Wendell James is 38 years old, and he has two sons. He won full custody of his sons when he was in his 20’s and joined the military to make sure he could provide for them. For eight years, Wendell served in the military as an intelligence analyst, and he was then hired as a correctional officer. While working for the government, he started multiple businesses, dreamed of success, and searched for a career he would love in his spare time.
Wendell’s dreams began to come true when he started a modeling agency in New Jersey called GVA with his friend who is a music artist. They met celebrities who asked them to find models to hang out with, but he soon found out that the cost of creating portfolios for the models was more than he could afford. To cut costs, he decided to buy a professional quality camera and take pictures of the models himself.
His business took off, so he purchased some high end video equipment, but he couldn’t figure out how to use it properly. Unfortunately, the place where he bought the equipment didn’t accept returns, and Wendell became frustrated and depressed. In desperation, he reached out to a friend in New Mexico who works in digital media and asked him for help. His friend invited Wendell to New Mexico to learn basic video shooting and editing skills so he could learn to use his new equipment. He returned from New Mexico with the knowledge he needed to continue to build his dream business. Wendell soon built an office in New Jersey where he spent many long days learning and developing video skills. About three months after he returned from his friend’s place in New Mexico, he was hired to work with Allstate Insurance, and within two years he founded his own video production studio, GVA Digital Media. He now produces corporate videos and music videos, and he says that when he meets other videographers and camerapeople, they are shocked and amazed at how fast he learned his craft and opened his studio.
Wendell loves to brainstorm, and he likes to pitch at least five ideas at a time when he can. Writing a book and making his life story into a short video series are just a couple of his favorite ideas to pitch. He believes that if you really want to do something, you should do it right away, so you don’t have to look back on your life and say to yourself, “man I wish I would have done that when I was younger.” To get to where he is today, he maintains a million dollar mindset and strong faith. He says that God gives him so many signs, and even on his worst days, when he feels like quitting, he is still blessed.
During the COVID – 19 shut down Wendell fully revamped his business, and he changed its name to GVA Films in 2021 to mark the company’s transition into the film industry. He also resigned from his job as a correctional officer to spend more time on his creative work because he thought that God was telling him it was time to make a move. Wendell was scared to quit his job, but he is now attending Digital Film Academy in New York, and he specializes in producing and directing movies and short films. Wendell filmed his first screenplay in July of 2021, and he is already writing his second screenplay. In the future, he hopes to Collaborate with actors, writers, distributors, and the “who’s who” of the film industry.

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