Today we’d like to introduce you to Chyna Robinson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Chyna. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My parents told me that I could conquer the world. At some point, I started believing them. My father was a nationally recognized journalist and I wanted to be as good as he was. I remember entering and winning my first writing competition in the 3rd grade. I thought, “I can get used to this.” I wrote and produced my first play, When Love Is Not Enough, while 8 1⁄2 months pregnant. There’s nothing like a due date to encourage beating a deadline. We debuted to a sold-out crowd. I’ve been pushing ever since (scripts, not babies).
I’ve since written and directed several other dramatic scripts for the stage. I’ve never been one to stay inside of a box, so my next step was something that wasn’t being done. I wrote and directed a production based on a classic holiday favorite. With a cast of 92 professional actors and dancers and community children of all colors and ethnicities, I put on the “Milk Chocolate Nutcracker.” Black ballerinas, a Chinese dance troupe, a Mayan group, an African dance and drum company, an Asian hip hop dancer, and others. I wanted to create something beautiful, and this was beautiful for two years.
Again, it was time for me to do something different. I decided to write and produce a series of murder mysteries for Buttons Restaurant in Addison and Fort Worth. I hired a full cast of amazing actors and some of the best musicians in the area. The first show, A Scandal in Harlem, set in the 1930’s, sold out every show. Following that first murder mystery series, Murder in Motown, Jinxed and the Juke Joint, Murder at the N’awlins Ball, and A Haunted Hallow’s Eve followed, with every show selling out. These were some of my favorite projects. The actors had a great time, as did the audiences, and the word kept spreading. The mysteries have become a popular request for corporate celebrations and team building events.
Of course, after eight successful years of writing scripts and directing for stage (and restaurants, lol), it was time for me to knock down a new door. It was time to move on to film.
My first experience on a film set came while I was enrolled years before, at Texas Christian University as an English and RTVF Production double-major. A Grammy award-winning manager and Indie film producer saw something in me. He became a mentor to me and invited me to be a part of the production crew for the feature he was working on, The Lawn Boy (released 2008) and then Small Timers (released 2011). Both served as an introduction to the hands-on experience that would help me when I decided to tackle my first film. I was allowed to work or assist with just about every job on set.
After touring to Tulsa with one of my stage productions, a resident mentioned the town of Greenwood and suggested I look up its history. I did and I was horrified. I was horrified at what happened and also that it was never mentioned in any history books. I’d never seen it on television. It was Tulsa’s secret.
I got tons of advice. The thing I kept hearing was, “Don’t do a period piece for your first film.” Of course, that’s exactly what I did. I wrote and produced my first short film in 2016. “Greenwood,” based on the true events of the 1921 attack on Black Wall Street, premiered in Cannes, France, in 2017. This short went on to screen at festivals across the world, garnering over 20 awards, including Best Short, Audience Choice Awards, Best Actor and Actress and others.
The next step was making my first feature, which turned out to be a romantic thriller. The way this film came to be was completely unplanned. I was working on a different script. I remember posting on social media when Jordan Peele won “Best Original Screenplay.” That same night Tracy Rector, the owner of the home I’d used in my short film, reached out to me about writing a film on domestic violence. She is the Chair of the Board of SafeHaven of Tarrant County, a Women’s domestic violence service provider. I immediately agreed. How often was it that an Independent writer and director gets this kind of opportunity? More importantly, I knew I wanted to use my voice to do something that mattered; something that could affect people.
The making of this film has opened several new doors and introduced me to new people. A highlight of this year was being honored at SXSW Film Festival as a “filmmaker to watch.”
“No Ordinary Love” was completed this year and will have its World Premiere at the Orlando Film Festival.
My life is like a jigsaw puzzle. Some of the borders have been done. Some of the middle pieces have come together perfectly. A picture is starting to form…a supportive husband that I am totally in love with, three fantastic kiddos, and a pretty good start to my dream career. In time, the puzzle will be complete and I just hope that it tells the story of this young girl who grew up and conquered the world.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s funny. It doesn’t matter how hard you work, there are always struggles and even dead ends sometimes. I believe it makes the reward even sweeter. In the theater/film world, nothing EVER goes as planned. There is always something that goes wrong at the last minute. In those times, you are forced to go to the next gear. I love that next gear.
Please tell us about your work.
CGB Films was founded in 2016, after several years in the theater world. The name came from 3/4 of the most important “things” in my life: my children. I do things that matter so that they will want to do things that matter.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I think there are different levels of success. For me, the first level of success is the completion of a project. Receiving good feedback, or someone telling me that my story impacted them or changed them for the better, is another level. As an Indie filmmaker, any opportunity to continue making art, is the goal. So being able to continue doing what you love, while influencing change, is the ultimate feeling of success.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ChynaRobinson.com
Image Credit:
Copyright CGB Films
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
