Melissa ‘Vanilla’ Roberts Takes on New Producing Role in Thailand

MELISSA ‘Vanilla’ Roberts has never been afraid to try something new. From creating music videos in Guyana to now co-producing a feature film in Thailand, the Guyanese creative continues to take bold strides into the world of film. Her latest role as co-producer on the feature film Cherry Corpse marks a major milestone—not just for her but for what she sees as a growing movement of Caribbean voices entering international film spaces.

“I got into film producing from doing music videos,” she shared in her talk with Pepperpot Magazine from Thailand. “When I first started, it was with music videos. Then, the music videos that I did got me into the University of the West Indies. And from there, I got involved in film,” she added. That journey has been anything but simple. Melissa has worn many hats in the area of filmmaking, but she says she has found her niche in producing.

A Step into International Film

Her latest project, Cherry Corpse, currently in production in Thailand, is a psychological drama with complex layers. Set against the haunting backdrop of war-torn Vietnam, Cherry Corpse tells the story of a passionate young American meditation teacher, Cherry, whose dream of establishing a peace retreat spirals into chaos and death as fear and distrust consume her followers.

Vanilla gained the opportunity to be a part of the project after an Australian writer who she had previously worked with reached out to her to collaborate once again. “This is not a Vanilla project in terms of it being my idea. I was hired by the director to be the co-producer on the project. The script was written by him—Max Orter. And I’ve worked with him before. He really likes my work ethic. So, when he was producing his second feature film, he decided to call me to be the co-producer,” she explained.

The cast and crew feature a diverse set of people from all around the world. For Vanilla, working alongside such a wide mix of nationalities was a new experience—one that was more enriching than challenging. “It’s a very diverse set. We have people from Germany, people from Thailand, people from Singapore, people from Italy, France; and then there’s me from Guyana,” Vanilla stated. Despite the cultural mix, she found common ground in their shared passion and love for filmmaking. “Film is universal. Everybody is working toward the same goal, so it wasn’t difficult at all to kind of fall in line and understand what is expected,” she added.

A New Environment, A Familiar Feel

While the set may be far from home, Vanilla has found unexpected comfort in Thailand, noting the similarities between the Southeast Asian nation and Guyana. “It’s like if I’m back home. I feel like it’s more… I can relate to it, environment-wise. It’s like the greenery, the sun, everything,” she shared. However, there are differences, too, particularly in cultural expressions. “I feel like what I found to be very different is that the people here are really respectful. They respect everybody, no matter who you are. They’re very, very kind. Everybody moves around; the locals move around on motorbikes,” she added.

What’s Next

Melissa has been in Thailand for two weeks and will be there for two more, but that is just the filming and on-the-ground aspect. The film has been through—and still has to go through—numerous other post-production phases before it appears on our TV screens.

“I’m here for two more weeks. It’s four production weeks, but I’ve been working on the film for about six months before we started shooting. It’s not just one month of work. It’s one month of hands-on work, but like five months of physical work before,” Vanilla explained.

As for when audiences might get a glimpse of Cherry Corpse, Melissa is cautious not to rush the timeline. “For me, the timeline would be about two years. Because even after production, we still have to go to editing, maybe re-dubbing. There’s a lot of post-production work that goes into film,” she added.

Melissa is deeply aware of what this moment means—not just for herself but for Guyanese creatives in general. Offering a few words of encouragement for aspiring creatives, Vanilla shared, “My advice would be, you know, don’t try to stay in the box because there’s so much happening outside of the box. And don’t ever think that it is not possible because anything is possible.”

Looking back, Vanilla says she remembers when film wasn’t even considered a serious industry back home. “When I first started film, nobody in Guyana was doing film. I remember when Bonny Alves was the only person doing film. But apart from Bonny Alves, nobody else was doing film,” she said.

Today, she sees a bright future for film in Guyana, especially with the right collaborations and opportunities. “I see that there will be a lot of doors that will open in the film department in Guyana,” she stated.

While she doesn’t have another film project lined up just yet, Vanilla says opportunities come quickly in the world of film. “I can wrap up this one, and by the time I wrap up this one, there’s a call to do another one. But no, no particular film project at the moment—other than music videos coming up,” she shared.

In a world that often demands singular focus, Melissa ‘Vanilla’ Roberts continues to defy that expectation—with one foot in music, another in film.