I am a vision architect building at the intersection of storytelling, branding, and entertainment. I am the Owner of Free 3 Creative, where we develop and bring ideas to life, as well as an experiential music platform named Turn Up the Volume. I have produced network television shows and direct branded commercials. I love ideas that stretch and create audiences that become communities. With that said, it is my mission to be at the center of constantly making that happen because ideas don’t create themselves.

How many years have you been a judge?

This is my first year!

What excited you about judging for the Telly Awards?

Being able to appreciate and discover other creatives like myself, and be inspired while also giving them their flowers.

What was your first job in the industry? What did it teach you?

My VERY first job was a walk on extra for a network tv show – lol – over 17 years ago. It immediately turned into a connection and relationships pipeline. It lead me from the background to the forefront of the creative process. It taught me that no space or role is small and that it all compounds to collective progress. Ultimately, in time it evolves and everyone moves on and often times, up. Keep great, and more importantly, authentic relationships.

What project are you most proud to have worked on?

Tough question for me. I always feel more gratitude than pride for creative opportunities because it’s a hard pursuit. I will say director of a Critical Race Theory campaign that allowed me to advocate for my own heritage creatively while it had been politicized felt like living in my ancestors wildest dreams. Producing one of my live Turn Up the Volume concert series during Grammys week, and then to see those artists go on to actually win Grammys feels like an ongoing celebration.

What’s the most challenging part about your job and/or the industry?

Watching corporate devalue and removing creatives and cheapening or forfeiting impact by chasing empty influence for greedy profit.

What do you look for to determine excellence in video?

I look for a creative theme or execution that makes me feel or think. Those type of works always drives us to want to share and spread them others. That’s when you know it has worked.

What are your current roles and responsibilities and what do you love most about your job?

I am the creative executive that does the ideation, strategic vision, pitching/partnerships & work with talent and production on execution. That also is inclusive of producing and directing branded content and live music shows. My favorite parts are undeniably seeing the ideas come to life and collaborating with other creatives and facilitating a space for ideas to flourish and reach others.

What initiatives or projects are you working on now that excite you?

I am currently working on the development of original content for my music platform, Turn Up the Volume. I am so excited to provide more spaces for amazing artists to be discovered, appreciated, and engaged.

Do you have any specific practices you lean on to spark creativity?

I believe creativity is perspective being communicated, so I love to learn or try to imagine things through multiple lenses.

What inspired you to pursue your career path?

I really always felt called to it. I didn’t know how to do it, but faith and curiosity built a path.

In your experience, what is a significant change you are seeing happen in the video, television, and/or film industry, and what insight can you share about how to navigate it?

Corporate spaces are looking for ways to leverage tech to defund the creative overhead and gain more profit. The truth is, creator economies are the new power source. Audiences that are communities and anchored in an authentic “fandom” are a value that you get to steward. Build audience communities, and a truly solid team of creatives yourself…then you can find distribution partners while maintaining your IP. Just consider how streamers and creators have been the biggest disruptors, the next wave will come from the outside…not the inside. We are needed, ideas don’t create themselves. – Free The Vision