YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? GROWTH
MEET THE AUTHOR
Janai Cherry is an Arts2Work Apprentice - Multimedia Producer & Social Media Intern at Wide Angle, and an Independent Filmmaker and Screenwriter from Oxon Hill, MD. She is a Morgan State University graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Screenwriting & Animation. Through film and television, Janai wants to share the stories of historically marginalized groups, so that they feel accurately represented in film and media.
If my life was a screenplay, then 2023 was my irrevocable moment. At the top of 2023, I felt like I was in a crisis. I wasn’t anywhere close to accomplishing my career goals. I felt lost and confused. I really wanted a job in my field, but I didn't know what that job could be. At that point, most of my work experience was in the retail industry, and working in the same industry, in the same position, felt stagnant. I wanted more for myself and I was beginning to question if I wanted to give up on my dreams.
Needless to say, joining the Wide Angle production team was a no-brainer for me. I would be professionally trained in camera operation, lighting, and gain other film production experience that I didn’t get as a screenwriting major. Being amongst my talented peers and supervisors while producing short documentary films reignited that passion for storytelling that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Before I knew it, I was developing my professional skills in the industry I aspired to be in for so long. By joining Wide Angle, I went from being lost and confused about my career path, to knowing exactly what I wanted to do. It wasn't an easy journey, so I’ll share the steps I took in hopes that it will help other creatives take their career to the next level.
Step One
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone: Growth Begins with Change
“Your dreams are on the other side of fear.” This is a quote that has stuck with me since I heard it. When I joined Wide Angle, I knew this opportunity would be transformative for my creative development as long as I allowed it to be. I’ve had a shy personality all my life, but the opportunities I got from Wide Angle required me to become a different version of myself. The quiet girl that I’ve always been couldn’t be the person to lead interviews for documentary shoots or direct talent for b-roll scenes because I was too afraid to say something. At first, stepping out of my comfort zone felt unnatural – I resisted making changes and tried to stick with what felt familiar to me. Over time, I realized that the more I let go of that resistance, the easier it became to do my job and embrace new opportunities. Suddenly, I was drafting questions and leading interviews for projects. I became the go-to person for interacting with the talent; I produced client projects and was great at it. It seemed like the more opportunities I embraced, the more opportunities began to present themselves. To elevate your career, you have to be open to change and new opportunities because you never know how one opportunity could change your life.
Janai Cherry directing talent on the set of the NBCU Creative Impact Lab's Mission: Launch video shoot.
Janai Cherry fixing the hair of talent for the Baltimore City Health Department photoshoot.
Step Two
Step Up and Stand Out: Embrace More Leadership Opportunities
A few months into my Production internship at Wide Angle, I joined the Social Media Internship. Stepping into the Communications department was an entirely different world for me. It meant that I would take on more leadership roles by producing content for our platforms. That summer, I took the lead in organizing the apprentice content creation session. I had to coordinate the schedules of the 11 apprentices and interns at Wide Angle, plan the video content we would create, and foster a safe space for everyone to get to know each other and feel comfortable stepping in front of the camera. Despite experiencing some bumps in the road, I persevered. The session went great and it resulted in me creating a fun video that turned into a series and received the highest engagement of any video I created at that time.
As a creative, developing your leadership skills is more than managing people. It’s about having a vision, communicating what that vision looks like, and inspiring people to help you execute it. No matter what art form you practice, developing your leadership skills is crucial to elevating your career. Doing things like taking more initiative on projects, practicing clear communication, and cultivating more self-awareness will help shape you into the leader you want to be. Taking the lead on new projects can be terrifying, but you have to trust the process and persevere through the challenges. Not only will it help you elevate your career, but it will build your confidence, too.
Janai Cherry making social media content during the NBCU Creative Impact Lab's Mission: Launch video shoot.
Janai Cherry capturing social media content with Mayor Brandon Scott during the Baltimore Development Corporation video shoot.
Step Three
Define Your Vision: Set Short- and Long-Term Goals
Clarifying your career path is one of the most important steps to take when trying to take your career to the next level. If you can’t figure out where you want to go, how will you get there? Becoming a writer, director, and producer for big-budget films and TV shows has always been a long-term goal of mine. However, there isn't a “one size fits all” career model for a film producer, and I didn’t know my next step. Once I identified my values and short-term goals and outlined the steps I would take to achieve those goals, I was able to gain more clarity on which path to take. For me, that looked like getting a 9 to 5 job in communications or production to help sustain myself, and it would also give me disposable income to invest in my films. Then, I’d use my time outside of my job to write and produce short films or join other independent projects as a crew member to advance my career in film.
As a young adult figuring things out, it's imperative to create short and long-term goals for yourself and an actionable plan for how you’ll achieve those goals. That plan will be your roadmap to your success and help you make the right decisions for yourself and your career. With a clear vision, you’ll have more motivation to work towards your goals and persevere through the challenges you’ll encounter. When you write your vision and make it plain, success is inevitable.
Janai Cherry directing the NBCU Creative Impact Lab's LGBT Tech video shoot.
Janai Cherry directing the NBCU Creative Impact Lab's LGBT Tech video shoot.
Everyone’s creative journey is different. Your success as a creative won’t always rely on your talent. It will rely on the intentional steps you take to master your craft. Growing as a creative may require you to shed some part of yourself that doesn’t serve you anymore. If you’re someone who always says no to new opportunities, now is the time to say yes. Take more initiative and trust that you have what it takes to be the person that people can call on for guidance. If you have no idea what to do next in your career, make the time to revisit your values and goals and identify what steps you’ll take to accomplish them. Take risks, have trust in your journey, and step out of your comfort zone and into your bag!