Nicole Brice
Nov 20, 2025
Deondria is a visionary with a remarkable natural talent.
Sometimes the best introductions to new talent come from our very own friends. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, and now residing in Hobbs, New Mexico, DeOndria Michelle is an up-and-coming cinematographer, director, filmmaker, and editor who specializes in cultural documentaries, product productions, and imagery. She’s got a visionary mind that brings realism to all her work, and what I love most about her portfolio is her own style. I can’t describe it. It’s just raw and vivid and rich.
A visionary, DeOndria has a remarkable talent for using natural light to create warm, inviting shots. Her careful use of light gives her videos an authentic, lifelike quality that draws you in, making each scene appear both effortless and beautiful. While she is currently working on a new commercial for a client, her portfolio continues to grow with many other endeavors, including three short horror films, also in the works.
Initially, she wanted to pursue music, but then found her calling with the video camera, so how did we learn about her? As I mentioned above, sometimes the best introductions to new talent come from our very own friends, and my good friend Ronzo Cartwright from Stone Deep was the one who put DeOndria on my radar. Read on to learn a little more about her aspirations and more.
MaM: Thank you for joining us today. So, you are a cinematographer, director, and editor, and you do it all. Tell us a little more about that.
DM: I feel like you have to. You gotta do it all, especially when you don’t have the funding to outsource. Everything I’m doing, I learned on my own. I went to the same university as everyone else, YouTube, and I incorporated what I learned from there into what I do. I took the little bit I learned and have expanded on it as I go, so that I can incorporate it all into one vision. I like that I can edit it myself. It’s been a tough road, but I feel like I should have pursued this a long time ago. When you’re doing your own work, you know what your vision is, and to place it in the hands of someone else is hard.
Filmmaking should be a team effort, in my opinion, but when you’ve done it so long by yourself, you don’t trust anyone else with your vision. You can only tell a person so much about what it should be. Art is subjective, so they can interpret it as they see it, but ultimately, it’s your vision.
MaM: I read that you specialize in cultural documentaries and product promotion, but could you tell us a little more about what you do? I also see that you originally wanted to pursue music.
DM: Music was my first love. I started as a singer-songwriter. I worked with a well-known producer at one point, but I realized that while music held my heart, it’s not my passion. My writing partner would be up early writing, and I just wasn’t in it. I didn’t want to be in a studio laying vocals and all that, but when I picked up a camera, I realized I loved it, and I could do that stuff all day long. From sunup to sundown, I could do videography. You get that feeling when you’re doing something that aligns with your soul. You know.
MaM: What is your proudest achievement so far on this journey?
DM: Recently, actually. I had stopped posting on Instagram during COVID for several reasons and just got back on. I realized I had almost 1,000 followers. When I first opened that page, I was doing a bunch of “follow for follows,” not realizing I was gaining dead followers rather than authentic ones, and that the algorithm would send this content to these followers, with very few engaging, because no one is actually there. So, I took it upon myself to test this theory, and I hope others will test it for themselves. I deleted and blocked every single account that was following me and left the 142 people I knew had followed me for a reason. I feel that the smaller person with fewer followers has a dedicated audience that has fostered trust, and trust is important in this industry.
MaM: You kept the organic followers.
DM: Correct, and prior to me doing that, my channel on Instagram was getting maybe 200-300 views, but as soon as I made the change, I posted a video, and that video skyrocketed my views. After that, each video kept getting good views and rising, and I realized my views were increasing by 250% or more. Even my engagement is up, and that was just last week.
MaM: That’s incredible. See, most don’t even do a deep dive into the logistics of who is engaging and whatnot. In fact, every single follower we have on Instagram is organic. They found us and liked us. I have not done any tricks or anything.
DM: Exactly, growing organically, and while companies think that inflated numbers are the way to go, I started reaching out to companies right after I did it, because my views had gone up. I optimized my platform for engagement. I want people who love the niche I’m in to follow me, and while it may have hurt me on the business side of things with fewer numbers, I’m now pushing my content to those who want to see it.
MaM: So, what is it about video and filmmaking that inspires you and makes you want to pursue it anyway?
DM: Initially, it was a dream, and one day I decided to take my camera out while watching TV because it had been in storage. The past two years, I have come a long way working on things. I think bringing stories to life is the most important thing. It’s more than a picture. It’s a footprint that will never go away. Good, bad, or terrible, it’s there, so for me, that’s something I want especially in this space, because in cinematography, there aren’t a lot of women.
MaM: You are right about that.
DM: My mentors are men. Even my unofficial mentor is a man—all men. There aren’t many black women in this space. For me, to build a position in this space is the most essential piece of the puzzle. I want to create that space for black women to thrive. You have your directors, filmmakers, and writers, but there should be a black woman in every single filmmaking space.
MaM: I agree – I’m calling it now. You will become one of the most prolific woman cinematographers and videographers of our time. I have a feeling. You are going to inspire other girls and women.
DM: I tell all women that being a cinematographer isn’t easy. I always chip a nail. Before I got really into this, I’d have my hair done every two weeks, etc. That was a constant. Doing it the way I’m doing it now; this is not a job where you get up and put on a full face of make-up. This is a space for your gym shoes, jeans, and a t-shirt. Get to work.
MaM: What are you working on currently?
DM: I am working on three short films, actually. They are horror films, so I’m working on a Thanksgiving one, a Christmas one, and a New Year’s one.
MaM: That’s awesome. I love scary movies, too.
DM: Each day, too, I try to do a complete lighting setup to practice. I’m still learning. A teacher is always a student, too. I’m not a master at it, but I keep trying new things each day.
MaM: Do you have a favorite professional in this industry that you admire?
DM: I really like Malik Hassan Sayeed, who worked with Spike Lee. He worked on Belly and Clockers and has done so many other films. I love his style and his work because it’s not the typical Hollywood look. I love the way he creates this bright, contrasty, noisy look in his work, and what I like most is that his style is achievable. He’s one of those whose work is complex but simplified.
MaM: What is your ultimate goal you’d like to achieve as a creative in this visual world?
DM: To leave a footprint. I want to leave my footprint so that the generation behind me knows who I am. I want to be in someone’s Mt. Rushmore. I want to make a place for women to be included in that conversation.
With many projects in the works, Deondria’s talents will soon be known once she fully unleashes her creative prowess on the world. Be sure to follow her on social media to stay up to date on all her endeavors.
To learn more about Deondria Michelle:
YouTube:
Website:
Questions or comments? Reach out to mixedalternativemag@gmail.com.