Meet Ciara Wardlow | Development Assistant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ciara Wardlow and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ciara, can you tell us about a book that has had a meaningful impact on you?
A DOMINANT CHARACTER by Samanth Subramanian. It’s a biography of the geneticist J. B. S. Haldane, who I consider to be one of the most interesting figures of the 21st century. I’ve really admired Haldane since I first encountered his articles in college–there’s really no one like him in modern popular culture, he was a researcher involved in certain key discoveries but more than that he was a science popularizer. Learning more about Haldane’s life only makes him all the more fascinating–he was a real radical thinker in so many ways.

There’s little more impressive than being able to explain complex ideas in simple language, and Haldane had a skill for it that is really unmatched. There’s this really delicate balance of being easily accessible while also challenging an audience to think–and that’s become kind of a north star for me, in terms of the kinds of stories and projects I aim to work on.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I followed a bit of an unusual path towards the film/TV development space. My first paid work in the entertainment industry was as a freelance critic. I wrote for several pretty large publications, but it was clear to me that, even though it was something I enjoyed, the industry was shrinking so fast a future in it didn’t seem possible. But I wanted to see if something in the film/TV space might be a possible career, and through a college internship I encountered development. It still had a lot in common with what I enjoyed about criticism–you need to do a lot of watching and reading to do the job well, and it’s about analyzing story and craft and describing what works and what doesn’t. And what I ultimately like about development more is that it’s productive instead of reactive–instead of critiquing something in a movie that’s already been made, you’re in a discussion about something that’s still in progress, something that, in some circumstances, can still be changed.

After an initial long struggle to get my first assistant job, I have been lucky enough to remain steadily employed so far, even though it continues to be a really tricky several years in this space as well, between Covid and the strikes and many other such larger forces outside of any individual’s control.

I think I’ve learned a lot of lessons along the way, and I’m sure I have many more to learn, but I think one lesson I wish I had learned earlier is to value myself and my own work a bit more. Sometimes people advise things like, “just keep your head down and do the work.” I’ve lived that motto, and I still work incredibly hard, but for years I let that motto lead me into not setting boundaries, and winding up in situations where that meant I ended up stuck in a corner buried under all the extra work others didn’t want to do–sometimes, it’s a mentality that can lead you into situations that push you away from opportunities instead of provide them. A career is a marathon, not a sprint, and if you don’t set boundaries and advocate for yourself it’s really easy to burn yourself out.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I spend so much time working I’d be a terrible tour guide; there’s so much of the city I still don’t know myself. I live on the east side so I know a lot more around there; that’s probably where most of the tour would be.

I’d probably take them to the School Night music showcase on Monday (assuming it’s not the summer). A hike at Griffith. A revival screening of an old movie at a cinema like the New Bev or Vidiots.

Brunch at Alcove at the table with all the little messages in the drawers. Pizza at Esco’s, to show that LA does have a few good pizza spots. Sandwiches at Larchmont Wine & Cheese. That one corner store I don’t actually know the name of in East Hollywood that inexplicably sells imported British chocolates and biscuits.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A lot of people deserve a lot of credit. To be honest, I stared at this question for a long time, because I can think of so many people and places that I could name. But the one that’s coming to mind right this moment is Film Independent–I was in the 2021 cohort of their short film fellowship Project Involve. At that point, I was still living in NYC and was really unsure if I had what it took to stay in the film and TV industry beyond my first job. Normally, I’d have to have been in LA already to participate, but since everything was over Zoom due to Covid, a handful of us were able to be involved from the East coast. The program was an incredible opportunity and ultimately a very rewarding experience, it gave me a sense of LA community that made the cross-country move markedly less intimidating, and that vote of confidence has really continued to mean a lot to me in terms of believing in myself and my worth.

Instagram: @ciara.mel