Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jillian Holt. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jillian, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

Independent film is in its “wild wild west,” stage. With the advancement of software and the affordability of cameras, the art of filmmaking has become more accessible to the masses. People are shooting feature films for under 60K. The biggest trend right now in independent film is to go with an AVOD (advertising-based video-on-demand) streaming service. It’s easier than ever to get your independent film to the masses. with the help of a distributor. With that, it’s a major opportunity for filmmakers to build an audience and even make a profit from their films. Filmmakers who understand their audience and take the time to market to that audience have the potential to profit enough to keep making films. A concern with this is that people are jumping into film, without doing their due diligence or understanding the business. They are not taking the time to study and learn the art of filmmaking concerning screenwriting, lighting, sound, etc. They are releasing films with issues in multiple fields of filmmaking causing the audience to mock and make fun of films. Anyone who has made a film knows how much work and how hard it is to bring one to completion. Therefore, taking the time to learn the craft will not only help you as a filmmaker but other filmmakers who may happen to be on the same platform who also work hard on their films.

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

I started my own film production company, SoShabanky Productions in 2010. After being a teacher for many years, I happened upon a screenwriting book and was immediately drawn to the craft. With that, I decided to go back to school and become formally trained in film. I attended Cleveland State University and obtained a degree in film and digital media. From there I wrote a digital series, Langston Tributes, and have been writing ever since. I am an independent contractor and have written for several different production companies and producers. What sets me apart from others is that I work on my craft daily. I have five feature films streaming now on Tubi with four more coming soon that are currently in post-production. I am most proud of the connections I’ve made in the industry with fellow filmmakers who take the art and craft seriously. This is a “who you know,” business so to be connected to so many amazing filmmakers is a blessing I’ll never take for granted.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

What helped me build my reputation within my market was networking and consistency. I show support to fellow filmmakers in a number of ways. I repost and share other filmmaker’s work as well as attend film premieres from colleagues. I attend local film networking events where I meet and mingle with filmmakers from all over. I also am an active member of Women & Television Ohio. Aside from making my presence known in the local industry, I also am always working on a film. Whether it is working on a Hollywood studio production or a smaller independent film, I stay active and involved in the industry.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The goal driving my creative journey is to make projects I am proud of with philosophical conflict that an audience will relate to. I write for a historically underserved audience, the urban audience. Right now there is a renaissance in black cinema thanks to AVOD streaming services that are giving BIPOC an opportunity to tell their own stories, in their own way, in a variety of genres. That has never happened before in the history of film. I am very proud to be a part of this and plan on keeping this journey going indefinitely.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: soshabanky
• Facebook: Jillian Holt
• Linkedin: Jillian Holt M.Ed
• Twitter: soshabanky