Speaking and Communicating Podcast

Welcome back to the Speaking and Communicating podcast. I am your host Roberta. If you're looking to improve your communication skills, both personally and professionally, this is the podcast for you. At the end of the episode, please don't forget to subscribe, give a rating and a review. Today I have the privilege of being joined by Bronte Hemingway. She's the CEO and founder of Role Black Films. She is the kind of...
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creative who not only creates platforms for herself, but for others as well. Very giving spirit. And you'll find out more about it as I start to have a conversation with Bronte. Please help me welcome Bronte. Hi. Hey, hey, hey. How's it going today? Good and yourself? I'm good. Nice to finally have a chance to chat to you. So you can go ahead and introduce yourself.
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Hey everyone on Speaking and Communication podcast, Bronte Hemmingway from Brooklyn, New York. It's a pleasure to be here today with all of you. Welcome all the way from Brooklyn. Tell us a little bit about yourself. I consider myself as a regular average Brooklyn girl, but I'm being able to become like an international girl and that's due to my company. My company is allowing me to expand, grow in ways that I've never even imagined.
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learning new things about myself each and every day. What is it that you did after high school? To be quite honest, I did take about a year off to work because my mom, she was one of the parents who wouldn't allow her children to work until they graduated high school. My rebellious spirit, I kind of broke the rules anyway, decided to find a job in my 11th year of high school. I found a job at Radio Shack, which was one of the first jobs that I fell in love with.
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A couple years later, I decided to apply to college. At the time, it sounded like the best thing to do. In college, I studied business administration. I was actually working at an internship while I was at college. I applied to a bunch of internships just to get off the experience because I no longer wanted to work in retail. There was this one job that I applied to on Priceless. So out of the many jobs that I reached out to, this was the only internship that considered me for an interview.
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I looked up the company and then I was just amazed regarding like the companies that they were in collaboration with. It was a talent and model staff and agency. Basically we staffed talent and models for corporate and commercial events. They would basically find models who served as the brand ambassador for like Macy's, Terrier Secrets, Tom Ford, Jake Crow, companies like that. And the 19 year old me was amazed.
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just continue my education and follow my dreams and TV on film. So you changed from business administration to TV and film? Looking back, something happened with my financial aid. They wouldn't allow me to pick my classes. When the financial advisor picked my classes for me, he picked classes that weren't covered by financial aid or something like that. So I ended up having to owe the whole semester worth classes.
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And they basically prevented me from attending the next semester of college. And so that cleared up. While that cleared up, I was at my internship. I was promoted as the CEO's assistant, slash talent scout, slash booking associate. All these things from this internship. And I was like, OK, I'm going to see it through. College is going to have to catch me at a later date. So you just focused on the internship and then continued on this path of exposure to this big names.
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What happened after that? That position slowly burned out. I felt like it was time for me to move on. When you left the agency, did you go straight to thinking, hey, I need to start this, or was there something else that led you to this? I was honestly intrigued, learning more about the behind the scenes aspect of TV and film. Here in New York City, there used to be a TV show called 106 and Park. It was a show on BET, like a music show. Smaller version of MTV.
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Yeah, so basically I was able to get some tickets to be a guest on that show in the audience. I was able to see everything like the cameras, lights, the behind the scenes, and I was just able to see all that space action. I'm looking like this is nothing like the job that I just came from. It was fast-paced, but it wasn't this fast. I think I want to do this because at that time,
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I was looking for a booking agent jobs, booking manager assistant jobs, I was looking for a casting assistant jobs. Well, as soon as I got on the behind the scenes of Run Assistant Park, and I found a program here in New York City called Made in New York. So it's a production training program for New York City for anyone who's interested in the TV and film industry.
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six weeks of training to be ready for working on sets, working on commercials, music videos, fashion shoots, TV shows, so they basically train you to be the assistant for those sets. Hey. First 12 weeks, they basically offer 30 hours of free road lessons. Wow. So I was able to get my driver's license for free because in production, the way to make the most money is if you know how to drive because they rely on assistance.
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to be their mode of transportation. Mm. Right. So after the six weeks of training, we entered the production training. So that was from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day training. Unpaid training. Because of- Like you're gaining the experience, yeah. Right, because you're on set for like 12 plus hours. I've heard some Hollywood actors say sometimes it's longer. Oh yes, I did 22 hours one day. It didn't feel like it. You get treated- That's how much fun you're having? Yeah, you get treated pretty well.
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I like to achieve goals. If you need something, listen, I'ma get it. Like, you know, I'm here for you, I'm your girl. So I had that type of energy on set. And then I truly believe my name, Bronte Hemingway, having that name has gotten me into a lot of the positions that I've had because it is a conversation starter. So I was able to interact with more departments on set, just off the strength of my name. Like, you know- I'm about to ask, what prompted your parents to name you Bronte?
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My parents didn't name me, my sister named me. Oh, based on? The Bronte sisters, they're literary authors from the 18th century. I guess she was studying in school at the time and my mom couldn't think of a name or didn't have a name at the time of my birth. I guess my sister suggested Bronte and now I'm Bronte. I have a West Indian background. Dad and his ex-wife, they try to push me to write a book, a children's book ever since I was maybe 11 or 13.
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But a lot of people saw a lot of things in me from principals to teachers. I don't know what they saw in me, but now I see them myself. Like I always, my imagination. Oh wow. That's very powerful. I have a friend. At first he got in trouble at school, but not bad trouble. He just never used to concentrate because he was always into his creative mode when class is doing Shakespeare, whatever.
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He was lucky enough that his teacher saw his talent. And so the teacher and the principal opted to say, wait a minute, every time he gets into this creative zone mode of not listening in class, we're going to send him to the principal's office. We'll say to the kids, he's in trouble. But basically, what they did was they were trying to hide him from the other kids, because then the other kids would want to play too. But they don't have this creative talent. And so when he's sitting alone in the principal's office,
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He used to then do his creative stuff. Today he flies to LA every other week to co-produce with musicians and have a billion TikTok views. So they saw that in him as a kid. I agree. And that's how it usually begins. I always pushed away my creativity. I always turned a blind eye to it growing up. I always used that energy, running around with friends, doing things that I wanted to do that didn't consider education.
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Yeah, that's how I internalized my creativity. I assumed that I know my creativity now, how I'm able to visualize. I can sketch now, I can paint. Well, I told myself how to sing, but I consider singing to that. I gave myself vocal lessons for two years. How did you then come back to focusing and starting your company? This took a lot of self-work. Learning to love myself. I lost a lot of friends.
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I even was my boyfriend. They stopped talking to you? No, this all happened leading up into my business. Like I felt like I had to lose these things and then learn about myself. And then once I knew myself, then I was like, okay, I got something for you. And then now I've got like 240 members. So were they a distraction or were they, you know how they say people come to you for a reason, a season or a lifetime?
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Were they with you during the season when you didn't have the vision you have for yourself now? And then when that started to bloom, they felt like they don't have space in your life anymore? They were still there. They were there at the beginning. Okay. They were there after. I personally were growing faster than they were. Mm. I never judged them for it. I never even thought anything of it. Things happen.
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life happened. Right. And so now you have these 240 members. How long has the company been in existence? First of all, so I've launched a company in March 2022. It's pretty new, but you say you have 240 members. Yep. 240 members who are officially signed up and registered. So what is it that your company does? So Roblox Films is in
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unapologetic production company for TV, film and media. We have our very own writer's room called the Urban Writer's Room. There we offer public resources for entrepreneurs and creatives to basically dream out loud and dream on purpose. We have weekly events. Every Sunday at 3 p.m. we have a virtual event for the community. Every event is different.
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One is basically a writer's event to teach you the fundamentals of storytelling. We have a comedy room, fundamentals of becoming a strong comedy coach or comedian or comedy writer. We have another room, a music room, which is for music people either teaching artists development tools and techniques or how to become audio or sound technician or to start a career audio sound technician.
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And then we also have a motivation room. It's called Think Champs. Think Champs is a motivation room that is designed as a pick me up along the journey for entrepreneurs and creators. So it's hosted by a life coach. It's there to just inspire, uplift and motivate us on a road to success. Wow. So all of these people are doing this voluntarily. You said the membership is free, right? All the events are free. The membership right now is free.
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All the volunteers are definitely being so generous, so kind to educate and inspire the next generation of creators and entrepreneurs. I appreciate them so much. Wow. Just run us through the process again. You submit your creative idea to the website and then what happens? So yes, we do provide a creative room and a writer's room. So the creative room...
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allows members or anyone to submit a creative idea that they have. For example, in the TV and film industry, we use the name, uh, Logline to pitch a one-liner, one-sentence project. So you can use that form to pitch an idea. If you don't know how to write the story, if you don't know how to develop the characters, uh, for example, if you've been working in the finance industry, but you need to act.
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access ideas of characters who work everyday jobs in retail, or maybe your maintenance man or your average mom and pop shop owner. A financial strategist wouldn't necessarily know that because they've been in the financial industry for X, Y, seven years. So we provide the space so that they have an idea, we could plug them in with a community of like-minded thinkers from all over the world. We have members in over, I want to say, 10 countries.
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We have members from all over the world, all walks of lives, from novice to producers of big name projects, big name movies. I'm not trying to name drop because confidentiality is key. I myself have some resources that I can offer and bring to the table. So, especially with your previous jobs and the networks that you made there. Right. So we're just trying to create a community full of resources.
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ideas like mine and thank you guys and a place to tell and create a lane for telling unapologetic stories from what the perspective and a relatable and so representative or eat fashion we want to bring that narrative of the field that shows want to create some of the style job because at this point the way to get them is going 20 to 30 years from now I'm pretty sure a lot of the shows and TV shows won't remember.
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Speaking of nostalgia, I watch Sparks, Sparks and Sparks. There's a few episodes, the guy who used to play Lamar, he uploaded a few. So I watched Sparks, Thea, Good Temp, all those 90s shows, all those family-based shows. What happened? Right, honestly, a lot of people blame it on millennials because they are in control of social media and that's what's driving the ratings these days.
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So a lot of people blame millennials because whatever they're interested in, that's what's popular. They... So millennials, why aren't you interested in creating another Moesha or Family Matters? Why aren't you guys not creating the family pictures? I'm not saying be old and ancient like us, but even if it's current, contemporary, but can't it just have that thing that the 90s shows used to have? Now it's just completely gone off the tangent.
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No, that's completely on track. Like, you know, that's completely on topic. Trust me. Because I agree. I'm what? Only 29 years old and I feel the same way. Right now, I would rather not watch TV. I'd rather watch it myself. I remember the days we used to run home to watch our favorite show. We used to anticipate that weekly show launching. Well, we used to talk about a show for weeks. And I think it takes a millennial like myself to.
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walk out in faith and see if I can do something about it and do something about it, because I do feel like I'm doing something about it. I'm doing the best I can. And at this point, my best has to be good enough because something has to be done. I feel like I can't abandon this mission and 240 people with the same mission, with the same goal, integrity. Do you feel like in general, overall, are some of the ideas that are submitted, are they going that direction?
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We're focused on telling a real story, an unfold story. The stories that we wouldn't normally have access to. I'm still basically where I grew up at. So I have an opportunity to access the stories that people in Hollywood wouldn't even know about. The reason why I think it's great that I launched this now while I'm still in a position where I'm at before I relocate, because I do plan on relocating. So while I'm still here, I am grateful that I'm able to launch something like this
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get some of those stories told and documented and create a space for it. And speaking of Hollywood, why do we have this tendency to wait for Hollywood to give us a call and say, hey, Bronte, there's an acting part for you instead of doing what you do, which is let me create my own table, so to speak? I think it's the fear of rejection, denial, the lack of confidence, and more so has to do with the lack of confidence that we have.
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as African-American because we see the opportunities for everyone else. But when we look around, it's like very few opportunities for us. So we tend to either do something else to get by and put ourselves out there, of course, to pay the bills. I think that a lot of us think it's not meant for us. But why not like you did, just think, okay, they're not calling me, Steven Spielberg's not gonna call me. Let me create something like Bronte did. Yeah.
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Let me create my own table instead of being called to the Hollywood table. I'm a little different. I have the social media management background. So I think that gave me a little bit of the advantage. So it's easy for me to put something together with zero to little dollars. It's easy for me to put something together, just an idea, because I know somebody will be interested. Somebody is always looking to relate or collaborate.
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I just know the power of social media. I'm a millennial, so I grew up in an era where there wasn't any technology and where there is technology. So I'm able to find that loophole and figure out how to speak to the people that are younger than me, how to speak to people that may be a little bit older than me, how to speak to different cultures, just because of the generation we grew up in, the generation of the internet. We went through the trial and never...
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phase of Stonemax and MySpace and all these other websites and even AIM. So we put ourselves out there in ways that today we wouldn't normally. And then unfortunately that created the personality of today's me. I'm built a little differently because of the social media background. Right. I hear you. But I think that the bottom line is create your own thing. Find a way, like you said, to collaborate with other people and create your own thing instead of just waiting.
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Do you prefer competition or collaboration? Collaboration. Talk to us more about social media marketing because you seem to be well-versed on the subject. Yes. So basically at the talent agency that I mentioned before, there I was also the social media manager. I was in charge of everything digital, the websites, email outreach, I was in charge of marketing, advertising, everything.
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There I learned a lot about how to market a business and market talent. That was in 2013. I've been working in production from 2015. And then 2017, I decided I wanted to take a couple steps back because I was getting burnt out working at 12 plus plus plus plus hours a day. I've worked anywhere from like 12 to like 22 hours per day.
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It was excruciating. So I was getting burnt out pretty fast and I felt like I wasn't accelerating in my career as fast as I wanted to. One thing I tried to do a lot was conform to the industry. I tried to strip away everything that I was just to fit in. And that started with my voice, changing the way I speak is in a higher pitched voice that came with not speaking up my voice in my opinion, not really know what I was thinking.
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So I felt like I had to take a couple of steps back. And I didn't know what I was doing at the time, but I did launch a little side hustle, which was a social media management company where help friends and families launch their businesses and things like that. Here's my question. If you had any job, isn't it common sense to not change who you are, but to adjust to what the job requires? No. That's true. But I felt like I was.
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not being real and authentic. I was just being an employee. Was it like the devil was Prada? Yep. I can't even tell you who that person was today. It happened for a reason because I know that perfection doesn't get you anywhere. Does it even exist to begin with? No. So come as you are and show up as yourself because someone will love you. Someone will accept you. So.
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That's more an abundance mentality rather than I have to keep this job and do whatever it takes. Otherwise I don't have another one. So anything you want to tell us more about Raw Black Films before we wrap up? We have a free event every Sunday at 3pm. Anyone is welcome to join an RSVP through our website, www.rawblackfilms.com. Feel free to sign up. Basically once you sign up to the website.
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and you become a member, you'll have the opportunity to receive email blasts and production gig updates. You'll receive the event updates. You'll receive any projects that would need creative ideas. So anyone is welcome to sign up to exercise their creativity. Raw Black Films for all types of creatives and entrepreneurs. Bronte, when you talk about not...
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changing who you are to fit the mold, to fit whatever you feel like the situation is calling for. What is it about raw black feeling creatives when it comes to that lesson? Is their work raw? Is it authentic? Yes, I think this is everything I've could have visioned. I actually had a member who pulled me to the side, which is like, like I've always dreamed of a space where I would be in a room full of creatives.
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just bouncing ideas, giving their opinions on a character or a story. I've always had that imagination, and the fact that he actually got to experience that, he was just going aw and thinking, this space is necessary because we do offer the rooms as a sounding board. So for example, the comedy room, the first 30 minutes of the comedy event, you'll learn the fundamentals of becoming a strong comedian.
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And then the remaining 30 to 45 minutes, you'll actually build a comedic character. So everyone in the virtual class will incorporate when building this comedic character. So if you need a character for a virtual skit, like a social media skit, if you need a character for a short story, a short film, a feature film, a novel, if you need a specifically a comedic character, then we will teach you how to build and show you how to build a comedic character.
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And I think that's very important because the way that comedy is going, no one isn't laughing anymore. I actually do know how, but the world has become very sensitive and polarized. And that's another thing we're looking to break. Cancelled culture, everybody's offended. Comedians don't feel safe anymore. It's crazy. The reason I asked about being authentic and not changing yourself, I mean, acting, yes, you have to change yourself for the character and then you go home. But I feel like music artists,
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When they leave these record companies and they become independent, they start telling the truth and they say, I love the music. I don't love the industry. It was turning into something I'm not. Yeah, I agree. That's true from the music side. I would say that's more so true when it comes to media training. When you become a musician, there's a certain image that you have to uphold. What you say, how you say, who you date, how you speak, who you speak to.
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what you put on the internet, all these things. So I kind of see how that changes you. But when it comes to being authentically you, that means vetting on yourself, putting yourself out there in an unapologetic way, no matter who says what. I think the reason why a lot of people are afraid to create and execute or dream and execute is because they're afraid just too much backlash. It's too much.
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Criticism is too much judgment, it's too many internet bullies. And I think you also have to let go of the idea, like you were saying earlier, you used to suffer from people pleasing. Let go of the idea that everybody's gonna like you. I think that's when you can have the courage to be unapologetic. If you let go of the idea that everybody's gonna like you and be nice to you, then that could free you into saying, you know what?
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This is my creative idea. This is my art. Some people will like it, some people will not, and that's okay. I agree. Yeah. Bronte, this has been such a wonderful conversation. I've had lots of fun with you. Thank you so much for having me. I truly appreciate this. Thank you not only for being here, but for the space that you're creating for so many people around the world who wouldn't have had the opportunity otherwise. We really appreciate you for that.
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So before you go, please give us again the website for Raw Black Films. www.rawblackfilms.com Anybody with a creative idea, writing, singing, comedy, whatever it is, join the free classes. Take advantage of this offer right now. You have a whole community of people who are willing to help you bring your idea to life. Bronte, thank you so much for being here today. Thank you so much. I appreciate you.
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