April Mial

Executive Producer

“Butterfly Wings: Claudine’s Story”

    April Mial, president and Founder of Lilac Films, in 2001, is a native North Carolinian.  Her background includes published writings, television and public relations.  Her company has partnered with Butterfly Wings, LLC for the “Butterfly Wings: Claudine’s Story” stage play.

    Mial’s television experience involves working at in Public Affairs at WRDC-TV (UPN 28) and in television production at WLFL-TV (WB 22) and WNCN-TV (NBC-17).  Working in television has taught Mial the discipline involved of putting together a newscast, the importance of research and time, and catering to a target audience.

    For three years, Mial lived in New York gaining extensive experience.  While there, she became knowledgeable in writing screenplays and film genre, while interning at Spike Lee’s film production company, Forty Acres and a Mule Filmworks.  Spike’s films include “She’s Gotta Have It”, “He Got Game”, and “Malcolm X”.  During her internship in Story Development, April read the initial script for “The Best Man” and was schooled on the progress of its development to the final, shooting script.  In addition, she read numerous scripts and wrote a brief synopsis for each screenplay, giving her opinion on whether or not it was a potential project.  This process allowed her to review various types of scripts, which helped her to become a better writer.

    Also, while in New York, Mial received much experience in Public Relations.  She worked as an intern at the Terrie Williams Agency, where she got a ground-level view of what it means to be a great publicist.  There, she was able to interact on a daily basis with top entertainment clients, names that include Eddie Murphy, Master P, and Johnnie Cochran.  In addition, she helped market bestsellers written by Terrie Williams.

    From there, she worked as the PR Coordinator at Sara Lee Hosiery in the PR Department, working directly under the Director, where her tasks included writing press releases and marketing their products.

    Soon after developing a skill for PR and writing, April freelanced with the Minority Business Opportunity Center in Brooklyn, New York, writing inspirational stories of its clientele and highlighting the accomplishments of the organization.

After about four years in New York, April returned to North Carolina to work on her own projects.  She started Lilac Films to produce movies that do not contain any nudity, violence or profanity with a goal of ‘bringing families back to the movies.’ To date, she’s completed three movie shorts, “Am I Your Favorite?”, “Revelation” and “Fall From Grace”. In October 2004, Lilac Films completed it’s first full-feature, “Torn”.  It premiered in the Triangle (Raleigh & Durham, NC) in March 2005.  Recently, Mial was a finalist in an ABC writing competition.  She has also published several short stories.

    In addition to doing her own projects, April gives back to the community through Lilac Lessons and “Visions”.  Through Lilac Lessons, a branch of Lilac Films, she teaches children ages 9-17 how to write, produce and direct movies.  In many cases, this service is free to them, through donations given from the community.  Lilac Films also produces a newsletter, “Visions” that includes positive events and workshops from non-profits and leadership organizations throughout the state of North Carolina.

    April has a vision for Lilac Films, which includes creating projects that educate, as well as entertain.  She believes that North Carolina has much to offer filmmakers and filmmaking.