Connect
To Top

Meet Robinson Vil of Villain Pictures in Tucker

Avatar photo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robinson Vil.

Robinson, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Born in Port Au Prince, Haiti where my mother and I lived alone in a single bedroom apartment until the age of 16. My younger sister Mirlande lived in New York with her dad. Given that I had no other siblings living in the household; I was forced to come up with ways to entertain myself, which inevitably led to acting. I excelled in school, learned many foreign languages, for; I knew that one day I would end up in a different part of the world.

Due to the lack of opportunities in Haiti, my mother and I relocated to Atlanta, GA in 1992 from our native Haiti, I graduated from Henderson High in 1994, took a little time off before enrolling to Georgia State University, where I majored in International Business. But two (2) years into my undergraduate studies, I had a revelation. I quickly realized that I had other things in mind, which inadvertently led to my decision to leave the school in pursuit of my dreams.

Inspired by the work of many great actors and directors such as: Sidney Poitier, Morgan Freeman, Spike Lee, John Singleton, Tony Scott, and their acting and directing styles, I became increasingly interested in using my creativity in acting and film production. As a result, I pursued my passion at YourAct on TV, the Actor’s Express and The Company Acting Studio where he studied and learned the craft of acting. *I basically learned filmmaking through the process of Trial and Error, I didn’t go to film school, I thought myself everything I know in the film industry. Prior to directing my first film, I bought and read many books about filmmaking to learn techniques, etc. For several years I would work my regular job(s) and save my money to shoot at least one short film every year. And at this point in my life as a filmmaker I feel ready to take on any production with any type of budget from $1 to $10,000,000. It’s funny because I remember there was a time, I was one of a handful filmmakers putting out work in Atlanta and many of the folks from behind and in front of my camera have gone on to star and work on big projects. So, I’m patiently waiting my turn, hopefully it gets here sooner than later, LOL.

My first foray into directing in 2001 was driven by my desire to act; the warm reception from family and friends encouraged me to continue, but first and foremost as a filmmaker. My 4th short film entitled “Dark Secrets” was officially selected and nominated for Best Short Film at the 15th Annual Pan African Film Festival in 2007. My passion to tell real stories that the average person can identify with has led to my writing, producing and directing of “life.less” which was nominated in 2012 for Best Actress and Best Picture Drama at the 13th Annual Bare Bones International Film Festival. In 2013, I acted in and co-produced a Haitian short film, which was selected at the Cannes Short Film Corners. My Haitian feature film entitled “Rasin Mwen-L’amour Du Fric” written by myself and writer/producer Wade Ballance won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor in 2014 at the 4th annual Motion Picture Association of Haiti movie awards. “Rasin Mwen-L’amour Du Fric” was officially selected at the 2015 PAFF for its world premiere. The film was also selected and nominated for Best Foreign Film at the 6th annual Bronzelens Film Festival in Atlanta, GA. “Rasin Mwen-L’amour Du Fric” was the only film from the Caribbean to be considered for a Golden Globes nomination in 2015.

I am currently in production of season 2 of my web-series “Thick Skin” and in pre-production of three films “Blood Trail”, “The Root People” and “Taste of Salt” based on the novel by Frances Temple.

Has it been a smooth road?

Film-making is never smooth, as it requires so many different parts to come together and blend perfectly to achieve a great final product. A lot of the time, the struggle has to do with financing now that Atlanta has become the Hollywood of the South, it’s even harder. A lot of independent film-makers like myself work odd jobs to support not only our dreams but also our family… In my case, my wife and three small children.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Villain Pictures – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I created Villain Pictures well over a decade ago to produce and direct my own films. Over the past few years, I have produced many projects for others ranging from music videos, short and feature films, promotional videos and more. I’m proud of the quality of work that Villain Pictures puts out, we do a lot of films that deal with real issues that are very relevant to our society, stories that resonate with our audience.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I’ve lived in Atlanta, GA for the past 24 years and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. One of the best things about living in Atlanta is the weather, the cold never stay for too long. Most of the year is lovely, with plenty of sunshine. We have great parks and so much to do around the city. The one thing I like least about our city now is the traffic, which has gotten worse over the years. It’s everywhere, all the time.

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

Related Items

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in