We recently connected with Faith Payne and have shared our conversation below.
Faith, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
When I first came up with the idea of writing a short film, it really sprung from the passing of my Aunt. My Aunt was my inspiration and built me to be who I am today. She helped me discover my passions for all things music. When going through my internal struggles with mental health, still to this day, I turn to music to help me heal. I wanted to share my story, bring awareness to suicide and mental health, and show how music heals.
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?
When I was 14, I wrote a short film about my personal struggles with suicidal thoughs and negative mental health. Throughout my whole life, I had always written poetry and shared my feelings through writing. However, writing a short film was NOTHING like I’ve ever done before. Even though I was and am still new to the industry, it was an amazing journey and has encouraged me to continuously share my story. As well as study to become an English teacher!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Honestly, after I wrote Stronger by This, I found myself discouraged. I wondered what my next step in the writing industry was going to be. However, as I’ve grown I’ve come to realize that things that are meant to happen, happen no matter what obstacles you cross. That is how I learned that I wanted to change children’s lives, and become a comfort for those who need it in life through becoming a teacher.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding part in being a writer is seeing how your story impacts others. At 14, sharing my depression and suicide story was a huge and scary step for me. However, the support I got and stories I heard from the people who watched my short film made me realize that sharing my story was definitely the right step!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Faithhpayne
- Other: Where to watch Stronger by This: https://youtu.be/qB9GbL8gCAo
Image Credits
Credit to Moonlitdreamsphoto – Kevin Poleyumptewa