We recently connected with Dominique Janelle and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dominique, thanks for joining us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

As a filmmaker I strive to be apart of stories and tell stories that are not only entertaining but make a difference in the mind of the viewers. As a filmmaker I understand that I have a unique talent and voice that can reach people, so I pray I leave a legacy of being the type of filmmaker that made a difference in peoples lives with the stories that I tell. After I’m gone I hope to be an inspiration to the filmmakers after me like the filmmakers before me inspired me.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started my career in filmmaking in 2017 as an actress. I was working at a major telecommunication company in sales full-time while working as an actress part-time and on the weekends. I fell in love with the craft and the industry so I began to work behind the camera in various productions roles like Production Assistant, then moved to Production Manager/Producer and Assistant Director. I spent a lot of time networking by attending various industry networking events, premieres, and film festivals. After working at my job for 15 years, being a part-time filmmaker started to demand more of my time so in the beginning of 2020, believing in my passion and trusting God I left my job of 15 years and started my journey working full-time as a filmmaker as a Assistant Director. In my role I am responsible for creating and managing film production schedules, managing all departments and on set operations, and working closely with Directors to align creative vision with logistical feasibility. I’ve been a full-time filmmaker for, going on 5 years now. I mainly work as a freelancer for several production companies. There has been many challenges changing from working full-time job for a company to being my own boss and manager of my career in film. I no longer had the security of a two week paycheck, or any guaranteed work schedule. One way I ensure to keep getting hired for projects is by simply doing my job and doing it well, and being a team player to add that extra value piece to my efforts. There are many people that work in film and I make myself stand out by being a professional and pleasant person to work with, I always study to increase my knowledge and skillset in the industry, and I take every opportunity to go above and beyond in my roles on film sets. I am most proud of my ability to sustain myself in an industry where there is never any guarantee of work. I have being consistently working, making connections and growing in this industry. I’ve worked on films that can been seen on Peacock, Hulu, Amazon, and Tubi. Films such as Work Bae 2, and Bedside with several more titles pending release in 2025.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Being a professional and pleasant person to work with. I constantly study to increase my knowledge and abilities to make myself an asset on any production. When working twelve plus hours a day with people, you want to work with people who are pleasant a nice to work with. Something that simple outside of doing your job well, goes a very long way in the filmmaker industry.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I enjoy bringing stories to life and working with so many talented individuals in the industry. I’ve been able to work with people that I grew up watching on Tv and movies and now to be able to have met them and have a work relationship with them and even build friendships has been very rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://djanellefilms9.wixsite.com/dominique-janelle
• Instagram: @dominique.janelle
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1421933512&mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominique-janelle-477573b7

Image Credits

Photographer Joannika Augustin