Shameka S.L. Sawyer is the founder and Creative Director of the 5 Shorts Project. Founded in 2013, the 5 Shorts Project assists aspiring filmmakers with creating a short film. Once films are completed, the project hosts a free community screening and the films air on local television via Comcast and Verizon. All participants - actors, cast, and crew are eligible to receive IMDb credit. To date, the 5 Shorts Project has produced 20 short films in 4 years.

On This Episode We Chat About:

What is 5 shorts project?

How she is building a community in film

Working as a DP

Avoiding the mean girl role as a director

Empowering Others to use their voice in film.

Biggest mistake as a newbie filmmaker.

During the show I mention the documentary http://www.pbs.org/pov/theovernighters/

What she's watching?

Dear White People https://www.netflix.com/title/80095698

Connect with us both

www.thecreativeoutsiders.com

www.instagram.com/thecreativeoutsiders

http://www.5shorts.org/

www.instagram.com/5_shorts

Sahra V. Nguyen is an award-winning filmmaker, director, writer & entrepreneur currently based in Brooklyn, New York.

She has served as the Director of the Writing Success Program at the University of California, Los Angeles where she helped undergraduate students develop critical thinking skills, self-empowerment and agency through the writing process.As a keynote speaker at Universities and conferences, Sahra speaks on a range of topics including Asian American issues + identity, pursuing a non-conventional creative career, the power of media + storytelling, and expanding the human potential beyond stereotypical ideas of success. Under her own production company, One Ounce Gold LLC, in Spring 2014 Sahra created and filmed a documentary web series about NYC entrepreneurs called, "Maker's Lane," which was co-presented by the Smithsonian APAC and featured on Colorlines.com, NBCNews.com and Huffington Post. The series celebrates innovation, creativity and trailblazers in the entrepreneurial spirit of the American Dream. Sahra + Maker's Lane was selected as a Top 25 Finalist in CineCause Women's Initiative 2014 in Los Angeles, CA. In 2015, Sahra launched Season 2 of Maker's Lane.

In September 2014, Sahra was honored with the May Takayanagi Making Waves Award by social justice leaders at Asian American Resource Workshop's 35th Anniversary celebration in Boston, MA.

Sahra continues her passion for storytelling and giving light to underrepresented stories as a Digital Contributor for NBC News, Blogger for Huffington Post, and Contributor for Complex Media's NTRSCTN.com

With a passion to constantly take on new challenges, Sahra along with three friends (all under the age of 30) opened up their first storefront business in Bushwick, NY, called "Lucy's Vietnamese Kitchen," in March 2015. She continues her love for storytelling and passion for promoting Vietnamese American culture as the company's Head Creative + Communications Manager.

Mid-2016, Sahra sold her second documentary series to NBCNews.com, "Deported," which follows the grassroots fight to end deportation of Cambodian Americans from the U.S. to Cambodia. Under her own production company, One Ounce Gold, she filmed the doc in Seattle, Philadelphia, New York City, and Cambodia. "Deported" was nominated alongside CNN's Lisa Ling's "This is Life" and won the 2018 NAMIC Vision Award for Best Digital Media, Long Form.

On This Episode We Discuss:

How does a day look like as a filmmaker, production company owner and a restaurant co-owner?

Why it's important to her to cover underrepresented voices in media.

Infusing her personal experiences in her storytelling.

Her Documentary Deported.

How did she get her work on NBC News

The business side of filmmaking.

Social Justice and Storytelling.

Connect:

http://www.sahravang.com/instagram/

http://www.sahravang.com/

www.thecreativeoutsiders.com

www.instagra.com/thecreativeoutsiders

Metta Bastet When she was little, she dreamed of being an ice skating spy but she can't say she's disappointed with her current profession. To put it plan, she get's to be nosy for a living and she's been in the business of documenting life since 2004.

She's an Emmy-Nominated Story Producer, Video Journalist and Editor. You may have also seen her work on Richmond PBS, and apart of the team Who's Johnny Creative.

On This Episode We Cover:

Being nosy for a living.

How filmmaking chose her.

How she Pitches her projects.

Amy Black and the Pink Ink Fund https://vimeo.com/220251583

Minimalist as a Documentary Filmmaker

Connect

www.instagram.com/digitalfruitsnax

www.thecreativeoutsiders.com

www.instagram.com/thecreativeoutsiders

Myah Hollis is Head of Development and the Lead Event Planner at Pretty Thing. She is the creator and executive producer of Or Die Trying, the studio's first original series. Hollis' background in screenwriting and development has given her a fresh perspective on storytelling. She seeks to produce strong, character-driven content that illuminates underrepresented voices and represents the world as it truly is. Hollis has also worked as an event planner in LA, organizing everything from weddings to premieres. She is the founder of Holli Baker, a lifestyle and wellness site catered towards creatives.

On This Episode We Cover:

What does a typical day look like for her?

Shonda Rhimes is like Khaleesi

How Script Coverage helped her as a screenwriter.

Finding her voice as a screenwriter

Her Project "Or Die Trying"

Connect with Us:

WEBSITES

www.prettythingstudios.com

www.hollibaker.com

www.thecreativeoutsiders.com

SOCIAL MEDIA

@myahhollis

@thecreativeoutsiders

Roxanne Avent has established herself as a leading producer and executive whose creative vision and drive has contributed to the success of many feature films, comedy shows and television series. Avent has formed a partnership with Deon Taylor and their film company, Hidden Empire Film Group (HEFG), is on fire. She heads the creative edge and business aptitude of this powerful company in the film industry.Avent has developed, packaged and produced a powerful slate of films for release in 2018, including the thriller “Traffik,” starring Paula Patton, Missi Pyle, Omar Epps, William Fichtner and Roselyn Sanchez.Avent also produced the upcoming thriller “Motivated Seller” starring Dennis Quaid, Michael Ealy and Megan Good, along with the comedy feature “All-Star Weekend,” starring Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Gerard Butler, Eva Longoria, Jeremy Piven and Jessica Szohr – directed by Jamie Foxx.

Avent was a driving force behind Hidden Empire’s massive success in 2016 with the studio’s horror spoof “Meet the Blacks,” starring Mike Epps, George Lopez, Mike Tyson, Zulay Henao and King Batch. Placing in the top 10 at the box office and growing its audience on streaming and VOD, Avent recently finished producing a sequel to the film for theatrical release in 2018 titled “The House Next Door,” starring comedy icons Mike Epps and Katt Williams.

Prior to her work at Hidden Empire Film Group, Avent’s credits in television production include over two-dozen episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger. She also worked for the prestigious, Directors Guild of America, where she oversaw all aspects of production for movie premieres, television award programs, supervising more than fifty employees.

On This Episode we Cover:

Why she choose the filmmaking industry?

Starting as a PA and working her way up.

Handling failure.

Being and independent filmmaker.

Her Film Traffik https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz-XiYNCo7o

Connect with Roxanne Avent

https://hiddenempirefilmgroup.com/

https://www.instagram.com/hiddenempirefilmgroup/

Connect with us:

www.thecreativeoutsiders.com

www.instagram.com/thecreativeoutsiders/

Christina Raia is a New York City based Writer/Director, the Founder of CongestedCat Productions, and the Director of Crowdfunding at Seed&Spark. She won Best Director for her feature film, Summit, at Flickers: Rhode Island International Film Festival (genre division). She co-created, directed, and produced the comedic web series 'Kelsey,' which premiered on blip.tv in September 2013 to rave reviews and consistent press coverage, including as a Critic’s Pick and named one of the 19 Best Comedy Web Series of 2013 by Indiewire.com. It has over a quarter million views online. She recently finished post-production for her second feature film, About a Donkey. She has also begun pitching what she hopes to be her third feature, Silent Night, which was a Quarter Finalist at Slamdance's 2016 Screenwriting Competition. Her other credits as Director, Producer and Writer include over a dozen narrative short films that have made official selection at film festivals across the country. In addition to Indiewire, her projects and approach as a filmmaker have been covered by AfterEllen, BuzzFeed, and various other media outlets. Her work can be viewed on Amazon Prime, Vimeo, VHX, and Youtube. She also turned her desire to foster collaboration and engagement in the local film community into IndieWorks, a monthly film screening series showcasing and supporting the work of other independent filmmakers in New York; currently in its 5th year. http://christinaraia.com/ @craia9 on Twitter and Instagram

On This Episode we Cover:

How does she stay creative and inspired as a filmmaker?

Why writing groups are important for screenwriters?

Where filmmakers go wrong with crowdfunding?

How can horror films have a message?

Identifying who you are as a filmmaker?

Show notes:

www.thecreativeoutsiders.com

With an obsessed love for writing and storytelling in

multiple capacities the pr professional turned

writer/producer Akiya Mcknight is embarking on her first short film. Akiya has worked on multiple indie projects as well as well as TV shows such as Survivors Remorse, The Have &Have Nots and ATL. The Connecticut born and Atl resident plans to tell stories of the complete woman and minority experience from all over the world.

Covered on the Podcast:

Starting out as a Script Supervisor

The importance of volunteering and attending Film Festivals

Raising Funds for her Short Film Served

Working at Tyler Perry Studios

How she handles writer's block

Connect:

Served Film https://www.servedfilm.com/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/visionarher/

The Creative Outsiders

www.thecreativeoutsiders.com (show notes)

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/thecreativeoutsiders/

Okema T. Moore is an actress and producer who also writes, sings and directs. As of Summer 2017, Okema has functioned as the production coordinator for Season 6 of Oprah's Master Class and has five different projects in which she is either an actor, producer or director in a total of more than 40 festivals across four continents. This includes a staged reading that she directed and starred in at the historic Smithsonian Anacostia Museum in DC for the DC Black Theatre Festival. She has also been commissioned to write her first TV pilot by a seven-time EMMY award winning Producer, and is a Producer on the new series, Little Apple.

Okema continues to hustle and build her personal brand, MOOREthanEnuff Media, by creating new works for herself and others, in front of and behind the camera.

On This Episode we cover:

How does she juggle wearing the different hats of producer, director, writer and actress

Why technique and talent are both important

Working as production coordinator for Season 6 of Oprah's Master Class http://www.oprah.com/own-master-class/trailer-oprahs-master-class-season-6

Starting her production company

Show Notes

www.thecreativeoutsiders.com

Let’s Get Social

Okema http://www.moorethanenuff.com/

https://www.instagram.com/MtEMediaLLC/

The Creative Outsiders

https://www.instagram.com/thecreativeoutsiders/

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

If you like this episode, share it + subscribe + leave a review (or do both)

The more reviews, the greater chance someone else will hear these episodes.

Based out of Los Angeles, California Brittney is cinematographer, editor and still photographer. Brittney has seven years of experience in Television production, digital and commercial production, working with clients such as TV One, Motions Hair, Nike, Instyle Magazine, Creators of Color and FOX on projects ranging from BTS, to short narratives and more. Brittney is the co-founder of Lor’ene Janae where she is contributing content creator.

She also works with a lot of musicians, artist and other filmmakers on personal projects.

On This Episode We Chat About:

How she originally started off studying IT but transitioned into editing.

Moving from St. Louis to California, what's next after moving and how to put yourself out there.

Establishing their production company and the importance of combining their talents. http://www.lorenejanae.com/

Her first job as a transcriber for the Bad Girls Club.

Passion projects that helped build her portfolio.

How Craig's list was a defining moment in meeting her mentor.

Maintaining her faith in Hollywood.

Creators of Color http://www.thecreatorsofcolor.com/ and working on Tiffany Haddish project.

For Show Notes:

www.thecreativeoutsiders.com

Stay connected to Brittney Janae

http://www.brittneyjanae.com/

https://www.instagram.com/brittney.janae/

Stay connected to Us:

https://www.instagram.com/thecreativeoutsiders/

https://www.facebook.com/thecreativeoutsiders/

https://www.instagram.com/shivawn_adrienne/

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

If you like this episode, share it + subscribe + leave a review (or do both)

The more reviews, the greater chance someone else will hear these episodes.

Based out of Los Angeles & Phoenix, Malakai is a director & creative vested in visual storytelling that empowers those with a voice.  The goal for Malakai is to be all things fearless.  As a black woman, she knows that the current industry is sparse with a lack of representation and diversity.  Because of this, she forges forward by creating narratives for the bold and the brave.  Her short documentary film Black Girls Code has been showcased within the Cannes Film Festival: SFC, Langston Hughes AA Fest, Miami SciFi Fest, Chelsea Fest, Focus Forward  and other additional festival platforms.  As well as this, the film had special screenings at some of the top tech companies: Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Salesforce.  

 In 2014 Malakai was awarded and honored as an “Extraordinary Woman of Color”, live on (ABC 15).   In 2015 she was tapped as the “filmmakers voice” to speak on a panel for SXSW Interactive on Instant Gratification, Media and technology. Her short documentary on instant gratification also screened with this panel experience. 

In this episode, we discuss:

Journey into Filmmaking, and how filmmaking choose her.

The first time she heard the term film director.

The importance of  women applying for film fellowships 

Creating without permission 

How she get involved in the project Black Girls Code 

Tips on starting your own Production Company

The Horizon Award and Lynette Howell Taylor along with Christine Vachon

http://www.horizonaward.org/

How she's grown as a director in the past four years

Made In Her Image Nonprofit. https://www.madeinherimage.org/

What Malakai is watching right now? She's Gotta Have it www.netflix.com

What Malakai is reading right now? In Watermelon Sugar https://www.amazon.com/Watermelon-Sugar-Richard-Brautigan/dp/1504759575

You can connect with Malakai on Facebook or Instagram https://www.directedbymalakai.com/

Let’s Get Social

Instagram @thecreativeoutsiders or @shivawn_adrienne 

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

If you like this episode, share it + subscribe + leave a review (or do both)

www.thecreativeoutsiders.com