We were lucky to catch up with Carla Saunders recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Carla, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

My most significant project to date was producing the short film I’m Sorry, which was favorably received at film festivals. My goal in making the movie was to provide support to ladies who were abused by a loved one. I wanted to honor those who have passed away, even though it was only a short film. A close family member of mine died years ago as a result of the husband’s repeated beatings putting her on life support, but he was never held accountable. This made me want to create something that demonstrated how the victim’s spirit exacted revenge on her demise despite her lack of bravery to fight back. In order to grow further, I plan to re-create this film as a feature.
In order to develop the plot further, I plan to make a feature version of this movie and demonstrate that choosing abuse above happiness is never a choice. You could die from it. Simply by saying they’re sorry, they actually aren’t.

Carla, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an independent film director, producer and writer of my own content. I currently intend to work with other writers to help build my brand. My genre of films are suspense horror thrillers. I am a proud self taught filmmaker who currently attends Los Angeles film School receiving my Bachelor of Science in Digital Filmmaking to tighten up the skills I already know and learn all aspects of the television and film, cinematography , etc. to expand of what I already know as a form of elevation. Most of my peers in class are already in the industry. I love it the fact that I decided to take my career to the next level by surrounding myself with like minded individuals who are basically doing the same thing I’m doing elevating their careers by going back to school. Since then, I’ve been able to produce other content for clients working as their creative director, editor, producer of their own content now making a living of it. I also work as a part-time senior prelitigation paralegal remotely which I’ve been doing for over 27 years which I tend to transition into a full-time producer/filmmaker.

My favorite thing is starting from beginning, taking inspiration from reality or a basic idea, and seeing it come to life as a complete motion picture and benefiting from it financially only to reinvest and do the same thing all over again.

I am in my own lane. There are not many Black African American women in my preferred area of genre. I have so many people who support me and my path which encouages me to keep going. I truly love what I do..

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I was already the director of multiple short films. My first feature film shoot ended up being a nightmare full of mishaps. I had an investor on board who pulled out a few days into the filming, despite having a complete cast and crew. I had to extend days and pay for everything on my own. It took months to shoot what was only expected to take a few weeks. I discovered who I was at this point. I was unaware of my true strength. I felt like giving up a lot. I would frequently talk myself out of it, but I was determined not to let all of my efforts cause me to let myself down. The cast kept saying, “We got you” after I told them about the issues behind the scenes.
I could not stop hearing them say, “We got you.” “We are going to finish this.” That provided me with the motivation I needed to get back up and continue. Weather delays, schedule conflicts, and lack of assistance made me the only producer. Despite working a full-time job, I was overwhelmed. We didn’t shoot during the week. It was a huge success on the night of its debut at Landmark Theater. Since its release on Tubi and Amazon Prime, I have also been able to recover my money and cover all of the expenses on a deferred basis.
Because of this experience, I frequently advise others to “never give up.” If it is in your heart, you will have the motivation to proceed. You didn’t come this far just to get this far.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

 I currently work as a paralegal to help raise money for my independent projects. Additionally, supporters would give me money. I will do every effort, without compromising my integrity, to finalize the budget before to hitting the set. The process is now easier because I have access to investors who are eager to collaborate on future projects. If there was any equipment I needed, I would make sure my crew had it or buy it myself to avoid going over budget. Since then, I’ve built a few contacts in the field with which I can barter. By maintaining the level of quality, this saves me money. I also seek to collaborate with other filmmakers with creating content as well.  I hope to one day obtain a picture deal or a one-look deal.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/CarlaSaunders
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carla_saunders/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carla.saunders.73
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-saunders/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PROMISESENT
• Other: The photography submited was shot by Derek Blanks.

Image Credits

Professional Photography by Derek Blanks. (Leather pants black and white photos)