Meet Lily McGraw | Filmmaker

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

Hi Lily, how do you define success?
Success has always been difficult for me to wrap my head around. I used to think success meant winning awards or becoming famous. I thought it was about the end of the journey—who you beat, who was the best. In reality, success is not about tangible things, but rather the feelings that come with the effort put in. As a young filmmaker, I’m still slowly learning that the experiences I have daily are successful on their own. Sometimes I feel slightly pessimistic and think I’m going nowhere—that my past jobs and experiences were not useful and were a waste of time. I could win awards and become world-renowned, but even the most famous and rich people in the world feel empty. That’s why success, to me, is whatever makes me happy: a life where I can make my own film projects a reality; a life where I can travel and spend time with my family and friends; a world where I feel at peace and fulfilled, not running a marathon with no finish line. Every day, I’m still learning to accept success as the journey and the experiences. On top of that, I’m working on being proud of myself for it all.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started out working as a production assistant on multiple shows such as Shameless, SEAL Team, and Snowfall, among others. This is truly how I got my foot in the door, and I’ve been able to converse with many well-known creatives about my work. Getting into this industry unfortunately isn’t as easy as it seems. A lot of it depends on who you know—nepotism plays a big part.
Being a production assistant also requires long hours for low income, but I do it because I love being on set and having these experiences. Where else can I see a water tank explode or watch an amazing actor perform in person? I get to learn so much on set, but it’s not always easy. Like any job, you’ll have pessimistic naysayers who will try to kill your confidence and drag you down with them. Instead, I pushed on and have been working with my production company partners, Jill Cosh and Mady McGraw, on a TV concept for the past three years. In fact, we completed a picture wrap last month. On top of this project, I have multiple short films and TV show concepts to pitch. Our ideas and stories branch out across all genres. As a filmmaker, I try to push the message not to give up and not to take life so seriously. Life’s too short to constantly worry about what the next job is, about money, whether your idea is bad or good, or if you’ll ever make it. I am still learning to believe in myself and my own abilities. I want to emphasize that you don’t have to be rich or famous to be successful—you’re a creative because you love it. I love seeing how a film turns out, and even if it takes ten years, I’ll still want to make that film.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would say one of my favorite activities is driving through Topanga Canyon. It’s a beautiful mountain drive that opens up to the ocean. At the halfway point there are cute stores and cafes locally owned that I like to stop at. Especially the shop “Hidden Treasures” which has vintage clothing and a bunch of other cool stuff.

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?
I dedicate this shoutout to my production company partners, Mady McGraw and Jill Cosh. My sister, Mady, is an incredible writer and actress and went above and beyond on our upcoming project to make it perfect. My aunt Jill, our executive producer, constantly believes in us and has pushed us to pursue our dreams in these difficult times. I wouldn’t be where I am without them. They are my family and my inspiration.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lily_7649_mcgraw?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thegobs15?si=TIvUAC7jHnFI3DNG