We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kip & Tessie Wilmot. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kip & Tessie below.

Hi Kip & Tessie, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

We love to create work opportunities where military veterans and civilians can work together, learn from each other and network in the film community. We launched the FairWinds Film Festival, a festival designed for veterans. This festival encourages filmmakers, directors, producers, editors and writers to include military veteran in front of or behind the camera on a film.

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

Travel Far Productions, LLC, is a Veteran owned business, started in 2013 by Kip and Tessie Wilmot, a loving and ambitious couple! Tessie is a native of Gretna, Louisiana, and Kip is a native of Ocho Rios, Jamaica. They met each other while serving in the United States Navy, stationed overseas in Italy. Kip is an experienced and excellent artist, writer and director. Tessie is an actress, screen writer, and an ambitious filmmaker. Tessie enjoys being in front of the camera, as well as, behind the scenes! Kip enjoys a beer and a sketchbook! They are parents of four beautiful girls!

Tessie began her acting career as a background extra. She met this amazing woman, Cindy Jefferson, at a local Atlanta acting studio, and it was on ever since. Cindy shared so much information with Tessie regarding acting, casting agencies, networking events, and leading tips. Tessie met people on set and at networking events, and branched off into independent films. Once Tessie got a taste of being on set, she sought to create her own films.

Kip has been creating art since he was a child. He’s been commissioned for many art pieces, company logos, film posters, DVD covers, film story boards, and branding. Kip has won many awards for best artist at his college. He got his taste of directing and editing on his first short film, Captured (which is on YouTube). He loved the directing bug and went on to direct a feature film, Indomitable (which will be released 2023).

Kip and Tessie is an interracial couple and love diversity. They incorporate diversity in all of their films. Kip is edgy and has an edgy graffiti style art. They love working with local filmmakers and military veterans on set. They encourage civilians and veterans working together to bridge the gap and to learn from each other. They also feel proud that they can pay the crew and most actors of their films, provide a variety of crafting on set, and help promote local businesses through product placement. They also love working together. Set is always fun with these two because their personality and way of doing things are opposite, which makes for a fun and funny day!

How’d you meet your business partner?

Kip and I were stationed on the same Naval ship in Italy. We actually disliked each other, because he didn’t like my smart mouth and I didn’t like how mean he was to me for no good reason. However, we had to be around each other because his best friend was dating my best friend and we were always together. It was a sunny day in La Spezia, Italy, when we stopped disliking each other for a moment, put our differences aside and really got to know one another. Who knew that a day of conversation, laughter, flirtation and sexual enticing would lead to a happy and lasting marriage with children? I sure did not think that far ahead. However, for whatever reason that God thought it was best that our paths cross, I am forever grateful!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

There was a day on set where anything that could go haywire, did go haywire! It all started with a morning emergency drive to the Labor and Delivery room. Yeap, I was a week away from my due date when I started feeling contractions with our third child. The doctor said the contractions are too far apart, so go home and walk and return when the contractions are within two minutes apart. We left the hospital and rushed to set, as we were already 15 minutes late. The set location was confirmed, but due to certain events that were occurring that day, our time to film had to change. On top of that, we forgot some of the film equipment at the house- as we left in a rush to the hospital.

Hubby rushed home to get rest of the film equipment, I was walking and screaming as contractions hit, and once hubby returned, we set up and was able to film our scenes before the event occurring. The weather was cold and misty raining, but had forecasted sunshine.

We were forever grateful to such a team of a cast and crew! Everyone pulled together, delivered their lines lovely, and even assisted in clearing the set prior to the location event that was occurring.

Adding a note: I returned to Labor and Delivery that night and had baby girl!

Contact Info:

• Website: http://travelfarproductions.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/travelfarproductions?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/travelfarproductions/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/TravelFarProductions