Q/A with Shaimond Foye
The New Jersey native filmmaker talks about faith and his hopes for a united America.
Shaimond Foye is a screenwriter, director and producer who is originally from NJ but currently lives in Queens, NY. He enjoys making movies about social issues, Christian movies and more. Shaimond’s most recent film is the award winning The Calling (2020). Shaimond is also a veteran of the New Jersey Army National Guard.
Q: What interested you in filmmaking?
F: I have something to say and feel that filmmaking is the best way for me to say it.
Q: What inspired you to write and film The Calling (2020)?
F: I went to a Christian Men’s Conference and on the last day we had a church service. During that service, as one of the ministers was speaking, God put it on my heart to make a movie about a pastor that is struggling. I didn’t know what that struggle would be, but when I got home I wrote the script and The Calling is what came out.
Q: What interests you in making faith based films? Is this a genre you want to continue to do?
F: I’m a Christian and would like to share stories that glorify Jesus Christ and offer hope and encouragement to people, so yes, I would like to continue making faith based films. I would like to make other types of films too because there are many different stories I would like to tell.
Q: What other stories would you want to tell?
F: Whatever stories I have on my heart: social stories, comedies, etc. There are no limits.
Q: There seems to be a stigma behind faith based films. Why do you think that’s the case?
F: I think the stigma is because people are unfamiliar with religion or the bible, some films are too preachy which turns people off, and Christians are imperfect so when people see their mistakes or have had negative experiences in the church or by Christians it turns them off to all things in Christianity.
Q: Are there any faith based films you would recommend?
F: Some of my favorites are "Fireproof," "The Passion of Christ" and "War Room."
Q: How has faith played a role in your life?
F: Having a personal relationship with God and being a member of a church family has been an important part of my life. I have learned from and been encouraged by others and done likewise for others by my presence as we all grow by sharing God’s word and love.
Q: What is the next project you’d like to do?
F: I just wrote my first TV pilot and would like to write another one soon. I don’t have any immediate plans to do any filming but have been in a writing state of mind lately and would like to continue that momentum.
Q: What is your writing process like?
F: For the most part, I have a thought or a kernel of an idea. Then I sit down and write the script and figure it out as I go. I don’t use outlines or beat sheets or anything like that.
Q: Let’s talk about America. How do you feel about the current state of it right now?
F: It’s sad, but things always get worse before they get better. I like the fact that we are having tough conversations that we rarely or ever had between different races and classes. I believe some good will come out of this eventually.
Q: Why do you think we have avoided these tough conversations?
F: I think many people were unaware of the plight of black people and other minorities in America, so they wouldn’t have conversations about things they don’t know about. If they are aware of some of these things, they see it from their perspective and disagree so transparent conversations don’t happen. Also, some people may be scared to say the wrong thing and don’t want to look bad or feel uncomfortable so conversations that could’ve happened previously didn’t.
Q: Why do you think America has become so divided in the past couple of years? Has it always been like this?
F: I think it’s always been like this, but we needed the right climate to bring these things to the forefront. Before social media and video cameras on smartphones, people were unaware of many issues that people outside of their community faced, especially as it relates to people of different races and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Q: It should not be red vs blue, or me vs you. How do we bridge this gap between both sides?
F: Politicians get so much money from Political Action Committees (PACs) for their campaigns that it’s hard for them not to make decisions that favor large corporations or industries even if they are not in the best interest of the constituents they represent. This combined with billions of dollars that lobbyists spend each year pushing their political agenda and it’s no wonder most politicians stick with red or blue. Opening up true opportunities for additional political parties could help. Decreasing the cost to run a political campaign or putting a cap on contributions or cost might help so the candidate with the most money won’t simply buy their win by out advertising and outspending their opponents. Also, stronger values of political candidates could help so they can vote on what truly benefits the people even if it’s not what the PACs and lobbyists want.
Q: Black Lives Matter is a social movement campaigning for racial equality and basic human rights for black people. Some people have responded by saying “All Lives Matter” which has offended people. How do you personally feel on this matter?
F: I agree all lives matter, but all lives don’t truly matter if black lives don’t matter, and looking at the way black people have been treated in America for the past 400 years we need to keep championing the black lives matter cause.
Q: Have you personally felt you were treated unfairly because of your race? If so can you give an example?
F: Yes, I have been followed in stores because I’m black and have been unjustly stopped and harassed by the police to name a few things.
Q: Why is it so hard as a society for us to understand other people’s points of view? How can we fix this?
F: I believe it’s because for the most part we don’t spend time with people from other races and backgrounds. We talk amongst close friends and relatives about these issues but rarely talk to someone from another race or background. These conversations are starting to happen now, and I hope they continue and positive change comes for the sake of us all.
Q: How do you explain systematic racism to someone that doesn’t understand it?
F: I would say watch some documentaries about it like, “13th” and “The Kalief Browder Story.” They are both on Netflix.
Q: Where do you see America heading in the next couple years?
F: Only God knows.
Q: What does freedom mean to you?
F: The ability to be you as long as it stays within the bounds of the laws and societal norms. Freedom should be equal for all members of society.
Q: What can the current and future generation do in order to make the world a better place?
F: Have a relationship with God, learn about history and different cultures and educate yourself.
Q: As you get ready to vote in the next election, what are you looking for in a president?
F: Someone that cares about all Americans even if they don’t look like them or aren’t wealthy and someone who carries themselves with class and dignity. No one is perfect including both presidential candidates, but I will choose the candidate that I believe will represent these values and carries themself in as close a manner to this as possible.
Q: As a story-teller, how do you feel you can make this world a little better?
F: By being true to my authentic self and sharing my God-given talents with the world through writing, film and other ways, as opportunities present themselves.
Q: What does happiness mean to you?
F: Being content with where you are even as you are on the way to where you hope you will be and counting your blessings. There is always something we can complain about, but if you have a grateful heart I believe you will be better off and happier.
Q: If you could have three people at dinner who would you bring and why?
F: If they were alive, besides my family, I would say Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Denzel Washington. If I could have dinner with someone that has passed away it would be my grandmother who I never met. She passed away before I was born and I wish I could have met her. Also, the soul singer Donny Hathaway. For the third person, It would be great to have dinner with an ancestor of mine from the 1700s just to tell them a little about where their legacy has gone and learn about my history. Many African Americans don’t know who our ancestors are because of slavery. Slaves were considered property and therefore proper records weren’t kept for them. Plus slave families were ripped apart and sold to people in other areas with little to no regard for the harm that was done by breaking families up, so that makes tracing our ancestry much harder than people of other races. Even if your family was free for generations or never enslaved, not many records were kept for black people, so it’s hard to trace our lineage.
Q: Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?
F: I’m a good person and family man, but I would like to be an even better husband and father in the next five years. I would also like to have multiple streams of income and business including successfully writing for film and TV.
Q: What legacy do you want to leave for your kids?
F: I want to continue loving and worshiping God so my kids will have that example to follow. I want to continue working on having a healthy marriage so my children can see how a healthy marriage works, so they will have a better chance of having that when they grow older. I would like them to respect, love and value themselves and others. Hopefully, I’m doing a good job of being an example of that.
IG: @ foyevision
Youtube: Foyevision
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