Meet Vernell Dillingham | Filmmaker and Photographer

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

Hi Vernell, why did you pursue a creative career?
As a kid, I watched TV, movies, and music videos all the time. Robert Townsend (Five Heartbeats), Spike Lee (School Daze), Mario Van Peebles (New Jack City), and Keenan Ivory Wayans (In Living Color & A Low Down Dirty Shame) were my favorite directors. I remember when my childhood church in New York started videotaping the services, I started training on cameras. My journey as a photographer began when I saw my favorite group The Temptations in 2002 and I saw a guy taking pictures of their show. Then when I moved to Cincinnati, OH in 2004, I joined my family’s church TV ministry. After 2008, I began working on Stage Plays, Independent Films, then moving into Sports Broadcasting (Dayton Sharks Continental Indoor Football Team, Spectrum Sports and NFL Films(currently)). From there, the spark to be in the entertainment industry hit me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
In addition to doing a lot of background acting on several films and television shows, such as P-Valley, Saints and Sinners, BMF, and C.W’s Dynasty. I’ve been working with a photography company shooting for local schools. All while pitching three scripts that I have written and are ready for production. I have been working with two great women, Khrys Styles of World of OneBlkWmn Entertainment and Lakeba Wallace of Living Day By Day Magazine in covering many of the Red Carpet and Film premieres in and around Atlanta.

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?
My best friend loves going to bars so I would take him to all bars we can get to. We would hit up Chicago Pizza. Go to Martin Luther Jr. Historical National Park because we love everything Black History.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Everything I do within my life and career is all to make my grandfather James Howard Dillingham Jr, who passed away in July 2003, and my uncle James III proud. It’s all about adding to the Dillingham men legacy. I can never forget all of the men and women of my childhood church Faith Baptist Church in Coram New York. From the time I was a baby until I left for college in 2003, I always had great people around me pushing and encouraging . Terri Bea of Streets of Gold Productions for allowing my talents to develop. Shelly Mathewis and ShaRonda Moore for being the big sisters I never had. My family of course (Dillinghams, Kendricks, Hiltons, Bosticks, Smith’s, Withers, and Jones), they provided the fuel I needed to keep pressing. My mentors along the way: Kendall Chapple & Alphonzo Wesson. My teachers from college, Bill Simmons of Midnight Star, John Calhoun, and CM Brown.  My bosses Marquez Gaines of Quez entertainment and dearly departed Billy Bannister, who was the road manager of The Temptations deserve my complete gratitude and appreciation.

Website: https://dillinghamfp.squarespace.com/

Instagram: @mrdillingham

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/vernell-anthony-dillingham-23236384

Twitter: @VADillingham

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vernell.a.dillingham

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9tBmNvWGlsmtnbLc33nATg