C R E A T I V E C Y P H E R

We’ve made it to the trades! Our heartfelt gratitude to @atxfestival and @indiewire for the love! We can’t contain our excitement as we get ready to head to Austin May 28-31 to screen @itsnotyouitsmechi as the winner in the inaugural 🏆BEST INDIE TV PILOT - UNSCRIPTED🥇 category!! Get your tickets at the #linkinbio today!

🎬 Your Life. Your Story. REVEALED. We’re proud to introduce the official launch of REVEALED — a new series from The Auxiliary Network that takes a deeper, more personal approach to storytelling. In this episode, we sit down with Chicago’s own Charles Johnson, President of SodexoMagic and longtime business partner of Magic Johnson, as he opens up about his journey, mindset, and why he believes in the vision of The Auxiliary Network. No host. No interruptions. Just real talk. This is where the stories behind the success get told. 🔌 Watch now: [Link In Bio] #Revealed #AuxiliaryNetwork #CharlesJohnson #Entrepreneurship #Leadership Chicago Business RealTalk

The love for Final Frame just keeps growing, and honestly? We’re still processing it all and feeling very grateful today. Some big updates from the last week: 1.) Final Frame is headed to the Kashish Pride Film Festival for our Asian premiere in Mumbai, India! Plus, we’ve been nominated for the Aditya Nanda Award for Best Film on Queer Mental Health. 🏳️‍🌈 2.) In addition, we’ve been selected to screen at the Fear No Film Festival as part of the Utah Arts Festival in Salt Lake City! 3.) And lastly, Final Frame had the chance to screen at the Des Moines Latino Film Festival on April 11th. We are so endlessly proud of this cast and crew. They poured everything into this story, and seeing the world love this film back is the best feeling. Can’t wait to see where we land next! #latine #chicagocreatives #chicagofilmmakers

Charles Johnson — REVEALED. In this episode, we sit down with one of Chicago’s most respected voices to uncover the real journey, the mindset, and the moments that shaped his path. In this clip, he shares why he believes The Auxiliary Network is important — and the role platforms like this play in shaping culture and creating opportunity. Your Life, Your Story, REVEALED. 🔌 Full episode on The Auxiliary Network Coming Soon #AuxiliaryNetwork #RevealedSeries #CharlesJohnson #Leadership #Business Culture Entrepreneurship Chicago Media Podcast

Charles Johnson isn’t just in the room… he helps build it. As President of SodexoMAGIC—and the strategist who helped broker the partnership behind it—his work has shaped one of the most successful minority-owned business ventures in the country. A trusted force alongside Magic Johnson, his influence spans major deals, investments, and community-driven impact. Chicago born. Globally respected. Revealed is a different kind of conversation—no on air host, no interruptions. Just the person, their story, and the truth behind it. 🔌 Plug In.

We’ve been Short Listed for a @tellyawards ! 🥳 FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO CAST YOUR VOTE 🗳️: → Click the 🔗 in bio! → Sign into your Google Account → Give us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rating! That’s all! Only 7 days left!

You asked to see inside our writing process. Here it is. Every time Cara and I sit down to write, the first thing we do is put real faces on the wall. Not the official cast. Just real people. Because a face on a wall stops being a character and starts being a person. That’s what keeps the story honest, the characters real and the writing from falling into stereotypes. We started this July 2025 for the @tde.films grant - Cara and I are both @chi_natas nominated writers and we became finalists. It’s now April 2026 and we’re still in the rewrite. Next stop - casting with @oconnorcasting this summer. Some of these faces might just walk through that door. #screenwriting #filmmaking #directorlife #indiefilm #filmproduction

Final Frame is going to Philadelphia! We’ve been holding onto this news for a hot second but we couldn’t be more excited to FINALLY be able to share that Final Frame will be having its East Coast premiere as part of the Los Shorts program at @phlatinfilmfest . We’ve been fans of this festival for a long time so to have a film of ours screen as part of their programming is such a full circle moment. Head over to PHLAFF.ORG to find out more about this year’s festival schedule and we will be sure to share screening info once it is available. A big congrats to our cast and crew on this festival acceptance! #PHLAFF2026 #LosQuince #ChicagoGay #Latine #ChicagoFilmmakers

Another day, another news station! Thank you @abc7chicago for the love you’re showing my client @jahkiljackson !! He is so excited about his 10th year anniversary of @weareprojectiam !! He just wrapped up an incredible interview with the amazing @samantha.chatman ! Video by @thoughtpoet77 🔥

You don’t sell. You create environments that people need to be in.” 💡✨ If you’ve been struggling to get your creative projects off the ground, this might be the mindset shift you need. In Episode 14, Troy Pryor (@tryopryor ) breaks down how he stopped “selling” and started building a massive ecosystem for BIPOC creators. Success isn’t about the transaction; it’s about the transformation you provide to your community. Watch the full episode for the masterclass on industry influence. 🔗 Link in Bio to watch/listen! #CreativeEcosystem #EntrepreneurMindset #BlackCreatives #ChicagoFilm #BusinessStrategy

Have you heard the news? After 3 years, a 2025 Emmy nomination, and 2× Gold Telly Awards… our short film Cottage Grove is now free to watch online. Not because we waited. Because we built toward it. What started as a thesis film is now streaming on a platform dedicated to amplifying Black stories globally. Watch now on @StreamMansa . If you haven’t seen it yet—this is your moment. Drop a 🎬 if you’re watching. Share this with someone who loves independent film. #IndependentFilm #BlackCinema #FilmDistribution #IndieFilmmaker #WatchNow

“I’m a big fan of the athlete-artist model... there’s a level of discipline you can’t run from.” 🎬🔥 Episode 14 of Crossroads + Callings is officially LIVE! I’m sitting down with 2x Emmy-nominated producer and industry powerhouse, Troy Pryor (@troyopryor ). Troy has spent 20 years reshaping the entertainment ecosystem and building bridges for BIPOC creators. In this episode, we talk about the pivot from athlete to artist, the importance of “relational capital,” and why he’s obsessed with building infrastructure that empowers our community through the @xlfilmfestival and @creativecypher . If you’re a creator navigating your own infancy or a professional looking to scale your vision, you don’t want to miss this masterclass in ecosystem building. 🎧 Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and Apple! 🔗 Link in Bio to watch/listen! #Creators #BlackCreatives #ChicagoFilm #CareerPivot #TheChangeAgent