We recently connected with Attikus Ebenhack and have shared our conversation below.

Attikus, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

One of the most crucial things to success, is being diligent even when your body doesn’t feel like it. Having a good plan, and sticking to it no matter what life has thrown your way. For me, that has been the biggest thing that has brought me genuine growth and success.

I’m originally born and raised from Haiti. My entire upbringing was understanding that I was not dealt a good hand, and did not have many resources. Many people around me didn’t fully support my dreams and ambitions, but through it all, I planned. I planned when I finally made it to America after surviving the horrible Haiti earthquake in 2010. My dream started in the theater, then gravitated to film. I planned when I joined the Army as a Combat Camera Production Specialist. Learning my craft and executing it under dangerous and stressful situations. I also planned when I got out of training with my photography. Slowly doing shoot after shoot, making connection after connection until I am now at a point where I have a very solid and respected portfolio, have a great community, and aim to continuously grow.

Throughout all of those years, there have been countless times that I wanted to give up, or my circumstances didn’t necessarily cater to my goals. But I stayed true to myself. When my peers were out partying or being crazy, I stayed grounded and achieved my goals. This isn’t to say I am better than anyone, but that there is power in creating a good plan, and being diligent to it.

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.

My name is Attikus Ebenhack. I’m originally born and raised from Haiti, which I am beyond proud of. My love for the arts started as a kid. I watched Lord of the Rings and was absolutely transported into that amazing world. Seeing the absolute power that movies had on my life, I wanted to be able to do that for others.

After surviving the Haiti earthquake in 2010, my adopted family and I, (I am the oldest of 8 blended kids), we moved to America. Right away I got into acting. Started off in theater, then with the support of mentors, switched to film. Years in front of the camera gave me lots of knowledge on the industry. I took a pause when I joined the military. I served for 6 years as a Combat Camera Production Specialist. My job was to capture important missions and document what the military did. This is where my voice really started to grow in the visual media space.

The media bug bit me, and I then decided this is what I wanted to do. Instead of just being part of stories, I wanted to help tell them. Years of hard work and dedication on my craft have brought me to here, starting my own production company, Citadel Productions!

Something I have found a lot of success in, is my ability to bring out the story in whatever shoot or project I’m doing. There’s a depth to my images, because I truly believe every image has more to tell than what may meet the eye. My company focuses on finding your “Why”. Finding the true message you are trying to connect with the audience, and capturing that for you in a unique way that makes you stand out from everyone else. When people see my work, they know they are looking at a one of a kind.

I offer Photography services, Videography, which is anything from corporate videos to films, and Social Media Marketing. Our world is constantly changing and pointing to social media, so growing with it is super important for any business!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative to me, is helping grow the confidence of an individual or company. I love to see people for their potential, so working really hard with someone, creating a unique project, then having them see that potential for themselves, is the most rewarding thing! I truly believe there’s beauty in everything and everyone, but so many people are self conscious or don’t see the vision. That is my calling, and what brings me life.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

One of my main missions in life, is to be a voice for the voiceless, and shine art in areas that others may overlook. In any project I do, I want to highlight diversity, and showcase the vast beauty of human culture. Being someone from a completely different language and culture, I understand the significance it is when you get to see people who look like you on screen. This is a magic I want everyone to be able to experience, no matter their background.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @citadelproductionsllc
• Youtube: Citadel Productions

Image Credits

Photography by: Ryan Gilbert, and Ariah Leifker