A fancy title, a lot of snacks for a film crew, and one unforgettable premiere. In this post, I share what my role as “Executive Producer” on a short film actually looked like, and why saying yes to something outside your day job might be one of the most practical ways to build a more meaningful, energizing portfolio career.
Earlier this year, I wrote about the idea of a Portfolio Career. The simple version is this: your professional life doesn’t have to fit neatly into one lane. It’s about giving yourself permission to explore different interests outside of your day job and build something a little more multi-faceted over time.
One of the ways I’ve tested this out for myself was by saying yes to being an Executive Producer for my daughter Mia’s short film, Cinnamon. This weekend, as we watched it premiere at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth in Seattle, it was such an incredible feeling to be a tiny part of this creative experience.
About NFFTY
If you’re not familiar with NFFTY, it’s a film festival dedicated to young, emerging filmmakers. Now in its 19th year, it serves as a global launchpad for a wide range of storytellers. This year’s festival, held at the historic SIFF Cinema in Seattle from March 26–29, featured films from 30 states and 41 countries.
Beyond the daily screenings, the festival is a masterclass in community-building, featuring networking opportunities, pitch competitions and workshops from sponsors like Adobe Premiere Pro. Cinnamon, was featured in the Evergreen Screen category, which highlights filmmakers from the Pacific Northwest.
The Story Behind Cinnamon
Mia’s film is a personal one. It was inspired by my mom’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and explores the experience of caregiving through the eyes of a granddaughter navigating uncertainty and responsibility.
At the center of the story is something simple but meaningful. A recipe. A memory. A moment that starts to slip.
Watching it with an audience added a layer I wasn’t prepared for. You could hear the reactions. You could feel where the story landed. And best of all, having family and friends there to experience the screening made it all the more special.
What “Executive Producer” Actually Looked Like
I can assure you that the title sounds more fancy than the day-to-day reality! My main role was to fund parts of the project so the team had what they needed to produce a quality film. That included practical things like location costs, food for the crew, and basic production expenses. Let’s just say when you have an all day shoot, it requires a LOT of snacks to keep everyone going from morning to night 🙂
The other perk was that I got a chance to review the script and share input along the way. I showed up on the day of the weekend shoot to support where needed, which mostly meant trying to stay useful and out of the way at the same time.
That was it.
The real work, the heavy lifting, belonged to the director, the cast, and the crew. Watching how much effort, heart and commitment that goes into even a short film gave me a whole new level of respect for the process.
A Different Kind of Return on Your Time
From the outside, this might look like a one-off experience. A proud parent moment. And it is that. But it’s also something more.
This is what a Portfolio Career can look like in practice. It’s not about adding more to your plate just to stay busy. It’s about being thoughtful with where you choose to invest your time and energy.
For me, this was a chance to step into a different kind of role and support a story that’s close to home. I’ve worked on plenty of film projects in my career, but they’ve all been tied to campaigns or product launches, with timelines, metrics, and a very clear brief.
This felt different.
It reminded me how energizing it is to be close to the creative process for the sake of the work itself. To watch an idea move from concept to something you can experience together in a room full of people.
A Small Reflection
I’m still exploring how the Portfolio Career idea will unfold for me. But this experience was a great stepping stone. The good news is this…you don’t need to overhaul your life to start. Sometimes it’s one project that lights you up. One opportunity to show up in a different way. One chance to support something that matters to you or someone you care about.
And over time, those moments start to add up to enrich your work life and contribute to your career journey in a way that builds positive energy. Cheers to that!
Thanks for reading and sharing! xx
