Bubbly Brown Sugar A Reel Webseries Spotlight!
Starting the year off The Reel Effect wanted showcase and highlight an amazing award winning web series, Bubbly Brown Sugar! The creator, Tamala Baldwin, not only wrote and executive produced the series but is also the lead actress. Baldwin's character Jewel Patterson is on a journey to find the love of her life after she dreams about her perfect soul mate. This series shows you the strength of the law of attraction in this new modern day fantasy series. Check out our interview below with Tamala Baldwin and definitely check out the series on Urbanflix TV!
Meah Barrington: What inspired you to create this project?
Tamala Baldwin: I have been dreaming about my other half for years and I thought writing about him was a creative way for me to express my feelings. Furthermore, Bubbly Brown Sugar was gifted to me by the Divine after praying for new purpose, new life and my spark after losing my mother in 2016. Everything felt less bright without her, and everything I was focusing on at the time didn't matter as much... so after praying for a year, God downloaded this story into my heart which marries the two things that mean the most to me in the world - God (trusting God, surrendering to it, knowing it, experiencing it) and Unconditional Love with my other half.
MDB: Can you tell me more about some of the main and underlining messages in your series?
TB: The themes talk about the various layers to Divine Love which are rooted in trust, surrender, gentleness, joy and a bunch of other elements. This show is meant to illustrate in order to experience the highest version of love, we need to embody all of those things. It is also designed to magnify that we are co-creators of our lives here on earth, and much of what we experience is based on our belief. Jewel is a character that chooses to believe in the unseen. She tries to walk a path of faith. Caleb is choosing the same, but he has some worldly things to overcome first. So in essence, it's a story about how we work together with the divine to create heaven on earth within ourselves and then on the outside.
MDB: What did you learn about love after creating this series?
TB: I learned that when you do things in complete faith, God will make a way. When you are in alignment and walking fully in your purpose, things manifest with ease. There is only struggle when we are not fully in our power aka our path. Bubbly Brown Sugar was done completely as an act of faith and everything I needed was given. I learned to transcend fear in a way I never have before and to truly trust the Creator.
MDB: What was the most enjoyable aspect of creating this project?
TB: THE PEOPLE! I worked with so many amazing souls on this journey and we had a BLAST on set!!! It was so much work and required so much energy, but collectively, it was absolutely magical and that was because of EVERYONE that was part of it.
MDB: What is your favorite episode and why?
TB: I love episode three because it is one of those episodes where the story pivots and gains momentum. It's like when you're making love, episodes one and two are tender kisses that set the mood, and episode three is when the clothes come off or when your lover enters you for the first time. Episode three is like that! It isn't the peak but it's just as important and delicious!
MDB: What was your favorite memory from being on set?
TB: When we wrapped and I just broke out into tears because it was done. I had no idea how it was going to happen, but I moved forward in faith and accomplished something so wonderful. I cried and cried tears of gratitude. Then our director, LaVarro Jones saw me and asked me what was wrong to which I replied, "Nothing." He said "but you're CRYING?" Me and my producer started laughing so hard.... I think you had to be there! Also, our fundraising parties were also LIT!!!
MDB: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers and creators?
TB: Faith over fear. Be super kind to people even when you are stressed and freaking out about all that needs to be accomplished. Also, take the time to have a solid plan. Do not rush pre-production because it makes a ton of difference in the overall lifespan of the project.
MDB: What resources or people helped you hone your skills and develop and / or complete this project?
TB: I have to thank the Centre for Social Innovation for allowing us to shoot our office scenes in their space. Locations take up a huge chunk of the budget, so finding partners that will assist in this capacity was HUGE! I also had a few small businesses come on board as sponsors, and we can't forget about the hundreds of people that donated to our crowdfunding campaign. Bubbly would not have been possible without them!
MDB: What helped you the most when it came to marketing and promoting your project? Can you share any tips?
TB: ALL of my primary producers helped with marketing and promotion! I could NOT have done it without Rachelle le Blanc and Randall Holloway who helped with generating a buzz for over 2 years. The CAST also helped to cross promote the show with so much energy and that helped. At my level, it is so important that everyone involved is excited about the project and will help to spread the word in their own way. It helped tremendously! It's all energy and when the collective energy is all focused on the same thing, great things are bound to happen.
MDB: What's one thing about you that I wouldn't know from reading your bio?
I absolutely love skinny dipping and swimming with sea turtles.
MDB: What's next for you? What's next for this series? Any upcoming projects?
TB: I am shopping two of my features to networks and production companies, called One Wish and Blended Christmas. I am also in post production of a short film called Our Love, which we plan to submit to a few film festivals this winter. Most importantly, I am working on opening my heart so I can connect more with the Divine so I can truly be of service to humanity through the stories I tell.
Continue to follow Bubbly Brown Sugar and watch the full series on Urbanflix TV!