Today we’d like to introduce you to Lakeisha Jackson.
Lakeisha, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Well, I got my start storytelling pretty young. I loved books so I read everything I could get my hands on. Soon I was developing my own story ideas, envisioning me and my friends in them and started making short stories on notebook paper. I’d then pass these stories to my friends in class (and got into trouble a few times) until one time, a teacher took the story and read it out loud. I’ll never forget her taking off her glasses and asking me to stay after class. She said, “Ya know, Lakeisha, you’re a really good writer. What do you want to be when you grow up?” I remember being surprised because I was waiting on a detention slip and then I answered: “I want to write TV shows, books, and movies and act in them someday”. She smiled at me and encouraged me to do it.
After that, a little show called “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” started and I was hooked. A girl, kicking butt and suffering no fools? Yes! I was in! I started taking drama classes and writing classes, and checking out every book in the library about screenwriting and acting. My dream back then was to move to LA and conquer the world. Well, I was told that would never happen. I don’t look like those girls on TV, and I’d never be those girls on TV. It was heartbreaking, but instead of letting it deter me, I threw myself into the work. Anyone who knows me knows that telling me I can’t or shouldn’t do something or doubting me, is as good as giving me a gold stamp of approval.
So I toiled away for years writing and filming little projects with my friends. It wasn’t until a few years ago when I entered film school and realized I knew a lot of what was being taught already so I decided to quit waiting on the perfect opportunity and create my own. I reached out to a friend in class, Christopher Martell (my trusty A.D), and told him my idea for a web series. From there, my show “Shiny New Things” got its first legs and I haven’t looked back since.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
This process hasn’t been easy in the least. My first feature film got optioned by a major production company several years ago. For those that don’t know what that means, it’s their way of saying they’re interested and will pay a small fee to hold onto the project to develop and eventually create. Sadly, though, it was never made. It was a hard pill to swallow but it happens very often in the film industry business.
Outside of that huge pitfall, there are far more. From doubting myself and my ability to write to trying to figure out funding for my expensive ideas…it can be a very daunting process at times. The thing to remember is most “overnight successes” have been toiling away at their craft for years and years. This was something I didn’t want to face or accept at first, but I quickly realized that the power was not in my hands when I was asking others for permission. Which is why I stopped asking and started doing.
Regardless of how you or I go about any dream, the only thing you can do as a creative is to continue to hone your craft. You’re never finished learning and growing. Once you can accept that inevitability, you will save yourself a lot of heartaches in the future.
Please tell us about Golden Hour Films.
Golden Hour Films is a female-run, film production company where the focus is on promoting strong minority female-led films and series. We feature emotionally gripping and original content on our own terms and our freshman production, “Shiny New Things”, is just the start in our journey, which features a mostly LatinX cast.
I am most proud of the commitment, professionalism and love from our community. We have had complete strangers open up their businesses and homes to us to use for filming on nothing other than our characters and the premise of the show.
What sets us apart is that we’re the only female-run production company in our area, producing sci-fi, action content written, directed and featuring minorities. There aren’t a whole lot of these projects done by us so it is new in every way. It’s been an amazing journey from the very beginning and we can’t wait to finish season one this summer.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I wouldn’t have done anything differently. Everything I’ve done has led me where I am and I have been blessed to have the people in my life that I do. Doing anything to change or alter where I am now is out of the question.
Contact Info:
- Website: shinynewthinngstv.com
- Email: info@goldenhourfilms.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shinynewthingstv/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShinyNewThings/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shinynewTV
Image Credit:
Ron Reyes, Maro Molina, Bobby Tinoco, Rachel Espendes
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