Atlanta-based screenwriter/content creator/producer/director Devyne Johnson has big Hollywood dreams–but they are coming true on her own terms.
Charlotte, North Carolina-born Johnson launched Artefaekts Entertainment ?in 2010. Artefaekts is a full-service production company that creates original content in the form of short films, animations, feature films, and live entertainment. With it?s first feature film, ?Mosaic,? ready Johnson is working to build Artefaekts–even in such a risky, highly competitive industry. ?Creativity, teamwork and commitment are the bedrock to our success. At Artefaekts, our creativity is the vanguard of operations. Every time we show up to set, record new music, animate new characters or script compelling dialogue, we have a unique opportunity to exploit our imaginations and create the reality we want to work in. Anything and everything we think of is possible! With this in mind, we are committed to fueling a ?can do? spirit throughout our entire team that produces content our audiences love and support,? says Johnson, self-funded her startup.? Adds Johnson, ?Artefaekts always been self-sustaining and was financed through old fashioned savings and sweat equity. We worked hard and reinvested in the company. The harder we worked, the more we invested until Artefaekts began to grow organically.? The company?s first feature film, Mosaic, was self-funded as well. Artefaekts took the film on a seven-city theatrical debut tour which started in September.
Of course, as with all businesses, Artefaekts has faced challenges as it has grown. ?Every company experiences growing pains,? shares Johnson. ?Some challenges we?ve encountered have been time and resource management associated with growth. We have exciting opportunities and an ambitious slate of new projects on the horizon. Juggling the completion of our first national theatrical release and simultaneously prepping new developments means hiring new talent and shoring up cross functional teams. Touring, writing and developing new content while overseeing a growing company leaves little room for error or lounging.?
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Johnson is actually Hollywood veteran, having worked on a number of productions since graduating from Alabama State University, where she studied Theater, Public Relations & Integrated Marketing. With a background in costume design and has worked on films and television shows such as Atlanta, Stranger Things, and the Ride Along franchise. Earlier this year` Johnson and her production team were commissioned to create, produce, and direct a short film called What Kings are Made of for the TV series, Live@9:30 which is nationally broadcast by NPR & PBS.
And because of her experience, she has amassed some valuable business lessons. ?My biggest business lesson is to trust my instinct and keep things simple. Don?t do anything that doesn?t pertain to the goal,? she says.
Now she?s readying to complete her 2017 goals. She says, ?2017 is a year of great expectancy for us! We plan to continue building and maximizing business partnerships that will lead us into opportunities full of adventure, education, exploration and expansion. We?ll also continue investing in key talent for several projects in our pipeline including an animated series, a live entertainment event, at least one feature production and several writing commissions.?
