Creating a New Narrative: A Tale of Balancing Motherhood and TV Production

By Midori Takata

When I think of my experience as a mother working for a woman-led company, I think of water and how it can take many forms. It can be an extreme balance of power and softness at the same time. This shape-shifting, which I think is a very feminine quality, has helped me be present at work and with my children, who I have to say are pretty awesome.

Back in 2018, I suddenly found myself as a single mom. I needed to move out of my house and pay for my son’s preschool on top of many other overwhelming new responsibilities. Four years prior, I had left the film industry to give birth, thinking that I wouldn’t return. I found the film industry impossible for mothers who wanted to raise their children, rather than having babysitters raise them. The long hours and stresses were not compatible with the life I wanted to give my child. But that changed when my partner and I decided to separate because the film industry had been my line of work for 15+ years, and it was one sure way to bring in income.

Coincidentally, during this time, I received a random call from a stranger named Adrienne Hall (Founder of Sound Off Films and EP). She introduced herself as a producer who needed a coordinator and had gotten my number from a PM I had worked for long ago. Not knowing much about the project but needing money to find a place and pay for my son’s school, I simply said yes and thought that I’d figure out babysitting, etc., as I went along.

To my surprise, the project was remote and allowed me to work from home. This allowed me to gently juggle my new life as a single mom and as a returning coordinator for the film industry. There were lots of new things to learn about working remotely, but one of the things that make us production people unique is our willingness and ability to learn, to juggle many things at once, and to make things happen. This also meant making things happen in my personal life.

Thanks to my newfound job, I was able to get a sweet little place for my son and me, and I was able to pay for his school. I wanted to provide my son with stability during the unstable times of separation, and thanks to Sound Off, I was able to do so in ways I never imagined. It was a blessing to work for Adrienne as she was kind and understanding of my situation, and also flexible, qualities that can be hard to find in the male-dominated film industry.

It’s been about six years since then; I now have another child who is almost four and a much more stable life with a new partner. Having a new baby made it more challenging to be part of a production team. Both babies and production can be very demanding. Also, for me, those first three years of a child’s life are critical, and I didn’t want to spend them working a ton. I’ve taken different roles at Sound Off, and I’m super grateful that they have always found a role for me and my life as a mother to fit into. The industry has also had its ups and downs due to COVID-19, union strikes, etc., but I think both Sound Off and I have benefited from our flexibility to adjust to the times and to fill what roles need to be filled.

My daughter begins TK this year, which means I can start to think about myself outside of just being mainly a mom and of work as a side thing. In a way, it’s a little scary, and I honestly don’t know what it means when it comes to production. Will I take on more production work and wear a different hat again? Only if it’s needed by Sound Off because honestly, I don’t want to work for another production company. Working here has been a blessing for me and my little family. As long as there is any role that I can fill, I will step up, and I trust the rest will fall into place as it has in the last six years.

#workingmom #workingmum #motherhood #womeninfilm #tvproduction #branded content #womensupportingwomen #womenempowerment