We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Fara Charles a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Fara, appreciate you joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
Ok… where do I start? I’ve had my company FaraCharles & Co for 10 years now. I’ve done so much under that 1 umbrella: photoshoots, music videos, a modeling agency, events, photography and what we’re mostly known for my love and passion TFCP (The FARA Charles Project) our Fashion shows! I’d say about 3 months ago I was conversing with my pastor about being creatively stuck and she suggested maybe I should try to do a reality show. At first, I looked at her like she had 3 Eyes and brushed it off… only to come back 3 min later like… hey maybe you’re on to something! (So thank you to my Pastor Tracey!) This is where the RISK comes into play. After I left my pastor I thought long and hard about how i was going to get this done. Eventually I said you know what…? I’m gonna bet on my self, AND I DID! (Because I used my entire savings in this project!) I called my uncle Danny (he’s kinda like my advisor), told him what I wanted to do.. only for him to say he has a plug with Zeus network and if I can get him a good and ready pilot, he’ll make sure the right people see it but it’s up to my work to get the shot! (Obviously a shot from the network to pick up the show) my response, “BET”! I thought about what I could do to bring creativity, diversity and most of all entertainment together on screen. I decided instead of doing another fashion show I’d do a designers competition. We’d get 5 designers (which we got 6 and 4 dropped out the week of!), place them in a house filled with everything they’d need to comfortably create their pieces. Give them challenges everyday until we eliminate everyone but 2 and then give them a grand finale challenge (in this case we went with the carnival costume challenge) and the winner takes home a prize of 5k!! Sounds simple right, NOPE! It was not … but we GOT it done thanks to my production Crew BAD ORANGE ENT and my Team: Ashley Rigaud (Marketer/PR), Anecia Morton (Wardrobe Sylist), My judges: Whitney of @ExperienceNirvana, Dru of @DesigbsbyDru and Christian Carr of @C.Carr_Designs., My TFCP Models @Danyale.caysi, @yosoyselena & @Spicylyse for being amazing and killing all the looks on the show & to everyone big or small that played a part in this project I thank you from the bottom of my heart because it means a lot it truly does. Anyway Long story still long… lol … I bet on myself, took a huge risk and stepped out of my comfort zone and created something original and never yet seen on television before and I know it’s going to all pay off! Tune in for season 1 of THE FARA CHARLES PROJECT! On a network or streaming platform near you and follow @Tfcp.x for updates and Bts content!
Fara, 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?
To know me is to understand Me and to understand me is to love me! I’m a very upfront no nonsense type of person. I don’t beat around the hush with my followers or clients because I truly believe that won’t get any of us anywhere! The service I offer honestly is confidence. I strive to make sure that every model, creative, designer, artist etc I experience leaves the experience (cuz work is boring) with a new found feeling of confidence! It’s important to be Confident in anything you’re doing. I’ve had my Share of ups and downs, Fall outs and failures like everybody else, the only thing is I’m choosing to learn from them vs dwelling on them. I believe in God I and in Truly believe I’m his favorite person, so if I’m doing right, right will be done by me. I’m honestly mostly proud of my new reality show coming out called THE FARA CHARLES PROJECT! I just can’t believe I said I was going to do It and God provided me with all the tools to do so. It’s mind blowing … FOREAL! But I did that and I’m DOING MORE! Because there’s no cap or ceiling to what we can do if we just truly believe in ourselves. I got my start in the industry as a wardrobe stylist/ PA and now I’m hiring them! Life his Good.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
A lesson I had to unlearn is sometimes total strangers aren’t so bad to work with if everyone has the same goal to execute the same vision. Because everybody can’t go with you, when your going where you need to be. If you’re a good person with good people around you, you usually tend to wanna take them with you when you get your opportunities… but you can’t all the time. Because your dream, is not everyone else’s and they’re not going to work as hard as you to make sure it happens. Sometimes they Might even be the ones holding you back, not on purpose it’s just their work ethic just isn’t the same a yours or they’re not as passionate as you are about what you’re doing. There’s so many reason why not to be so quick to “take everyone with you!” But always remain humble and give the ones that want the shot a chance to shine and build with you. You may not always no this person but sometimes your best partner is a total stranger. And if you were one of the lucky ones to build a thriving empire with your friends/family… kuddos to you! You’re truly blessed.
Any advice for managing a team?
Usually on my sets I need vibes! It can’t be to boring but definitely not to much excitement either. I strive for a balance of vibes (music, laughter, jokes) and hard work. The best way to get that for me is to have a progressional team w/ a sense of humor! How do you do that…? I don’t know about you but I have a great sense of character. I can put people in a room for anything and whatever we’re doing we’re going to have a damn good time doing it. we’re all going to vibe and balance out each other. So no one feels over worked, or unappreciated or even left out. I try to make sure everyone on my sets feel loved! The best way to do that is to try your best not to hire to many friends and just out source for professionals. That way, you don’t know them, they don’t know you and you guys can get to know each other and build your own vibe on set without any personal distractions.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.Tfcpco.com
- Instagram: Fara_Charles
- Facebook: FARA Charles
- Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/FaraCharles
- Twitter: FaraMFCharles’
- Youtube: The FARA Charles Project