Lady Eleanor Speaks
We’re greeted by a woman with a kind face, who ushers us into the library where Eleanor is already waiting. Grip and electric are just about done setting up the lights and Eleanor’s glam team is putting the finishing touches on her simple, yet tasteful, makeup. Looking elegant in a floor length shift, she tells us to make ourselves comfortable. We have a lot of questions and about an hour of time, so I take my seat across from the muse herself, wait for the resounding “rolling,” to signal the beginning of the interview we’ve spent weeks preparing for. I see the red light appear to my left, look down at my list of carefully thought-out questions, and begin.
“How do I know a director is the one? I have always said that there’s a major difference between a lack of talent and a lack of opportunity. Twenty commercials on a reel is lovely, but I’m looking for taste,” she says with the hint of a smile on her face. “Eleanor as a brand is diverse because of our talent. Because of the projects we choose to take on. Most of all, it’s about our dedication to championing creatives and their ideas.”
“It’s my belief that directors are more than just one thing; they are custodians of someone’s story and it’s my job to bring them into the spotlight. In the past, I’ve found photographers, editors, and creatives with limited directorial experience for their inspired vision, and helped build their careers, because a strong sense of craft is truly what’s at the heart of Eleanor. Opportunities can be created, sweetheart, it’s the chances that must be given out.
“I want people to understand that we are advocates for bringing narratives to life with character-rich worlds, fearless filmmaking, and inventive thinking. I am pushing to cultivate creative genius and I wouldn’t be able to do any of it without my directorial roster, which constantly reminds me of the necessary role we play in this world as storytellers.”
“Now that we have that on record,” Eleanor pauses, takes a sip of the dirty chai she’s kept nearby, and says with a wink, “What’s important now is that those who’ve been following our journey, and the ones who are just now joining the ride, know that I am always in search of new ideas, no matter how raw, for I adore helping them find expression. Keep your eyes peeled for the next best thing coming out of Eleanor because we have a lot to look forward to before the year’s end, and while I’d love to drop a hint or two, I’m no tease, darling.”