Hot off the heels of co-creating psychological thriller Swarm alongside Donald Glover, Janine Nabers is on fire. We caught up with the Houston native to learn more.

How did you and Donald Glover first connect on Swarm and how did the collaboration process come to life?

Donald and I first hit it off while shooting (FX television series) Atlanta. One day he called me and pitched the idea of telling a story of a serial killer through the lens of fandom, following the rumor mill of a pop star. Wanted to tell a story about a black woman who falls through the cracks amidst a post-truth society.

What do you feel encapsulates the most important takeaway from viewing Swarm?

The show really allows us to live inside people who are versatile in their art—because this is a very versatile story.

The show made its debut at SXSW festival in Austin. How did it feel to premiere Swarm in your home state?

The energy was dope. To be able to bring a story that is originally set in Houston back to Texas and introduce it to a Texas audience was amazing.

What do treasure most about being on set?

There’s nothing like being on set. You learn so much with every element at play… through the costumes, hair and makeup…For example, Dominique Fishback (who stars as Dre on the show) is a beautiful woman who we were able to witness a marriage between her transformation and the essence of her character.

What is your favorite part of storytelling—seeing a project come to life?

Shooting on film was really cool. It makes steaks higher—it felt like film school. That to me was a huge, fun and intense part of the process. It was a joy to be on set. Being able to shepherd that with the younger generation felt fantastic.