Jillian Bullock

I always knew I would grow up to be a writer. Since I was a little girl, I wrote stories about crime and death. I’d watch movies like Cold Blood, which was a book by Truman Capote, and turned into a TV movie. It was dark, disturbing, and very violent. Something the average young girl should never see. But I wasn’t average. See, I grew up with my African-American mother and my white stepfather, who was a member of the Philadelphia Italian Mafia. I saw my first Mob hit when I was ten. My world would never be the same. 

Jake came into my life when he fell in love with my Mom. Since the Mob boss would never allow interracial marriage, my Mom and Jake could never get married. However, he lived with us, including my other brother and sister. Jake raised me from the age of two, and over the years we became close-knit tight. I called him ‘Dad’ and he called me ‘Baby girl.’ 

When I was raped at ten years old by a family friend, I told no one but Jake. The next day a news report was on TV that mentioned the guy who raped me was found dead with a bullet in his brain. Over the years, that horrific experience made me struggle to feel whole, to feel safe. Jake always comforted me while I cried, and then we’d go get my favorite ice cream, rum raisin. 

I started training in Tae Kwon Do when I was twelve. I never wanted to be a victim again. To further ease my depression from being sexual assaulted, I withdrew into a world of books and my writings. These activities helped lessen my emotional pain. 

Growing up, I often wrote short stories centering on the Mafia. My stepfather would read them and say they were great, but I couldn’t show them to anyone. He explained the danger in doing so. I understood and changed focused. I still wrote about dark and dangerous things, but I kept the Mob, and Jake, out of it. In school, I went on to win several awards for best short stories. I looked forward to making this a career - a writer, a novelist. That was my dream. 

However, things didn’t turn out as planned because Jake had a different dream for me. He was a big film buff and every Sunday he’d take time off from doing Mafia business to take me to the movies. We’d stay until the end and watch the credits roll. Jake would always say – “Jill, one day you’re gonna be a director and I’m gonna see your name in lights.” At that time, the 70’s, I thought he was crazy because I had never seen a female director, and definitely not a female director of color. 

Unfortunately, Jake died when I was fifteen. But before he died, he made me promise that I would achieve his dream. I promised. But that dream took an ugly turn when my mother remarried, and her love for her new husband, Troy, was much stronger than it was for me. When we moved to Orlando, FL and Troy beat on my mom for the 100th time, I had enough. I jumped in, and using my martial arts skills as a black belt, I bust his nose. As he sat on the floor with a broken, bloody nose, my mom screamed at me to get out and never return. At 15, I was homeless in a city I didn't know. To survive the streets and the bums at night who tried to rape me, I had to resort to criminal activity until that proved to be deadly. One day, I watched a young girl, around my age, get shot and killed by two drug dealers. A madam of a motel took pity on me. She offered me three meals, a room, and a little money in my pocket in exchange for turning tricks. To not feel like a complete loser, I resorted to taking drugs and alcohol to get through the horrible sexual acts each night. 

When I found out I was pregnant, I got off the streets, and headed back to Philadelphia. My mom was back in our old house, unfortunately with Troy and my baby sister. I  kicked drugs and alcohol and got back into high school after I delivered my baby. I graduated and went on to college. 

In college, LaSalle University, I majored in Communications, which had classes in journalism and film. I worked as a reporter at the Wall Street Journal newspaper, while I attended school. 

By this time, Jake’s dream had become my own, and I worked for years to become an award winning filmmaker, who wears the hats of screenwriter, director, producer, actress, and fight choreographer. I got that last title because I earned my first black belt in Tae Kwon Do when I was 15. My second black belt in Wing Chun, I achieved in my 20’s. Today, I train in boxing and Muay Thai.

I eventually became the CEO of Jillian Bullock Enterprises, LLC, a film and entertainment production company in Pennsylvania. I am also an author of Health Is Made In The Kitchen and HERE I STAND, which is my memoir. My first novel Shadows of Love, Betrayal & Murder will be published in 2025.

Since 2007, I have been a screenwriting judge for the Set in Philadelphia Screenwriting Contest. I am also a screenwriting instructor and script consultant. To keep my skills sharp, I’m always taking Masterclasses on writing, acting, and directing. 

Check out Jillian’s film resume