Today we’d like to introduce you to CJ Childress.
CJ, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
When I was a kiddo I wanted to either be a photojournalist or go to Hollywood and produce films. I was fascinated with how photographers where capturing the Gulf War and how producers brought movies like CLUELESS to life. In 2011 after a decent stint as a Dallas ISD school teacher I began a career as a freelance writer and side hustling photographer.
My first “real” camera was actually a Canon film camera. I lived on the outskirts of downtown at The Southside of Lamar lofts at the time. I would get on DART and practice shooting all over downtown Dallas and Deep Ellum. Many of the photos I captured that summer are still my favorites of all time. Learning to shoot on a film camera taught me patience since you only have 24 exposures per roll of film 🙂
In 2018 I decided to take my passion for filmmaking and combine it with my love for photography to launch a video production company. I work with Dallas and Houston based brands that NEED to STEP OUTSIDE THE BOX and set themselves apart in their niche. It’s been a pretty rad and scary and beautiful ride so far!
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
As a Videographer, Photographer and Filmmaker I LOVE to work with fearless brands who want to reinvent their image and use the power of video and photography to do so!
My personal work as a filmmaker is all about telling the stories that many women never get to tell from behind the camera. My upcoming short films are a cross between documentary, horror, and thriller. As a woman in this predominately male industry I know just how crucial it is to tell the stories that will empower women. I also know that I have to work twice as hard sometimes to gain video production clients because this is a field of expertise that men lead the pack in. But, that only just encourages me to think even MORE outside the box, just like I encourage my clients to do.
I truly think we can ALL be superstars! If you have a vision for your brand, then there is no reason it can’t come to life on your terms. A little creative mojo from a petite Texan (me) can give your brand the push it need to get there!
What do you think it takes to be successful as an artist?
I define success by your level of mentorship and how you have monetized your art in a way that feels authentic. I aspire to become a source of mentorship and inspiration for young people, especially young women, who desire to enter into the world of filmmaking and video production. For me that will feel incredibly satisfying once I get to that point. Even now, I ALWAYS answer every DM question I receive from others who are launching their visual art careers and offer any insight I can that will best serve them. When you begin generating enough income to cover ALL of your expenses, put money away for retirement, and can travel often from your art, that’s success to me. But here’s the catch: the success really comes from knowing that you re making that level of income from offering services and products that are full of integrity and feel in alignment with your core values. For example, there were times when I was a freelance writer that I often accepted assignments that I didn’t enjoy. In the end this lead to feeling dissatisfied and burnt out. In other words, “don’t be a sell-out”. As long as you’re not making money just for making money sake, then I truly believe you will begin to FEEL successful by making your craft your living.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork? You can connect with me on Instagram and Twitter! Instagram.com/shotbycjchildress – it’s my FAVE way to network and connect with awesome spirits! Twitter.com/iamcjchildress – it’s a wonderful place to send me a direct message as well :-). I load photos and videos of my work on Instagram every week and consistently check Twitter for exciting news happening in Dallas.
Contact Info:
- Address: 10950 Stone Canyon Drive, Dallas TX 75230
- Website: http://cjchildressmakesfilms.tumblr.com
- Phone: 4695716807
- Email: choliajchildress@gmail.com
- Instagram: shotbycjchildress
- Twitter: iamcjchildress
Image Credit:
CJ Childress
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