We were lucky to catch up with Trei Hill recently and have shared our conversation below.

Trei, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I’ve earned a full time living working as an Adjunct College Instructor, Post Production Services (editing, VFX), and I’m adding my drone operation skills and my podcast into that list soon. The bottomline is, creatives traded security for freedom. It’s tough to get someone to pay you to create. I’ve been paid to direct a couple of smaller projects, but I’m so grateful for the lifestyle I’ve built for myself. While in undergrad, I work 2 jobs (Wal Mart & Geico) in order to afford school. Then I spent several years as a Production Assistant for many amazing movies and shows. Financially speaking, I should have turned my book in and became an Assistant Director so I could make a lot of money pretty quickly. The problem was, I wasn’t creating, and I would ask any Producer, Director, Actor, that would listen to me, “WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO BECOME A DIRECTOR!?” They all say a similar mantra as if they all had a meeting together before I approached them; “Go make your movie! Then do it again!” I still didn’t have the resources, people, or confidence, to make work I could be proud of, so I decided to go gain my Masters in Film & TV. I used my time in grad school as a safe space to experiment and find my cinematic voice. I knew when I got out, that would really be all I had, or I could just go back to the Assistant Director world that burned me out. Not all the short films I made were great, but that was the point. Man, did I bite off more than I could chew; attempting complex VFX, large set pieces, and trying to create the standards I saw on the big budgets sets into mine. But on the other side of those attempts, I felt so comfortable to be able to film whatever I wanted. By time I graduated, I had made so many films, worked with so many amazing collaborators, learned so many skills, and post-production software, I pretty much had consistent gigs because so many people know my skills. Of course having a passion to pass along knowledge makes me a great asset for the colleges I instruct at. I do not walk onto a big Hollywood lot every morning, but I wake up, and teach film, read and watch films, work on films with amazing colleagues, and then do it again the next day. A far cry from when I work full time in a cubicle and part time at a retail store on the weekends (lets not forget the pyramid scheme during the evenings). I’m not as wealthy as I could have been if I joined the DGA Union as an AD, but my career is in the palm of my hands. I’m excited about the process of getting my first feature together and I know it’s only going as smooth as it is, because I chose to submerge myself into the process. The only thing that really could have sped the process up is if I knew that I wanted to direct at a younger age. I played college football and that was my thing until I got injured. Then I limped into a cubicle and a retail store to survive, and eventually gave myself the chance to discover the next part of my journey. I don’t really separate those chapters in my life from my film career, because all those experiences make me the efficient and inspirational filmmaker I’ve become.

Trei, 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?

I am a film director from Germantown, Maryland. I always had a passion performing and organizing for school plays, bands, and chorus, but I zeroed in on American football. It gave me two herniated disc, a torn ACL, and at least two concussions, but it taught me discipline, integrity, and endurance that helps me conquer obstacles while filming. I joined Division 1 football programs at University of Alabama-Birmingham and Alabama A&M University. Hip Hop and music in general has also been large in my life. I performed and hosted hip hop events throughout the country until attending the Art Institute of Washington. Being on stage is so exciting and it gives me a great perspective when directing actors.

I first taught for the “Gandhi Brigade,” a Silver Spring, MD Non-Profit Organization with classes that teach PSA and socially conscious documentary production. This period of time also featured several music & kickstarter events I would host as Maestro of Ceremonies. I’ve spent years working on large budget film productions as a production assistant. Productions range from Netflix House of Cards, Jason Bourne, Black Lightning, Loving, Bad Moms Christmas, Ghostbusters, and several more. After obtaining an MFA in the Graduate Film & Television Program at Savannah College of Art & Design in Atlanta, Georgia, I instructed at two colleges. Now, me and my family have just moved to Amsterdam and I’m very excited about the development of my first feature film.

The type of projects I like to make are ones that genuinely feel like they can create discussion around an issue I care about. I enjoy coming-of age and idealistic romantic comedies though, science fiction is my favorite. The resourcefulness and problem-solving it takes to depict fantasy cinema is daunting, but it’s the decisions based on character and conflict that make even the most primitive visual effects timeless. My favorite fantasy films vividly depict the hierarchy of existence within our world or Afro-futurist perspectives. Sci-fi creators are tasked to conceptualize future extremisms while understanding our past in order to submerge viewers inside the best and worst of our capabilities. This propels us to the next era. I love the excitement fellow science fiction fans display when we recognize each other and chat. My films are a fulfilling experience from development to exhibition for everyone. I love being responsible for everyone having a positive, fulfilling experience throughout their work day. These stories convey kindness to yourself, knowing yourself, believing in your uniqueness, and being good for goodness sake.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The day before we began filming my short film, “Child:Indigo,” I had to wake up first thing in the morning, pick up a U Haul, and go to each of the places that I rented equipment from. No one was available to help that day, so I drove to the prop place and loaded all the crazy set pieces, I went to the grip and lighting place to get equipment, etc. The day is getting ahead of me and business hours are about to end, so properly strapping down all the expensive equipment was near impossible with the time restraints I’m given. The whole time I’m answering phone calls, setting up particular elements with my Cinematographer, 1st AD, location reps, and talent. As I drive to my last stop to get a couple of filters and a matte box, I see that the place is about to close before I can get there. As I call them (the rental place), I hear all this expensive equipment in the back of the truck banging and sliding around, and I’m worried if by time we start filming the next morning, all that will be there is a bunch of broken equipment and crippling debt with all the rental services. As I plea to the rental rep on the phone, he explains he will not wait for me. I try to stall for time, but as we speak, I make a turn, then the right side view mirror rams into a pole on the corner of the street, and slams into the passenger window, smashing it into pieces and all over me. I’m now begging to the rep as blood and sweet drip down my face as I drive to the location. I get there and of course he has hung up, and all the lights are out and they’re locked up. I parked the U haul in front of our location for the first day, and just sat there until I feel asleep. Eventually, I woke up, and caught an Uber home to clean myself up and head right back to the set for our first day of principal photography. I still don’t think any of the crew members know about this story, but I’ve done so many stressful things in my past for money, or as an assistant on other peoples’ set, that I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I knew I didn’t do even more for my goals. Also, I know that if I expect my crew to take their time and energy and place into one of my projects full heartedly, then I should be able to go even further.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I’ve had to unlearn all the immense patience and mutability I have as a people pleaser. It’s all romantic to say that everyone on my set is happy and enjoys working with me, but I’ve had to learn to prioritize what’s in the frame. I have to get clear messages to all my crew, so that we make the movie the best it can be. Yea, I will take the brunt of most issues if need be, and yes I make sure my AD is the “bad cop” to my “good cop,” but I’ve had to really focus on the picture that appears on the monitor, and don’t settle for less. Even if it’s going to annoy someone, even if someone doesn’t feel like doing it, I have to be the voice of the vision so that we aren’t all out here only to produce a mediocre project. Like my football coach did for us so long ago, I have to be, whatever I have to be, in order to deliver the best product, and when I do that, we all have an amazing film we’ve worked on that can propel our careers to the next project.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.treihill.com
• Instagram: @treihill
• Facebook: trei hill
• Youtube: the new filmosophy