Rising Stars: Meet Celia Peters

Today we’d like to introduce you to Celia Peters.

Hi Celia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers. 
I am a futurist, filmmaker, and visual artist who has traveled a twisted path to where I am now. I have been a lover of science all my life but as a girl, my taste in stories leaned more to horror. Over time, I became the sci-fi-creating futurist I am today — but I digress. As a teen, my top priority was getting out of the small Midwestern city I was in and getting out into the new-wave world I saw on MTV. So, my precocious 16–16-year-old self went to a huge Midwestern university, the University of Michigan. My undergraduate degree is in political science and French, two subjects that I really enjoyed but that unfortunately didn’t really lend themselves to any careers that appealed to me. 

What’s a girl to do? More school! 

After getting a master’s degree in public policy at University of Chicago, I stayed in Chi-town and did a stint in social services. And, as an avid lover of indie film, I began writing a script at the suggestion of a lawyer friend who wanted me to become one of his first entertainment clients. Along the way, I went back to graduate school at New York University, this time for clinical psychology. But the whole time leading up to my move to NYC, I was still working on my script and studying the craft. When I started at NYU, all of my extracurricular activities were film-related. I was very lucky that New York’s many productions became my classrooms. By the time I finished my coursework for a master’s in clinical psychology, I knew that film was it for me. 

And it’s all connected: the stories I write are science-informed and distinctly character-driven, with emphasis on human motivation and behavior, as well as the unseen power of the subconscious mind. Full circle if there ever was such a thing. Along the way, I began doing visual art (more characters!) and also curating and producing because I wanted to create the platforms to amplify underestimated voices because they are needed. Inclusion benefits everyone; exclusion means we all miss out. There’ve been a few other stops along the way, but all roads led me to the laidback, wide-open, bitchin’ energy of California and the wild, innovative, on-some-other-ish vibes of the Bay Area. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My road has been smoother than it has been for many, but there have definitely been rough patches. I fell in love with indie film first and then dove into screenwriting, which was a whole education in and of itself. Directing was next, then editing. (BTW, editing audio is my jam!) I love it each time I’ve learned a new aspect of filmmaking because it deepens my understanding of the entire craft! It’s like falling in love all over again. The biggest struggles have been funding filmmaking (financing a feature now — it’s a process!), and also finding my way in an industry that is so stuck in so many ways but also always changing/innovative at the same time. I’m so grateful that I finally understand, in a macro sense, the relationship between art and society and, indeed, human civilization. Getting clear on this has helped me to clarify my understanding of what I’m doing as an artist and why. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a writer, director, and producer. My focus is film, but I also create visual art and audio stories. All of my work, whether motion picture, still image, or audio, is character driven… I’m fascinated by human motivation and behavior. Also, I tend to work in the sci-fi realm — I’m definitely a futurist and, furthermore, an afro-futurist. I’m convinced that there is intelligent life outside of Earth. I haven’t had a close encounter, but the staggering number of stars and planets has me convinced! Humanity has not yet been able to leave our solar system, and we definitely exist (and have for millennia). Who’s to say there aren’t other civilizations who also haven’t yet figured out how to leave their solar systems? 

I’m also a curator, and I produce events. I prioritize creating platforms for the work of underestimated folks to be seen and heard. I love creating deeply themed events where people can experience storytelling. 

I’m most proud of how much I’ve learned and grown as an artist, especially as a video, audio, and photo editor. I’ve been blessed to learn from many gifted and generous people, and I’ve also taught myself a lot. I’m also extremely proud of the shows I’ve created that have opened up people’s heads and also created opportunities for others. 

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
Arrrrrghhh, this question is huge! There are so many. Too many. But… The Seven Laws of Spiritual Success by Deepak Chopra changed my life because it completely shifted the way I saw and experienced reality. I’ve read a ton of Deepak Chopra’s work since then and been led to a ton of other work on the same wavelength, but that little book was HUGELY pivotal for me. It was the start of a spiritual path that I’m still on. Also, everything by Octavia Butler; she was a brilliant, prescient futurist who foresaw so much that is happening now. Her work influenced my worldview and what I create. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.artisticfreedomltd.com
• Instagram: @artfreeltd
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/celiacpeters
• Youtube: youtube.com/@artisticfreedomltd
• Other: www.godspeedscifi.com

Image Credits
Celia C. Peters