Meet Chauncey Johnson: Founder/CEO of Alpha Stella Productions

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

Hi Chauncey, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
I like how this question is framed because I truly believe that success is subjective and can’t be defined or achieved the same way for everyone. Taking a moment to think back to a video editing contest I entered, my video was for a fictional clothing brand and my message in the video was “Success is a journey, not a destination.” Having the ability to continue doing the thing that fuels me makes me successful. When I can break free of the chains society has placed on me mentally makes me successful. I have yet to have success without failure because to succeed without failure is luck and not everyone can be so lucky.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My story is one that tells you it’s never too late and don’t let anything stop you, even you. Growing up, I never knew this would be the road I would travel. I always thought that being just an actor was where my limitations lived. Moving to New York changed that in so many ways: I had never done theater or comedy. The first gig I booked was a sketch comedy show that premiered in a theater just off Broadway. Soon after that gig I realized that I didn’t know my path in this business; I didn’t learn it until later.

When I was later diagnosed with hearing loss (officially because I was suffering from hearing loss before moving to the east coast), it was a blow to my confidence and self-esteem knowing I had to wear hearing aids to continue to function in the world. I thought “Who the hell is going to hire me as an actor in anything other than playing someone with a disability?” I was hurt because I felt like I got in my own way. I mean it had to be my fault as to why I’m losing my hearing, right? These are the things that go through your head anytime you receive any kind of news that could be a setback to your forward momentum in life. I would hide my ears as much as I could, and I would be wildly embarrassed if someone noticed my hearing aids.

However, the feeling of embarrassment didn’t last long. Soon after, I was cast in an episode of Shades of Blue on NBCUniversal, and, yes, I played a deaf person. But then I went on to book a role as a cop in a sci-fi short film called Harsh Reality, then booked the role of Eric B in the Hulu series Wu-Tang: An American Saga. I thought ‘wow what a dream come true, right?’ What I failed to mention was that I had countless auditions for roles of deaf people, some required me to know sign language.

Then it came to me: start your own production company that focus on telling stories about people of color, women, and people with disabilities since these are the characters that never get any true development beyond how others identify them. A deaf person doesn’t have to be limited by their disability. A woman does not have to play a role around gender stereotypes. These characters deserve true character development. So, I teamed up with fellow actress and producing partner Katherine Marie, who has also became tired of the stereotypical gender roles and storylines, and together we are creating stories that change the way we think about these characters letting the world know this is what Alpha Stella Productions is all about.

I’m sharing this to tell you it wasn’t easy, and it won’t be. I overcame my challenges by understanding that failing is part of my life journey. Failing doesn’t make you a failure; it makes you more knowledgeable. You must always remember as a human being we have this superpower to keep pushing, to keep trying, over and over.

The biggest lesson I learned goes back to what my acting coach would tell me “Trust your gut, and you won’t f**k up.” This old-aged wisdom will never die out. What I want people to know about me and Alpha Stella Productions is that we want to tell great stories our way without them being labeled a black film, a female film or a disability film.

I’m very proud that my short film And Then There Was Damien, one of the first productions under my company name, has won awards and been in countless festivals. Not bad for a guy with hearing loss. But truth is, I’m really proud of the fact that I never stopped. I’m going to be forever grateful for my determination. Life is a journey on a highway and you never have to stay at one rest stop forever.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am currently living on the east coast, but I’m from Detroit, MI and if I’m going to really answer this question, I have to represent the city of Detroit for this. So, we’ll have to start with a classic Detroit welcome and that’s getting breakfast at The Original Pancake House. This place is packed everyday and closes at 2pm. After breakfast, we have to cruise around the city and check out certain landmarks, like the Joe Louis Fist, the Michigan Central Station (which is an abandoned train station and if you’ve seen movies like Transformers or really any movie shot in Detroit you’ve likely seen that station).

Without doubt, we have to check out The Spirit of Detroit, then get some lunch at Sweetwater. This bar and restaurant is a Detroit favorite. The food, the people, and the location makes for a great place to hang out before and after attending sporting events, concerts or festivals. If you like a good ghost story, historic Fort Wayne is the place to feel as if you’re in The Conjuring. Coming to Detroit means you have to take in the arts either at the DIA (Detroit Institute of Art), The Heidelberg Project, The Science Center, The African American Museum or checking out classic Hip Hop locations, like the Shelter and The Hip Hop Shop.

Summer time Detroit means there’s always something to do, and music is a big part of the Detroit culture so going to the Aretha Franklin Theater is a must. As well as visiting events like; The Electronic Music Festival, to The Detroit Taste Fest, The African World Festival and so on. One of my favorite areas of Detroit is what real Detroiters call the “New Center” area. The Fisher building has a few radio stations headquartered there as well as a two thousand seat Theater that hosts some popular shows that ran on Broadway. However, you can’t leave that area without visiting the historic Motown Museum. You can still feel the joy in that area when someone describes it to you and what it must have felt like back in the day.

We would absolutely have to go to Eastern Market to shop and to hang out: this area is a meat and farmers market but it also has some cool clubs and bars. Detroit has a lot of friendly people, believe it or not, and where I grew up, at any given moment, the neighborhood could turn into a block party, with everyone grilling meat and playing music and having a good time.

Cruising the streets of Detroit and hanging out in places like Belle Isle Island to look at Canada is a sight to be seen. Before this visit ends, we would have to take the Ambassador Bridge into Canada, hang out for a bit then take the Detroit/Windsor Tunnel back into downtown Detroit and take in those city lights. Now to end the visit I would have to take you to Bakers Keyboard Lounge, it’s one of the oldest operating jazz clubs in the world, good food and great music. Now this is what I call a great visit to a city like Detroit.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This is a tough question, but I think I need to show some love to my acting coach Mr. Anthony Abeson. He’s the one person aside from my wife, family, and close friends that have seen something special in me, especially from a creative level. He was the first acting coach I’ve had that let me or should I say encouraged me to rewrite my monologues. My mind opened in ways I didn’t know was possible. I started thinking more creatively which started reminding me of some projects I had written over the years. He never gave up on me, treated me like a human being and not just a dollar sign. Money, as he likes for me to call him, brings out the best in my work because he sees the raw talent, even when I’m not sure of my own talent. He helped me hone in on my instincts not only as an actor but also in business.

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Image Credits
Simi Vijay