Her Story
About Ani
Ani Stephenson is a Chicago, Illinois-based professional in TV and film production. After nearly 13 years in advertising, where she led teams on multi-million dollar campaigns for paid media and travel marketing, she transitioned into film production one year ago to pursue greater opportunities for team development and creative work. She now focuses on artist development, creative development on production sets, event support, and building Risewell Production House through networking, independent funding, and relationship-building. Ani holds undergraduate and graduate degrees that provided access to professional opportunities and is a certified yoga instructor whose practice informs her approach to presence and mental fortitude in her work. She values self-trust, asking for help when needed, staying true to her vision, helping others, and reciprocity in professional and personal relationships.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ani
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I will relay back to something I've heard just recently, is like, prepare yourself for success. I think a lot of people can get caught up in the fears and what we currently have. And I can definitely ruminate and keep myself in a loop in that way, but I think I know my own ambition, and I think I know how much I'm willing to put in an effort, and so I really rely on that saying, you know, prepare yourself for success, because then that helps shape the decisions that I make, and how this action lends itself to the next one that I do take.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Just do it. A lot of fear in it being male-dominated, and being that it's so rapid changing... there are a lot of transferable skills, and it's just being able to trust that you can transfer them to this new industry, and rely on the people around you to help you not only find opportunities, but to help find the direction that you're really wanting to pursue.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The industry is just changing so dramatically, not only with AI, but also in the way that we're kind of moving away from these major picture houses like Netflix and Warner Brothers, and becoming very independent... challenges of funding... we're often having to fund for ourselves... align ourselves with investors... But I think that that's also an opportunity because it just means that you have to lean on your network more... deepen the relationships... lends to the quality of the work.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I have to have a lot of self-trust in the success of what I am trying to create with Risewell Production House. And I have to really be able to ask for help when I don't know things, but be confident when I really do know things... keep true to myself... help others... being willing to lend a favor, to lend a hand, to lend an ear... reciprocity.
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