One-on-One With Entertainment Trailblazer Dora Endre

As a film and stage director, producer, and writer with an extensive background in communications and filmmaking, Dora Endre is making a name for herself as a trailblazer in the entertainment industry.

Forward-thinking and extremely bold, Endre enjoys talking about relevant, important, and sensitive matters through her work. The themes she enjoys exploring the most include shared social responsibility, complex relationships in turbulent times, political conflicts, prejudices, and the destructive nature of highlighting what is different in humans instead of highlighting what is common and can unite us.

For the past six years, Endre has been working in Italy and Hungary, in addition to the U.S., and throughout this time, she has directed musicals, pieces of movement theater, comedies, Off-Broadway shows, and touring shows, as well as commercials, music videos and short movies. Her projects have received numerous local and international acclaim.

Additionally, Endre is a writer for MovieWeb and is the head writer of the film column for Art Here Art Now. Her reviews can also be found on IMDb.

Endre took some time to talk more about her career with OFM.

Let me begin by asking, have you always had a passion and desire to pursue a career in entertainment?

I think so! My first passion was theater, and by experiencing the community, it became very appealing to me. Then being progressive and outspoken onstage and telling stories, having that immediacy with audiences was always interesting to me. Film and writing then came later, and it became a whole package (laughs).

Yes, you have worked on musicals, plays, films, music videos, commercials, and more. Is there a specific medium you prefer over the others?

I love to work on narrative films, so filmmaking for sure. However, it’s a different challenge when you work for a company or brand and you’re feeding into their vision. That is also exciting.

What kind of impact do you hope to make on the industry?

I just hope to be a part of important conversations. Social matters, political matters, and I just want to tell really human stories—like simple kitchen sink dramas, I love that. I think it’s important to focus on simple things between people, like how do we build relations? How do we maintain them? How do we communicate well? Those are important questions for me. Families, how they function, resolve issues, and accept each other.

I love that you talk about relevant, important, and sensitive matters through your work. What are some issues in the industry that you believe needs to be addressed more?

Representation is always an issue, so I would probably say that. I think we just need more empathy in general, even if it’s just the working environment or people are brainstorming one-on-one. We have to listen to each other. That is very important.

Any advice for other women who are hoping to pursue a similar career path as you?

I hope that they don’t wait. People need to read your work, so just get stuff out there. There’s social media, YouTube, plenty of platforms where you can publish things. There are different opportunities, and you can find your own way. If people say no, just keep knocking on doors and creating stuff. Do not get discouraged.

You are currently working on your first book and feature project. Can you tell us more about those?

It’s exciting times! I recently got some meetings for my feature project, so I’ve been doing a lot of research and pre-production, so that’s exciting, and the other one is a children’s book. I illustrated it, which was also strange because I didn’t expect to do that, but I just got into those tiny stories that I wanted to tell. It’s full of nursery rhymes, poems, and mindful stories for kids, which was important to me. It’s a nice little book that can be taken on journeys, which was another aspect that I wanted.

You are also writing screenplays for New York and Canada based production companies, as well as publishing reviews and articles on MovieWeb and Art Here Art Now. How do you manage to juggle multiple projects at once?

Oh, wow. That’s a difficult question (laughs). I think it’s important to be disciplined with all these things but try to have a doable schedule. Find time to just hang out and relax, things that aren’t work related, so I really do think it boils down to being disciplined and pragmatic. It is sometimes difficult to juggle creativity and playfulness. Like, I have to do this script. The deadline is Wednesday, so I don’t have time to wait for my muse or inspiration to come. I have to sit down and find it, and that’s difficult, but I think it’s a skill that can probably be learned through practice.

What keeps you motivated?

Nature. I love to hang out in nature and go on walks and camp outside. Also, movies and theaters. If it’s exciting, new, and outspoken—I’m there! Art definitely keeps me motivated, as well as people with good stories.

How do you hope your work will resonate and connect with the LGBTQ community?

First and foremost, I hope to include everyone in my work and just try to meet people. Based on their skills, ideas, and motivation, my ultimate goal is to have opportunities for these people. Then also, reading a lot. I am reading a lot of different new plays, for instance, and I’m interested in different perspectives on stories and unheard perspectives.

What are some future goals you hope to accomplish with your career and platform?

I hope to actively pursue my goals and always work on something that inspires me. Something that’s a new creative challenge. I don’t really believe in maintaining the status quo and just sticking with one thing, so that’s a big goal. As well as constantly meeting new people.

Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects or anything else you’d like to mention our plug?

I am currently prepping a music video for an alternative rock band, so that’s the newest project that will be happening!

Stay up-to-date and connect with Endre by following her on Instagram @dora_endre, or visit her official website, doraendre.com.

Photos courtesy of Dora Endre