We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Janell Grace. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Janell below.

Janell, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Love Conquers All has been the most meaningful project that I’ve worked on for multiple reasons. First, Love Conquers All is a story of mental health and perseverance. The main character Kennedy is forced to face his issues from his past and present. That confrontation is something we wanted to make sure to capture.

Second, it was meaningful for us to make the main characters black, for it is not something we see often in graphic novels. Even though the characters are black, we believe the message and themes within the story can relate to all demographics.

Third, this project is special because it produced my first film and my first book, in what I anticipate being a long career of writing and creation. Thinking of this project from its inception and being able to see it through to creation is a special, meaningful feeling.

Fourth, Love Conquers All was shot in various locations throughout Northern California, including Oakland, Sacramento, and Vallejo. We feel this is meaningful because – in comparison to Southern California – the northern part of the state doesn’t get as much recognition in regard to film, although there is certainly a vibrant scene to be captured.

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

My name is Janell Grace. I am a filmmaker and writer from Carson, CA. I founded my own production company in 2020 named Nelly Nell Productions. The goal is to produce films and literature that evoke meaningful thoughts within individuals and discussions amongst groups. We intend to create stories that display the human experience in as raw a form as possible, in hopes that exposure to various walks of life can aid in bringing us closer as people.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

The making of the film, Love Conquers All, was meet with multiple barriers along the way. To begin, writing the script alone was a challenge. We knew the words we wanted, but getting them across in a conveying manner wasn’t easy. Then once we managed to complete writing the script and complete casting, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. This pushed our production back by over 1 year. It took lots of resilience to get through that time of unknowns, not knowing what actors would still be able to participate, or which locations we would still be able to secure. In the end, everything worked out!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

It is very rewarding when something that you create in your head – from absolutely nothing – can come out as a piece of art that other people enjoying consuming. The fact that people are even WILLING to give my ideas a chance is very humbling. It plays heavily into my sense of purpose when my view of the world can be examined and respected by others      

Contact Info:

• Website: nellynellproductions.com
• Instagram: @loveconquersall_2022