Meet Traemani Hawkins | Screenwriter, Director, and Film Producer

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

Hi Traemani, how do you think about risk?
I think that risk is essential to a certain level of success, however you shouldn’t take risks for the sake of taking risks. Every risk should be calculated with a back up plan in case it doesn’t pay off. You should always know what you are risking so that you can pivot if you need to.

I have taken numerous risks in my career so far and plan to make more. I made my first feature film right out of college with a budget of $6000, about half of which was my personal investment. I could have made that movie and no one could have wanted to watch it and it could have been a waste. Fortunately, things didn’t go that way and we were able to premier the film in the biggest imax theater in North Carolina and made $2000 back, which wasn’t a success from a financial standpoint, but just under 200 people saw my movie and began to take me seriously as a filmmaker and I was able to use that film to break into the industry a year later.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My goal with my art is to explore and express myself more deeply while giving my audience something to feel and think about. I like to open people’s eyes to other groups of people who they might not interact with everyday to promote empathy among all human beings.

I am most excited about growing as an artist to be able to meet my goals listed above in my art and sharing that with the world.

I got where I am by taking initiative and making things happen on my own when no one was holding my hand anymore. I decided to create my own opportunities and continually work towards my goals even when it seemed impossible. It is never easy and you never know if you’re doing the right thing in the moment, but at the end of it all, all you can do is look back and see everything you learned whether everything worked out or not. That’s what will get you where you want to be.

When those challenges arose, I honestly wanted to quit multiple times. What kept me going was the people and the team around me that could lift me up when I wasn’t strong enough to keep going. I remember waking up at 4 am for the second shooting day of my second feature film after having an 18 hour work day just before and thinking “I’m not gonna make it. This movie isn’t going to get made.” Then my friends who were staying with me in my tiny one bedroom apartment to work on the movie with me knocked on the door and got me out of bed. That movie is now in the final stages of post production and will be releasing sometime this year.

Along the way I learned that I need to let go of my ego and be vulnerable with everyone around me and in my art. Even though you open yourself up to get hurt, you also open yourself up for healing. No one can help you heal from the pain they don’t know about and your pain may help someone else heal.

I just want the world to know my stories and know that we are all human and have similar struggles even when we can’t see that on the surface. Who cares about me, I’m just another human.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve only lived in Atlanta for about 2 years, so all my spots will probably be pretty basic, but I like going to Ponce city market and walking in the park across the street. I would most likely look up some places or ask my wife what cool places she’s seen on TikTok.

I don’t really go out much in the city, which should probably change.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost all glory to God. I wouldn’t be anywhere without him.

Next is my parents for raising me to believe in myself and how to relate to other people and collaborate on projects.

My beautiful wife who has been by my side supporting and guiding me for the last 5 years.

And Resolve Media Group who I work for now and saw my potential and brought me in to help me grow as a producer and overall artist.

Website: Symplicityproductions.com

Instagram: @3rd_King_

Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCLqC-oa-GadwwREVMgT25Tg