the Global Culture and Engagement Manager for a company that won awards for its culture. Life was like a well-oiled, money-making machine. I often marveled, “How does this college dropout make this kind of money?”

Then, the pandemic happened. The way companies operated was upended entirely. Employees no longer cared about cupcakes and free lunches when they could work from home. I understood that. I enjoyed that freedom, too. And with the big 5-0 looming and after my mother’s passing, my feeling of being obsolete had me questioning what my passion was and what I truly wanted out of life.

At the time, my daughter expressed an interest in acting, and after much coaxing from friends and careful consideration, I uploaded her improv reel to Backstage. She was cast almost immediately. As her mom, I was on set with her. And that’s when it happened—the spark. Watching the directors, cast, and crew move in this magical procession, all working towards one goal: making a film together.

I was so inspired that I started taking part-time classes at Austin Community College while juggling a more-than-full-time job and full-time parenting. My first film project was called "One Thing at a Time," a personal story about my recovery and celebrating my first sobriety anniversary. I remember being on set during lunch break, surrounded by friends and fellow students. As I lay on the concrete ground, I felt immense happiness being in charge of my own set; I decided then and said to my film partner, “I want to do this for the rest of my life.”

With my job becoming stagnant, with no room to grow, and feeling unfulfilled after discovering filmmaking, it was time to make a big decision. With my husband’s support, I gave my notice to pursue a college degree in filmmaking. I first earned my Associate’s Degree in RTF from ACC and then transferred to Texas State University in the fall of 2023.

The more I learn about the film business, the more I understand the importance of networking. It’s not just about who you know, but who knows you. Because of my age and where I am in this new career journey, I knew I needed to immerse myself in the discomfort of putting myself out there to strangers, hoping to find my new tribe. But how? By volunteering!

When Women in Film & TV Austin posted an open call for Board positions in 2023, I was intrigued, especially since they were seeking an Events Chair. I may have been new to filmmaking, but I knew how to plan memorable events. I loved their mission of creating parity in filmmaking, something I was familiar with from my work in the tech industry. It aligned perfectly with my own mission. So I applied, and I got it!

In the year since joining the board, I’ve met some extraordinarily talented, creative, powerhouse women who are truly moving the needle in this industry. I also get to learn from emerging filmmakers of all ages. People enter this industry at different stages in life because they have stories to tell—stories they need to tell, stories that live in their minds and demand to be shared with the world. And that's what I intend to do.

Finally, I'll leave you with some sage words I received from two women I met at the very first event I planned for WIFT at the Austin Film Festival in 2023. We were discussing our careers, both of them accomplished composers in the film industry. I said, "I'm an aspiring filmmaker," then continued to stumble about my identity in this field, further explaining that I made my own short film in school. One said, "Then you are no longer 'aspiring'," and the other said, "If you're doing it, then you are."

My name is Janelle Lee Austin, and I'm a filmmaker.