We caught up with the brilliant and insightful B. Monét a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi B., thanks for joining us today. Was there an experience or lesson you learned at a previous job that’s benefited your career afterwards?

I remember working at a political organization shortly after college and really disliking it. It wasn’t because my boss was terrible or anything, but I quickly realized that I couldn’t continue doing work that didn’t inspire me. Although it was a challenging experience, it motivated me to pursue my passion for filmmaking. And for that, I will always be grateful.

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

B. Monét is a distinguished writer and director who obtained her B.A. in English from Spelman College and an MFA in Film and Television with a concentration in writing and directing from New York University. She is a native of Maryland and her films are known for their thought-provoking questions about identity, society, race, and culture. Her commitment to showcasing underrepresented people in film, media, and television is evident in her works.

She’s received several awards, including the runner-up position in the First Time Female Filmmakers Contest with Women and Hollywood, the 2017 Horizon Award through Cassian Elwes, Christine Vachon, and Lynette Howell-Taylor at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Adrienne Shelly Foundation grant. She also participated in Film Independent’s residency program Project Involve as a directing fellow.

B. Monét is one of the winners of the #NewView Film Competition with Glamour and Girlgaze, which celebrates the voices of female filmmakers, and one of the filmmakers in the Tisch Other Showcase, which focuses on diverse artists whose voices are underrepresented in the television industry. Notably, B. Monét directed the award-winning short film Q.U.E.E.N., which premiered on Magic Johnson’s channel ASPiRE and has been screened at over a dozen festivals, including Cannes Short Film Corner.

She also directed a branded short film entitled “She’s Revolutionary” on the #MeToo founder Tarana Burke for Levi’s and Girlgaze, and has worked with several high-profile personalities such as Reese Witherspoon, Janet Jackson, Rosario Dawson, Chika, Rapsody, and Shangela for brands such as Crate and Barrel, Estee Lauder, Uber, OkayAfrica, OkayPlayer, and Hyundai. B. Monét’s feature film script Q.U.E.E.N. won the 2018 Best Graduate Feature Screenplay, and she is the recipient of the Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation grant at Fusion Film Festival, a finalist in the Women in Film Mini Upfronts Program, and a Sundance Women’s Financing Intensive Project Fellow.

In July 2019, she was selected as one of the filmmakers in the New York Stage and Film Filmmakers’ Workshop at Vassar College for Q.U.E.E.N. She was also selected as one of the participants in the Artist Academy with the New York Film Festival and Lincoln Center. B. Monét’s most recent accomplishment is being chosen as one of the winners for the Queen Collective in partnership with Queen Latifah, Tribeca, and P&G. Her short film Ballet After Dark is exclusively streaming on BET. She is also reimagining a short film version of “A Star Is Born” with Warner Brothers for their 100th Anniversary.

She is a passionate storyteller who believes in the power of representation and strives to inspire marginalized individuals to become storytellers in the world of film. Her goal is to empower particularly Black artists to tell their unique stories and continue their creative journey. She provides consulting services including mentorship to help navigate the industry, and offers guidance and feedback on director reels and treatment. She has extensive experience directing commercials and branded content for some of the biggest brands, such as Estee Lauder, Target, Crate and Barrel, Buick, Cadillac, and many more. She is an expert in addressing concerns on creative calls, creating compelling treatments, and ensuring that the client and agency’s needs are met. Her dedication to making everyone feel seen and heard has earned her a reputation as a highly sought-after storyteller in the industry.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Organizations should provide more housing options for artists, perhaps a co-op or 12-month to two-year residence, so artists have a safe space as they navigate the industry’s uncertainties. Most residencies only last for a short amount of time, but often, artists still need support after they graduate from college or graduate school, and there isn’t a space for community once you leave school. Additionally, it would be great if brands and organizations provided sufficient budgets for artists to work for their brands. This allows artists to provide a substantial living or wage for themselves. And, it’s great that artists can begin learning about the business world and establish a relationship with said brand or company. Also, it would be lovely if there were more apprenticeship and shadowing opportunities so students can easily enter the industry and shadow professionals in their desired positions. This way, artists can access resources and contacts that might be challenging to obtain, but these opportunities could help alleviate the woes of early artistry.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I want more Black stories about people throughout the diaspora told in film, television, media, music, and video spaces. I hate to see only trauma-based stories making it to the mainstream. Hopefully, more well-grounded and multi-faceted stories on Black humanity can be told. This is a goal that keeps me going.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: direcherbmonet
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-monét-4b73b857/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/bmonetworldwide