Meet LJ Williams

We recently connected with LJ Williams and have shared our conversation below.

Hi LJ , thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

I think imposter syndrome is something that everyone encounters at some point in their creative journey. To be honest, I don’t think it’s something you overcome; it’s something you manage. Right now, I’m working on my second documentary, and there are so many scenarios that I’ll fabricate on why this won’t be as successful as my first one. This is actually preventing me from even looking at the footage.

To manage this, I’ve gone back and looked at photos and videos from behind the scenes that reminded me that I got a lot accomplished with less compared to what I have now for this film. I’ve also got reassurance from friends and family that this one will be just as good or better.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m a photographer / filmmaker based in Charlotte, NC. My unique journey from engineering to documentary film started in 2023. My fascination with storytelling led me to create my first documentary about a local artist in Charlotte, NC. This film was featured in 4 film festivals. My plan is to continue my filmmaking journey by highlighting impactful stories that would resonate with Charlotteans.

The next film that I’m working on is about a local photographer and some of the struggles he encountered when he returned from his deployment overseas. My hope is that his story will help other veterans seek help before the burden becomes too great for them to bear themselves.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The three qualities that were impactful for my journey are:

1. Being an active listener and allowing the person I’m interviewing to continue to speak without interruption, I found that this was very useful in them opening up more about their story.

2. My ability to learn quickly proved invaluable for my first documentary. I had to master new software for video and audio processing, and even learn how to create a DCP (digital cinema package).

3. Lastly, I think my background as a Mechanical Engineer has helped me problem-solve my way out of various challenging situations, one being learning that data can be recovered; you just need to find the right recovery tool and be patient with scanning multiple times to recover the corrupted footage.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

The most significant challenge I’m currently facing is the lack of a team to assist me with my documentary projects. My first documentary focused on a single character and was limited to a single camera setup with a short runtime of approximately 20 minutes.

As I progress in my filmmaking journey, I’ve come to realize that if I want to tackle more intricate storytelling, I’ll need a team. This aligns with the classic saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, get a team.”

Currently, I’m collaborating with family members who share my passion for filmmaking. Since we all work part-time, we must be highly efficient and deliberate in every decision, especially regarding budget and the overall creative process.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

None

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Where does your optimism come from?

Optimism is the invisible ingredient that powers so much of the incredible progress in society

Confidence
Stories of Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Learning from one another is what BoldJourney is all about. Below, we’ve shared stories and

Resilience
The Power of Persistence: Overcoming Haters and Doubters

Having hates is an inevitable part of any bold journey – everyone who has made