Before cameras roll, Cellars told News 10 how her journey as a storyteller all started with influence from her father who a children's book writer.

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- For Brooke Cellars, making movies always seemed like a pipe dream, but as of this year, she has built an award-winning resume and is ready to start production on her first feature film.

Before cameras roll, Cellars told News 10 how her journey as a storyteller all started with influence from her father who a children's book writer.

"But my stories weren't Cajun, they were always just dark stories because I loved horror movies," Cellars said.

Growing up, Cellars said her love for film started when she watched classic horror movies alongside her brothers.

"I think the one that was like 'I want to do that' it was the behind the scenes of the making of Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'," Cellars said.

That love for classic films stayed with Cellars and led to her pursuing a degree in moving image arts from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where she met other aspiring filmmakers and began working on their own short films which have won awards and played in film festivals across the country.

The group now works on their first full length film, "The Cramps."

"We were talking about period pieces, and I made a joke: what if the period piece was actually about periods? It is a kind of horror in a woman's life," Cellars said.

While it started as a joke, Cellars said the movie was actually inspired by her own health struggles.

"I actually dealt with a disease called endometriosis since I was a teenager," Cellars said. "It was my real-life horror story. So, it's not just about making a movie, it's also telling our personal stories though art. That's what I'm doing with the cramps is turning it into a monster and something that people can connect with."

And connect with it they are, as the film has already received over $13,000 in funding from supporters across Acadiana.

"It's a wonderful feeling," Cellars said. "It's kind of surreal, like the pipe dream coming true."

While bringing attention to filmmakers in Louisiana, Cellars also said "The Cramps" has reminded her of her passion and love for the art of movies.

"I keep making movies, and I love it," Cellars said. "I love it to death. I'll do it til the day I die. Til I'm 150 or something."

With "The Cramps" scheduled to begin filming in June, Cellars said she made a documentary about her struggles with endometriosis that inspired the film.

That documentary can be seen on Cellars' social medias starting tonight at 7 p.m.

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