Meet Chiffon Valentine of Naturally Red Productions

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chiffon Valentine.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Ever since I was a little girl, I knew that I would have a career path in the world of entertainment. Back then my dream avenue to get there was as a soap opera actress! From about the age of eight, I became infatuated with all of the CBS soaps which at the time were The Young and the Restless, Bold and the Beautiful, As the World Turns, and Guiding Light. As I got older, and way before DVR was a thing, I learned to set recordings on my VCR. I would record the soaps while I was at school and would race home to watch them all while doing homework. After watching, I would rewind the video to the start and set the recording for the next day. This went on everyday for years. My sweet supportive mom, although not thrilled with my interest in the soaps, made me a promise my junior year in high school that if I maintained a certain GPA she would take me to the daytime Emmys in New York. That incentive was all I needed! I accomplished that goal with no problem and anxiously awaited the day of the Emmys. As we drove into New York for the event, I remember thinking wow, am I really going to be in the same room with people I watch everyday? A dream was definitely coming true! Crossing the GW bridge I felt like Kevin McCallister in Home Alone 2 when he made it into the city for the first time. I was in awe. Looking out over the lights, sounds, and even smelling the smells of the city was everything! I felt connected and in that moment I knew that I wanted to one day call New York home and fulfill my dream as a soap opera actress, which I assumed would then lead to other opportunities. Now, I look back with a chuckle at the plans I made not realizing the path I would actually have to take. How does the cliche go? Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans.

The plan I laid out first changed in my undergrad studies at the illustrious HBCU, Virginia State University. I went in with the plan to major in theater, however, at the time theater was only offered as a minor so I ended up having to switch my major to mass communications with a concentration in film, tv, and radio productions. Behind the scenes jobs were not something I was interested in pursuing, AT ALL. After the first few classes, I was like, okay I can see some potential in learning about this stuff in case I need a job when I’m in between acting gigs. But then before I blinked, four years flew by and I had totally bought into the idea of the production side of things. The thought that I could be in charge of the content that is put out was suddenly intriguing and I wanted to learn more. So I started looking into film schools to attend after graduating. The one that caught my eye was New York Film Academy. Mainly because as you can already guess, it was in New York! Somehow I thought that would put me back where I originally wanted to be. So the plan was to be a student in their next session which was starting in January 2010. However, it wasn’t the time, not yet. It took months longer than I would have liked, but eventually the right door opened and I was able to move there for graduate school. The interesting thing about NYFA is that they offered acting as a major, but fresh off the heels of all of the production jargon, I decided to pursue my Masters in producing for film/tv. What also was different from most degree programs was that we would do the first portion of it in New York, and then be transferred out to Los Angeles to complete the second half. So thank you NYFA for being the vehicle that got to me to live in both entertainment meccas of America! It was in this program that I also discovered my screenwriting skills. Before then, I had never thought to write anything. But when we had to take courses in television and feature writing, I came to actually enjoy it and added it to my creative weaponry. During this time is when I also launched my own production company, Naturally Red Productions.

Upon graduating in 2012, I decided to stay a few months here in LA and make some connections and then I would eventually move back to New York. But then a few months turned into now almost a decade. Like most young people who move here, I took jobs both in and out of entertainment to pay the bills. Most of the jobs in entertainment that I came by were in casting or development and producing short films here and there. Nothing major, but it was work. I eventually decided to go back to school. This time I pursued my degree in my first love of acting and boy oh boy was I rusty! I would get the same comment from my acting teachers, “Chiffon you have this wall up!” or “You’re producing the scene rather than being in it.” My time on the other side actually made me lose my sensitivity to the art of acting I learned. It was a challenge that I slowly overcame. Just like my first master’s program, new skill discovery of screenwriting, in this second program is where I discovered my directing skill. Now having in-depth time studying and rediscovering the craft, I was able to communicate with actors and was able to speak their language when it came to breaking down characters, scenes, etc. I graduated with that second masters in 2015, and just like in 2012 when I graduated, I made a plan of what was going to happen. But like so many times before that isn’t the way it worked out. About a month after graduating, I started working as the production secretary at American Idol and that was definitely a learning experience. My first major network show that I was on for more than a short stint gig. I’m talking 40 to sometimes 80 hour work weeks for months. And I wouldn’t change it for anything, because it was there that my writing and producing fire was reignited.

Since then, I have had the opportunity to work in different production capacities on many other network shows, most recently as a producer on the ABC show, Hearts of Heroes. In the midst of those opportunities, I have also continued to write, produce and direct my own projects. One that I am particularly proud of is a pilot episode that I wrote, directed, and solely produced called “Cliques”. As the title suggests, the series follows several different cliques of high school students as they maneuver studies, secrets, and the regular drama of adolescent years. This project was special for me because I was able to return to shoot it back where the entertainment journey first started for me in my hometown of Midlothian, Virginia. It was a full-circle moment for sure and I couldn’t have asked for a better cast or crew to have experienced it all with than the Cliques cast and crew! So now when people ask, I say that I’m married to producing, have an affair with directing and writing, but acting was always my first love and I’m blessed to have been able to do it all professionally. It took a long winding road to get to the place in my career where I am currently, but God knew which way I needed to go so that I’ll be even more grateful for the journey and I look forward to all of the amazing opportunities that he will continue to bring my way.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road hasn’t always been easy, some of which were self-inflicted, and some were just circumstantially out of my control. One thing about working in entertainment, especially in LA, the old cliche rings true “who do you know that could get you in the door?” Being fresh out of grad school in 2012, I had to hustle to get jobs because my network consisted of other people also trying to break in. A lot of times we were all going out for the same gigs, and when you did book something it could be for a few weeks or a few months and then it’s back to square one. There was a point that I made the decision to live in my car for a while to save money and to avoid tucking my tail and moving home in defeat. It’s an all too common LA story right? But for me, I didn’t skip a beat during that time. I kept living life like nothing was out of the norm. My family back home only found out about that period in my life years later when I made a short film about it. Sorry y’all! But when I was in it, I was so ridiculously prideful! But shoutout to my church family here in LA who when they found out, talked some sense into me and pulled me out of that way of thinking and feeling. I slowly got back on my feet, but it didn’t happen right away. There was a period where I even stopped taking industry jobs for a while to ensure that I would have a full time and consistent paycheck coming in. But something was missing. Yeah, the checks were consistent, and I now lived in a nice apartment in the Fairfax district, but creatively, I was malnourished. So in the spring of 2014, that’s when I made the decision to go back to school. That decision shifted everything for me and jump started my entry back into the daunting world of entertainment. Here I am six years later, and I’m still creating.

Please tell us about Naturally Red Productions.
Naturally, Red Productions was birthed in one of my branding management classes in 2011. The whole curriculum of the class was set out to help us create and brand our own production company. I was torn between two names, Chifo4rmMidlo (which paid homage to my hometown) or Naturally Red (referring to my natural red/auburn hair). Torn between the two, I brought the names to my classmates and they voted. Naturally Red won out, so that was the name that I moved forward with! Thus, for the past nine years, NRP has been involved in many creative capacities on a variety of shorts, features, and the previously mentioned television project “Cliques”.

NRP prides ourselves on collaborating with established independent artists, as well as those that are up and coming. For us, we don’t care about the “who you know” crowd, we care about being able to freely create great content that is entertaining. Another major goal is to be apart of someone’s introduction into the industry. Being able to watch someone that is completely green to any set, in any capacity, operating in the vigor, excitement and humility everyday on set and seeing the rewarding and prideful look in their eyes at wrap knowing they helped contribute in some way to telling the story, is everything to me. If one day I happen to find myself reading an article in your magazine or any other publication, and someone happens to mention their gratefulness for NRP as their first start, then the winding road that I had to take to be in that hiring position, will all be worth it!

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe in luck, I believe in God’s purpose. Every hill and every mountain that I encountered to get to where I am today, was necessary to keep me humble for whatever level I’m blessed to reach next in my career.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.NaturallyRedProductions.com
• Email: info@naturallyredproductions.com
• Instagram: @NaturallyRedProductions
• Facebook: Naturally Red Productions

Image Credit:
Karen Paynter, Patrice Driver and Jasmine Ahnie.

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