Meet Trei Hill

Today we’d like to introduce you to Trei Hill.

Trei Hill is a film director from Germantown, Maryland. During his youth, he gained a passion performing and organizing for school plays, band, and chorus. With a focus on football, Trei joined Division 1 programs at University of Alabama-Birmingham and Alabama A&M University. He began to perform and host hip hop events throughout the country until attending the Art Institute of Washington. Studying in their Film & Television program, he began directing music videos and promotional for several Washington, DC artists. ​​

What followed was a brief stint instructing for the “Gandhi Brigade,” a Silver Spring, MD Non-Profit Organization with classes that teach PSA and socially conscious documentary production. This period of time also featured several music & Kickstarter events where Trei would host as Maestro of Ceremonies. He spent over three years working on large budget film productions as a production assistant. Productions range from Netflix House of Cards, Jason Bourne, Black Lightning, Loving, Bad Moms Christmas, Ghostbusters, and several more. Trei now attends the Graduate Film & Television Program at Savannah College of Art & Design in Atlanta, Georgia as he develops his next film production.

In March, Trei placed his first short film, Federation Temple, into several film competitions. This is Trei’s first film festival distribution and has already bee been selected by the International Around Film Festival to compete for best student film of the year.

“I love rom-coms and good drama, but I grew up a huge comic book/sci-fi fan. I make sci-fi films because the allegories you can depict can have very potent content dealing with societal issues, current events, and even in individual lives. My first short is a culmination of a lot of writing and networking I did as a production assistant. As a content creator, I’m humbled every chance I get to tell a story and I see it as privilege. While directing, I see myself as everyone’s assistant in a way. Everyone I work with is so talented and skilled and I make it priority to protect the context so they can craft the content.”

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?
When I made up my mind to be a film director, I went to film school. Then I spent some years as a production assistant, and then back to film school to get an MFA. I say all of that to say that these were (are) the times I have been the most submerged in the industry. The “lightning in a bottle,” extremely difficult task of completing a film is well documented but that’s just what we chose as filmmakers. Being a PA (production assistant) is a very draining and thankless job but I also meet amazing people that are so much like myself. Truth be told, I feel we like the anonymous problem solving just as much, or more, then complaining about it. Film school is just good for the submersion and networking which definitely goes a long way. Now is the time for me to make films with no school to help with permitting or locations.

When there are no classmates or PA buddies that can help out on a shoot on their off day and you are raising your own equity, the training wheels are off and it’s your reputation mixed in with the million or so others that want to be director/writers for feature film. These days I get anxious about how will I raise our budget, paying everyone what they deserve, getting the highest echelon of sustenance we can find, mostly. In the arts or starting a business, there is no tangible guideline to success and that gets me nervous if I let it. When you haven’t gotten called in a while for a job and bills need to be paid, or when you are planning a production you don’t quite have all the pieces together for yet, it takes a lot to call yourself a filmmaker and to keep plugging away. Whether it’s writing, studying, filming, photography, acting classes, editing workshops, meet and greets, teaching, or just helping a fellow filmmaker. We traded security for freedom and it’s important that I affirm myself, focus on the little things, and stay healthy so that I can be the best for the next cast/crew and create a fun story for the audience…

Trei Hill – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a writer/director but I feel comfortable in most departments on set. You’re constantly learning something new. Even the most experienced I’ve worked with on set get surprised from time to time. I am definitely more of an “actor’s director.” Close second would be editing. I am Avid Media Composer certified and understand most of Adobe software. I’m not as detailed as I’d like my visual effect designs to be but recently I’ve started to enjoy coloring. I hope I do not cut any of my own projects anymore. Fresh eyes always make the best choices if they know what they are doing. Friends are always asking me for little problem-solving cutting tips and I’ve found all those years making quick edits for company videos, hip hop promos, and music videos, actually paid off.

For my short, we built a sarcophagus and a stunt wall I had WAY too much fun building. I also enjoyed when I coordinated a fight scene with a martial artist in my music video. Once the script is done, creating the budget is kind of a drag (hello, reality) but I love breaking the script down. It’s when I really see the production from beginning to end and how we will shoot it and it gives me the biggest boost of confidence. Especially after all the un-cuffed critique, you get from writing the final draft of the screenplay. Finding the cast is a great adventure. I love creating a space that talent can appreciate and be able to perform like they were in front of their mirror back in middle school. I’ve been a performer on stage most of my life and I feel really comfortable there. I do improv as much as possible just because it’s so fun! I like to think I have the blood of a PA and the heart of a performer. I’ve always felt that my personal life has prepared me to go the distance. I remember my first summer training for football back home in Germantown, Maryland. First week, so many of my friends I would hang out with, and chill, and play video games with, they were gone by Wednesday. Most people get to where they are uncomfortable and then they quit. When I first realized that, I really started building confidence in myself. Like, “Wow, if I just keep going, eventually, there will be no one left but me, cause I’m not stopping!” If you want to achieve special goals, you have to be your own best competition. At least I believe so. Maybe sprinkle a little bit of talent on top. Coach T always told us that the work out doesn’t start until you think you’re tired. No matter what walk of life I’ve been in, I think if there has been anything that really sets me apart, it has been that I’m dependable to do the task. Anytime, anywhere, for however long, with whomever, until it is done. With a smile on my face. Top priority is always being considerate of others and maintaining good vibes.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I tried to make a big deal out of the screening for my first music video as a hip hop artist. The director/cast/crew did a great job delivering my vision and my friends and family that attended appreciated it. Being the insecure artist I can be at times, I really wasn’t satisfied. I didn’t even know what I wanted, really. “Someone remind me, why am I doing this?” After the event, it kind of felt like a glorified birthday party for everyone to come and tell me how cool I was and it made me feel conceited. I wasn’t even sure if anyone really liked the video, or listened to the song, or even got any enjoyable message to take home. Everyone was pulling me around, figuring out where the afterparty would be. One of my buddies back from our bartending days was there and I don’t even know if I said hi to him when he walked in because of all the commotion. He pulled me aside and asked if we could hang out later. He just told me how much he saw himself in the story. Life didn’t necessarily treat him the same as it had me after I left that restaurant, and it was encouraging for him to see all I had done since our bartending days. He started breaking down what elements in the video meant to him. I felt myself going back to how I felt a year prior going over the concept and all the emotions that created the content in the first place. Maybe one day the answer to this question will be the Academy Awards, or making some evolutionary discovery in filmmaking, or working with Donald Glover, but maybe we all are motivated by being of service for others.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.treihill.com
• Phone: 2027696298
• Email: hill27frank@gmail.com
• Instagram: @treihill
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trei.hill

Image Credit:
Elisabeth Lanz, Noah Heinrich

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