R29: Meet The Hollywood Women Shaking Things Up Behind The Camera

Hanelle Culpepper…made history earlier this year for directing the first three episodes of Star Trek: Picard on CBS All Access. It marks the first time a female director launched a new Star Trek series in the franchise’s 53-year history. She had just started production on The CW’s Kung Fu reboot, which she’s co-executive producing as well as directing, when the industry suddenly ground to a halt.

Refinery29 Presents: Below The Line — Meet The Hollywood Women Shaking Things Up Behind The Camera. Watch the first episode with Hanelle Culpepper here.

Lake Forest College Alumni Spotlight

“I knew that I wanted to work in the film industry when I was at Lake Forest College. I got a fellowship to get a PHD in Economics at the University of California, Riverside. While I was in that program, I decided that my heart was still in film and T.V., so I dropped out and switched to the University of Southern California. From there, it was a matter of working on various film projects. I worked in every position from P.A to producer to A.D to Grip so that I could learn, work my butt off and be ready for opportunities. Ultimately, it was while working at the Sundance Institute that I was really inspired by the filmmakers who were not waiting on Hollywood to give them a break. They were going out and making their movies and making it happen. I knew if I wanted to be a director, I had to start making movies. So, I stopped working full time and made my first short film. And things started opening up to me once I committed 100% to my true passion.”

Click link to download, full interview on page 6.

Indiewire: When Film and TV Production Starts Again, How Will the Crews Stay Safe?

When production does resume, people widely expect behavior to change. ‘I think everyone will return to work with a heightened attention to cleanliness,’ said Hanelle Culpepper, who directed three episodes of the recent ‘Star Trek: Picard,’ via email. ‘I would continue the standards we put in place in response to COVID-19 before the shutdown — elbow bumps instead of hugs (which is very hard for me because I’m a hugger); wrapping food individually at craft services; providing hand sanitizer stations throughout the set, and emphasizing that anyone who feels sick should stay home without any negative repercussions.’

My conversation with SYFY.com about Star Trek: Picard, and the current shutdown

“He was very collaborative and I wanted to create a supportive safe environment in which he could take these risks,” she explained when discussing Sir Patrick Stewart. “It paid off because Picard in this series feels like the Picard we know and love from TNG, and authentic and honest to where he would be and how he would be feeling at this time.”

Watch: Interview with Gold Derby about Star Trek: Picard

“My model with it was to blend the epic with the intimate, so to always bring you really cool, epic, cinematic shots, but to always remember that the character is the most important thing with this series.”

Newsweek: ‘Picard’ Is the First ‘Star Trek’ Series Launched By a Woman Director—Here’s How She Did It

The first three episodes of Star Trek: Picard are unlike any other introduction in Star Trek history…But it’s not just the story and the terrestrial setting that separates Star Trek: Picard from previous series set in the science-fiction galaxy. Picard is also the first time a Star Trek series premiere has been directed by a woman, with Hanelle Culpepper taking the captain’s seat for the first three episodes.

The Motion Picture Association’s blog The Credits writes about my work on Picard

CBS All Access’s Star Trek: Picard…has been the most-watched original series to date for the streaming service. The first three episodes of the series were helmed by director Hanelle Culpepper.

Refinery29: How Women In Hollywood Are Dealing With Their Sets Being Shut Down

“We finished shooting day four of Kung Fu in Vancouver when everything shut down. That weekend, we were planning to do a big rehearsal for a cool action sequence that we were set to shoot on Monday. Now, I’m back in L.A. serving as a surrogate teacher to my two children and editing what we shot in those four days. We have some impactful scenes with wonderful performances that truly show the family dynamic of the series.”

Forget Today Reviews Star Trek: Picard

Direction from Hanelle Culpepper was also a highlight, with the use of light and colour being especially refreshing.

Famous for its history of diversity, ‘Star Trek’ gets its first black female director

The first three episodes show Culpepper’s deft camerawork, with sun-drenched, lingering shots of retired Starfleet Adm. Picard’s vineyard and seamless computer-generated imagery.