My Career: Writer/director Edelle Kenny

Did you always want to be a writer/director?
If I’m honest, I don’t think I knew I wanted to be a writer/director from early on but I knew I was creative. I had an insight into the TV world in my teens so I wanted to pursue the industry. Along the way as I have grown from role to role, and gained confidence in my abilities, I realised that that is the role for me.  

In college, I studied… I completed a 3 year PLC in communications and media where I specialised in photography and then I travelled to the UK to get my degree in television.  

My most formative work experience was… in Transition Year, I completed work experience in Irish International (now BBDO) who were creating Guinness commercials at the time. I loved the scheduling of the week. One day we were in the studio recording radio adverts, the next we were in reviews of the print press. I think that really instilled in me that I’m someone who needs to do something new every day otherwise I get bored quickly! 

My first real job was… as an accounts assistant in a construction company when I was 16. I was not good at it and I’m pretty sure I created more work than it was worth! My first real job in the industry I’m in now was as a segment producer for a medical show. It was intense and still to this day, the most intense job I’ve been on. We were ambulance-chasing, in operating rooms and documenting people in some of the toughest and saddest moments of their lives. Now in reflection, it was a great crash course to being a producer. We did everything from research to camera operation to editing and delivering. 

The most invaluable thing I learned early on in my career was… the importance of noticing the needs of others. I remember early on in my career I was doing research for a big news agency in New York. A well-known news reporter at the time was getting dispatched unexpectedly when global news broke, she was under pressure so I went to her desk and just put down a bottle of water, snacks and Vaseline. She just looked at me and told me to come with her. From then on, she made it her mission to help me. It’s not always glamorous getting teas and coffees but it’ll get you there. 

A common misconception about what I do is… that it’s glamorous in any way, shape or form. 

My main responsibility in work is to… make good stories. I’ve cycled through a lot of different genres and fields before I landed here and ultimately, it all comes down to good stories whether it be radio, news, reality TV or scripted. 

Do you have a career mentor or someone you look up to/seek advice from?
I’ve had many people over the last 15 years who I have found to be mentors. They’ve come in all shapes and forms. Some specific to directing, some specific to mentoring, some that have become friends and some that don’t even know that they are. I think it’s always important to watch people; see how they interact with others, see how they deal with problematic situations and see how they make their pieces individual. 

The biggest risk I have taken in my career so far is… leaving the career I had built in the US. I worked hard for many years to get myself a supervising producer title in some great shows, but ultimately, it was money and familiarity that kept me there. I was no longer being challenged. When I decided to leave that world to venture into scripted, it was a huge risk and one I didn’t necessarily ease myself into. 

I wake at… 5:30am (only because my career has no structure, my daily routine is the only thing I can keep a routine in).

The first thing I do every morning is… I usually head to the gym or if it’s not the gym, I’ll get outside for some fresh air. I think this is also a knock-off routine of living in tiny apartments in NYC for so long – you get up to avoid being cooped up. 

My morning routine is… I’ll go to the gym, eat, read or write a to-do list for the day and then it’s straight to my laptop.

I can’t go to work without… a to-do list. I really am a slave to a to-do list. Otherwise, it never gets done. I am spread across multiple ideas and things get lost very quickly. 

I travel to work by… if I am on set, I drive, but if I’m writing or on prep, I only have to walk about 10-12 steps to the next room.

On an average workday I… there truly is no average day for me, especially since I’ve gone out on my own. I usually have two to three ideas on the go and depending on deadlines or needs, I will decide what to focus on. 

I start my working day at… 8am.

The first thing I do at work is… check my emails.

I usually spend the first portion of the day… catching up on what I didn’t get to the day before or trying to frantically remember ideas or thoughts that I had while lying in bed and really should have written down at the time. 

I break for lunch at… about 12. I am the laziest cook and it will most likely never be anything exciting or inspiring so I’ll spare you the details.

The most useful business tool I use every day is… flim.ai. I know this doesn’t feel like work because it’s just looking at pictures but I spend a lot of time on this site. It’s basically a filofax of frames from films. I browse there a lot and it gives me inspiration for visuals as well as writing content. 

I save time by… being the same. I have a certain amount of brain power in a day and if I can make more time for my work decisions by eliminating having to choose outfits or choose meals, I do it. So, I wear black every day – everything goes together and I don’t have to think about it.  

I rarely get through my working day without… getting distracted. I know I have to stay focused on one thing with a deadline, BUT, another thing will come to me and I need to get it out of my system ASAP. 

The best part of my day is… it sounds cheesy but it’s that I am doing something that I am really passionate about. Even if it’s a hard day, when I catch myself and remind myself that I genuinely love this job, it tends to be the best part. 

The most challenging part of my day is… having no structure. I often get jealous of people who have bosses who set goals and tasks for them because it creates a standard. With this job, there is rarely a standard and it’s very hard to accept when you are doing enough. 

I know it’s been a good day if… I press send on an application, wrap a shoot or lock a script. 

I usually end my day at… this always depends. It could be anywhere from 4pm-8pm but I’ll usually go for a walk no matter what time I finish up at. I really miss the commute to break up my day so when working from home, I’ll try get out to mimic that and simulate that ‘end of the work day’ feeling.

I switch off from work by… I’d be lying if I answered this question, because those that know me, know it’s difficult for me to do this. However, in the rare moments I do, it will be subconsciously and it will usually be when I am camping and have no technology. 

Before I go to bed, I’ll… try to read for a bit.

I often prepare for tomorrow by… checking my calendar and seeing if there are any meetings I need to prepare for. 

After a long work week, I destress by… if it’s a shoot week, it will involve a lot of napping. But otherwise, I’ll catch up with friends and get out into the fresh air a little more than usual. 

The accomplishment I’m most proud of is… I think pursuing being a scripted director, there is still a long way to go but just that initial decision was extremely scary. I’ve since been offered jobs in my old work and easily turned them down, so although I’m not where I want to be right now, I know it was the right thing to do. 

If you want to get into my line of work, my advice is to… get on set. Even now, after many, many years, I learn on every new set. Being on set is the greatest schooling you could have. Be observant of every department and soak everything up. 

I’ve just finished working on… the set of a Universal studio film and now in 2024, I am in development for a few of my own projects.

Imagery courtesy Edelle Kenny. You can find out more about her work and keep up to date with upcoming projects here.