We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Yasmin Neal a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Yasmin, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
Tenacity and desire to never give up. You will never be successful if you always give up and if you dont try
Yasmin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a filmmaker outside of being an elected official in the Ga House of Representatives. I am a writer/director/producer. I write for film and television. I started writing when I was a child. It started as short stories and poetry and eventually progressed to films. I try to write films that tell multifaceted stories with minority characters as leads. I like to teach through really good storytelling. Primarily because that is what we are missing in todays market. I am proud of a number of things related to filmmaking and have won a lot of awards. I am humbled to have been the finalist runner up for the nationwide Jack Daniels filmmaker search; where my film premiered in Atlanta and Miami during African American Black Film Festival. I am proud fo being the runner up at the Morehouse FIlm Festival for the “Spike Lee Award” but I am most proud of my short film “Target Practice” starring child actor “Jahlil Muhammed” and Tyler Perry lead actor “Travis Cure.” This film was shared by the legendary Viola Davis and since then was viewed by millions across the world. In that moment; it was so special because there are blockbuster films/oscar winning films that have not had that viewership nor respect. When people hear my name or see my project pop on their screens; I want them to say and feel deep down, “Man! This is about to be really good!”
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I cant say what I had to unlearn, but what I learned. I learned that in this business; you need to grind like no one is going to help you. Because they will not. Especially when you are starting out you will have to build for yourself. I had to learn that people will not just “put you on.” This includes if they are your friends in the same industry. I have seen groups or friendships in the space that really help one another get into filmmaking at a larger level; but I have also seen it where people won’t help one another at all. But I have found when you continue to work to build long lasting relationships and do the work on you own by “any means necessary” the blessings kind of start finding their way to you.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
You only leave once. We only live once. Film and TV is the number one option of escapism for people. Some people go to the movies to go to another place they have never been before. Some people may not ever travel the world or may never be able to; but they can through visual media. People may never fall in love or become the richest person on earth; but they can be transported through media. I would love to leave a legacy in film and politics that makes people have so much joy and hope in their daily lives that they are always inspired to dream through an action that I have taken or a film or show I created.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: megayazzy (for film) and staterepyasminneal (for politics)
- Facebook: Director Yasmin Neal
- Linkedin: Yasmin Neal
Image Credits
email me for new headshot and extra photos