This week, host Rumaan Alam talks to TV and movie director DeMane Davis about what a working director really does. According to Davis, it requires a huge amount of collaborative problem-solving. Davis traces her journey from advertising copywriter to filmmaker and explains the importance of making art with a purpose.

After the interview, Rumaan and co-host June Thomas discuss their takeaways from the interview, including the importance of being nice to your collaborators.

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com

Podcast production by Cameron Drews

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How DeMane Davis Pivoted From Advertising to Filmmaking