By Je’Don Holloway-Talley | For The Birmingham Times
Local indie Birmingham filmmaker Tyesha Brown doesn’t make up storylines for her films. She doesn’t have to.
“Most of the time, I’m writing from experiences or situations I’ve encountered,” she said. “You hear me say, ‘I can’t make this up’ and that’s what I mean. I’m always writing, regardless of what is going on around me because the thought of turning these pages into reality keeps me motivated.”
Brown’s productions are centered on urban stories, comedies, romantic comedies, and biopics.
Her latest project, ‘Checkmate,’ a romantic thriller that follows the story of a young couple who find themselves entangled in a dangerous game of love and betrayal has ties to her hometown.
“I love being able to produce films in Birmingham, and I’m always casting and hiring in the city. Not only is Birmingham beautiful, but the amount of talent in this city is insane,” she said. “I also teach film workshops and work with kids in the Birmingham City School system.”
She’s taught classes with The Flourish Alabama, a local non-profit geared towards community/cultural arts; Encore Theatre and Gallery, a community theater in the Roebuck Springs neighborhood and Make It Happen Theater Company, a community theatrical program.
Brown and her team filmed ‘Checkmate’ in June utilizing locations such as downtown Birmingham’s Wine Loft bar and lounge, The Mint House, Snatched BodiSpa in Adamsville, Oak Hill Cemetery in North Birmingham, a local jailhouse, and downtown luxury lofts– Station 21.
Unbeatable Work Ethic
Her personal experiences have also fueled Brown’s drive for success. The loss of her parents instilled an unbeatable work ethic.
“My only sibling is my [younger] sister Daphne, [36], and I’m not sure where I would be without her…,” Brown said. “We lost our parents when we were young. My dad was 32 when he passed from colon cancer [and] I was only 12, and my mom was 40 when she passed from breast cancer while I was in college at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. I was 21. But I was blessed to have them long enough to curate an unbeatable work ethic. If I’m in a bind, no one is coming to save me, so I need to be able to look out for myself, and my younger sister,” she said.
“Their absence drives me to create a fulfilling life because our time here is short– we’re here for a good time not a long time,” said Brown.
Industry Experience
The Ensley native and Ensley High School graduate has worked on numerous television and reality shows across CBS, ABC, and NBC as an associate and field producer. Her credits include NBC’s ‘The Voice’, and CBS’s ‘Big Brother’, ‘Survivor’, and ‘The Amazing Race’ and her expertise lies in story development, where she helps producers identify needs related to storytelling.
She splits her time between Los Angeles and Birmingham, staying on the West Coast during the industry’s peak season and returning home in between. However, the ripple effects of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA [Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists] labor strike led Brown to start her own company, IAMCLASSYBROWN Productions.
She earned a dual bachelor’s degree in journalism and film studies from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland in 2005 and was inspired to pursue filmmaking after a successful high school film project as part of Girls Inc.’s Snapshots pregnancy prevention program, and her first film, “Destani’s Eyes.”
“Through that program I learned a lot about film and television and that my ideas were valid and decided [the film industry] was where I wanted and needed to be,” said Brown. “…‘Destani’s Eyes’ was about a girl who lived in a foster home and journaled about her experiences… We won all kinds of awards for it” including a Sidewalk Film Festival award which connected her with a writer/showrunner out of Los Angeles who became her mentor, said Brown.
“Dayna Lynn North (Showrunner of HBO’s Insecure, Writer/EP for the Best Man Final Chapters, and more) has been instrumental in my success, and if it were not for Sidewalk we probably never would’ve crossed paths,” Brown said. “She mentored me throughout college, and when I finished, I moved to LA and her guidance and connections helped me build my career.”
Who You Know
The evolving film industry and value streaming platforms have brought to independent filmmakers are refreshing, she said.
“The indie film scene is growing and it’s important to me that Birmingham be a part of that, and being able to get your films on streaming platforms lets [independent filmmakers] know that it’s possible,” said Brown. “…
Breaking into the industry can be as much about who you know as it is about what you know, she said.
“Make it a point to connect with people, and don’t always approach it with the attitude of ‘what can I get?’ Figure out how you can serve, and people and things will serve you in return,” said Brown. “To anyone looking to make movies and need funding, I would suggest networking. Be sure to put yourself in rooms with people who can help you.”
She continued, “I’ve spent years working for and with other people, and although I’ve done tons [of projects] for myself, I’m really just now breaking off on my own in terms of my films being under my company and it’s starting to build momentum.”
Collaboration is also the key, she said.
“I’ve worked with a local filmmaker from here named Marques McConico on [an independent film called] ‘Juug Gong Wrong’ with Clifton Powell an NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his work in ‘Ray’, opposite Jamie Foxx, ‘Next Friday,’ and ‘Friday After Next’, opposite Ice Cube and Mike Epps, and the series BOUNCE Tv’s Saints & Sinners, that was also shot in here in Birmingham, and Clifton enjoyed the process so much that he came back for the latest project [Checkmate] with Selph Paid Productions,” said Brown.
Commitment and Determination
Producing films and television shows is not all glitz and glamour. “Production is very challenging,” she said. “Long hours, little credit, little pay, and appreciation are shown while on set; you have to do it for the love of the craft.”
“You have to commit to the process. If you can’t be committed don’t even enter the business… [this industry] will try you. Locations fall through, cast members get sick, I mean anything can happen and you still have to be prepared to move forward. You have to be resourceful, you have to create backup plans on the spot and have contingency plans in place for everything from casting to production and crew,” said Brown.
Also, funding and staffing are significant challenges in independent filmmaking.
“Crewing up in Birmingham is difficult because not many people can afford to work in film fulltime. Another challenge is funding for your project; securing investors is a task on its own.”
Another challenge can be maintaining motivation in a competitive field, she said. “If you have a vision, see it through … focus on what’s in front of you.
Follow Tyesha Brown’s journey on IG at @iamclassybrown.
Full disclosure: Je’Don Holloway Talley served as a publicist for Tyesha Brown’s latest film Checkmate.
