Octavia Spencer, Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, and Prime Video executives share the one thing women need to know to make it in the film & TV industry

Speaking to head of Amazon MGM Studios Jennifer Salke, Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer shared her advice while reflecting on her remarkable career journey and approach to crafting standout performances in films such as The Help, The Shape of Water, and Self Made.

“It’s not a solitary journey,” she said. “The things you’re about to learn and the craft you’re about to hone will be amazing — but find your tribe. Surround yourself with people who inspire you and those you will collaborate with.

“I’m still friends with the people I met in Hollywood nearly 30 years ago, and a lot of the jobs I am doing now are borne out of those friendships and working on each other’s student projects. Enjoy the process — everything you’re doing now matters. It took me 15 years to be an overnight success."

Spencer also passed along some words of wisdom from her mother: “The best advice my mom ever gave me was, ‘You have to train.’ If someone’s going to hire you as a fry cook, you’d need to learn how to do the job. It should be the same for acting — you need to understand the craft, set etiquette, how to be on time, and be prepared.

“The more prepared you are, the better you’ll be at working with a range of characters. The industry is very different now, with more opportunities for women. It’s imperative that we enter it with as many skills in our arsenal as we can summon.”

Priyanka Chopra-Jonas also spoke to Salke about her transition from Bollywood to Hollywood, her production company Purple Pebble, and how to avoid limiting yourself.

“Try not thinking about the glass ceiling because that can be so overwhelming,” she told audiences. “The first thought we have as humans when we try to do something different is all the things that can go wrong. I had to learn not to do that because it is so self-sabotaging”

Lindsey Weber, the producer behind massive franchises such as Star Trek and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, shared her perspective on why having strong opinions is key to success.

“I would say, first, read everything you can get your hands on — scripts, magazines, books — just read and watch everything,” Weber said.

“It’s important to express what you think because filmmaking is all about opinions. For me, the role of a producer is to create a safe, creative space for filmmakers, showrunners and directors to do their work. To do that you need to speak their language, understand their perspective, and volley back-and-forth with the creative ideas they come up with. To find and work with the best filmmakers you need to know what’s come before and be able to talk about it — and have an opinion about it.”

Angela Russo-Otstot, Chief Creative Officer at AGBO and Executive Producer of Citadel, spoke about her experience producing successful action franchises, navigating changes in the industry and the importance of asking questions.

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions or admit you don’t know something,” she said. “I think we do ourselves a disservice when we are not honest in that regard. If we take the time to be open, the person on the other side will usually respect that and take a moment to teach you and guide you”

She also encouraged expecting the unexpected: “Embrace the curveballs. Sometimes opportunities will come to you that you expect but if you pivot, you will expand your skillset, widen your experience, and meet more collaborators. Only good comes of it.”

Head of Film, Streaming, and Theatrical at Amazon Studios and MGM Courtenay Valenti echoed this advice: “Always ask questions. It’s the journey of life to ask questions – raise your hand and ask questions. The smartest people do that.”

Amy Pascal, the powerhouse producer of films such as Spider-Man: Homecoming, Little Women, and Challengers, highlighted how compelling characters are critical to great storytelling and emphasised that embracing failure can be freeing.

“Just because you got in the room or got the job, that’s not the end of it,” Pascal said. “Do not be afraid of failure or making a mistake. Women think that when they get there, they can’t make a mistake. It’s just not true. If you are afraid to make a decision or make a mistake, you will be completely paralysed. That’s one thing I think is really important.”

Charlotte Brändström, director of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, drew from her 30 years of experience in the industry to share that persistence is an important trait for filmmakers.

She said: “Have the persistence to keep going. Just put your coin in the slot machine every morning. One day you will hit the jackpot. But if you don’t do something every day to put your career forward it won’t happen. If you believe in what you do, keep going and you can make it.”

Sue Vertue, a veteran producer known for her work on Sherlock, Mr. Bean, and now The Devil’s Hour, emphasized the importance of choosing the right collaborators and avoiding toxic work environments.

“The first job I did producing, I surrounded myself with everybody better than I was,” Vertue said. “I think you should never be scared of anyone better than you. Just try to work with nice people.

“The thing is, if you know someone is not nice, is difficult or is a bully, it’s not worth working with them and they shouldn’t be working. So, avoid them.”