FROM DREAMS TO REALITY: A JOURNEY OF GRATITUDE AND GRIT

I’m writing this with a grateful heart and soul for all those who’ve supported me and my numerous passion projects throughout the years. It has been far from easy, and often times folks see my end result (the success) and assume I effortlessly brought it to fruition.

To that end, I say that giving birth to all I’ve done and will continue to do is definitely not for the faint of heart.

Understandably, people don’t see what happens behind the scenes. My moments of doubt—challenges that popped up out of the blue—left me in tears, wondering if this was all worth it.

It’s hard.

Some days are easier than others, but the one thing I consistently do in these moments is allow myself the time to grieve, then pick myself back up and keep going. As dark as it may feel, I always see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“The graveyard is the richest place on earth, because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled, the books that were never written, the songs that were never sung, the inventions that were never shared, the cures that were never discovered, all because someone was too afraid to take that first step,keep with the problem, or be determined to carry out their dream.”― Les Brown

I will not be that person in Les Brown’s quote, so I always push through my fears and doubts, knowing that one way or another, it will all come together and be worth the while—success!

Success for me isn’t a high number of likes, views, or money. Success is the impact that I create. It is leading by example for my children and the generation to come.

Money, of course, is necessary for survival, but I don’t let it dictate what I’m most passionate about.

I left corporate America back in 2007. I couldn’t see myself living to accomplish someone else’s dream while mine sat on the back burner.

It was the hard decision I made, with the understanding that my consistent income, insurance, and other comforts that came with having a well-paid 9-to-5 would disappear.

But I saw the bigger picture. I had bigger dreams. For that and what I’ve accomplished by being brave enough to follow my desire, I have no regrets. The money and the comforts will come with the alignment that the universe has prepared me for.

In that reflection, with a grateful heart, thank you to those who rode with me, who supported me (monetary or otherwise), and who encouraged me to keep going. May you also align with your purpose and passion.

Cheers!

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PS

As I reflect on the journey of bringing my dreams to life, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible support that has brought my campaign to an amazing milestone – 87% funded! With the finish line in sight and the campaign drawing to a close soon, your support has never been more critical or appreciated.

Join me in these final moments to push through to 100%. Your contribution, no matter the size, can make a monumental difference. Every share, every contribution, and every word of support brings me closer to sharing this story with the world.

Thank you for being a part of my journey, for your generosity, and for believing in the power of storytelling.

Support the campaign

MY FIRST TRIP TO LONDON

I’m writing this while in route back home to Maryland. I honestly struggled with what I should focus on about my first trip to the UK, but… the one thing that became prominent in my mind (and usually does) is what I am grateful for.

Here I am presenting my film before the screening.

Screenings at LSFF.

Aside from the enlightening array of films screened at the London Short Film Festival, including my own (SENSES), the panel discussions, particularly one on the importance of team collaboration, were exactly what I needed during this period of my life. Although I’ve successfully produced six short films and another is in the works, I do recognize that I am embarking on new territory with my goal of producing my first feature-length film.

This is why the film I mentioned, “in the works,” is critical in capturing the essence of what I envision for it.

One of the biggest takeaways from the team work panel was the importance of working with the “right”, right hand (usually a producer or assistant director) that not only gets and connects with you and your story but also defends it when necessary, can provide sensible feedback, and detaches themselves from wanting the writer’s script to be told as they see it. The panel stressed that although you may get along with “that person,” if these elements aren’t in tune, it pretty much leaves one of you unhappy in the end.

That conversation definitely taught me the best way to provide feedback to a writer who is an artist, and as Erykah Badu said, “I’m sensitive about my shit.” As a writer, I can relate, but I’ve always been sensitive to feedback because I know how it feels.

Going deeper, as we all know, when you have that gut wrenching feeling that the connection may not be what’s best fit, it’s best to lovingly let it go before the relationship goes to ruins. This can be relative to various aspects of one’s life.

A film team, and any team for that matter (including family), is like a marriage. It benefits all parties if you love and understand who you’re married to.

I say all that to say that I appreciate the many gems that were shared, which have sharpened my perspective on writing and directing in the world of film. And in turn, I will only help when it comes to planning for my feature film.

Nonetheless, I am grateful for all of the team members that I’ve worked with, past, present, and future, and I look forward to the production of DOUEN II.

Though I'm not exactly sure how it will be done, I KNOW the Universe is working it out for production.

Aside from the festival, I did the sight-seeing thing. Although I chose not to do too much of it, I enjoyed my cousin, Cindy, telling me the names of the sights as we passed over the bridge and my self-guided tour, including this lovely swan nodding at me.

I kept seeing these old telephone booths.

I love how accessible it is to get around in London. I took the underground or walked whereever I needed to go.

The real highlight of my trip was meeting my UK family for the first time—my aunt and cousins.

Me, Aunty Anna, and my cousin Cindy.

Aunty Anna is the wife of my great uncle, Uncle Irving (my mother’s father’s brother). Before Grandfather passed (we actually called him grandfather), I probed him with a handful of questions about our ancestry and what I learned over the years that I passed onto my children. I can’t stress enough how beneficial it is to know where you come from. In the stories of our ancestry, we also discover a lot about ourselves.

As patient as Grandfather was, I remember one of his responses being something like, “You need to speak with Uncle Irving; he knows all the family history” (he’s the oldest sibling). Though Grandfather enjoyed sharing the family stories with me, I sensed he felt like I was asking too many questions and needed to get them from the main source (in a friendly way).

I must admit, I’ve always been inquisitive and was encouraged as a child to not shy away from wanting to know more in order to have a better understanding of a situation.

Unfortunately, I never took advantage of the opportunity to meet Uncle Irving prior to this. I definitely learned a lesson about doing things now and not waiting. In the midst of my waiting, my uncle passed away in 2017, so I missed the chance to speak with him.

Thankfully, Aunty Anna answered my questions that I’ve always wondered about him and the two of them together. And Cindy, my cousin (Aunty Anna and Uncle Irving’s daughter), shared audio files of a few stories told by my uncle. What a gift I will forever cherish. And now that my family and I have met, we are forever connected.

In the end, London is NOT a place I see myself living (my spirit yearns for the sunlight), but I am so grateful for the experience, the relationships built, and a new-found understanding. I feel like the more I travel, the more I discover a little more about myself.

I give thanks for this opportunity and the many others to come. And thanks to you for taking the time to read.

Last day, self portrait.

Heading home.

Flying to and from London: Reading CREATIVE RESILIENCE by Erica Ginsberg.

HOW I SECURED AIRLINE DISTRIBUTION FOR MY FILM

I’m sure I’m not alone when it comes to figuring out the next step for my film as an indie filmmaker. When it was done on the film festival circuit, I questioned… What’s next?

In 2015, I started the process of directing and producing my first film, a documentary short titled I AM MORE THAN MY HAIR. It includes interviews with women who have experienced hair loss (alopecia) and their journey of self-improvement to see their beauty beyond the media’s standards.

It took me almost 5 years to complete. I gave myself a deadline, and once I was done with the first cut, I held my first premiere at the AFI Theatre in October 2019.

In March 2020, I was finally done with the final cut and continued promoting it for publicity. I was able to secure several news and radio interviews. Just as I began receiving film festival acceptance/decline notifications, the pandemic hit.

Thankfully, I made it to my film’s first accepted film festival in Sarasota, FL, despite the travel warnings and prior to the shutdown. All festivals I AM MORE THAN MY HAIR was accepted in after that were virtual, excluding a select few in 2022.

Typically, films have a 1-year run, but due to the pandemic, the rules changed for some time. And although it did great on the circuit, I was left unsure of my next step. When reaching out to more established filmmakers for feedback, the consensus was that unless it’s a Hollywood film, shorts don’t get distribution.

Then I remembered… wait a minute (my actual thought)… I’ve seen shorts while flying!

I did a Google search for “airline film distribution companies,” and Walla!

That simple search directed me to a blog post that shared several airline film distribution companies. Give thanks for informative bloggers. The article I read saved me a lot of time.

I researched each company, found their contact information (that took the most time), and reached out to each rep individually. The fourth company rep I emailed expressed interest and replied with her cell phone number to reach her. I wasted no time and called her immediately. She did reiterate what I kept hearing: “It’s tough to secure airline distribution for a short film”, but she loved my work and said she would do her best. Just a few days later, the rep followed up with hopeful news and connected me with the decision-maker, who in turn said yes.

In 2022, I was granted a 6-month distribution deal with Air Canada. They intentionally started it in March for Women’s History Month. In all honesty, the pay was small. And as much as I understand that money is needed to live comfortably, that was not my aim. Impact has always been my goal, from the very beginning and at the core of my being. It’s not that I would turn down a big check because I’d gladly accept it, but it wasn’t the deciding factor for the work I create.

I currently don’t have any set plans or distribution deals set in stone, but I have leveraged I AM MORE THAN MY HAIR as a platform to bring awareness not only to my work but also to alopecia and women’s health. It has also broadened my platform as a public speaker. Speaking engagements and Q and A’s have allowed me the opportunity to personally connect with my audience and engage in meaningful conversations, which was my goal from the get-go.

In the end, I have not struck a big-time distribution deal, but the impact has been significant enough for me. I look forward to expanding my work as a director and DP and continuing meaningful conversations.

Oh, before I forget… here’s the list of the airline distribution companies I found in my research:

• Terry Steiner International
• Cinesky Pictures
• Captive Entertainment
• Jaguar Distribution Corp
• Encore Inflight
• Entertainment in Motion (EIM)
• Penny Black Media
• Gate 23 Entertainment

Did you find creative ways of securing distribution? Share in a comment below or send me a message.

SEE MY HORROR SHORT ONLINE

In 2021, I mustered up the courage to write, direct, and produce my first narrative film, ANNEXATION. Thanks to Women of Color Filmmakers (WOCF) for providing the film lab, I went on to do the same thing the next year with DOUEN, my second horror short. Due to the pandemic and funding, both films had a short festival run, but I have now made them available to the public to view. Check out both films below.

They warned our children that human civilization would cease and they would be forced to take Earth back. ANNEXATION film follows a mother trying to survive with her daughter after an alien invasion. Human existence may be scarce, but we are not alone.

See the audio-described version here.

Based on a Trinidad and Tobago folklore, DOUEN is a horror film short that follows a woman who comes face-to-face with the collision of her dreams and reality as she and her sister are haunted by ghostly creatures. The lesson: Don’t respond if they call your name.

See the audio-described version here.

I would love your get your feedback. Please share a comment below or send me a message.

“I Am More Than My Hair” To Debut at Prestigious Black Film Festival

“I Am More than My Hair” is slated to debut at another leading film festival highlighting talented Black filmmakers. My documentary will screen at the 30th annual Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, California this month.

This is the first time my film was selected for a prestigious festival, so I am both humbled and honored. I am also looking forward to having the opportunity to compare it to the experience of smaller local festivals. I’m excited to see how it all goes.

“I Am More Than My Hair” is a documentary short that includes interviews with women who’ve experienced hair loss due to a health-related condition and their journey of self-empowerment to see beauty beyond the media’s standards.

Created by Hollywood veterans Danny Glover, the late Ja’Net DuBois, and Ayuko Babu, the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) is the biggest Black film and arts festival in the United States. Since 1992, PAFF has attracted filmmakers, artists, and unique craftspeople from over 40 countries and 6 continents to showcase their pivotal work and talent.

I look forward to being in attendance, especially given that the film festival experience after the pandemic hit has not been the same. I’m grateful for the option to participate virtually, but it’s nothing like being in-person.

Although unfortunate, the recent Oscar incident has created a buzz and raised awareness about alopecia. Jada Pinkett Smith is one of the 21 million females in the US affected by the autoimmune condition, which can occur suddenly or develop gradually over time. I produced “I Am More Than My Hair” as a platform to create awareness about female hair loss.

The show times for “I Am More Than My Hair” at PAFF are April 26th and 30th in Short Doc Series 2 screening to take place at Cinemark Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15 and XD, 4030 Marlton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90008.

For more information about my projects, visit www.Alyscia.com. To register for “I Am More Than My Hair” film screening on April 26th, visit https://paff.eventive.org/schedule/624117727be1700055b5b795, April 30th, visit https://paff.eventive.org/schedule/62411800a7add80044a815fb.

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See my upcoming events on my website. You’re welcome to read the entire newsletter here.

I’M LAUNCHING MY FIRST WORKSHOP!

“Let’s Talk BIPOC Women Creatives in Film”, a self renowned project to teach BIPOC female filmmakers the ropes to funding their ideas for filmmaking projects in the one hour virtual introduction to funding film projects. Tickets are $25.

I have a long history of successfully navigating the film industry with over 8-years of experience earning over $70,000 in funding to tell stories from a Black female creator’s perspective. I have used the funding to create my award-winning project, “I Am More Than My Hair”, which has been featured in HuffPost, ABC 7, Cosmopolitan, and several other media outlets. The project required an approximate $40,000 to execute, and thanks to funding resources like, IFundWomen of Color, American Express, and Women In Film and Television, I was able to place my film in over 20 film festivals, ultimately landing my project in a 6-month long solo exhibition at the a local Museum.

To date, there are less than 8 percent of African American filmmakers, according to McKinsey and Company. Of note, of the 1,200 top grossing films released between 2007 and 2018, only nine were directed by women of color, with no noticeable change over time: five were directed by African American women, three by Asian women, and one by a Latina. Research shows that the barriers of diverse talent in film and television equate to economic fallout and are currently facing a lack of solutions for creating a more equitable, and inclusive workspace. About 92% of the film industry is led by 92 percent white film executives. On average, a film production cost over $250,000.

I have a passion for changing the narrative and want to start by helping other BIPOC women to tell stories from their own lens.

The event is scheduled to begin at 12:00pm on March 31, 2022. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Eventbrite.

SEE MY NEW FILM “DOUEN”

My parents, especially my father, used to tell me and my brothers about the various folklore of Trinidad and Tobago. Douen was one of the stories that stuck because the thought alone was horrifying. My mom would put a blanket over her head and act like a ghost.

I am excited to write and direct my second horror film “Douen“, based on the folklore!

“Douen” is a horror film short that follows a woman that comes face-to-face with the collision of her dreams and reality, as she and her sister are haunted by the ghostly creatures. In the end, the storyteller teaches her grandchildren a lesson. Don’t respond if they call your name.

GET YOUR TICKETS!
“Douen” was created for Women of Color Filmmakers (WOCF) Fall Film Lab. See it on November 19, 2021, at 5:30pm PST (8:30pm EST) at WOCF Anniversary Gala. 

Purchase Virtual Tickets – $10

New Film Awards

I Am More Than My Hair was selected in Toronto Black Film Festival 2022. The festival takes place February 9 – 14, 2022.

I Am More Than My Hair was also selected in Women Of The Lens Film Festival 2021. The festival has been reschedule to March 2022.

NEW PROJECT – “ANNEXATION”

I am doing it!

I wrote and directed my first horror film. Talk about an exciting and nerve wrecking process.

Although the pandemic has been challenging, it has brought many blessings. Had we not been restricted from in-person meetings and events, I probably would not have known about Women of Color Filmmakers (WOCF), the Summer Film Lab or the other WOC creative groups I have joined since then.

Landi Maduro, WOCF Director, created the Summer Film Lab as a platform for women of color filmmakers to have a means of expanding our creativity. All genres are accepted and must have a maximum runtime of 15 minutes.

My film, ANNEXATION (Horror/Sci-Fi) follows the survival of a lone woman and her baby daughter as civilization has come to a halt. Or so she thinks. “You Are Not Alone”.

This was my first-time directing actors. We are an all-female crew. July 31, 2021, is the screening date of all films. I will keep you posted as we get closer to the date. In the meantime, please consider supporting this new project by making a small contribution. 

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See A Replay of The Virtual Events

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, my events for I AM MORE THAN MY HAIR exhibition had to remain virtual. Thankfully, the events were recorded. If you were not able to attend, you can now see my exhibition Reception and Panel Discussion: Making Art Accessible on YouTube.

I also held a virtual film screening of I AM MORE THAN MY HAIR on Eventive. It sold out quickly. Unfortunately, I am not able to share the film publicly yet (as I am working on securing distribution). However, you can see the Q&A, which is also on YouTube. Several women from the film joined the Q&A hosted by fellow filmmaker Day Al-Mohamed.

Reception & Panel Discussion: Making Art Accessible

The reception for I AM MORE THAN MY HAIR takes place this Sunday, April 4, 2021 from 2-3pm. Councilmember Will Jawando will give the opening remarks, which will be followed by an interview of me at the museum and a short virtual tour. The tour will be followed by the Panel Discussion Making Art Accessible. ASL interpretation will be provided.

I am honored to be a host this amazing Panel, who include:

• Ann Cunningham – Moderator, Tactile Artist, Author
• Becky Emmert – Advocate, Activist, Speaker, Instructor
• Brandy “Unique the Deaf Dancer” Mimms –Deaf Dancer, Choreographer, Teacher, Motivational Speaker
• Cheryl Green – Multi-media Digital Artist, Captioner, Audio Describer
• Julie Hein – Educator, Biologist, Leader in Audio Description & Interpretative Development
• Marguerite Woods – Sculptor/Artist Teacher, President of the At-Large and Board member of the NFBMD

A closing poem will be recited by:

• Jeanetta Price – Founder and CEO of Blind Girl Magic LLC

This is the first time I’ve ever had an exhibition reception online. Although I miss in-person interactions, I am grateful that I have the opportunity to connect online. If you are able to join me for the reception and panel discussion, RSVP.

Unable To Attend? Ask Me A Question

Given that my reception happens on Easter Sunday, Sandy Spring Museum has created a form to submit questions for those unable to attend. Submit your question

I Am More Than My Hair Screening and Q&A

During the exhibition I will host a screening of I AM MORE THAN MY HAIR to take place on Sunday, May 2, 2021 from 2-3pm. It is open and free to the public. The screening will be followed by a Q&A.

RSVP for the screening.

Alyscia Cunningham with Bobby Gailes on WHUR 96.3

Also on LinkedIn

Learn more about the exhibition