Meet Dawnchelle Carlton of Eden Digital Group

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dawnchelle Carlton.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. 
I was always a little girl with big dreams. When I was six years-old, I watched the Academy Awards for the first time. After that, I found myself getting more curious about the entertainment industry. Plus, I had an aunt who worked as an accountant for Disney Studios. Come on – what could be more glamorous than that?!?

When I was thirteen, my mom had a friend worked in movie production and she set up a time for me to meet with him and pick his brain. He worked in special effects and I thought he was so cool!  While I got to college and – against the wishes of my parents – I decided to change my major to Television and Film. They thought it was a gamble for me to go after something so risky rather than stick with a stable major, but I couldn’t listen to them – I had to pursue what I felt that GOD wanted for me.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way? 
Smooth road, absolutely not! Getting into Hollywood is like getting into the NBA. In college, I took a lot of unpaid positions, including interning at NBC. I worked eight to ten hour days, juggled two part-time jobs and sixteen units of classes. When you are hungry for something, you do whatever it takes to make it – even if it means getting coffee at 9pm for a casting director who is not even paying you!

After college, I had to pay the bills, so I worked at an insurance company for a few years and volunteered at local film festivals and press events just to get experience. I do believe those hard days prepared me for where I am today.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Eden Digital Group – what should we know? 
My company is really unique as it intersects faith and entertainment. We come up with strategy and marketing/PR campaigns for mainstream movies and television that directly target the African-American Faith community. Some recent projects include GOD FRIENDED ME, CREED 2, THE BEST OF ENEMIES and SMALLFOOT.

It’s amazing as I get to work on these awesome projects while servicing an audience that is so important to me. When 83% of African Americans identifying as Christian, their collective voice matters! I’m humbled to be able to intersect my strong faith with Hollywood. It’s my two loves coming together and it never feels like work to me! I enjoy every moment.

One of the most gratifying things about the job is that I get to be in the room where decisions are being made about how to reach a certain demographic. Because I’m an expert in my field, executives care about what I have to say and my voice is heard. It makes all those years of unpaid, unglamorous internships worth it.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role? 
First and foremost, I would say my father played a major role in where I am today. Over the years, I saw him work so hard and continue to press on no matter the hour or what was expected of him. He always gave his best and hardly EVER missed a day at work. He taught me to have a good work ethic and be ahead of the game – to be a leader, and never a follower.

My faith definitely played and continues to play a major role in my everyday life. I believe God gives everyone a journey and desire, but it’s up to us to listen to Him no matter what anyone else has to say. If you trust him, that becomes your journey.

My partners, Ted Gartner and Jonathan Bock (the founders of Grace Hill Media) are two of my biggest mentors cheerleaders. From the start, they trusted in my vision. To have two successful white men believe in you and encourage your aspirations rarely happens for African-American women like me.

I would also like to give a HUGE shout-out to my tribe of women that continuously have my back: my mom, sisters, aunts, grandmother and my best friends, Crystal, Sabra and Brittany, who have always encouraged me to move ahead despite the many obstacles and trust the journey. Finally, I need to thank the studio executives who championed me to be great and who were willing to give me the chance to shine.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.edendigitalgroup.com
• Phone: 818.762.000
• Instagram: @EdenDigitalGroup
  

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