Medium: Meah Denee Barrington of TheReelEffect: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker
An Interview With Edward Sylvan
CEO of Sycamore Entertainment Group
You can do more than one thing in your career, maybe not all at once, but you can accomplish everything you want in life if you work towards it. This journey isn’t easy, even when you accomplish everything you’ve dreamed about there is still difficulty somewhere, and that’s all right. Nothing worth having is easy.
As a part of our series about “Filmmakers Making A Social Impact,” I had the pleasure of interviewing Meah Denee Barrington.
Meah Denee Barrington is a Bronx-born and NC-raised director, media host, entrepreneur, and graduate of the University of North Carolina. She is the founder of TheReelEffect.tv, a black entertainment news site that entertains readers but also educates aspiring filmmakers on how to navigate the television and film industry. Meah Denee currently works as the Manager of Creative Development at Allure and Glamour magazine.
Thank you so much for doing this interview with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit. Can you share your “backstory” that brought you to this career?
Iwas raised in a small town, Raeford, NC, and there weren’t many outlets when it came to the arts but I was always fascinated with news reporters and radio broadcasters. I originally attended UNC because I wanted to become a sports broadcaster but soon learned I didn’t love sports that much and I also didn’t have the right grades for the journalism school. So I shifted and became a communications major, which was ultimately one of my best decisions because I was forced to learn storytelling in a new way.
After college, I had the opportunity to do an internship in Los Angeles through a UNC internship program. I worked in a camera house for 3 months because I thought I wanted to be a camerawoman not realizing my true passion was more on the creative side directing, producing, and hosting! Instead of staying in LA and building out my career, I moved to the Bronx in 2012, to be closer to my father who was ill at the time. I haven’t left New York since.
Looking back there were so many influences over my life, one being my father who loved photography. He always had a camera in his hands and we would take photos together on the weekends. I was developing an eye at a young age and never realized it.
My journey in New York has been really interesting, I started off working at the Gap, the YMCA, and as a hostess all at the same time so I could save up for my own camera equipment. I eventually became a freelance videographer covering a lot of charity events and filming brand videos for small businesses and non-profits. Later I moved into video editing working for companies like Madam Noire, MTV digital, and PBS digital. I was trying to find my place and use as many opportunities as possible to get me there!
The opportunity that helped me the most was joining the Ghetto Film School Roster, they really gave me access to jobs and opportunities within the industry. Their networking programs eventually led me to Conde Nast where I was able to meet several executives within the company, one being Joe Sabia. He passed me on to his team and after months of sending them emails of my work and just updating them on my projects, they interviewed me and hired me as an Associate Producer.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your filmmaking career?
Something I laugh about now was an incident I had as a production assistant. I was out running errands and a car sideswiped me. The driver signaled that he was pulling over but of course he went through the crosswalk leaving me waiting for pedestrians to pass. When I finally got through I zoomed through like two stoplights and a stop sign and took a photo of his license plate before I slowed down because the man wasn’t giving up! Then I realized I didn’t have to do all of that because the studio has the car covered under insurance! I was so worried I was going to get in trouble and potentially lose my job I turned into a “Grand Theft Auto”!
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
My first big celebrity moment was with Traces Ellis Ross. I was the videographer for an interview with her at the American Black Film Festival. She complemented my hair color and was extremely pleasant with high energy. I’ve admired Ross for so long, so to meet her was such a dope experience.
Another random conversation I had once was with Winona Rider, for the HBO series “Plot Against America.” I was working as an office production assistant and was preparing the food table for the table read, and she came up to me and was talking to me about cheese! It was a really grounding moment for me because sometimes you get so caught up in celebrities' stardom that you forget how human and relatable they are.
One of my most fond memories is having a full conversation with Dapper Dan! I used to be a hostess at this restaurant called Blvd Bistro, in Harlem, and Dapper Dan’s office was right across the street. One day I was outside on my break reading a book and he just sat down beside me and started talking about his journey to Africa, years ago. It was one of the most interesting experiences I’ve had in NYC because this city truly is one of opportunity and you never know what might fall in your lap.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I’m doing a lot of different projects at my regular, day job and on my own. I recently was promoted to Manager of Creative Development and that puts me in a really great position to help create new and fresh video projects for Allure and Glamour magazine. I get to bring stories to the forefront that include diverse talent and interesting perspectives. So it’s a big challenge for me but I’m extremely excited about what my team will be able to do in the next year.
Outside of work, I’m eagerly building up my website TheReelEffect.tv! Within the last few months, we’ve had access to some amazing actors, producers, and directors. Some include David and Tamela Mann, Marisha Wallace, Marco Glorious, Jamila Wignot, and several talent and crew from Netflix, MTV, and BET shows. I am currently building my team of writers giving young, individuals the opportunity to hone their skills and interview amazing talent that will look great on their resumes. I’m excited about expanding the brand so I can help more and more people navigate the television and film industry. I want the next generation to have an easier time getting their foot in the door with large corporations and studios. It’s necessary that more diverse voices are in these rooms.
Which people in history inspire you the most? Why?
That’s tough to answer, I am inspired by so many different people. When it comes to film influences I would definitely say Ava Duvernay and Issa Rae. I remember being obsessed with Awkward Black Girl my senior year of college. I just appreciated the small group of black creators that were emerging on Youtube at the time like Issa and Black and Sexy TV founders. Even though I had Oprah Winfrey as an example it was Ava Duvernay that made me feel like it was really possible to have a successful television and film career because she blossomed later on in her career. She mastered one field and then flipped and followed her heart and murdered this new frontier of filmmaking for black women.
Outside of these women, I am deeply inspired by Oscar Micheux, notably one of the first black filmmakers. He was fearless, determined, and successful at producing, directing, and writing films during the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. He highlighted issues that white filmmakers weren’t even thinking about at the time like interracial relationships, wage disparities for Black people, discrimination, racism, and so much more. He was a revolutionary, and his life inspires me to think bigger and aspire for more.
Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview, how are you using your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share with us the meaningful or exciting social impact causes you are working on right now?
I’m thankful for the platform I’ve created with TheReelEffect.tv because I am able to share stories that are bigger than me. Before the pandemic started I was able to help produce a web series, Hotline, that features a black trans woman as the lead. Her character is a lawyer that appears guilty for the murder of her sister. The majority of the crew and cast were members of the LGBTQ+ community and were people of color.
Outside of being able to produce the series, TheReelEffect.tv hosted a watch party for Pose season 3 finale and debuted the Hotline trailer to a new audience of 75 people. My biggest gift is being able to bring together “reel creators” and “reel lovers.” I love working to help spotlight diverse stories and bring these stories to people that wouldn’t normally come across these projects on an everyday basis. The cherry on top is helping these productions financially and that is the next goal, getting back into throwing events and finding create crowdfunding techniques to raise money for these independent creators with powerful stories.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and take action for this cause? What was that final trigger?
One of the biggest “aha moments” for me was when I first moved to NYC and I couldn’t find a television or film job. I couldn’t even get an interview! It was a big wake-up call for me because I thought my college degree would help me at least get an interview but that wasn’t the case. I didn’t understand the industry and I didn’t have anyone to show and prove I was worthy of an opportunity. So after four months of countless rejections, I finally got a job at the GAP and I told myself that I would create my own opportunities. So I picked up two more jobs and I saved up for the next three to four months to buy a used camera and I started my career as a freelance videographer. I didn’t know how any of it was going to work out but I knew I wanted to work in the television and film industry and the only way to do it was to build my own portfolio and not wait for someone to give me an opportunity.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
I honestly can’t give you a particular person. When it comes to the work that I’ve been able to do with The Reel Effect it’s always been from a place of feeling empathy for others and trying to help wherever I see fit. One of our biggest charity events we’ve hosted was an annual prom gown giveaway in the Bronx, Co-op City community. We collected over hundreds of gowns and dressed close to 100 young women for their proms. The Reel Effect has also donated dozens of Metrocards for young adults and teenagers that are struggling financially and can’t afford transportation. Currently, we are focused on educating college students and recent graduates on how to navigate the industry by providing workshops and panels to help them with their resumes, interview skills, and job placement.
Are there three things that individuals, society or the government can do to support you in this effort?
1. Continue to support small and black-owned businesses. And follow through with helping others, especially if they reach out.
2. Make grants and assistant programs easier to obtain especially for communities that are affected by systemic racism.
3. Educate yourself on how you can become more empathetic and less prejudiced, this has nothing to do with any particular race we can all work to be better humans. We all have our own biases no matter our experience with racism, we are all flawed and should work to see everyone as dynamic individuals.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
“It’s okay to put yourself first and say no.”
“Be focused more on being prepared for the opportunities you want, instead of only focused on gaining the opportunity.”
“You can do more than one thing in your career, maybe not all at once, but you can accomplish everything you want in life if you work towards it.”
“Continue to find ways to stay creative, find hobbies, know yourself, your likes and dislikes, and have fun with yourself.”
“This journey isn’t easy, even when you accomplish everything you’ve dreamed about there is still difficulty somewhere, and that’s all right. Nothing worth having is easy.”
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
I think our biggest gift and weakness as humanity is that we need connection. We fulfill ourselves when we are able to connect to others and experience joy, love and happiness. I think as long as you’re striving to connect with the world in a positive way, you are bringing about change and connecting with people that you’ll inspire in ways you never thought, and vice versa. You will be filled in ways you didn’t know possible, and that’s the positive impact the world needs.
We are very blessed that many other Social Impact Heroes read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would like to collaborate with, and why? He or she might see this. :-)
I think someone I would love to collaborate with is Karen Civil. She has always made community and philanthropy a priority in her life and business. I really admire all the work she has done in her home state, New Jersey, but also on the west coast and internationally in Haiti.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“I will do well in this and see it through,” Jennifer Lewis said that and its a very simple quote but for me, it’s a reminder that I don’t have to be perfect. I don’t have to be extraordinary every time I attach myself to a project. I don’t have to over-exert myself and wear myself out to finish a project. I can do my best and work to see it through no matter the outcome. As long as I don’t give up, I’ve succeeded.
How can our readers follow you online?
I can be reached at www.TheReelEffect.tv, as well as on all social media platforms by looking up Meah Denee or TheReelMeah.
This was great, thank you so much for sharing your story and doing this with us. We wish you continued success!