How Elana Rubin Made the Leap From Writing to Directing with "scalped!"

Elana Rubin is a writer, producer, director, and journalist who has worked in various writers's rooms but has recently taken to directing. We sat down with Elana to talk about her journey in Hollywood as well as what it takes to make the transition from writing and producing to stepping into the role of a director on set.

Check out our conversation below.

Elana RubinAngella Choe

Editor's note: The following interview is edited for length and clarity.

No Film School: What inspired you to make the leap from writing and producing to directing with your film, scalped!?

Elana Rubin: I’ve recently learned that my writing process is me thinking as a director. I’m always building and envisioning full worlds in visuals and sounds in my mind as I write, which—news flash—is directing.

"scalped!" came to me so strongly and quickly when I wrote it in July 2023. I saw the characters, their universe, and felt the need to transcribe what I saw in my brain to a screen, therefore I had to direct it. Plus, my fellow producer Chip Kass was instantly game to make "scalped!" with me, which made me feel like I could do it.

NFS: Can you describe a moment during the production of "scalped!" where you felt a significant boost in your confidence as a director?

Rubin: After we went into overtime on the first day of principal photography, I made an action plan to ensure that that wouldn’t happen on day two.

The second day, I cut unnecessary lines from the script; worked with my 2nd AD (and fellow filmmaker) Frankie MacLaughlin to allocate the exact timing for setup, scenes, and moving equipment; and was more decisive with being ready to move on from a scene. Not going into overtime the second day and getting everything we needed made me feel a whole lot more confident than I was on day one.

NFS: What advice would you give to other first-time filmmakers who are struggling to find their confidence?

Rubin: As someone who struggled a ton with imposter syndrome as a first-time director, I’d really just advise you to do it. Prep as much as you can, speak to other filmmakers—but you’re not going to get the experience unless you try it. If the cost of making a short film is daunting, you could start with directing live theater, which is usually cheaper.

NFS: In "scalped!", you explore themes like exploitative greed and fan dynamics. How did you ensure these themes were effectively communicated on screen?

Rubin: It all starts with the script. And writing the characters within the scalped! universe came so easily to me because I’ve been a fan my whole life. I’ve experienced darker sides of fandom such as days-long pre-sales without getting tickets, having a ticket taken away from me, and being looked down on for my “lower brow” taste.

But I’ve also experienced the immense joy of loving music and artists passionately with fellow fans. I always wanted that to come across in this script and onscreen—these three best friends loving Scarlet Sky since they were 13 all the way into their late 20s is a major bond for their friendship, and the rituals that come along with that. It was important to me for "scalped!" to honor both the beautiful and horrific sides that come along with fandom.

"scalped!"Elana Rubin

NFS: Can you talk about a time during the production when you had to make a tough decision? How did you handle it, and what did you learn from that experience?

Rubin: The decision to go into overtime on day one was extremely difficult, but it needed to happen—we were filming one of the pivotal scenes of the short, and without it, we wouldn’t have had a complete narrative arc.

In the moment, I was torn—wearing both director and producer hats can do that sometimes. But at the end of the day, I know I made the right call. In the future, I know to give a little more wiggle room with time should something unforeseen pop up, as well as shooting must-have scenes earlier in the day to avoid being in that predicament again.

NFS: How did you handle the pressure of directing your first film, and what strategies did you use to maintain your confidence throughout the process?

I hired a ton of talented people who know how to do their jobs extremely well. For instance, when working in post-production with my editor Georgia Parker, she showed me a cut of the final scene as I wrote it, and another cut that was a music video-style montage. Her version was killer. I loved it instantly. Every time I see it, I fangirl. She took exactly what I was going for and made it better, so that’s what’s in the final cut.

NFS: What was it like working with your cast and crew on scalped!? How did their support and collaboration influence your confidence as a director?

Rubin: Incredible and surreal. Seeing the set come to life made by my genius production designer Jayme Greene and art PA Libby Tolle genuinely made me feel like they had entered my brain because it was exactly how I had imagined it to be.

My first day as a director was for our Scarlet Sky photoshoot and scene, and Tiffany Smith immediately stepped into her role that made it easy for me to direct her. She nailed the ditzy early-2000s pop It Girl vibe, while also marrying it to an authenticity and genuineness that needed to be present to understand why the Scarlet Sky Coalition love her so much.

Because this is a project about fangirls and music, that was paramount to the story. My music supervisor Mia Riggins secured the perfect needle drop song in the final scene, and my composer Logan Nelson translated my “Hannah Montana oooh-oooh yeah” score request in the best way possible. Every scene transition, I’m like, “this is my favorite song.”

"scalped!" poster

NFS: What are your future aspirations as a filmmaker, and how has the experience of directing "scalped!" influenced your confidence in pursuing them?

Rubin: I want to keep directing stories I’ve written about emotional Jewish women whose feelings erupt out of them.

I’m currently in pre-production for my next film, a silent romantic drama called “Bashert.” Its logline is: “Kieran and Eliza are ‘bashert’ (Yiddish: destiny)—modern star-crossed lovers, torn apart by their mental illnesses and coming back together, time and time again.”

Directing "scalped!" has been life-changing for me. Before it, I didn’t know I was a director. And now I don’t know how I’ll be able to stop.