Leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about action.

When a high-budget film project started sinking, I didn’t wait for a title to save it.

When a film production lacks structure, direction, or accountability, I don’t wait for someone else to step up. I identify problems, offer solutions, and drive progress. Managing timelines, coordinating communication, and pushing for results—even when I wasn’t assigned the role—has reinforced one key thing: work ethic speaks louder than words. Titles can be given, but real leadership is earned.

When There's No Structure, You Build It.

In any creative industry, things rarely go 100% according to plan. But when there’s no clear structure, no communication, and no sense of urgency when there obviously should be, progress can grind to a halt.

I recently found myself in a situation where a major project was losing valuable time due to misalignment between key decision-makers. "And misalignment" is putting It lightly.

'Location Scouting' photo by Chelsea Wellarsson

The Problem:

At the start of any project, there’s an energy—big ideas, ambitious goals, a vision that seems unstoppable. This one was no different. The roadmap was laid out, the team was in place, and we were supposed to be on our way to something great.

But then, cracks started to show.

Deadlines were set—then ignored. Decisions were made—then reversed. Problems were raised—but no one took action until they absolutely had to.

The Breaking Point:

Suddenly, the energy shifted. What started as a well-intended plan became a cycle of waiting. Waiting for confirmation. Waiting for someone else to step up. Waiting for clarity that never came.

I could’ve stayed in my role, done my part, and watched the rest unfold from a distance. But when there’s a clear lack of leadership, it affects everyone. And as much as I believe that everyone should stay in their lane, a production only works when all the lanes are actually moving forward.

So, I took initiative.

What I Did:

I mapped deadlines, pushed decisions forward, and kept the production moving—not because it was my job, but because leadership isn’t about waiting—it’s about doing.

Not because I was assigned to. Not because I wanted control, or recognition. But because when a project starts slipping, someone has to care enough to catch it...

'On Set' photo by Chelsea Wellarsson

Instead of waiting for things to magically fall into place, I tracked the timeline, identified gaps, and pushed for clarity—ensuring that everyone had the information they needed to move forward. Made sure none of my actors walked around confused and no crew members aimless.

A project with real potential was stuck. Not because of lack of talent, but because no one was steering the ship. The timeline was slipping. Decisions weren’t being made. And every time a problem was brought up, the response was some version of, “We’ll figure it out later," "We'll fix it in post," "We're still waiting on-."

"Later" was running out.

I wasn’t looking to take the lead — never really did, either.

The Least Experienced Person in the Room—But the One Taking Action

On paper, I had every reason to stay quiet. I was the youngest person on set, still a student, and one of the few women in the room. I wasn’t the most experienced, the highest-ranked, or even officially assigned to production management. But watching things fall apart and knowing I had the skills to help? That wasn’t something I could ignore.

I didn’t step in to take over. I stepped in to get things back on track. To remove the roadblocks, make sure communication actually happened, and allow everyone to do their jobs properly. Once the gaps were filled, the team could finally assume their roles again, and the production could start moving forward as it was meant to.

Here’s What Happened When the Production Got Back on Track:

• Actors stopped wandering confused.

• Crew stopped working aimlessly.

• Fewer questions left unanswered.

Was it exhausting? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Without question.

So what now?

I want for every creative—executive, independent intern, student, etc. —to next time you see a project adrift, ask yourself: Will I wait for permission to lead—or will I build the structure others need?

If there's one thing I learned from quite a difficult production for many, it's this:

Work ethic speaks louder than titles. Sometimes, you don’t wait for structure—you create it.

Being the youngest and least experienced on set didn’t mean I had the least to offer. It just meant I had to prove it differently.

'DP Team' photo by Chelsea Wellarsson

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