We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marques Womack a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Marques, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I’d be lying if I said the journey to becoming a filmmaker is smooth. There are so many factors to consider, and many of them are out of your control. We can’t determine if there’s work or how big the budget for a project is, especially in the early stages. This is speaking from both an independent and union film worker perspective.

With that being said, I don’t regret going down this path. My happiness stems from my creativity. When I’m creating films or shows, I know I’m truly walking in my life’s purpose.

Before I started working in the film industry full-time, I was a long-time manager at Papa John’s and a Honda warehouse associate. While those jobs provided me stability, there were no outlets for me to implement my creative nature. It felt like I was inside a box, solely working just to pay bills and nothing else. The work also became so tiring that it became hard for me to create or work on creative projects.

I really took a leap of faith when I quit. This was the first time I took a shot at being a freelance worker. Things didn’t pan out how I wanted them to but this was right before the pandemic hit, and once it did I was able to stay inside without worrying about expenses. That allowed me to restructure my filmmaking business.

A few months passed and I eventually received a job offer to work on a Sony TV show, Woke season 2, that would later stream on Hulu. This was my introduction to the union film world. This led to me working on TV show after TV. From Warner Bros. to Tyler Perry shows, and even Starz. Life was great and my jobs felt secure… until the actor’s strike hit.

SAG-AFTRA had such a huge impact on the industry, that it left me without work for months, and even after the strike ended, the industry was struggling to pick back up. As of January 2025, many production companies still have not fully recovered.

Working in this industry definitely has its benefits, but it had me wondering; what happens if I never get a call back for work? No surprise here, I decided to take a stab at freelancing again. When I have these slow periods of no work, it gets harder and harder to not think about corporate America. But working in the film industry for so long (4 years), it is hard to adjust to a 9-5, The pay rates are lower on average, the hours are different, the expectations are different, and worst of all, unlike film and TV, Many 9-5’s have no endgame. It’s the same thing every day. In the film industry, we have a project that we can watch when it’s all said and done then get ready for the next one after a little time off.

Some people step away from this industry as a whole because of its inconsistency. Good thing I’m not “some people”. I can’t go back to the corporate world permanently, I’ve come too far in the film & TV industry. This is a dream I’ve had since I was 6 years old. A few rough patches won’t defer a lifelong goal.

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’m Marques Womack, an Atlanta-born independent filmmaker. I moved around a lot in my early childhood, living in Atlanta, Stockbridge, Denver Colorado, and finally Richmond Va before coming back to Atlanta for College. I graduated from Clark Atlanta University with a degree in film.

I was about 6 years old when I decided I wanted to become a director and producer. My inspiration came from watching old Godzilla movies and seeing the BTS footage. I was amazed by the process of set building and costume design. Even at that moment, I knew I didn’t want to directly build sets or make costumes but I wanted to oversee the entire production and execute my vision through a camera.

I took an editing class in middle school as an extracurricular activity. I made short films, skits, intro videos, music videos, and more. I eventually won the “Artist of the Future” award for my achievements in the program. But it wasn’t until my sophomore year in college that I would take my filmmaking to the next level.

After years of working on my directorial and producer skills, I officially launched Womack Productions LLC.

I know the struggles of making a movie, so my goal is to help as many independent filmmakers as I can produce their projects. Whether it’s just some work in post, help writing a treatment, or help with direction, I work on all phases of production from prep to post.

I want everyone to have an opportunity to create and showcase their works. A lack of equipment, personnel, or direction has never stopped me from creating, and I won’t let it stop any client of mine either.

When you watch any of my projects, I want the auteur to speak for itself. The colors, tones, sounds, movements, and characters, all should be symbolic of my style. I want viewers to sit in disbelief and have fun when watching my films.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

If you’re on the outside looking in, you will never truly understand the burdens a filmmaker goes through. Even the reduction of the many roles on set to just filmmakers gives a simplified idea of what it is we. There are many people that make up a film crew and that size will vary based on the budget and project. An indie commercial or music video won’t have the same number of crew as a summer blockbuster or a primetime TV series.

When I’m working on my own projects, I often wear most of the hats. I become the grip, gaffer, sound mixer, crafty person, camera operator, customer, editor, and of course the director, writer, and producer. Typically there are many people for each of those roles, to combine them all into one person can be very taxing and time-consuming, and on set, time is money. If the budget doesn’t allow for me to extend, it means all the work has to be done in the time provided. To ensure that, I plan ahead, months ahead of time. I need a storyboard, shot list, location scouts, and so much more things need to happen before a camera is even turned on.

And you know what the best part about all of this? I don’t get paid to make my own films. That’s something that comes down the line. I don’t make a dollar, but I will spend several thousands to make it happen, And this is something I choose. Why you may ask, it’s simple. If I don’t showcase my talent as a filmmaker to the fullest capacity, then I have no credibility. No credibility means no offers from investors or big studios. It often only takes one deal for a big tv series or feature film to change someone’s life forever. That can be a writing deal, a directing job, or being attached as a producer.

I regret none of this because I love what I do and I know it will all pay off. For anybody who was questioning if they should make that purchase for that new guitar, that fancy microphone, the domain for your website, or hire that marketing team for your brand, go ahead and do it. It’s not a dumb purchase if you’re investing in yourself. The reward will be worth it if the necessary effort is made.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being an independent filmmaker is the ability to say I made something that reaches people and is still true to me. As a black filmmaker, my goal is to create projects full of people who look like me without being portrayed in the same old stereotypes we’ve seen for 40 years. I’m making a world of entertainment that can be enjoyed by all but still have black people in the limelight.

I would love to see black people attending magical schools and fighting evil wizards or teaming up to fight universe-erasing aliens that collect stones for ultimate power. When I write my scripts I have the freedom to do just that, and as I go further on my journey the closer I get to making my first blockbuster.

The joy of creating within itself is a reward that is unmatched!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.womackproductions.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womackproductions/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomackProductionsLLC
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/?trk=seo-authwall-base_sign-in-submit
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBiA72EShH6ecfwy4cWG4uQ
• Other: Film Page Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WomackProductionsllc?app=desktop
  Personal IG: https://www.instagram.com/quesrhymebooks/?hl=en

Image Credits

Kevin Chappell – BTS PHOTOGRAPHY (forest shots only)
Courtney Collins – BTS PHOTOGRAPHY (nail salon and megaphone pic)