Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Akshay Ravi. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Akshay thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?
When I was growing up, my next door neighbor and I would play outside almost every day. We’d partake in all sorts of random, imaginative adventures – from simple basketball games, to acting like we had a world-famous baseball stadium on the side of his house, to trying to be medieval archers. The connective thread in all our imagination was an empty lot across the street – the first real sandbox I experienced to act like the world was a place of creativity and storytelling, where I would imagine new worlds and new adventures, and have fun just being imaginative. As a filmmaker now, that’s my favorite part of the process – just being creative and imaginative with people I love working with, and that’s where Empty Lot Productions comes from.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I have been directing and producing content for almost 8 years. I started off during my time at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where I focused on transmedial storytelling, between short films, interactive novels, and more, and over time, I’ve come to specialize in filmmaking as a medium. I love exploring ways to challenge societal values and uplift underrepresented voices, but also levy a huge focus on character-driven work, as building empathy is a huge part of why I am passionate about what I do.
I currently own and operate a production company, Empty Lot Productions, geared towards creating narrative content that hopes to engage audiences by creating heartwarming content intended to challenge our everyday views. We work in short films, ad content, non-profit videos, and music videos, but the connective throughline is always a focus on character, and evoking empathy for them. We are currently working on a few more short films, and are hoping to continue collaborating with more brands and artists to tell even more meaningful stories.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
One thing I’m really passionate about as a creative is using creativity and storytelling as a means to uplift people. I believe that the best creative work comes through working together to build something greater than any one person, and I try and bring that energy and mission to every piece of creative work that I work on.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
One of the biggest things I have learned is that the creation of any piece of art is going to be incredibly challenging, but it’s worth it if we have fun and do it with people that we love creating with. That’s the most rewarding thing to me – when we look back at a project after finishing it and the people involved had a great time, and the people who are watching are having fun. Art is all about sharing and eliciting emotion in others to me, and I love spreading that joy to everyone in both the process and the execution.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.akshayravi.com
- Instagram: @theakshayravi
