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Cam Kirk
10K80 May 21, 2023
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Cam Kirk drops gems for creative entrepreneurs in ATL

ATL-based visionary Cam Kirk is more than a photographer, he’s an entrepreneur, and for our Finally Focused NY to LA bonus episode he dished out, more than enough, gems for aspiring creatives.

Constantly moving forward the ATL-based photographer sets new goals for himself, outperforming his last advancing step.

“I get offended when people say I made it… Don’t put any finish line on my career. I have not made it. I’ve got so much further, I can go… Once you do achieve your goals, if you’re not quick to set a new one, you can get very complacent.”

Cam Kirk, Photographer, Cam Kirk Studios Founder

Embarking on a very lonely path, that most creatives can relate to, he took adversity by the horns. Going against the grain, he spoke his studio into existence.

“Being finally focused is critical to my success because it’s the only way I got here. There are tweets about me sitting in my own studio one day…”

Cam Kirk, Photographer, Cam Kirk Studios Founder

The move towards taking his work into a physical space with his photography studio would inspire a hot spring of culture in a city deemed as a hip-hop epicenter.

Inspired by veteran photographers and collectives like Johnathan Manion and The Motion Family, he would look to a space in need of a Black leader. And, of course, he would do much more than inspire.

Cam Kirk would push ATL’s creativity to a new level.

“As a creative and as an entrepreneur this road can feel very lonely. It can feel like everything you’re up against feels like ‘me against the world’. It’s like you’re the only one doing this. Which is not facts,” said the visionary in our Finally Focused bonus episode.

He continued to touch on the inspiration behind the photography studio:

“There are other dreamchasers. I wanted to create an environment where you saw that, where that was obvious… We knocked the walls down and opened it up.”

Cam Kirk, Photographer, Cam Kirk Studios Founder

Going in 25/8 the ATL-based photographer has worked with our favorite rappers from Gucci Mane to the late King Von and now has his own series, in partnership with Facebook, titled Behind the Cam.

Averaging 500 bookings a month at his co-working photography studio and a partnership with Facebook, it’s hard not to acknowledge that he is the business.

Still, for him, he’s only 25 percent through his journey and when it comes to his legacy he’s on his way to leaving a lasting imprint on the culture.

“I want to be recognized globally. I’m trying to inspire photographers, creatives, entrepreneurs, individuals around the world. I want to make sure the legacy I leave behind […] is a physical legacy.”

Cam Kirk, Photographer, Cam Kirk Studios Founder

Watch the entire season of Finally Focused below and stay inspired.

10K80 May 20, 2023
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Finally Focused NY to LA: Episode 5 Photographer Ace of LA

“The image that we create enhances that person to be bigger than life.”

Ace of LA

Ace of LA, black Commes des Garçons tee on, black snapback faced backward, speaks from his studio in a reclined black chair.

As he speaks, it is clear he is reflecting on his journey, with a visceral understanding in a solemn tone that he always wanted to be a photographer, and thus was always going to be.

“I knew my purpose at a young age. And that’s what I wanted to do no matter what.”

Ace of LA

Photographer Ace of LA takes the first step towards success…

Ace of LA is a photographer based out of Los Angeles. Born in Mexico, from an early age there was never any doubt about what he wanted to do.

“The changes that I went through defined who I was as a person.”

Ace of LA
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THE ETERNAL

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He dropped out of high school at an early age to become a photographer. And amidst family members and peers thinking it was a hobby, temporary, or just fun-and-games, photographer Ace of LA stuck with his craft because he knew it was anything but.

He started taking pictures of people he wanted to photograph; “people that gave you that magnitude in front of the camera…” He then transitioned into photographing models, often with no pay.

But Ace of LA doesn’t see free work as just that, because that endeavor is always going to end up in securing a bigger paid opportunity.

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IN MY MIND w. @queenofblood

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“That’s one of the biggest things to me, just knowing the value of yourself, what you bring to the table.”

Ace of LA

Ace of LA has shot for Ty Dolla $ign, Wiz Khalifa, Common, Nipsey Hussle, and many more in his career. And he’s just getting started.

“We are in a never-ending journey,” Ace of LA says solemnly. There isn’t a day that goes by where he does not learn something new about himself and his craft.

“The only thing I can tell that young shooter is just to keep being hungry, keep wanting to create, and keep wanting to excel.”

Ace of LA

Ace of LA’s ability to live in the moment enables him to stay grounded and focused on the task at hand. Treating every project like it is a big-budget blockbuster means he is always seeing the best work emanating from his eye and fingertips.

Stay tuned for more of his work and his fashion line here, and check out the rest of our Finally Focused series below.

Watch the entire season of Finally Focused below

10K80 May 19, 2023
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Finally Focused NY to LA: Episode 4 Director Terence ‘MF’ Thomas

It all started with a Canon T3i….

Coming a long way from the boondocks of Brooklyn’s well-known Coney Island area, black director, and cinematographer Terence “MF” Thomas has made quite a name for himself.

For this episode of Finally Focused the experienced lensman tells us how he’s gotten to where he is today and how he’s achieved success within the video industry.

“I wasn’t thinking about being an artist. I was just thinking about getting out the fu–in hood…”

Terence “MF” Thomas

That first camera…

From the first time, he touched a camera Thomas was hooked. At 20, he made the executive decision to quit his 9 to 5 but before he did, he racked up enough money to buy his first camera, a Canon T3i.

With one of the hottest cameras on the market, at the time, Thomas would practice until he perfected his eye, taking around 2,000 photos daily while traveling throughout various NYC neighborhoods.

Rapidly MF became an apt capturer of beauty and a justified camera wielder. Soon enough he would be asked to take his photographic talents to video. Word got around that MF had the visual juice, thus taking him to new heights within the industry.

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And his well-rounded resume proves it. A three-year stint as a creative director at Elite Daily and stretch at Overtime to working on his own NYC production house Manuall Focus Media, Thomas has accumulated four NY Emmy Awards for his amazing work.

With his head to the sky, Thomas looks to use the pressure of his success to create more impactful content. Additionally, he’d love to pass on the skills and tools he’s learned throughout his creative journey with hopes of opening up a film academy, one day.

His advice to up-and-coming photographers, directors, and cinematographers?

Stay creative. Stay hungry. Stay passionate. Just go out there and shoot…

Terence “MF” Thomas

We love highlighting Black directors, photographers, and creatives. To see more, watch the previous episode of Finally Focused below with photographer Flo Ngala.

10K80 May 18, 2023
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Finally Focused NY to LA: Episode 3 Photographer Flo Ngala

“Everyone’s story is really, really different. It’s about timing, and it’s about just being ready, so that when your time comes, you can make sure you come correct.”

Flo Ngala- New York based photographer

Beginnings

Hailing from Harlem, NY, the confident and collected Flo Ngala explains to us how that quote fits much of her career thus far. In eighth grade she got a camera, a Minolta-X-something to be exact, and that opened her up to be creative with the lens throughout high school.

Then, Ngala remarks that working for Gucci Mane was probably the first thing that really catapulted her career. Like she said later in the episode, when that time came… she made sure she came correct.

Working as a personal photographer for Gucci then opened up the door to working as a personal photographer for Cardi B. And portfolio opportunities blossomed from there.

A blossoming portfolio

Flo Ngala’s West African roots inspire her to pursue powerful images and moments. And capture the authenticity of diverse and unique vibrant cultures. In 2019, she landed a cover photo for The New York Times with insightful reporting on Black figure skaters from her hometown.

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The talented New Yorker also kicked off the year working with Netflix on a project. Then she proceeded to a Rolling Stone job, capturing much of the intensely visceral moments connected with the protests in New York City this Summer. Notable other clients include Nike, Reebok, WWD, and Vogue.com.

“I like being able to just move, and not have to worry about people knowing what’s happening. Just kind of see things, and getting them in the moment,” says Ngala.

The tenacity with which Flo Ngala operates is really what sets her apart and has made her so successful this early into her adult life. Emblematic of how she sees herself behind the lens, one of Ngala’s Instagram posts is captioned, “You don’t photograph people with equipment, you photograph them with energy. The camera is the medium, the photographer is the messenger.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDzVZqbpJD2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

With an intrinsic understanding and acknowledgment of her roots, a New York energy that only real New Yorkers know, and an innate desire to capture powerful moments that are often forgotten, Flo Ngala stays Finally Focused.

Like the Flo Ngala episode? Check out Finally Focused Episode 2 with Producer Joe Hood

10K80 May 17, 2023
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Finally Focused NY to LA: Episode 2 Producer Joe Hood

“There’s a lot of different types of producers and there’s a lot of different levels of involvement for producers, but I really made my way by being involved from content to completion. The idea of a creative producer.” – Director and Producer Joe Hood

That was Joe Hood talking, Illinois native and current LA director, producer, writer, etc.

Hood is the founder and Creative Lead/Lead Producer at Hoodworks Video, a full-service video production company based in Los Angeles, CA.

The visionary director went to school at NYU before dipping out West for more lucrative opportunities. With his pit bull by his side, Hood told us about his creative journey.

Some of the projects Hood has worked on are acting as the VFX artist on Dripjacker by Zaytoven and Lil Gotit, the editor on Body by Pretty Ricky, and the writer and producer on Fox 5 by Lil Keed and Gunna, which has amassed over 3.4 million views since June.

Hood has worked in many different parts of the media industry, from social media work to BuzzFeed and L’oréal commercials to the music video/ creative process now where he has more freedom.

But he stressed that one of the main reasons he has moved around so much in the industry is because he focuses more on the opportunities for himself and others that open up, rather than just over saturating the process with content.

“Being a creator of color… unfortunately it automatically defines you. So at some point, you have to decide how you want to define you and what it means for you,” said Hood.

He stressed how creatives of color almost need to have MORE versatility going into jobs than their causation counterparts, as it’s almost like “they want you to prove yourself in things they haven’t even proved themselves in yet.

“You can’t be successful and prepared unless you’re versatile.”

Hood’s creative journey and his day-to-day process are inspiring in its authenticity and his bluntness about the way the industry works. Keep an eye on the creative director moving forward, as his mission, as in ours, is to diligently stay Finally Focused.

Like the Joe Hood episode? Check out Finally Focused Episode 1 with Director Paulette Anges Ang

10K80 May 16, 2023
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Finally Focused NY to LA: Episode 1 Paulette Agnes Ang

“In general, life is a gift invaluable and if you share that view everything you create is worthwhile… ” – Director Paulette Agnes Ang

We caught wind of Paulette Agnes Ang and her work after watching the video for Princess Nokia’s track “Balenciaga.” The continuous shot. The intensity of each frame. And the overall creativity of the project is what caught our eye.

We had to hit her up and tap into the mind of the young director in order to grasp a better understanding of her work. And this first episode of Finally Focused NY to LA is a direct representation of that.

Already making a name for herself the Thai, Puerto Rican, Italian and French director, has worked with artists and brands ranging from Joey Bada$$ to Versace.

Not to mention her grind doing non-biased reporting on social, scientific, political, and cultural occurrences for Getty Images.

With nearly a decade’s worth of work, the multi-faceted creative’s journey is definitely one worth documenting.

https://vimeo.com/349590164

Paulette Agnes Ang and her creative journey

Starting her creative journey as a production assistant in 2011 Paulette took hold of every opportunity presented to her. She would tap into her directing talents for the first time after linking up with 88 Palms to create a video.

While shooting, by chance, she was recruited by a managing director at an agency that represented directors. It was at that moment Paulette said, “That this was something that not only felt natural for me but unknown and rich in exploration.”

Merging her skills as a painter and an artist Paulette’s work became more than valuable. For her, “film and video are forms of communication and they are conversations that you have with the viewer through your work.”

Additionally, they are conversations you have with the artists through their work and a conversation with yourself. Using her love of non-practical lights to create an atmosphere that makes the viewer feel like they are in an altered state.

“I think because I am not very ‘film literate’ I get most of my inspiration from paintings and the art world…”

 

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@PetiteMeller Aeroplane out now premiered on @lofficielusa . . Directed by @a_t_mann Produced by me 🙋🏻‍♀️ c/o @Freenjoy DP: @ste_ferrari Drone: @reininja (East Coast) @skyhighbtan (West Coast) Dancers: @RockwellDanceCenter Martial Arts: @martialkat Editor: Ornit Levy Post Production: Tal Baltuch, Yehuda Revivo Camera Assistant: @AshliBickford Assistant Director: @helenekugelberg , @chenca Styling: @Nao_now @MariaPozosc @HellenKugelberg Designers: @AngelChenstudio @AlessandroTrincone @PuppetsandPuppets Hair: @SherlynSuzette, Shinpei Tanaka Makeup: @LisetGarza Production Support: Jack @drezilla @Akere1e @Shahar_ruly Ella Yaari Drivers: Rojay Barnes, Robert (Bob) Savarino, Salim Allen, John Morford Location Manager – Meriden Markham Municipal Airport: Connie Castillo BTS Photography: @the_gerger #petitemeller #aeroplane

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At this point in her career, she is open to learning even more from collaborative experiences. Paulette’s advice to up-and-coming creatives…

“Be open to experiences and opportunities and be curious when you are in them. Challenging your perspective is how you can go deeper in what you are doing and learn about yourself and what surronds you.”

On the preface of greatness, let’s keep our fingers crossed for the visionary inspiring the next-gen of directors as she is nominated in three categories at the 2020 Berlin Commercial Festival.

“Life is a gift.”

Shoutout The Squad 

Production

Director: Jesse Vargas

Executive Producer: Claude J. Easy

Creative Director: Paulette Agnes Ang

Director of Photography: Ilya Shnitser

Edited by: Jesse Vargas

Art Assistant: Esmee Liu

Colorist: Elias Nousiopolous

Color Provider: Evan Bauer

Color House: The Mill

The Music

“Figura” – written and produced by Giacomo Favaron

“Ritmo Elegante”- written and produced by Marco Shuttle

“The Tropical Year” – written and produced by Alessandro Adriani