Chelsea Peretti on her directorial debut ‘First Time Female Director,’ premiering at Tribeca

Chelsea Peretti marks her directorial debut with the film “First Time Female Director,” wherein she embodies the role of a first-time director.

The film, making its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, presents a profoundly meta narrative, satirizing the chaos that ensues when an inexperienced woman is appointed to direct a play at a small community theater in Glendale, California, following allegations of misconduct against the original male director.

One memorable scene involves Peretti’s character bashing a trash can lid while shouting, “Learn your blocking,” leading to a disgruntled cast member’s retort, “We replaced a predator with a female disaster.”

However, reality differed significantly for the 45-year-old comedian and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star, as her first experience behind the camera went rather smoothly. “First Time Female Director,” currently up for sale at Tribeca, assembles a cast of comedic talents including Megan Mullally, Kate Berlant, Andy Richter, and Megan Stalter, in addition to guest appearances from Amy Poehler (who is a producer) and Jordan Peele, Peretti’s husband.

“It was like an insane adult summer camp,” Peretti shares.

“First Time Female Director” introduces a satire of small-town theater against the backdrop of a post-#MeToo entertainment universe. Peretti took this as an opportunity to create something unashamedly humorous with subtle commentary on the recent shifts she’s seen in Hollywood, she mentioned in her interview with The Big Big News.

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AP: What was the origin of this project’s idea?

PERETTI: Surprisingly, it began with me challenging myself years ago to come up with a concept by booking a UCB slot, almost forcing myself. I wanted to do a mock excerpt from a play. Then, I thought it would be humorous to hold a pompous Q&A session with the cast, pretending we’re a theater group and this is a part of a real play. As a young person, I frequently attended theater. I was deeply in love with theater. However, anything I love is also a target for humor.

AP: In the aftermath of #MeToo and the subsequent upheaval in the entertainment industry, did you find Hollywood’s response amusing in any way?

PERETTI: Absolutely, 100%. Some things seemed to have accelerated so quickly. For the majority of my career, there was a blatant misogynistic tone in reaction to my work. Then, suddenly, there’s shock and a collective gasp about these incidents occurring. I would ask: “Where were you for the last 20 years? Where were you for all the YouTube comments I had to bear?” It’s been such a whirlwind that I tried to make sense of it through this project.

AP: A few years back on “Conan,” you joked about a surge in your stand-up special’s audience since viewers were seeking comedy from “people who aren’t rapists.”

PERETTI: I do recall saying that. The revelation of so many comedians involved in varying degrees of horrendous misogyny made me retrospect the last 20 years of my life. I thought: “Wow, I was striving for approval from a lot of these individuals. I was being advised to emulate half of these people.” This realization, along with the inspiration from younger talents like Megan Stalter, has been invigorating. I was told never to dress provocatively when performing stand-up. Now, I see younger women shattering these norms and enjoying themselves. That’s the right way to go about it. This period has been one of intense reflection, accentuated by the pandemic-induced pause, making me think, “Wow, I was on a sitcom! That’s cool,” and “Whoa, my stand-up career had its share of turbulence.”

AP: Your film, “First Time Film Director,” humorously exaggerates these turbulent experiences. Even the audience’s applause in the film is somewhat of a jest.

PERETTI: When I began stand-up, I was told that the audience is always right. However, I beg to differ. I recall performing at Carolines on Broadway, excited about a new joke, only to completely bomb on stage. Perhaps, it was my fault. But then, a comedian followed with a double-sided dildo joke and brought down the house. I wondered, “Are they really right?” Andy Warhol was right in saying that everyone is famous now. Many comedians now rule their podcast realms. It feels like everyone is preaching to their choir.

AP: Yet, instead of lampooning some male comedians you had in mind, the film primarily pokes fun at you.

PERETTI: (Laughs) Well, this is a recurring theme for me. It’s more amusing to satirize those you intimately know and love, rather than someone like Trump. Following another adage, I write what I know. I am well-versed in self-doubt, failure, and feeling disliked.

AP: I understand your directorial experience was much more successful than your character’s?

PERETTI: I thoroughly enjoyed it. Usually, as a comedy actor, directors tend to constrain you. If you have a big idea, they almost ask you to dial it down. But when some of the actors in this movie came up with ideas, I was all for it. Almost all of them were brilliant. Comedians I know harbor unique obsessions. Heather Lawless asked, “Can I have Band-aids on my finger when I’m driving?” and Jermaine Fowler suggested, “Can I roll around in a pile of cords?” My response was, “Absolutely!” I enjoy saying yes to people.

AP: You seem open to trying new ventures, like film directing or creating a coffee-themed concept album.

PERETTI: Before performing standup, I often feel very anxious, especially in new venues. Backstage, I usually end up thinking, “F—- it.” I believe there needs to be a part of you that just says, “F—- it.” I always want to try new things and grow. That’s the fun of creativity for me. Not all ideas might work, but I love spontaneity, following inspiration, and seeing where it leads.

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Chelsea Peretti Directorial Debut

More about Chelsea Peretti Directorial Debut

• Chelsea Peretti’s IMDB Profile
• Tribeca Film Festival Official Website
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine on NBC
• Information about the #MeToo Movement
• Chelsea Peretti’s Stand-Up Specials
• Chelsea Peretti on Twitter