Source: Vlatko Gasparic / Getty
In the Riverdale suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, Clayton county-native Chatejah George recently opened up her very own film studio.
At just 23-years-old, George is an entertainment industry multi-hyphenate. She works as a writer, music producer and actress who hopes to add model to her resume.
At the age of 15, she also has her own clothing line which she designs herself.
“I wanted to be in the entertainment industry,” the 23-year-old told Complex in a recent interview. “I just like to create stuff, so whether it was music, acting, as long as it’s creating something.”
“If it involved creating, then I wanted to be a part of it,” she added.
George went on to discuss her commitment to being an actress: “I was trying to get signed to an agency in Atlanta but the agencies I did get signed to weren’t really getting me any bookings in the film industry. So I just started doing extra work,” George shared. “I did Tyler Perry sets, I did a Greenleaf set, a bunch of Netflix sets. I got one big one in one of my extra shows, everyone was telling me they saw me in the Netflix show with Debby Ryan. So I just kept trying from there.”
Instead of becoming discouraged her former agencies and the a lack of representation that was needed to propel her career forward, George took things into her own hands by uploading her own content onto YouTube.
RELATED CONTENT: “Tyler Perry Public Scolded Her For Trying To Get His Attention, Now, Racquel Palmer Is His Newest Leading Lady”
“I started making my own films because I really couldn’t figure out how to get booked on a huge role,” George emphasized. “I started posting [them] on YouTube and it did really well. It got over 100K views and I kept posting more episodes. I started making other shows. I just kept going with it.”
“I needed new places to film. I needed a salon, a church,” she further explained. “I would call around asking people if I could use their establishment and a lot of people said ‘No,’ and I couldn’t really get in there. I just thought if I make my own, I could film and also provide opportunities and jobs for young filmmakers and independent filmmakers as well.”
Known as the C&C Movie Film Studio, George’s filming hub opened this past June.
The young entrepreneur is getting lots of love from supporters on social media, a few celebrities, including Rick Ross and like-minded creatives who want to collaborate or use her studio.
RELATED CONTENT: “Black Girl Ventures Founder Shelly Bell Explains How Small Businesses Can Qualify For Venture Capital”
In a short CBS46 Atlanta clip of the studio’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, the 23-year-old emphasized that finding places to film is really difficult and expensive “especially for independent filmmakers.”
“I wanted something affordable,” she explained to the local news source about making her studio accessible in terms of its costs for the public. If you’re interested, you can rent out one of the studio’s seven rooms for $100 an hour.
The set primarily featured in the clip had the look of an elementary school classroom. The studio also has a mock hospital room (filled with “real” equipment), and a faux office. According to the local outlet, George is currently working on sets that will mimic a jail and a restaurant, respectively.
In the future, the young mogul hopes to work with Tyler Perry — who owns his own 330-acre lot film production studio in the heart of Atlanta — Issa Rae and Ava DuVernay.
RELATED: “Here’s A First Look At Issa Rae’s New Unscripted Series Sweet Life: Los Angeles”
