KAMARIA CONNELLaims to be the “reel deal”.
The 26-year-old aspiring scriptwriter and movie producer, who hails from Cave Hill, St Michael, is pursuing a master’s degree in television and film at the Savannah College of Art and Design in the American state of Georgia.
She is enjoying university life immensely, though she was quick to acknowledge she was not always a lover of the school system.
Connell told the MIDWEEK NATION that at one point she felt forlorn and lost when she was at Charles F. Broome Primary.
She said she often felt like a fish out of water and believed she was a slow learner.
It was at Ellerslie Secondary where the last of three girls said that she found her footing. It was there she became a lover of English, all because of “awesome” teachers.
After moving on from secondary school, she felt confident enough to pursue an associate degree in literature and law at the Barbados Community College (BCC).
“I just couldn’t let go of literature at BCC, I just couldn’t,” she beamed, flashing a smile of excitement about her choice back then.
One day, as she was gearing up to leave college on completion of her associate degree, one of her tutors made a statement that she has never forgotten. He said he did not teach for the love of it but strictly for the money.
“That bothered me. I figured if you are going to choose a career you should at least do something that you love,” she said.
After graduation in 2008, Connell said she had many self-talks and decided that her heart was not into becoming a lawyer – a realisation that did not go down well with her dad, even though other relatives were artistes in their own right; one unclea musician and her mother a writer.
This lover of thriller movies decided she wanted to pursue film full-time and went on to the Errol Barrow Centre of Creative Imagination at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill, a move she has not regretted.
She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in film and is still very much in love with the big screen.
Connell shared that for one of her assignments at Savannah College, she got to see the shooting of the popular AMC (American Movie Classics) show Walking Dead. She boasted that one of the best things about her school was that the students really had prime chances to network in the industry.
And just as how she marvelled while on set of Walking Dead, Connell said that film was the one profession where she was sure she could work for 12 hours unaware of the passing time.
With sheer vocal thrill, this bubbly personality said: “Being on set is so wonderful; you get lost in the moment. Last month I was on set with Chris Evans who played Captain America and though I was just an extra, I wasn’t even bothered. I was just caught up in looking at the cameras and how everyone was so professional,” she said.
Other successful artistes she met included Geoffrey Fletcher who wrote the 2009 movie Precious, the director of Fox Animation’s Bob’s Burgers and the director of the Broadway musical Kinky Boots.
Some of her professors, she explained, were also past producers, directors and actors. One of them produced the Cosby Show.
Though determined not to get too caught up in the lights, camera and action, Kamaria said she was grateful for the praying mother she has and has all intentions of remaining close to God.
The former Sunday school teacher’s advice to young people was to keep moving forward no matter where they were in life.
“You will face many obstacles in life but don’t give up. Others may not understand your vision but you should trust God and put him first,” she said.
