Meet Andrea Magwood | Film Producer/Director and Beauty Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrea Magwood and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrea, why did you pursue a creative career?
I grew up as an only child and a latchkey kid. When I came home, if I wasn’t doing homework, I was watching TV or reading a book. I used to love when we watched movies in class, I got to see “Gone With the Wind” and “The Princess Bride.” In middle school, we used to rotate into various vocational classes – sculpting, woodwork, mask making, theatre makeup, home ec, etc., and I enjoyed that too. There was this show called “Movie Magic” in the 90s that showed you how movies were made; I thought that was amazing. Then in high school, I took two years of TV production and worked on the yearbook and school newspaper. I knew I was meant to be in the creative field, whether in the visual medium or as a book publishing editor or writer. Watching Spike Lee movies led the way to filmmaking, and Christopher Scott Cherot’s “Hav Plenty” showed me that making even smaller budget films were an option. I was never a science or mathematically inclined person. I dreamed vivid dreams and in color.

I am a filmmaker at heart, regardless of where my day jobs have taken me, or what I’ve done to try to stay creative while working through a self-proclaimed hiatus lately. I am stubborn. I am slowly finding my way back to it to fulfill that creative itch.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Stubbornness is not a weakness. And success for some looks different than for others. I have made many short films, some were award winning. And I have successfully produced a feature film, the journey was long, and it does not seem quite finish yet as nothing is ever predictable in the life of filmmaking. My journey for the feature film “The Last Responders: Life After Death” started as a short film in 2013, then working on the feature in 2015, and finally finishing the film and having it up on a streaming service in 2019. Many indie film projects end up in production hell. But I am stubborn, and I refused for that to happen with my passion project. So we figured out how to make the film in two phases, often shooting on only one day on the weekend, including with a lead actress that moved out of state, taking over a friend’s house and dog-sitting during production while using it for a month, losing locations at the last minute, raining on the day of exterior shots planned…luckily I had a great team and the tenacity then to keep going. We got it done. Now we are currently shopping for another streaming service, and I’m currently learning you need money to do that as well. So I’m currently trying to overcome that challenge.

There’s this quote that is on my Facebook page: “While you’re waiting, keep creating.” by A. Rahman Yoba. For the last few years, I have been on a self-proclaimed hiatus from filmmaking and have stayed busy with my “day jobs.” But recently that hiatus has led me to creating makeup tutorials and becoming a beauty coach for The Beauty Labyrinth LLC. Makeup is also a work of art. And through this avenue, I have stayed creative, and it has finally inspired me to want to create films again. So you never know where inspiration may come. Staying open minded to other forms of art can be helpful on whatever journey you are on and hopefully lead to your definition of success.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
For a week long trip, I would take them to a lot of food establishments. I am a foodie, and most likely, they are too if we’re friends. And as long as it’s not summertime, we’d be outside as well. So for breakfast, we’d alternate between the following places: Otro Cafe (and I’d suggest a horchata coffee from their cafecito), Phoenix Burrito House, Luci’s Marketplace, and Sugar Jam because it is an experience like no other. If we need a coffee pickup, we’d stop at Window Coffee Bar and get a pastry made by Suss Pastries or Marc Chaconne, Case Study Coffee Lounge, or coffee food truck, if we get there early, First Place Coffee. We’d have to go to my favorite, albeit everyone’s favorite now, farmers market Uptown Market, which I’ve been going to for 11 years, and maybe hit up trivia at one of the bars around town. For drinks, we’d hit up Butler’s Easy. For lunch/dinner, we’d go to Republica Empanada, CC’s on Central, The Henry, Sushi Tokoro or Sushi Bros, or Restaurant Atoyac. If the weather allows, I would suggest hiking in the Superstitions or an easier trail on Dreamy Draw or bowling at Let It Roll. If they have a sweet tooth, we’d stop by Sprinkles, Urban Cookies, or The Dinersaur.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Local film and tv producer/director/every man Tray Goodman of GCM Media. He is supportive of many in the community. But I never realized his support and admiration of my work until the last few years, along with the advice he has given me, it has been unexpected and appreciated.

Website: https://linktr.ee/DreaMagwood

Instagram: @DreaMagwood @TheBeautyLabyrinth

Twitter: @DreaMagwood @RespondersMovie

Facebook: True Libra Films LLC

Youtube: https://www.YouTube.com/@TrueLibraFilms

Other: https://vimeo.com/125973725
www.YouTube.com/@andreamagwood7050 (makeup content)

Image Credits
(1) By me.
Additional photos:
(2)-(5)Mike Riley.
(6)-(8) By me.