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

Hi Summera, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Curiosity. If I don’t know how to do something myself, I’ll find a way to learn it. If I find out about some new interesting fact or subculture or place to explore, I’ll go down the rabbithole. That innate curiosity helps me find things to write about – if I think it’s interesting or important, there’s got to be an audience for it somewhere.

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’m very excited to be in pre-production for my first feature as a director, horror film The Teaching. I’m lucky enough to have incredible producers on board, with credits like The Brutalist, Twin Peaks, Matlock, The Rookie, The Shield, and Star Trek, as well as experience working on the studio side at Amazon, CBS, WB, Crypt TV, and Hallmark.

Whether it’s fundraising or finding a location, putting together a feature (or any film) is such a puzzle and an amazing challenge. This experience so far has really reiterated the importance of knowing what your priorities are as an artist – most of us don’t get a magic wand that allows us an unlimited budget, and having a north star as a creative makes it a hell of a lot easier to choose where to put your resources.

Besides working on getting The Teaching made, I’m also shooting a music video for my band, Your First Mistake (YFM for short), and prepping for our show on 8/15 at Molly Malone’s.

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.
I love a good hidden gem with beautiful interiors and exteriors. Somewhere you can go and read surrounded by beauty. Favorite tucked away spots like that include Greystone Manor, the Brand Park and Library, and Malaga Cove Library. Bonus point if you spot peacocks!
For food, authentic Persian meals in Westwood and Ethiopian in Little Ethiopia. I love that LA gives you access to incredible food from around the world. For a nice meal, Crossroads Kitchen or Gracias Madre for elevated Vegan options.
For something fun and quirky, mixing your own soda at Galco’s Old World Grocery or swing dancing at the Cicada Club.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Community! All my peers who are in the struggle day by day, but who have the grit to stick it out despite not having a leg up in the industry. It’s incredibly encouraging to know that we’re all surrounded by phenomenally creative people who haven’t had the platform they deserve to tell their stories – it really reaffirms that we’re all diamonds in the rough, and that talent isn’t necessarily rewarded as it should be in our culture. Seeing the effort my colleagues put in is a constant reminder that the value of our art isn’t determined by it’s commercial success. I’ve seen Oscar worthy performances in blackbox theaters. Hanging on to the knowledge that work is it’s own reward gets me through ups and downs.

Website: https://www.summerahowell.com

Instagram: @yfmtheband

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5hNziWhkq8JXEo2sVeJSUZ

Image Credits
Benjamin Gaskell

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