Meet Stacey Frazer | Film Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stacey Frazer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stacey, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born in Kingston, Jamaica and migrated to the states when I was 7 years old. My parents ingrained in all their children the importance of an education and how far it could take us. Though college was not an option in the household, the importance of a having a good work ethic was displayed 10 fold by seeing how hard our parents worked to provide for their family. All they wanted was to create a better life for their children and hope that being in the states would afford opportunities that being back home would not have. A Pediatric Dentist, an award winning Director, and an accomplished musician, all college graduates, I’d say our parents succeeded in establishing a better life for their children. I may not be aware of all the sacrifices and struggles they endured, but I have perseverance, ambition, and a strong work ethic to show that I was worth the sacrifices that my parents’ made along their journey. Having an obstacle-filled life thus far has proven my resilience, determination, and belief in God to overcome all obstacles and know that all things are possible through Christ who gives me the strength everyday to open my eyes and move through each day, not knowing the outcome, but maintaining the faith and peace of mind that no matter what happens, my life is going to be okay. I have an eye disease known as Peripapillary Choroidal Neovascular Membrane Disease. Any day I can literally wake up having lost my vision and could not get that vision back but on this journey of building a relationship with Christ, I have a peace that passes all understanding so I smile through the pain and I persevere through the days I do wake up with my vision is gone. Am I overwhelmed at times? Yes. After 11 years of dealing with my condition, have I grown weary? Absolutely. But I keep moving forward, even if I am crawling some days because I know to whom I belong and I have an incredible support system as my foundation. Sure I have been through a lot but I am convicted in knowing that God will never give me more than I can bear and I can attest to knowing that from being raised in the church. I have not only seen it, but I am a living testament. After all, there is no testimony without a test. I have learned and am still learning to be present in life and take it one day at a time because moments from now nor tomorrow is promised to any of us. Whatever your circumstances are, live your best life while you have it, appreciate the small things in your world, and value the time well spent with the people you care about most, because you never know if it will be the last.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As an independent film director, nothing about the journey in the arts or being a creative is easy. There are more no’s than yes’s, long days and nights with little to no financial reward. However, nothing in life worth achieving is ever easy. It takes persistence, determination, and lots of hard work. For me, however, the cherry on top is that I get to go through all those obstacles hoping that on any given day, I won’t wake up completely blind. How oxymoronic? The blind director. I like to say that you don’t need your vision to have a vision. For the past 11 years, I have seen multiple doctors coast to coast, having had to get continuous injections in my eyes in hopes that I don’t go completely blind one day. My condition is called Peripapillary Choroidal Neovascular Membrane Disease, say that 5 times fast. As disruptive as my condition can be at times, I find a way to pivot as needed through life and doing what I need to do to weather the storm. From randomly waking up blind out of the blue in college to going back to finish my masters after having left because I lost my central vision in my left eye. The journey certainly hasn’t been easy but I simply go with flow. Whatever happens, wherever life takes me, I assess the situation and proceed as needed because life goes on with or without me. Everyday I wake up and can see is not only a a blessing but a challenge that I’ve conquered that day. Despite my health issues, I am most proud of the success my film “The Sweetest Thing” has garnered on the film festival circuit. The accolades are a plus but I persevered at a time where I was uncertain of my talent and questioned my abilities. It makes me proud to know that I can be apart of a team that has been recognised for our efforts and talent. The road certainly has not been easy thus far, but I’ve learned that as long as I keep moving forward, I will surprise myself by doing things I was scared to do and realise that I am pretty good at it. If I push myself, I can go farther than I ever imagined because God will bless me exceedingly and abundantly, above all I could ever ask or think. Everyone has obstacles they have to overcome. Having a positive perspective on life helps tremendously with how you approach each tribulation. Yes, it’s terrifying at times, but in order to grow and challenge yourself, sometimes you just have to jump because you just might land upright. Even if you land on your face, yeah it hurts and you may feel embarrassed, humiliated, or disappointed, but God will never give you more than you can bear. Feelings come and go and they will pass, just keeping moving forward. You just might surprise yourself.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We would definitely go see at least 2 movies. The Battery in Atlanta is a great hang out spot with a variety of restaurants, a place to sit and talk, and play games or watch live entertainment. We would take a ride on Atlanta’s SkyView and enjoy the cityscape. Take a walk through the GA aquarium, go to the Coca-Cola Factory, and walk up Stone Mountain, sit up there for hours and talk while enjoying the views. We’d go to Top Spice for some Thai food, visit True Foods on the healthier side, if we wanted a sugar rush, The Sugar Factory. A chilled day would be going out for lunch or dinner but going home and watching some good tv. For me, it doesn’t really matter what I’m doing, as long as it’s good company.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My OxBlue family, my Oakwood family, New Hope Church family, my parents and siblings, Chris Taylor, Marie Stephenson, Latoya Lewis, Natilia Chambers, L.C. Graf-Juarez, Deborah Miller, Meara Chisholm, Chandler McCormack, Tracy Douglas, Dr. Renae Elliot, Dwyane Cheddar, & Michael Kinney.

Other: Director’s Reel – https://vimeo.com/693805380 The Sweetest Thing: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EYb5xVJyZuhe5jfFaG7ioA_ixqUR4chH/view?usp=sharing The Sweetest Thing: Heart Sound https://vimeo.com/702594523