Grustle TV founder
D.Bail recently sat down with the talented
T. Chynna Littlejohn who is the CEO and Filmmaker for
GoldenGirl Filmworks Studios, a New Jersey based film company. Chynna is a Patterson native, who is very gifted in creating timeless, entertaining and relevant media content for a wide ranging audience. She is extremely knowledgeable about her field and is using her resources to do amazing things in the world of cinematography.
In this Grustle TV profile, we discuss some of the things she is working on at the moment as well as what motivated her to becoming one of the best in the business.
D.Bail: How were you inspired into becoming a film maker?
Chynna: Great question. I was inspired as a child watching Michael Jackson's "Thriller". Being amazed by the creativity of it. At the very end they would show the making of "Thriller" from behind the scenes and I would watch that. I was intrigued by all the hard work that went in to making that video. I wanted to know how they made that video and they showed me. That just sparked the film maker in me immediately. I just wanted to learn more and try it myself.
Making Of Micheal Jackson's Thriller Part 1
D.Bail: What are a few of the attributes one would need have in order to become successful in the film business?
Chynna: Determination and tough skin. You have to be able to take criticism good and bad. You have to be able to take rejection as well as - one minute they can tell you 'Yes' and and the next day or even the same day they can tell you 'No'. You definitely have to be determined and have tough skin.
D.Bail: How do you come up with the ideas for your projects?
Chynna: Music inspires me to write! Yes. Any kind. It doesn't have to be a specific genre or anything. Just hearing music inspires me to write.
If It Wasn't For Love Movie
D.Bail: Name one difficulty one might come across in your field and one a solution to keep grustlin' and progressing.
Chynna: Well as an African-American female filmmaker, this is a male dominated field so a lot of the women get pushed to the side. A lot of our projects never see the light of day. But I would say to anybody that is going to get in this business, especially a woman, do it yourself. Do not wait for anybody else to tell you -- because of technology today it's possible for anyone to make a film. If it's something your heart is telling you that you need to do and you love it -- don't wait for someone else to go out and do it. I used to send my scripts online -- submit them to all these contest, and they would never get in. I got tired of it, and said 'I'm going to film this myself'. Even with a director telling me, 'We are not going to be able to shoot your film', after working on two of his projects and waiting for him to tell me we can shoot mine -- I decided I had a feature film, I cut it in half and I made it work and I shot it. So I would say to any female, do not let anyone define or tell you how successful you are going to be in this business, if this is where your heart is. You cannot give up. You can't!
D.Bail: What projects are you currently working on and what can we look forward to from GoldenGirl Filmworks?
Chynna: We are working on "The Last Tenant" starring you, Shyheim, Nyt and Marshall. All these great people in this film! We are doing a web series, so I am currently working on episodes 2, 3, 4 and 5. I am also working on this short film that I wrote with Davey J. Morgan. It's called "A Cry For Freedom". It's a great short film and I really really want to do it! I will be calling you to be in that one. Davey actually did a couple of stage plays, and he knows my nephew and then they suggested that he and I hook up. I took one of his stage plays and turned it into a screenplay, which we're now going to turn into a film. I am excited to get started on that. That film is going to speak to a lot of people, it really hits home.
The Last Tenant 1
D.Bail: Here at
GrustleTV.com and D.Bail Files we like to leave some encouraging words for our readers. Any last words and advice you can tell aspiring filmmakers?
Chynna: My last words to your readers would be to master your craft. Know what everyone's job is and make sure you can do it. That way you can relate to your actors, boom operator, gaffer, cinematographer, editor, producer, unit production manager, script supervisor, costume designer - even craft services. If you get drivers, all of that. Make sure you know everyone's job and you know how to do it by yourself. Of course director! (laughs) Writers too. Make sure you can do all that by yourself. because you never know when your on set what's going to happen. Be very flexible because it changes like the wind.
Angela's Glory Movie
