Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Smith II
Hi Carlos, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always wanted to be a filmmaker since I was a kid. It wasn’t until my senior year in high school (2006) for me to finally try the craft. From 2006 onward, I began learning the craft and producing video projects. As the years continued, I’ve grown a lot into filmmaking. Everything I’ve learned up until this point has been self taught with a few classes in college.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My biggest struggles when it comes to filmmaking is getting proper funding for films as it’s been proven difficult for me to obtain a grant and/or investors for my film projects. I’ve had to find creative ways to raise funding in order to get this projects done while dealing with personal financial obligations.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a filmmaker first and foremost. I direct, write, edit, handling cinematography, produce and even act. While that’s many roles for one person, I’ve shown that I’m capable of handling all of those tasks in films. My resilience is what I’m proud of the most due to the many challenges that comes with filmmaking, from scheduling shoots, to the setbacks, to the pressures of getting the project completed in a timely manner.
What essentially sets me apart is the way I present my films from the marketing to the premiere. I even build anticipation for the trailers I put out because I treat it as if it’s an event on it’s own. I enjoy the promotional side of things as well because it’s like I “finally” have something ready to present to the world, while considering all of the hard work that has been put into these productions.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I see my films being property funded within the next 5-10 years, if not much sooner. I’ve shown everyone over and over what I’m capable of without a big budget. While having lower budget also causes limitations, I still find ways to tell my story, even if I have to work around those limits.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/cas2films
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/los2k6
- Twitter: https://Twitter.com/cas2films
- Youtube: https://Youtube.com/los2k6
