Today we’d like to introduce you to Starling Thomas.
Starling, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Writing and film has always been my passion. Maybe it was sparked when I was eight and sat next to Spike Lee at a family function back in the 90s or met August Wilson after working on his play Fences with mother when I was 12. Like anything, mastery takes time, however, that time was interrupted when I was indicted by the federal government on trumped-up charges. Guilty by association is not a cliche, it’s fact and when they say be careful who your friends are is one the most ignored advice I wish I had listened to. In 2016, I went trial in the fight of my life against one of the most powerful entities in the world: The United States Government. Because I executed my constitutional right to a fair trial the government superseded the indictment and charged me with 13 counts, vs the one I was facing originally.
I was facing over 100 years if sentenced to the max on each count. There were no victims, no evidence and no one to testify directly against me. There was a slew of false information and false witness statements of people who never actually appeared in court. After a three day trial, I lost, convicted of 11 counts and immediately snatched from my life, labeled a convict and tossed into the criminal justice system. Before this case, I’d never been convicted of a crime nor spent a day in the general population in jail. I thought my life was over and all of the dreams I had been working so hard to achieve were now worthless. The judge didn’t care if I had worked on prime time shows that were currently airing on TV, or that I had 25 letters from friends, family, professors and colleagues attesting to my character.
In his eyes, I didn’t accept responsibility for my actions and therefore should be punished accordingly. But how could I accept responsibility for something I did not do. After the initial shock of my county jail stay, a bat with depression, my identity stripped and life dwindled to an inmate number I decided I wasn’t going to let them win like that. They sentenced me to 42 months in a federal prison in Ft. Worth. They took my time but I would never let them take my mind. During my incarceration, I wrote six features, three shorts and ten episode series. I wrote my memoir Orange is Not the New Black and taught other women how to write their stories. Two years later, I won my appeal, all charges were overturned and immediately released.
The government was mad, I mean really mad. They don’t like to lose. But the truth is the truth and they should have never charged me in the first place. After my release, I moved back to Dallas where I re-launched my film company Starling Films. One of the shorts I wrote during my imprisonment went on the win best screenplay at a film festival and we went into production last year. That film is currently in the festival circuit and been screened at two festivals. Although it has taken some time to rebuild my brand, moving back to Dallas was the best thing I could have done. I am currently a writer on #WASHED, a TV series filmed here in Dallas. I teach screenwriting classes and sit on the board with Dallas Film Alliance and currently gearing to shoot a local music video and conference next month. I am also an advocate for incarcerated women and girls as a speaker for the Faces of Women Imprisoned and my podcast Fresh Out Tha Feds will be airing next year when my book drops. Starling films is a multifaceted production company and the vision is even stronger than before. Our mission is to create dope shit that not only touches lives but educates and makes a difference in the community.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think my life has ever been a smooth road and I wouldn’t be who I am today if it was. The path to greatness is never a straight line and whoever says it is, is lying. The biggest struggle for me was rebuilding my life after incarceration. I mean, I totally fell off the map unwillingly. I had a timeline of success in my head and when I went to prison everything came to a screeching halt. Thankfully I am blessed with a supportive family that believes in me and was there through the whole process.
Tell us about your company. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
Starling Films is a company that specializes in the aesthetic creation of art imitating life. Our most recent project Harvest, a film about organ harvesting has been making some waves in the film festival circuit. We also teach screenwriting classes, as well as take on various projects such as writing screenplays, shooting documentaries, short films, music videos and commercial events. So many people do what we do but they don’t have the passion and drive that we have. I am not one to hit you over the head with our fees because we can. We work with budgets of all sizes.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
It’s important not to compare yourself to anybody else’s success. This is your race, your marathon that has a timing just for you. As long as you are determined and have the drive to push through any obstacle that comes your way.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.starlingthomas.com
- Email: starlingfilmsent@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/therealstarling
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