Catching feelings for a crewmate. Need advice.
Hey guys, I really need some human advice on this because my brain is overthinking everything.
I’m an independent filmmaker (M) and I recently met this amazing girl (F) while we were crewing for a short film. She is originally from another state and is only in my city for her studies. I usually joke around a lot on set to keep the energy up, and we instantly clicked. Since she lived close to my place, I started dropping her home after our late-night wrap-ups. We had a really fun, pure vibe.
One thing that makes this tricky is our professional dynamic. In terms of filmmaking experience, I am way ahead of her, and she really looks up to me. She constantly praises my knowledge and my taste in movies. Because she respects me so much as a professional, I'm even more terrified of crossing a line and making her feel uncomfortable.
After the project, we met up for coffee to exchange some gear. What was supposed to be a 5-minute thing turned into us talking for over an hour about the industry and life. She is so simple, incredibly career-oriented, and exactly the kind of person I want in my life. Also, during our crazy shoot days, even when it got super late, she never got a call from anyone checking up on her. Even during our coffee meetup, her phone never rang. Our crew assumed she is single because she’s just so low-key.
Now, she has moved to another city for a 6-month internship. We keep in touch.To add to my confusion, I recently stumbled upon her private Instagram account.
In my circle, I’m the guy who brings good, dedicated people together. If I ask her directly and it backfires, it could ruin our professional relationship, especially since she looks up to me. I really want her in my life, but I don't want to lose that pure respect.
So, I have two questions for you guys:
How do I subtly figure out if she’s single without making it weird professionally?
Should I send a follow request to her private account, or will that look too forward/pushy given our current equation?