Recapping ‘a Short Break’ With Director & Writer Nijla Mu’min By Emma Jackson

This week on ‘a Short Break’ we dove into the short film Dream by director and Writer, Nijla Mu’min, known for her award-winning film Jinn and directing style on recent episodes of OWN’s Queen Sugar and HBO’s Insecure. If you missed the conversation don’t worry here a few gems dropped from Nijla herself!. 

Introducing a new virtual show a Short Break where host Damien D. Smith and co-host Emma J. show the best short films in its entirety and then replay with a live director’s cut where you, the audience are able to interact and ask questions to your favorite filmmakers! Tune in every Sunday at 4PM PT / 7PM ET to join in on the LIVE conversation via Facebook Live and YouTube Live.

What was the budget for your first film ever? 

Nijla Mu’min: For that film, the budget might have been $100! It was gorilla style film making, truly, just Bay Area, out on the street corner with a camera. People had never seen that in my neighborhood. At that time, I didn’t know what it meant to put on a production, I was just doing something with my friends.  

From working on your first film to now working with Ava DuVernay and Issa Rae, what has been the main lesson you’ve learned over time?

Nijla Mu’min: I think having a sense of purpose, humility, and perseverance. Those are the things I hold on to. From making shorts films where you don’t have a lot of money to working on tv shows like Insecure and Queen Sugar. . . when people see that you are dedicated and that you are telling your stories by any means necessary, pushing yourself, and telling a story that no one really is telling, that’s when people want to work with you. They want you to be a part of their stories because you are building something of your own that is similar to them. 

While shooting Dream you had to secure another DP for the anticipated carnival because of unforeseen events. What advice would you give to young filmmakers when they feel as though they are at a dead end and don’t know what to do in the midst of filming?

Nijla Mu’min: It’s all about problem-solving and what’s the most effective solution for the moment. For us, it was to just go with another DP to shoot that location because we already had everything in motion. To cancel that shoot day would basically canceling the film because for the carnival scene we had to go on that day, there was no other option. When you have situations like that you have to look at all of the factors: is losing out on that carnival and losing out on your film worth it?

Watch the full clip on Facebook and Youtube now! Plus watch previous episodes with directors Sterlin Milan and Tracy Taylor-Dwyer! 

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See you every Sunday at 4PM PT / 7PM ET!