We recently connected with Charmain Johnson and have shared our conversation below.

Charmain, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.

Yes. Not only do we go out of our way to promote and hire women and people of color, we tell diverse stories that help resonate in underserved communities. It matters to spread stories that people can relate to that are not prominent in mass media- women, lgbtq, black and brown communities.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m best known as one of the pioneers of the webseries movement, garnering hundreds of thousands (now millions) of views on her queer women of color series The Lovers and Friends Show on Youtube which premiered on Youtube in 2008. The show ran for five seasons garnering distribution along the way, allowing her show to be viewed on Netflix (2011 Netflix which is vastly different now) and bought on DVD in major outlets such as Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. I went on to produce the spinoff Lovers and Friends L.A. in 2016. Producing the show helped to bring more visibility to the LGBTQ of color community which I am proud of.

I started writing stories at eight years old and never stopped writing, or learning for that matter, and along with her B.A. in Communications she also received an M.A. in English with a concentration in Creative Writing/Screenwriting. I also educate youth when she’s not climbing the ever growing ladder of Hollywood Success while teaching film to the filmmakers of tomorrow in. Teaching allows me to foster a great level of patience and leadership…and patience. My scripts have gone on to become Official Selection in the Ohio Independent Screenplay awards and the Peachtree Village Festival International Film Festival, and a finalist in the Urbanworld Teleplay Festival. I released my first feature film, A Rose in Concrete, along with 1025 Productions co-owner and co-producer Tae Daaz in 2023. My recent film Split Second, completed in 2024, is now on the Film Festival Selections, having been made Official Selection for multiple festivals. Having recently relocated to West Palm Beach Florida, I am currently a Professor of Film and Creative Writing and is now in post production for my latest short film Bad Gotta Go, and is in pre-production to direct and produce her second feature film Mango Inn.

Each of the productions which resonate with the 1025 productions brand in that they are about the resilience of people of color and those in the LGBTQ community. 1025 Productions are about resilient people coming out of boxes that society has put them into. 1025 Productions is a film company dedicated to creating compelling and contemporary films and series that resonate with diverse audiences.

Our mission is to amplify underrepresented voices, crafting narratives that reflect the richness of our cultures and the complexity of modern life. We believe that every story has the power to inspire, challenge, and transform, and we are committed to bringing these stories to the forefront.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The year was 2007. I had recently cleaned up my act a little, and by that I meant stopped partying and hitting up Denny’s at all hours of the night with my friends, and had gotten my first real job as a Case Manager for a youth organization. It wasn’t actually what I wanted to do, but after graduating college and going on countless interviews for production jobs I knew I could do but just couldn’t seem to get hired for, my girlfriend at the time was like, (oh yeah I’m gay…and black…talk about diversity but I digress) “I can’t be the only one paying for take-out.” So, a regular job it was. However, something was missing. I I had a degree in Communications and wanted to do something in film and television badly but was battling the expectations of everyone around me. My parents were immigrants from Jamaica and while my mom always encouraged me to follow my dreams, my father thought film and television was a waste of time and that I should’ve been a teacher (which ironically I am right now).

I had a friend who understood and we craved to do creative things so we shot short films on our off days. One day as I was watching the L-Word, a show that despite the lack of diversity, my girlfriend and I couldn’t get enough of, I had a revelation. There were virtually no people of color on the show, (okay there was Bette and Tasha came later), and so my friend and I decided to make our own show about lesbians of color. We decided that we would produce our show entitled The Lovers and Friends Show and put it on this online thing called Youtube. The show didn’t look good at first, not how webseries are today, but fans loved the stories and as we filmed we got better, until eventually we received distribution and the show ran online for 5 years and was even on Netflix for 2 years! The show might not have been the most well shot but with millions of views, the stories resonated deeply with a marginalized group that rarely got to see their lives shown on screen, and though we only received an underground cult following, being a pioneer in showcasing the the qwoc community was worth every penny we spent to make it.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

At 1025 Productions, we pride ourselves on our innovative approach to filmmaking. We blend cultural authenticity with cutting-edge creativity, ensuring that every project not only entertains but also sparks meaningful conversations. From thought-provoking dramas to captivating series, our work is a celebration of diversity, resilience, and the shared human experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.1025-productions.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1025_productions/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/1025-Productions-100057104511657/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Productions-li1mq