Interview with Writer & Director TJ Chester of “Running with Wolves”

Q: Give a background of your personal experience with the story, writing, production and marketing?
TJ Chester: My personal experience with Running with Wolves goes back several years. Running with Wolves is a film adaption of my 2009, three-part book series, Running with Wolves. My team and I had gotten off to a rough start. We were actually in pre-production for three years, spending a great deal of time promoting and marketing the project and driving people to our Facebook page.

Q: Did you start writing with a cast (You or any) in mind?
TJ Chester: No, I didn’t write with any specific cast in mind.

Q: How long did you take to complete the script? (Do you have a writing process?)
TJ Chester: It only took a couple of months to write Running with Wolves. Because it’s inspired by my three-part book series, technically, the story was already told. So, you can say the screenplay actually wrote itself. Formulating character driven stories is vital during the writing process. This may sound strange, but I have to mentally develop the character, embrace the character, and actually become the character, before starting the writing process.

Q: When did you form your production company – and what was the original motivation for its formation?
TJ Chester: I formed my production company in 2015. My motivation for its formation? As an African-American, woman, filmmaker, I have been constantly faced with the challenge of obtaining a support system that not only believes in me but believes in my talent for storytelling, producing and directing.

The lack of support is what kept me from reaching my filmmaking goals in the past; at least that’s what it felt like at the time. People didn’t take me seriously, but I wasn’t going to let them stomp all over my dreams. I knew what I wanted and went for it.

Q: What was the first project out of the gate?
TJ Chester: Running with Wolves is the first project, which is currently in production.

Q: During production, what scene (that made the cut) was the hardest to shoot?
TJ Chester: Since we are still in production, I can only predict the scene that will be the most intricate to shoot. There is a hostage scene 90 minutes into the film, which logistically speaking, is the most complicated scene and the scene that requires more than half of our budget.

Q: What works better in this latest production that mightn’t have worked so well in the last one you did?
TJ Chester: Since this is my first production, I can only comment on what I anticipate will be better the next time around; and that is scheduling. It is critical to prepare and present the most accurate schedule possible

BEFORE recruiting cast and crew. Although there is probably nothing anyone can do to prevent any changes at all, having something fairly concrete helps to eliminate any potential scheduling conflicts and indicates who will be most likely remain committed throughout the project. Money matters, but I want people who are in this for the love of film.

Q: You produced and directed the film, what measure of input did it take to don these hats?
TJ Chester: It’s certainly not easy producing and directing a film for the first time. If earning a Master of Fine Arts degree isn’t enough, I’ve spent a great deal of time on movie sets, gaining as much experience as I could to prepare me for my directorial debut. This also allowed me to strengthen my communication and leadership skills, which allow me to run a movie set with confidence.

Q: Is there anything about the independent filmmaking business you still struggle with?
TJ Chester: Yes, there are several things I struggle with, but there is one battle in particular that just won’t go away. As an independent filmmaker, I still struggle with obtaining funding to get my projects off the ground. My team and I spend a great deal of time researching grant programs and sponsorship, but it’s always difficult to find anyone to fund the projects.

Q: Where do you think your strengths line as a filmmaker?
TJ Chester: As a filmmaker, I have a tenacity for perfection, am calm under stress and always focus through distractions, all while maintaining maximum levels of creativity.

Q: Let’s talk finance, how did you finance the film?
TJ Chester: Unfortunately, I was unable to procure any funding. I am currently relying on personal funds to finance the film.

Q: How much did you go over budget? How did you manage it?
TJ Chester: Fortunately, going over budget hasn’t been an issue. I work with what I have.

Q: How important is marketing? Do you think a project can make any dent without it these days?
TJ Chester: Marketing is very important. I’m absolutely sure projects won’t survive without it! Believe it or not, people are waiting for the next great film, and us filmmakers need to reach out to them. After all, they are the ones who are going to share our content, giving us the exposure needed to produce a successful film.

Q: Can you tell us about your marketing activities on the project – and how it’s gone for you?
TJ Chester: My marketing activities consist of social media, Facebook and Twitter, for the project. Why? Because pretty much all movie goers use some form of social media; it establishes legitimacy for the film and gives people something to look forward to. Creating short videos and movie posters have especially been a powerful tool for driving traffic to the film.

Q: What do you hope audiences get from your film?
TJ Chester: My mission is to produce and market memorable, award-winning film, and television productions that will captivate audiences worldwide. I hope audiences get enjoyment, satisfaction and fulfillment from my film.

Q: What else have you got in the works?
TJ Chester: Despite the many obstacles and set-backs I’ve encountered on a daily basis, I managed to continue to stay focused and move forward towards obtaining my goals. I have several, completed, feature film, projects ready to go into production.

Follow TJ Chester on Social Media
Website
IMDb
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube