A Day in the Life of Indie Filmmaker and Photographer Tailiah Breon

June 13, 2020 · Behind The Scenes

A Day in the Life of Indie Filmmaker and Photographer Tailiah Breon

Whether you’re raising funds for a creative project or a new business idea, running your own crowdfunding campaign is no easy feat. It takes a healthy dose of passion, discipline, and commitment to bring your ideas and concepts to life, and get your backer community excited about them. Ever wondered what a day in the life of a creative entrepreneur on Indiegogo is like? We’re here to give you an exclusive glimpse into 24 hours of their day.

Juggling creative projects, a business, and a crowdfunding campaign can be challenging, so we’re always inspired and impressed when we encounter a woman who does it all. Meet Atlanta-based photographer, filmmaker, and content producer Tailiah Breon. She is known for her commercial, fashion, and editorial photography and creating engaging social content, which you can discover on her website Fashion Prodigy and her Instagram. When we first got in touch with Tailiah, we were immediately drawn to her warm personality, enthusiasm, eagerness to collaborate, and the quote in her email signature: “First find peace, with peace you will identify your passion. With passion you will find purpose and with purpose, you will find happiness.” Recently, this creative pro has launched an Indiegogo campaign to get her groundbreaking independent film Feminine made into a full-fledged series, which she wrote and directed all on her own, with the support of a talented cast and crew. Plus, her project stood out to us because of its strong and compelling message to women and young girls everywhere, which is very much needed in this day and age.

“I am the writer and director of one of my most cherished projects, Feminine. I took a risk five years ago, and left my hometown to pursue filmmaking in Atlanta, GA and never looked back!” Taliliah writes in her campaign page. “This campaign is designed to raise funding to complete the filming of my original story, Feminine, a series that gives a voice to tomboys and all women who’s femininity has been challenged in one way or another. Much of my life has been inspired by this story, with an overall message being to empower non-traditional women and challenge all people to redefine what a woman should be. […] Filmmaking is my full time agenda and it would be an honor to create a story that I wish I had growing up as a tomboy.”

Your contribution will allow her production to complete filming in the first quarter of 2021, and get this story out to the world. Read on to see how Tailiah spends 24 hours in her day, working as a creative professional in Atlanta. Then scroll down for a brief Q&A to get to know her better, learn more about Feminine: The Series and get inspired!

10 A.M. My alarm typically goes off at this time. I wouldn’t call myself a morning bird unless I am motivated by a call time to create on a production. Most of my post-work activity blossoms in the evening, so I am up late, which means I get to sleep in later too!

11 A.M. By this time, I am in the kitchen looking for a quick meal that won’t slow me down too much. I’m not much of a breakfast person, so my late morning meals look a lot like a protein shake, or a quick scrambled egg, usually before starting the day’s agenda.

12 P.M. I am big on stimulation to start the day. Some days, it is physical. Some days, it is mental and spiritual. Before I start any work, I allow myself to hear my own thoughts. Sit in silence. Listen to a motivational message, or meditate and pray before diving into social media and my day’s agenda. I work out at my complex’s gym at least 3 times a week, depending on the day’s schedule. By this point, I am on the treadmill for a quick mile and toning exercises, or I will be sitting outside in the fresh air, listening to affirmations or calming music on my headphones.

1 P.M. Time for lunch! I have made lifestyle changes in my recent years, and eat according to macros now. A healthier understanding of food helps me maintain my body goals. I am on set 20% of the time, and then sitting, editing, writing, and developing 80% of the time. So what I eat is a big deal for my health, aside from making me feel good, because so much of my work involves sitting in front of a computer.

2 P.M. Very rarely do I start the day without having calls, texts, and emails to respond to. Once I have gotten through my self care, I am responding to calls and emails, and taking care of any scheduled conference calls with the team or with a client. It usually ranges from consultations on clients who want to start a new project, sending booking information to new clients, or talking with the team on projects in progress. I prefer to get my calls done around the same time, so I have the rest of the day to work uninterrupted.

3 P.M. Time to dive into post-work! I usually set the tone for a super productive atmosphere when going in to edit a project in Adobe Premiere. I usually work in my living room ,or at the business center at my apartment complex when I need a change of scenery. I light one of my favorite candles, grab my headphones, and start my editing process on my Mac. If I am retouching photos, I will turn on my favorite music playlists. Whatever music is my favorite at the time, I can guarantee it will always be calming, sultry, and with a groove.

4 P.M. I get lost in my editing and retouching. 3-4 hours will pass me by within a blink of an eye.

5 P.M. Still editing!

6 P.M. Still editing. I lose track, and easily forget to feed myself, so I get up to grab a “before dinner” meal to hold me over a little longer, because I set personal goals, and cannot get up from my editing workflow, until I’ve reached a certain point of completion. That has always been my personal discipline strategy to keep me motivated and progressive.

7 P.M. On days when I am working on a production, my day would look a lot similar. Quick light breakfast, and off to set for a 10-12 hour day at least…if I am lucky.

8 P.M. I really do try not to eat too late, but my dinner usually falls between this time, depending on my workflow.

9 P.M. I also intentionally give myself breaks during lunch and dinner time. I give myself free time to binge watch some of my favorite shows, or make calls to friends and family, check social media, and step away from the computer. That way, I set healthy boundaries within my home to stay productive, and also wind down. Working from home does not mean TV and relaxation all day — trust me.

10 P.M. By this time, I have a few different “normals”. If it’s a lighter work day, I will be settling down, showering, and finishing my work to watch some TV before bed. If it’s an ambitious day, I will start work earlier and save my workout for the end of the night, and then hit the gym around 10 or 11 P.M.

11 P.M. By this time, it can mean 1 or 2 things. I am ending my day, or I am just getting started. Some nights, I am entering round 2 of my workflow, after a nice dinner break. My creative hours often start at 11 P.M. and go on until 3 A.M. Ideas come to mind, and then I begin writing, or I’m super motivated to get through an edit.

Now that you’ve gotten a glimpse of what their day is like, get more inspiration in our exclusive Q&A with Tailiah below!

INDIEGOGO: How and why did you become a filmmaker? Was it something you always intended for yourself?

TAILIAH BREON: I’ve always loved the arts. I noticed an evolution of my focus over the years. It started with drawing, then painting; next, photography, and now filmmaking and writing. About 4 years ago, I started growing interested in photos beyond a still image, and it opened the world of filmmaking and storytelling for me.

IGG: What makes Feminine: The Series unique?

TAILIAH: Feminine: The Series is unique, because it shares the heart of a story that has yet to be told on a larger scale. The voice of a woman has been told from one dimension for many centuries, and now it’s time to convey the layers and multifaceted type of women that exist. Feminine is unique because it literally challenges the very meaning of what femininity represents when it comes to women.

IGG: What’s your biggest piece of advice for women who want to make movies?

TAILIAH: My biggest advice for women who want to make movies is to identify your voice. What is it that inspires you that you feel the need to share? Listen to your heart, and pay attention to the topics that ignite your passion. And do not be afraid to use and represent THAT voice!

IGG: What tools would you recommend to anyone starting their own creative project?

TAILIAH: From first-hand experience, I am a full-time filmmaker who did not go to traditional school. I went to YouTube University! There is so much knowledge out there to help propel your interests. My recommendations would be YouTube, mentorship from people who are doing what you want to do, and joining organizations of support. I am a PPA member. They have discounted rates for creatives, who need equipment insurance and COI’s in order to produce film on a larger scale.

IGG: What are your favorite films of all time?

TAILIAH: I am inspired by so many films and counting — Black stories especially. I am inspired not by just the story, but knowing the journey of how they also came into fruition. To be fair, my foundational favorites that gave me my first spark are the following:

Love & Basketball
Crooklyn
The Five Heartbeats
Brown Sugar
ATL

IGG: What’s your favorite Indiegogo campaign, or a campaign you’ve recently supported?

TAILIAH: I actually have a friend who produced her first project through Indiegogo. I was fortunate to be the director on the project She Had to Ask which raised over the goal amount. That was exciting!