Meet Taneisha Polk of Polkahontas Productions in Vinnings

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taneisha Polk.

Taneisha, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I used to work as a correctional officer in a women’s facility for about 5 1/2 years. Although I loved what I did at the time and counseling female prisoners, I reached a point in my life where I felt my journey had come to an end and that it is was time for me to move on to others things. I’ve always been fascinated with television shows and movies, so one day, I decided to start a tv show. I decided to show a positive light on an area that I knew so well and that was being a single mother. I became a mother at the early age of nineteen and three kids later, the road definitely became harder. My youngest child suffers from Seizure Disorders and Developmental Delay, therefore he is completely dependent upon me. He is non-verbal and can not walk. I use to be sad a lot about his condition because he was born completely healthy and doctors never could explain why this happened to him. However, he was always so full of joy and never complained so I decided to take a page from his book and learn from him. After back and forth of regrouping, recasting, and just learning everything it is to know about television and unscripted story telling.

I finally got it right and won the American Black Film Festival in 2016 in an unscripted storytelling contest. I was on such a high I could not come down. I begin writing more, creating more and just wanted to do more. I walked off my job as a security specialist one day and a month later I stepped out on faith, packed my apartment and my car up and relocated to Atlanta, GA later that year in November of 2016. I came here and stayed on my girlfriend’s couch for about two months until I got on my feet and moved out with my kids. Six months later I begin doing some Locations PA work for a film company here name Swirl Films. They gave me the opportunity to learn how to be a Location Scout, I studied it, asked a lot of questions to the people who trained me and became one of the best here in Atlanta to all film, music videos, and television shows. Due to working in this industry, I put in a lot of hours, I have had a great support system with my oldest son who has now as of this past August left for college to Boston on a scholarship for football and my nurse that I met through an agency but has become more like family. I’m still writing my own scripts in between jobs and is gearing up for the world to be introduced to my very first feature and I just feel extremely blessed. God has completely turned my life around in a matter of two years. A single mother with a broken past and was too broken herself, struggling to chase her dreams while raising her children and giving all the love my special needs son who is truly special all the love his little heart can take.

Great, 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?
The road has definitely not been smooth. A lot of it was because of the bad choices I made. I had to stop looking for love in others and love myself. Accepting that I did nothing wrong to make my son become ill but that it was just some things in life happens that you have no control over and that is not a reason for you to give up and stop living or trying. Take better care of my finances and credit and learn to stop living paycheck to paycheck and build savings for not only me but my children as well. Learning to budget properly.

Polkahontas Productions – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My business is a production company added with my Location Scout and cleaning expertises. I have a great eye for the right locations from a creative stand point. I’m a people person and people love my energy, therefore it makes their decision to work with me very easy. One of the things I am most proud of as a company is that everything I do and create has substance and true meaning, no matter how big or small. What sets me apart from others is I do everything with integrity and a genuine heart.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment in my career so far has been winning the American Black Film Festival.

Pricing:

• Location Scouting Services $250 a day
• Cleaning Services $150 flat rate for a single family home 2500 sqft

Contact Info:

• Phone: 678-723-5259
• Email: polkahontasproductions@gmail.com
• Instagram: Polkahontas1
• Twitter: Polkahontas Productions

Image Credit:
DreaNicole Photography

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