Behind the Alter: Charles Watts Interview
In the soft amber light, Charles Watts shifts closer, clearly touched by the profound tranquility Tee Ashira radiates. Charles: Tee, there is a sacred stillness here that feels transformative. As you reflect on the diverse threads of your journey, how does this current evolution of spirit and art reside within you? Tee: (With eyes reflecting a deep, inner glow) Charles, I have entered a season of true spiritual homecoming. For decades, I drifted through a story that belonged to someone else. I eventually understood that to serve the Creator through cinema, I had to leave that former existence behind. In that quiet surrender, I finally heard the divine calling I’d been missing. Charles: How does that internal silence manifest in your visual storytelling? Tee: It provides the rhythm for every shot. I am now transforming the wounds of my past into a cinematic vessel of grace. My goal is for my films to act as a sanctuary for the weary. I am standing firm now, building a beacon for those lost at sea, guiding them toward the shore. Charles: You mention this surrender frequently; what was the most difficult part of yourself to let go of to walk this new path? Tee: The craving for public approval. In my past, I was judged by a standard that ignored my soul. Releasing that allowed me to see my lens not as a showcase for ego, but as a gateway for healing. I produce work now from a foundation of total acceptance, not a hunger for it. Charles: As you look ahead, what core wisdom do you want your viewers to hold onto long after the credits roll? Tee: I hope they realize that mercy can find you in any depth. I want them to depart knowing that their own healing is an intentional design. My hope is that they witness my path and see that our fragments can be reconstructed into a divine work of art. My production may end, but their journey toward wholeness is just starting. Charles: Tee, thank you for your incredible vulnerability and for sharing the light you've found in the shadows. It has been an honor to witness your truth. To those reading, I encourage you to stay a while, browse this site, and witness the powerful testimony and art Tee is bringing to the world.
Photo Shoot Credit: Allyna Sanchez
The Testimony
This is my testimony. There were seasons when I felt unseen, unheard, and unsure of my place in the world. Doors closed. Plans fell apart. The path in front of me looked nothing like what I imagined. I tried to carry it all on my own strength, and it left me empty.
In that quiet place, God met me. Not in the spotlight, not in the noise, but in the stillness. He reminded me that I was never walking alone, even when it felt like it. He took the broken pieces of my story and began to shape them into something new.
He opened doors I didn’t even know to knock on. He surrounded me with people who spoke life, truth, and courage into me. He turned my fear into faith, my doubt into direction, and my pain into purpose.
Today, I stand here as proof that God is faithful. I am not perfect, but I am held. I am not finished, but I am being refined. Every project, every frame, every look I create carries a piece of that journey.
This is my testimony: God took what was meant to break me and used it to build me. And if He did it for me, He can do it for you too.