What started out as video editing for a couple of part-time gigs has turned more into video production, shooting, and—new for me—directing. In my day-to-day I’m pretty conflict-avoidant. I tend to people-please and keep my real opinions to myself, especially in new social situations.

But that doesn’t work in a shoot. I have to be clear about what I want. I can’t hesitate to stop in the middle of a take and ask to run it again because of a wrong (but important) line, because it only wastes my and ...