Meet Felicity Pickering | Writer / Director

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

Hi Felicity, how do you think about risk?
Risk has been a huge part of my career and my life. No risk, no reward! If you are risk-averse you simply don’t pursue a career in entertainment, and you certainly don’t choose to move halfway across the world to pursue it.

Choosing to move to Los Angeles was one of the biggest risks. I was lucky enough to born in Sydney, Australia, which is a gorgeous, artistic, and bustling city in its own right. It would have been much easier to pursue film from the comfort of my hometown.

However, I moved to Los Angeles in 2017 at the ripe age of 26, with little to no contacts or friends. It was a huge decision that I make quickly, in one sense, but subconsciously I feel like I had been considering it for years. Slowly I have established a life for myself in Los Angeles. When people tell you things happen overnight, don’t believe them! It takes time.

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 am most excited about my feature film script, ‘Pleasure Vessel.’ It’s a creature feature, meaning a horror film in which one or more monsters play a prominent role. I grew up with a fascination with ‘Deep Blue Sea’ (1999), ‘Lake Placid’ (1999), and ‘Anaconda’ (1997), so there’s this child-like joy and a sense of nostalgia as I write it. Sometimes, it’s fun to write something that’s pure entertainment. What could be more straightforward than the character’s motives being ‘ let’s not get eaten’? I think any demographic can relate to that on a primal level.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite spots in Los Angeles include:

Echo Park – Echo Park reminds me of Newtown in Sydney, Australia. I love that it is a spot where you can just sit and hang out, maybe grab an ice cream, or watch the swan boats paddling around. Stories is a great place for writing, and Fluffy McCloud’s is a great place for ice cream in a unique setting.

Roosevelt Hotel – The Tropicana Pool always delivers the perfect stereotypical LA vibe for me. If anyone is new to LA or visiting me, it’s at the top of the list. I’ve had many good times in that hotel, whether bowling, post-film festival drinks, or people-watching by the pool.

Lake Hollywood – Throughout the pandemic, Lake Hollywood became my go-to spot when I needed to leave the house. I love the peaceful water, the flat walking trail, and the clear view to the Hollywood sign. Also, a surprising amount of wildlife ends up on or by the trail.

Fern Dell Nature Trail – There is something a little magical about this trail. Feels like a fairy garden.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shout out the amazing Autumn Palen. I was lucky enough to meet Autumn during the pandemic. Autumn is an incredible writer, director, producer and cinematographer. She acted as the Cinematographer for “The Confessional” (a short film I made) and the Sea Of Regret (a music video I made). She’s got an incredible eye and is deeply knowledgeable about every aspect of filmmaking. She’s also just the most lovely friend.

Website: https://www.felicitypickering.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flictionmedia/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felicity-pickering-12314a22/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlictionMedia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flictionmedia

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_8egm7bNnzVHTv9bS85qw

Image Credits
Personal Photo taken by Jeremy Beavers. All other photos are stills shot by Felicity Pickering or Autumn Palen