Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Khameron Auerbach. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Khameron, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you share a story with us from back when you were an intern or apprentice? Maybe it’s a story that illustrates an important lesson you learned or maybe it’s a just a story that makes you laugh (or cry)?
So this past summer, I worked as a Production/Fashion Assistant at Flaunt Magazine: a fashion and culture magazine with a heavy emphasis on production and editorial work. I have worked with other magazines before, but this was the first time I was working in person (vs remotely), and with a bigger publication (as most of the other ones I’ve worked with have been smaller, more local magazines on a much smaller scale). Being there, I learned a lot about what kind of production work a smaller-run magazine entails and also about what I wanted, and also didn’t want, out of my next job. In my job, I was in the office half the time, and out of the office on set the other half. In office, I did a lot of research and was known for being particularly very good at it. I would assemble candidates for our productions and crews, location scout, gather contact and other information, and so forth. I would also participate in weekly meetings for the magazine, occasionally write, do office runs to send off fashion and magazine packages/pick them up/etc, and help organize clothing for our upcoming shoots. Out of the office, I would be on-set: either as a production assistant, styling assistant, lighting assistant, or a combination of all of them: sometimes leading shoots as the only member of the magazine attending a handful of shoots. It was a lot of responsibility and at times, got extremely overwhelming, especially for the conditions I worked under, but I wouldn’t have traded this experience for anything else. During my 5-6 months there, I worked on 3 issues of the magazine: working with the likes of Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad fame, Sasha Colby (winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13), Eva Longoria, Charlie D’melio, Saweetie, and so forth. I met some amazing people on so many of our crews as well and loved the all interns/assistants and the supervisors I worked with dearly.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi! So, I’m Khameron “Khami” Auerbach. I’m a creative currently based in South Florida, but also work between New York and Los Angeles. I do a handful of production work. I’m a multimedia creative with proficiency in design, photography, videography, editing, social media and content creation, marketing, and all things digital and print production and post-production. I’m currently working freelance, doing a majority of design and editing work from home and production assisting for different gigs on-set in Miami. I’m hoping to eventually move back out to either LA again or New York in the next year or so.
As for how I got into my industry, I started doing production work around high school. I used to work for my high school’s morning announcements, where I was Assignment Editor as well as a producer/editor of my own nonfiction doc shorts and news stories. From there, I started to do more photo and videography, as well as editing work for people’s promotion materials. Going into college, I continued my work in nonfiction and promotion, but also explored more fiction film on-set and in post, editorial print and digital production, marketing/content creation, design and layout work, and photo/videography. I typically like doing technical and creative work for my clients, and have done a variety of work for a wide range of clients: including Universal Music Group, Galore Magazine, Republic Records, Art & Culture Center, Sunday Sounds, Primadonna Magazine, a handful of indie musicians, and so forth.
Right now, I am most proud of how much I’ve been able to accomplish for clients in such a short amount of time. Within the last 3-4 years, I’ve worked on so many projects with so many different people. It’s been such a blessing to be able to create and do what I love, while also meeting some wonderful people and putting out equally wonderful work together. I hope I can keep doing this forever, not only to make a living, but because it is the best thing I know, and the biggest thing I know and care about.
Main things I’d love for potential clients, followers, fans, and such to know about myself, my brand, and my work, is that I am super passionate and authentic, very unique in my work, will do virtually anything to create high-quality and successful work, am highly efficient, communicative, and versatile, and am always looking to build my portfolio and help improve someone’s productions, marketing, and what have you! It’s a win-win situation. I am always looking to walk away from a commission or work experience knowing that I made a difference in someone’s business presentation, production, etc.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My goal/mission right now is to create as much as possible and work up to bigger and bigger productions and projects over time, putting a name out there for myself. I’d really love to work on more music-related productions, films/tv shows, live show work, documentaries, design and layout for clients, and so forth. Me and my partner are also trying to get our magazine Very Cool Sh*t! (which features a plethora of different creatives working on cool projects!) up and running next year as well. I truly have so many creative goals, but overall I’m just happy to work on any kind of creative/entertaining/informative production. Eventually, I would also like to move to New York or Los Angeles permanently and eventually settle into a place with my partner, maybe get a creative studio to work in full time, and live comfortably.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I think the best thing you can do as a creative is find any opportunities you can and reach out when you can, go out and meet people/talk to other creatives whether on set, at community-organized events, and so forth, take up as many chances and opportunities as you can (but be sure not to devalue yourself in the process), and keep up with the work you want to invest your time in, especially if you want to do this part or full time. It’s so important to immerse yourself in this as much as you can, especially if you genuinely love what you’re doing and want to keep doing it!
Contact Info:
- Website: khamiauerbach.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/khamiiiii
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khameron-auerbach-091900193/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/khamiiiiiiii
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-sxrs1EWC_7HEIXh293c2Q
- Other: Surelywork Profile: https://www.surelywork.com/user/khamijade
Image Credits
Image credits for image of myself to Leonardo Amaral. Flaunt Image of Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul credit goes to Kurt Isawrtienko (I production assisted for that shoot!). Everything else is my own full creative work.