Janelle’s still using her pen . . . Former journalist now a film script writer

Filmmaker Janelle Gilkes has set her sights on building a creative empire. Throughout her career she has worn many hats. Whether it was as a journalist, conference producer or radio personality, the common denominator has been the use of her creative streak.

While in her previous roles she had been constrained and created on a proverbial leash, she is now on a path to break free from those restraints.

Though Janelle thrives in the creative field, she had initially taken a step back. Currently, she is making her presence felt with her advent as a film producer. Never one to be constrained in a box, she made the decision to enter the Script-O-Rama Challenge, which was part of last year’s Barbados Visual Arts Festival. Taking a leap of faith, horror was her chosen genre and her script for When Mum’s Away earned her top honours.

Janelle told Bajan Vibes that winning the competition came as a surprise. Usually her creative process is systematic and involves a series of rewrites and getting feedback. However, due to the time constraints with this project she got it completed within two days. Veering away from her norm made the triumph even more shocking for her.

She recalled waking up to a WhatsApp conversation in which it had been announced that she was the winner. After the initial uncertainty waned, she felt validated.

“It was very heartwarming and encouraging,” she recalled.

Janelle revelled in knowing that someone found something that she wrote intriguing enough to beat out the other competitors.

Admittedly, it was nerve racking to see her words fleshed out and brought to life. Throughout the process she consistently wondered if the material would connect with the audience. During the first screening, she continued to be plagued by these questions. Fortunately, she was able to cast those doubts aside and enjoy the thrill of just being in the moment, after having stepped out of her comfort zone.

Janelle loves a great story, whether it’s on pages or leaping out from the big screen. This has seen her broaden her scope to non-traditional markets like Asia and territories within Africa. Of late, she has been scouring Netflix’s vast catalogue. However, she continues to long for something more focused on her home.

“As much as I am trying to broaden what I watch and the stories that I consume, I am realising that what I am really searching for, and what I am really missing is Barbadian stories, regional stories, Caribbean stories. Stories that showcase people who look like me and my friends. Relationships that sound and look like either relationships that I have had or relationships that I would want to have.”

Her recent win has stoked the fire to create content which resonates with her from a nationalistic standpoint. Janelle believes that as a people, we are complex and multi-dimensional and there needs to be a forum for an alternative narrative apart from what is traditionally pushed in the mainstream. She is excited about the idea of being the architect of those kinds of stories, penning that kind of content and sharing it with the world, whether it be via books or movies.

The creative has never liked the idea of being the ‘starving artist’ whose artistic expression can not pay the bills. However, she is prepared to struggle for her work.

“I want to put in the hard work. I want to do the research. I want to take the time to network and talk with other creatives. I want to create work that will be able to sustain me,” she noted.

Janelle is dedicated to finding a balance between those two worlds and building her creative enterprise. She believes that while you may not always be able to plunge headfirst due to responsibilities, you must be committed to developing your craft.

In order to avoid some of the pitfalls, networking with people in the same field that you are hoping to enter is paramount. She advised: “Be around that energy and immerse yourself in that type of space!”

Having a committed structure to help you feed into your craft is a must. Janelle has attended multiple workshops and masterclasses to aid her development and increase her confidence. Making these alliances has allowed her to chart her own path without mimicking the road that those around her have travelled. She is pragmatic in her approach.

“I suffer no delusions that I am going to come and just do what has never been done before.”

Janelle is acutely aware that she is building on a culture that is pre existing and she has to know something of what has gone before her in order to create something that has an impact.

She is family oriented and her role as a wife is of the utmost importance to her. Especially dear to her is her tribe, her closest friends.

“I think it is important to have strong relationships that nurture you, that teach you, that inspire you, that challenge you.”

Janelle stressed that one of the most important factors in this journey is to simply understand the scope that you want to have for your own creative expression. (STT)