Today we’d like to introduce you to Shanna Forrestall.
Hi Shanna, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am involved in film, fashion and music. I moved back to the South from Los Angeles during the Covid crisis. While some areas of my work changed during the Covid years (like shelving acting and producing film for a bit), I was able to begin working in some creative areas that had been calling me for years. Working with my music partner Jeff Gold under the labels of My Calm World and Fire and Water Music I have been able to delve deeply into writing and producing original music for adults in a variety of genres and in creating unique children’s stories and songs (many created especially for neurotypical young people). www.MyCalmWorld.com
I also started a fashion event/organization in Chattanooga, TN called Chattanooga Fashion Expo that just finished its second year with a four-day event that included a full slate of events including education, exhibition, competition and more. www.ChattanoogaFashionExpo.com.
Alright, 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?
Starting something new is never easy and these areas were no exception.
The music and stories have been a constant source of creativity and encouragement for me as they give me a place to process my past and recent life challenges and a tangible way to support others. At first, I was continually struggling with self-doubt because I was dabbling in areas I had not ever worked in before, but after about 13 published songs, I’m pretty confident that I am committed to this work and it’s something I will probably continue to do for the rest of my life.
As far as the fashion event, after working with New Orleans Fashion Week on and off for years, I started my own in 2021 when everyone was still recovering from the Covid Crisis. With the support of my life partner, Lourans Mikhail, we’ve established a brand and built an event from the ground up. With just a handful of volunteers, a local non-profit partner and limited financial support, the team worked tirelessly for over 5 months to launch Chattanooga Fashion Expo in 2021. This year (2022) our event was HUGE – four packed days of events, three incredible runway shows and lots more.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I think what I’ve realized is that as much as I’m a performer (actress/singer/children’s storyteller, etc.)- I am absolutely a talented and passionate producer. I really enjoy envisioning projects and then helping to see them through to fruition. Our finished assets are a testament to hours and hours of hard work and I am proud that I continue to improve with everything I do. This year I plan to delve back into film and TV and to merge all of these loves – film/fashion/music more for the future.
My goal is to be the best storyteller I can be. I am continually seeking to better understand myself and others so I can tell relevant stories in ways that impact humans in positive ways and challenge them to evolve and grow.
I am also very proud that I’ve been able to hire and mentor a series of neurotypical young people in the past 6 years to assist with shooting video, editing, animation and illustration with the work.
What makes you happy?
Writing original music and children’s content makes me really happy. I remember being a child and sitting in my closet with a small journal writing poems and stories and songs. I am glad that I’ve refocused on my original love at this age and am able to bring my life experience into play to create work that will inspire others. I think there’s something really important about creating stories that children (and adults) need to hear!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.4fcproductions.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/4fcproductions
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/4fcproductions
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTleSXgHQMRomElXobcPaaA/null
- Other: www.MyCalmWorld.com
Image Credits
CFE 2022 photos by Millicent Garland
