Meet Christie Conochalla

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christie Conochalla.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Christie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I think anyone who goes through their lives with the proclivity of being a creative of any kind, and maybe this extends to others regardless of passion, creatives are that before they even exist. We are born and we walk directly onto the path whether we like it or not! So it’s tough to pinpoint one moment that leads me to where I am; possibly the fan fiction screenplays I’d write as a teenager or my decisions to major in theatre which eventually lead to film school. I think the threshold I officially crossed into directing was in 2013 when my short film “Once Upon A Zipper” was financed. Everything I did or was lead me to that moment and that film has opened doors which brought me to direct “August in the City” which brought me to direct “Forever Not Maybe,” which will hopefully bring me to direct more in the future.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think any part of life will ever be considered a smooth road. Filmmaking is such an expensive dream. You write a script and then have to find someone to trust you with tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars. Of course, if directing is the path there are gatekeepers and complications within that journey in and of itself. The struggles on the path of filmmaking have intersected with my overall human struggle. Putting into perspective my goals vs what life is all about. There was a time where I felt I was really hustling in the right direction but in the end, we do this because it makes us happy. I know the tasks which have gotten in the way of my happiness on this path and the education has come from letting go of all the things I plan for tomorrow and really looking at what this passion offers me today.

I think to myself “what can I do today that satisfies my love for writing, directing, or creating?” I truly believe if you show up for yourself, if you work because there is something in you that needs to be expressed, and you do it all to serve that passion, you’ll get to where you need to be. It’s such a pitfall to get ahead of yourself thinking, “well, if I just get that meeting, or meet that person, then my future will be this or that.” Stop and check in with whether or not you are happy in the present and if you serve that need, there will be no pitfalls, just inspiration, gratitude, and through that practice everything you could ever hope for will fall into place. Maybe not in the way you expected but it depends on your goals in life.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a writer/director. I take scripts that either I have written or others and I create them into narrative content. I am so proud of all my work and what it not only has meant to me but what it has meant to audiences. I truly love reading how people have been positively impacted by my short “Once Upon A Zipper,” which is a feel-good, lesbian rom-com. I’m always ecstatic when I answer questions about my dramatic short “August in the City,” and my feature “Forever Not Maybe,” isn’t slated for release until next month but I’m looking forward to being a part of the conversation it brings up.

I wouldn’t say I’m set apart from others, I mean, we all have our own style and our own visions. I feel my work is very different from the work of others but I believe filmmakers are a community, then women filmmakers are a subset of that community, and lesbian filmmakers a subset of that community. I do my best to serve this amazing art and love being a part of it as a whole. I particularly love the camaraderie amongst women and amongst lesbian directors and I will continue to create films about queer characters with storylines that can affect all communities. I currently have three feature screenplays I’d love to create in the near future and am always grateful for opportunities to direct other people’s work.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment so far has been the success of my two shorts. Kacy of Carpe Vinum Productions trusted in me when she financed the film as did Lisa Tedesco of Lady Film Media when she entrusted me with directing her short “August in the City.” I’m very proud to have given them projects that have had a positive impact on audiences. They both gave me all the freedom one could hope for in the process of shooting these films. They trusted my art and my vision and it is always rewarding when that trust pays off.

Pricing:

• Audiences who love lesbian content can see my work by subscribing to LesFlicks streaming $5.99/mo
• Audience who love women filmmakers can see my work by subscribing to Reel Women Media for $6/mo

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4545878/
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @cconochalla @forever_not_maybe_film
• Facebook: @christieconochalla
• Twitter: @cconochalla @FNM_film

Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.