Today we're thrilled to welcome Claire de Vries, an emerging filmmaker, creative producer, and recent honors graduate from the University of Michigan's Film, Television and Media program.

Claire led Imagination Films, one of the most active student-run production groups in the country, and is the writer, director, and producer behind the psychological thriller "We're Not the Same" – a film created entirely by an all-female crew that challenges traditional Hollywood narratives and subverts the male gaze.

Key Topics Covered:
• How frustration with Hitchcock's Vertigo sparked the creation of a female-forward psychological thriller
• Building a film production with an entirely all-female crew and the power of collaborative filmmaking
• Using color symbolism and costume design to depict psychological transformation (from bland to pink to white)
• Drawing inspiration from personal experiences with sisterhood, competition, and constantly being compared
• The story behind "We're Not the Same": half-sisters, obsession, and loss of identity
• Going through 10+ script drafts while interning at HBO Max
• Winning the Hopwood Award for scriptwriting at University of Michigan (despite considering it her "weakest skill")
• Practical filmmaking advice: stop waiting, find your friends, and just start creating
• Leveraging Instagram and TikTok to build your filmmaking skills and audience
• Why Michigan deserves more film incentives and how to showcase Ann Arbor on screen
• Navigating the film festival circuit and building a career as a producer and director

Links:
• Claire de Vries on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-de-vries/
• University of Michigan Film, Television and Media Program: https://lsa.umich.edu/ftvm
• M-agination Films: https://www.m-aginationfilms.com/
• Subscribe to The Ryan Morrison Show: https://www.maximize.media/the-ryan-morrison-show

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