Mompreneurs: Filmmaker Crystle Roberson Dorsey On Storytelling
Mompreneurs: Filmmaker Crystle Roberson Dorsey Is Lighting Up TV & Film With Powerful Storytelling That Resonates
On the latest episode of Mompreneurs, director, writer, and producer Crystle Roberson Dorsey takes us behind the scenes of her path in TV and film. From her roots in Macon, Georgia, to becoming one of TV’s rising storytellers, Dorsey channeled her passion and purpose to build a lane all her own. She chats with host Nancy Redd about her creative journey, working with her actor husband on set, and how motherhood has transformed her time behind the camera.
Dorsey’s growing list of directing credits include acclaimed series like HBO’s The Gilded Age, BMF, Queens, and Genius. Her latest work can be seen on the debut season of All’s Fair, which premieres November 4th on Hulu.
‘I Didn’t Know That I Wanted To Be A Director’
Directing came naturally to Dorsey, but growing up in Macon, Georgia, she had to find her way to the craft. Her love of photography began in high school while working at a camera shop, where she quietly trained her director’s eye for her future in filmmaking. Later, in graduate school at the Savannah College of Art and Design, a film class brought her talents into focus. “It just came so naturally,” Dorsey recalled. “But I didn’t know immediately that I was a director. I just knew that I loved film and I loved filmmaking.”
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An artist and storyteller at heart, Dorsey learned to embrace her unique lens through which she experiences the world. “There was a process of not only discovering that, but realizing the value in it,” she said. “Something that I love to tell aspiring directors or artists in any arena is, the way that you see the world is unlike anyone else. Once you realize the value in it, you can really embrace it and push it into your work. So that’s why we do what we do.”
‘I Wanted To Be As Close To The Magic As I Could Be’
Before landing in the director’s chair, Dorsey spent nearly 15 years mastering every corner of production—assisting producers and directors, and learning the craft from behind the camera. Her big break came on the TV series Greenleaf, where she’d been assisting behind the scenes. When the opportunity to direct presented itself, she went all in—relentlessly pitching herself to studio and network executives until she got the greenlight.
“It felt like I was coming off the home bench,” she said. “I got so much support and encouragement from the cast and crew to finally be directing. And when I started doing my thing, they were like, oh you’re actually good at this!”
One opportunity led to the next. “I was working back-to-back doing different episodes of different shows,” she said. She began working with Ryan Murphy Productions (American Horror Story, Glee, All’s Fair) building a strong creative partnership with the acclaimed producer and directing additional episodes with his team. “It’s been crazy,” she said.
‘I Wanted To Tell This Story About The Black Man Specifically’
One of Dorsey’s latest projects, Mr. Benjamin’s Birthday, is set to premiere on the festival circuit soon. The short film sheds light on the lives of our elders and the quiet struggles they face in their later years.
Screen veteran Barry Shabaka Henley stars as Mr. Benjamin, with Dorsey’s husband, actor Omar Dorsey (Bookie, Queen Sugar, Power Book III), playing his caretaker—marking the first time the couple has worked together on a project. “Our elders are going through experiences with depression and different feelings as they get older, which is kind of downplayed in film and TV. So I thought about how great it would be to tell the story of an elder who’s facing mortality, and what that feels like,” said Dorsey.
The film raises awareness of depression and high suicide rates among the elderly, men in particular. “We tend to overshadow the way that our elders are feeling,” Dorsey said. “That is the epitome of what I do filmmaking for. It’s to spark conversations that could be life-changing.”
“The film is about life, it’s about death, it’s about rebirth. It’s about joy and the importance of it,” the filmmaker said. “I’m a storyteller and I wanted to tell this story about the Black man specifically.”
‘I Connect Even Better With People On Set When They Know I’m A Mom’
Being a mom brought a new dimension to Dorsey’s work on set. She’s able to channel “the patience, compassion, tenderness, and nurturing” of being a mom to JJ (her one-and-a-half-year-old son) into the process of creating and directing. “I feel like I connect even better with people on set who I work with when they know that I’m a mom. It’s like they understand me a little bit better,” she said. “It’s almost like they appreciate you more too, because they know you ain’t getting no sleep.”
‘I’ve Always Loved Sci-Fi’
Looking ahead, Dorsey is drawn to the world of sci-fi, a genre close to her heart. “I’ve always loved sci-fi,” she said. “My favorite author is Octavia Butler.”
Whether she’s bringing Octavia Butler’s stories to life or imagining her own sci-fi tales, the filmmaker continues to explore bold ideas and expand her creative vision as a fearless storyteller. “Sci-fi is vast. You have robots and aliens, but then you have sci-fi that’s grounded in real life and human experience. And those are the types of stories that I would just explode in excitement to do.”
Don’t miss out on the whole conversation. Watch this episode of Mompreneurs above.
Catch New Episodes Of Mompreneurs Every Week
Welcome to Season 4 of Mompreneurs—where we spotlight brilliant Black women who are building their businesses and raising their families with strength and style. Join host and New York Times bestselling author Nancy Redd as these inspiring mompreneurs share their stories and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Catch new episodes of Mompreneurs every Monday on MadameNoire’s YouTube channel or listen to the podcast online on the Urban One Podcast Network.
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The post Mompreneurs: Filmmaker Crystle Roberson Dorsey Is Lighting Up TV & Film With Powerful Storytelling That Resonates appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Mompreneurs: Filmmaker Crystle Roberson Dorsey Is Lighting Up TV & Film With Powerful Storytelling That Resonates was originally published on madamenoire.com
