The Creative Outsiders

This Episode is a Special Edition with Just Shivawn Mitchell chatting with you about the perspective of being a Christian Creative and what that looks like. Tune in as she breaks down how she see's her faith in the movie Home Alone 2. 

Shivawn's Bio - & Get Social with here HERE or HERE 

At just 8 years old I took my first step at writing, submitting a personal essay into a contest at my Elementary School. This was major considering I was the girl who hardly spoke in class. But, I pushed past my fears and laid my words on the line.

To my surprise I won.

After winning the contest I tucked my award into my scrapbook and didn’t formally write for another 20 years. I kept writing but my words were hidden in my journal. I grew up believing that I could be a teacher, doctor or even a lawyer. I didn’t see creativity as a career especially for Christians unless you were creating a church play on Easter.

My perspective stayed limited and I didn’t believe there was space for me as a creative until I had a mini meltdown at my 9 to 5 which sent me on a journey of obtaining my MFA in Screenwriting.

On today's episode we hang out during our Creative Community Chat where we discuss navigating during Covid-19 we had the pleasure of having Marlena Banks who I like to think of the mindset queen.  

She's also known as a Christian Startup Coach | Author of Big Idea Food: A Weekly Devotional for Entrepreneurs, Side Hustlers & Dreamers. Big Idea Food™ started in 2018 as a paperback devotional for entrepreneurs that serves up dope biblical nuggets to energize your hustle. Since then it’s grown into a lifestyle brand for dope Christian entrepreneurs that features a private online community, a YouTube channel, a weekly devotional email & inspirational social media content. Together, all these resources work to feed your spirit with God’s word in a voice you can relate to so that you are empowered to execute all the world-changing ideas God has given you.

On This Episode we Discuss 

• How do you deal with fear? What does that look like practically. 

Let's Get Social

Marlena Banks Big Idea Food  Instagram 

Shivawn Mitchell Website Instagram 

Mercedes Brazier-Thurman is a screenwriter and content creator. Her writing explores the comedic curiosity and complex vulnerability within our relationships.

She is currently a staff writer for the streaming site, Black and Sexy TV. She was a co-writer for Black and Sexy TV’s Hello Cupid: Season 3 Reboot.

She is the creator of the quirky comedic web series, All My Friends Are Married.  Season 1 is distributed by The Black TV & Film Collective. In addition, she is the co-creator of MomStorie, a millennial blog that encourages creativity in parenting.

An alumna of Tisch School of the Arts for Film and Dramatic Writing, she has a MA in Educational Theatre from NYU Steinhart’s School of Education. Mercedes has taught screenwriting to NYC teens, women of color and Indigenous Americans and. She is currently a script writing professor at The City University of New York.

Show Notes: 

Let’s get Social –

mercedes brazier-thurman // instagram

shivawnmitchell // thecreativeoutsiders 

• How do we Navigate our Mental Health During This Time 

Let's get Social - 

kristinsuttonlpc // hertherapyspace 

shivawnmitchell // thecreativeoutsiders 

Visit us Online HERE

Mentioned on the show The 5 Minute Journal 

Thank you to our Sponsors Salon Noa & Yendidi Restaurant 

Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is not a substitute for a relationship with a licensed mental health professional. If you need immediate assistance please contact:

Suicide Prevention 800-273-8255Mental Health Hotline 866-677-5924Center Against Sexual Assault 866-373-8300National Alliance on Mental Health 800-656-4673National Sexual Assault 800-656-4673

Alesia Etinoff is an LA-based creator and comedian just wrapped principle on her short film 19 WEEKS that Zoe Saldana’s Cinestar Executive Produced; Alesia stars opposite Sherri Shepherd, Lamorne Morris and Marque Richardson. Alesia’s 2017 web series Avant-Guardians won Best Short Form Dramedy at the prestigious NYTVF, was nominated for best websereis at ABFF, and is an official selection for the LA Film Festival. It’s received rave reviews from Essence, Bust Magazine, Decider and TubeFilter. The pilot she wrote, inspired by the series, made it to the second round of the Sundance Episodic Story Lab and the second round of the MACRO Episodic Story Lab. Alesia has showcased at the Hollywood Improv, Nerdmelt and Zanies Chicago and can be seen regularly at UCB and Flappers. She is a UCB Diversity Scholar and a graduate of the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama. Alesia most recently partnered with the Television Academy to create a diversity writing intensive called ‘Young Writers to Watch.’

On This Episode We Cover: 

Producing her own Project & Funding 

How Comedy has shaped her writing 

Her short film 19 WEEKS

Script Coverage 

Pitfalls Screenwriters Make

The Importance of Community For Filmmakers

Connect With Us

Alesia Etinoff - Instagram, Website 

Shivawn Mitchell - Instagram, Website

Rani brings 16+ years experience in the digital media space. Her work has taken her from Washington, DC, to Los Angeles and to Singapore, producing, directing digital content in support of Travel Channel, TLC, HGTV, DIYNetwork and more. 

Throughout her career she’s produced many digital series including HGTV’s House Tours with host of Flipping Virgins, Egypt Sherrod, and Flip or Flop Atlanta’s Anita and Ken Corsini. Additional series she produced include My Hometown and Day in the Life with actor Brian Unger (Travel Channel). Rani has also produced the digital series for Travel Channel, Man v. NYC, featuring Man v. Food’s Casey Webb and Food Network’s Vivian Chan.

Rani is also an avid world-traveler. In an effort to share her experience and passion for travel, her love for photography and her local experiences with her 3 children,  she created a lifestyle blog called Triplicity by Craft. The blog showcases her travels to such places as Paris, Italy, and Senegal.  Additionally, she has used her passion as a platform to tell others about the importance of travel for young kids and adults. 

In 2017, Rani was invited to speak at Good Travels’ inaugural event in San Francisco on the importance of travel, especially for the next generation.

Rani also serves on the Board of Creatives team for 100cameras, a non-profit organization that works with young children in marginalized regions throughout the world, teaching them photojournalism.

Rani currently residing in Knoxville, TN, by way of Washington, DC.

In 2017 Rani, started working alongside her good friend Latasha Kennedy at LMK Entertainment Group to produce scripted and unscripted content. Rani executive produced ‘One Last Goodbye’ with Latasha Kennedy in April 2018.

On This Episode We Cover: 

The Pitching Process

How Rani's career landed her in producing 

Skills that will benefit you as a producer 

How travel has helped her as a storyteller 

Connect With Us: 

Rani Craft Robinson - www.instagram.com/ranicraft or https://www.lmkentertainmentgrp.com/our-team

Shivawn Mitchell - www.thecreativeoutsiders.com or www.shivawnmitchell.com 

Gynai Kristol was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. As a child she would constantly watch and critique music videos while contemplating ways to form concepts in her head for them. Her Grandfather was a photographer and inadvertently had quite the influence on her at young age. The camera and film world had always been intriguing for her and a constant creative motivator since she was a little girl, which in later years, caused her to purchase her first camera, a Canon t3i.

Connect with Gynai Kristol - Website

Connect with Shivawn Mitchell - Website 

Denise Purkett is a writer who creates original content for the internet. She enjoys telling stories visually, touching on topics including relationships, self-care, and grief. She works alongside her husband in their company, Vision Suite Media, where they specialize in creating digital videos and photos for businesses, creatives and artists. Denise has a MA in Strategic Communication. Denise lives in Norfolk, Virginia with her husband, her bonus daughter, and her 8 month old daughter. 

@denniinop

Alana Marie is a storyteller and digital content creator. Alana’s passion stems from her belief in everyone having a story, everything having a meaning, and every experience serving a purpose. Alana recently completed her first short, The Kinloch Doc, which screened in the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase and the St. Louis International Film Festival. She is currently producing and directing the feature length of the Kinloch Doc, the first documentary about the rise and demise of Missouri’s First Black City - Kinloch, MO. In addition to filmmaking: (1) Alana is a college access advocate exposing first-gen and underrepresented youth to college, (2) a community organizer in overlooked and neglected neighborhoods in St. Louis, and (3) a freelance writer whose work has been published on several known online publications including Blavity, xoNecole, The Root & Delux Mag.

Sponsor : Location Locked is a peer-to-peer marketplace that offers filmmakers and content creators like yourself, the opportunity to book locations and services needed for your next big project or event. Visit locationlocked.com to register your space and find what you need for your next project today! Visit locationlocked.com today and get started today!

Website: www.thekinlochdoc.com

www.thecreativeoutsiders.com & www.shivawnmitchell.com