We recently connected with Michael Williams and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, thanks for joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

Growing up, my favorite movie was Beetlejuice. It is my earliest film memory. I was also obsessed with Indiana Jones (Temple of Doom to be specific), and Batman Returns. Most parents might think those films are too dark for a kid. However, I had (and still do) a very active imagination. I didn’t know it, but I was consuming movies, stories, and visual storytelling that would influence me as a filmmaker. My parents, Van and Abbe, allowed me to explore my imagination, my interests, and my dreams. When I decided to go to film school, my parents supported it when most parents wouldn’t. When I decided to open my own film production company after college, they never doubted it. Even when I made a post-apocalyptic adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, my parents did everything possible to support that film and every film before and after it. Now, I’m starting my own herbal business to share my passion for plants and herbs, and my parents support that crazy dream too. They’ve never questioned my dreams, aspirations, and entrepreneurial spirit. For all parents out there, the worst thing you can do is squash or diminish your child’s spirit. They were born to be something special, and their inherent interests, talents, and aspirations are leading them to that special purpose.

Michael, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

When I’m not aspiring to be a hobbit and live out my shire fantasy, I am a writer, director, and cinematographer. I write and direct my own films and work as a cinematographer for other filmmaker’s projects. I also travel the country as a commercial director/shooter. Currently, I am developing and pitching two feature film projects. My previous two features, OZLAND (2015) and THE ATONING (2017), we successful independent films for their budget levels, however, these two new projects are much larger in scale and require more resources and a more substantial budget. The first film is a psychological thriller titled ROSEMARY and the other is a queer, sci-fi, comedy called OUT IN THE OPEN. While my producers and I work to find a path to production for these projects, I continue to work in the film industry on other projects. When I’m not on set, I spend a lot of time in the garden which has led me to fulfill a longtime dream of mine. I have just launched a speciality herb, tea, and spice company called The Great Catsby Herb Cartel to supply small batch and seasonal herbal and medicinal products made from the plants I grow in my garden. It’s an exciting creative endeavor for me that will allow me to share the full scope of my passions as a creative with people.

I’m so thankful that I am able, even when times are tough, to continue to pursue my dreams as a filmmaker and express myself in everything I do whether it be on set or in the garden. I love to create worlds and can do it with a camera or with a box of seeds.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

From 2010 to 2015, I had a storefront for my production company in West Point, MS. I was making the majority of my living with that business doing weddings and having a lot of local and regional clients. However, I was stuck, in a way, and unable to dive as deep into my film career as I wanted. While I had flexibility to close shop as needed and work on a film, I was still a bit stifled. I decided to make the leap, move my production company’s operation to my home office, and begin to change my client base and work structure to make that transition work. It was a time of uncertainty, but I looked at my dreams and future aspirations. To make those a reality, I had to make a change. So, sometimes you have to make a leap, go to an uncomfortable or uncertain place, and trust your gut (and consult the long list of pros and cons you’ve made for that decision). In the end, it has worked out for me. I have been able to get more work that allows me to have more time to experience life, pursue my own projects, and even open a new herb company!

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Building an audience on social media is a daunting task. I’ve been building my social media presence for decades on some platforms (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube). I used to read all the advice and try to play the game. It was exhausting. While it worked, I think we can take a note from Tiktok and how social media has changed since 2020. I think the best social media presence is the most authentic. While I do put thought into some of what I post on my personal social media, I’ve taken a more intuitive approach this year. If I want to post, I will. If I don’t, I won’t. The content itself is less curated than before. I think authenticity is better for your audience and more enjoyable for you. I don’t question as much about how a post will do on social media or if it will get more followers. It does cross my mind, and I do hope for good engagement. However, I don’t worry too much about it. I am also less self-conscious and critical than before. That change has been great on my mental health and relationship to social media. I even take this approach on my business pages. I’d rather have fun, be authentic, and not stress too much about what, when, and how often I post. It’s a moving target on what will work with the algorithm or catch your audience’s attention. So, why stress? Now, that may not be the best advice and social media managers are not likely to agree. Those are the experts who truly know how to run successful social media account, and I am just a filmmaker and aspiring hobbit. Running my own social media needs to work for me and my schedule. I can’t stress too much about social media while also trying to achieve my goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shendopen.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/shendopen
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/shendopenproductions
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-williams-8a16a0175/
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/shendopen
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/shendopen
• Other: The Great Catsby Herb Cartel Links: www.catsbyherbcartel.com https://linktr.ee/catsbyherbcartel

Image Credits
Studio Headshot Credit goes to Cody Moore of Babble House