Behind the Scenes of Big Dreams

Chesley Heymsfield has a knack for peacefully working with tough personalities. While many people may be intimidated (or too disgusted) to work with big egos and abrasive temperaments, Chesley chooses to pinpoint her attention on the talent within the ogre. This laser focus shields her from the ups and downs that come with the territory from working with challenging personalities, and is one of the many skills she uses to make big dreams a reality.

Chesley is a filmmaker who has worked on both coasts, amassing an impressive portfolio. She has now settled here in Baton Rouge.

Upon moving to the city, she found a fledgling film industry that had considerable public attention and resources, but was missing key infrastructure, such a mentorship program. Using both her experience and her broad industry connections, she crafted a plan to help build the infrastructure necessary to position the state to be a long term player in the movie business.

It’s not been an easy road–the wheels of change in Louisiana can be sluggish. But using her skills to get things done in the face of opposition, she’s launching something big. This April, we’ll enjoy the first fruits of her hard work. Chesley is the Executive Director of the Louisiana International Film Festival, scheduled for April 18-21, 2013.

Want to know how she did it? She’s sharing some of the secrets she uses to shepherd big dreams through the perils of the creative process this Friday morning at Creative Louisiana. To learn more and to register, visit Creative Louisiana.