We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sophia Ellis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Sophia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.
Representing and serving the underserved in film is an important step in creating a more inclusive, diverse and equitable society. We create stories to show the world diverse perspectives and experiences, and that remind viewers of the humanity that connects us all, film. I can use film to give voice to those who have been traditionally overlooked or stereotyped, and to amplify the stories of those who have not been heard. I also use film to spark conversations about topics like race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, mental health, and socio-economic status – topics that are often overlooked but that affect us all. By creating stories that reflect the diversity of our communities, we can ensure that everyone is seen, heard, and represented. That’s the passion behind Melanin Behind The Lens Studios, serving the underserved.
Sophia , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Sophia L Ellis and I’m a Producer/Director/Screenwriter located in Dallas, TX. My story with film begins with my passion for youth and our childhood ambitions. I published 4 books (3 children’s and 1 novelette) My LBGT novel called My King Looks Like Me started receiving reviews regarding making it into a film. In 2018, I attended Full Sail University and graduated with my Associate’s in Digital Cinematography. From there, I launched my film/media production company called Melanin Behind the Lens Productions (now Melanin Behind The Lens Studios or MBTL Studios for short). We have produced 5 award-winning short films and 1 award-winning feature film with 2 in post production and 1 in development. As of December 2022, MBTL Studios is a NCTRCA Minority/Small/Women Business Enterprise Certified under Media/Advertising/Video Production company. My most proud moment is the creation and launch of my streaming services on Roku called MBTL TV. I want potential supporters to know that my company would like to hear and showcase your stories. We want to offer freelance and acting jobs for government and commercial contracts as well as feature, short, documentaries, and other digital content.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I love telling this story because it happened recently. After one of my projects was placed on hold, I felt like giving up on filmmaking. I figured that if I couldn’t handle this situation, then how would I handle Hollywood. My goal for so long was to be in the conversations of the Tyler Perry and Issa Rae. But after that unforeseen event, I quit. I didn’t think about it for about half of 2022. But through some help from family and friends, I was able to not only come back into filming but produced a short, get a corporate office, awarded as a national women/small/minority certified film, and developed a streaming app for independent creators. I had to do a new approach to an old dream.
How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?
Social Media has been the #1 platform that I keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty. I have met about 75% of my new connections through social media. I make sure they understand what they will get when they work with MBTL Studios. I want to show that while we are a film production studio, we laugh and have a great time as well. Pleasant film set always set the branding tone and continues to build relationship of new and existing connections.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.melaninbehindthelens.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbtl_Studios/
- Facebook: Www.facebook.com/melaninbehindthelensproductions
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/melaninbehindthelens
Image Credits
The Bleak Empire