We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michael Chris a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Michael, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
The funny thing about our purpose is that I believe we come into this world already knowing exactly what brings us joy and makes us feel fulfilled. If you observe small children, you will notice that they tend to gravitate toward activities that bring them joy. I believe that our purpose in life is tied to those beginning-of-life urges. As a child, I had a vivid imagination and would love to write little stories and share them with my parents, especially my mother. I also loved to learn and I always made it my business to be sure to share everything I learned in school with my parents, grandparents, and anybody else who would listen.
As we age and move through life, we become more aware of the world around us and the world has a way of altering our ideas and perspectives on what we are supposed to do and how we are supposed to do them. I believe this process has a way of moving us away from our childhood joys and causes us to forget our purpose in life. After all these years, I have found myself feeling the most fulfilled and having the most success when I am doing the things that brought me great joy as a child; storytelling and sharing knowledge. It took me a while to get back to these things, but now I am a writer, for independent film and soon novels, and I have become a teacher. All it took was for me to do a little soul searching and only when I looked within and to the past was I able to discover what I was brought here to do.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Michael C. Anderson Jr., also known as Michael Chris, is an award-winning screenwriter, independent film producer, and educator from St. Petersburg, FL who writes and produces micro-budget independent short films and web series. With his stories, he aims to paint a more accurate depiction of people of color, especially African Americans, and eradicate negative stereotypes that affect these communities in the fantasy & supernatural genres. Because of this, Michael is an advocate for partnering with inclusive production companies and fellow filmmakers that seek to diversify storytelling.
Michael is a University of Florida, Full Sail University, & Georgia State University alumnus earning a bachelor’s of science degree in public relations in 2014, two master of fine arts degrees in Film Production and Creative Writing in 2016 and 2017, respectively, and a master of teaching degree in Social Studies Education in 2023. He’s been granted opportunities to work on a multitude of short film projects, working as a producer, 2nd assistant director, casting director, and script supervisor. He also has served as a consultant for filmmakers needing a bit of guidance with screenwriting and producing film and as a film festival judge with Cinema Life.
Outside of independent film production, Michael is an advocate for education. He has spent the last few years working inside of elementary schools, middle schools, summer camps, and after-school programs aiming to inspire and educate, and now is a middle school social studies teacher. Michael has also found a way to mix film production and education by teaching screenwriting and production workshops for those looking for independent micro-budget film guidance.
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 most impactful qualities that I possess are that I am always looking for opportunities to network and build community, I always follow through and give myself grace when I set a goal for myself, and I am not afraid to take risks.
I believe it is very important for everyone, no matter what part of their journey they are on, to always prioritize these three things. Nobody makes it far without the assistance of others and it is not a weakness to need help from time to time. It’s important to not let your ego be your downfall.
Being disciplined is also a major factor in anyone’s success story. When setting a goal, it is important to make sure that you see it through to completion no matter what, but it is also important to remember that you are human when working towards these goals. Rest when you need to. Delay if you must. Pivot if it is necessary. We as people evolve over time and it is perfectly fine if our goal do too. Just remember to keep striving once all is said and done.
I do not feel like I need to elaborate more on taking risks. Nobody excels if they never move out of their comfort zone. We all need to leave what’s comfortable to grow and evolve.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
When I am feeling overwhelmed, I literally go lay down. Sometimes I even take a nap. It helps for me to hit a hard reset. Once I take a moment to rest, I usually can come back and address the issues that overwhelmed me with a clear mind. My only advice is to find the thing that helps you decompress and lean into it when necessary.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://michaelchriswrites.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_michaelchris_/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchris0/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaelchris010
- Other: https://vimeo.com/smoothstarent
Image Credits
Darius Voncel, Alistair Edwards Jr., Blake Bodden, & Claudymir Baptiste
