Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Krystal Alexandria. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Krystal, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

There are multiple things that it would take to be successful in the film industry. Firstly is willing to learn and continue to learn. Film is always moving forward and constantly changing due to fast technology and trends. Secondly is strong work ethic, completing your tasks on time and being reliable is important. Thirdly is good attitude. Film is a team collaborating system and everything changes with having a good attitude.

Krystal, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

When I graduated high school, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do. My mother wanted me to have some kind of education so I went to Griffith Film School in Australia for a year and loved it. I moved to Orlando, Florida USA to pursue the film industry. Within the first few years, I was booked as an editor on multiple shows and feature films for ALLBLK network. I won the best editing award for 2 short films in 2015 and 2018. In 2020, I was Regional Emmy Award Winning Director and Regional Emmy Nominated Editor for a short documentary. Since 2020, I have been working on a Discovery Channel Show as a DIT (Digital Imaging Technician). Most recent feature documentary as an Assistant Editor got distributed onto ESPN and Disney. There is one important note you should know about me is that I am deaf and I wear bilateral Cochlear Implants. I could have let my disability shy me away from the film industry however I found a way to overcome my obstacles and built a support system to allow me to do my job. I want to be the first deaf filmmaker to win an Oscar. I’m making my way to get there by learning the craft as a film editor and soon as a director. My goal is to have deaf/HOH and Cochlear Implant recipient actor/actresses on my own projects to spread awareness that we can do this.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Getting clients is a tricky thing because you are selling yourself and competing with many other filmmakers. Having online presence is a fantastic way to do it. Social media (Facebook, Instagram), website, YouTube, Vimeo, ProductionHUB, StaffMeUp, FilmUp, Mandy and many others are great way to have your profiles on there and make sure it gets updated regularly. You want to be able to see your name come up on google search with at least one of these accounts. Networking is a great start to getting your name around and get on film sets. Networking can happen at Film Festivals, Film competitions (48 Hour Film Project), Local Film Organizations and Local Facebook Groups.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I want to be the first deaf filmmaker to win an Oscar. I want to show others that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. A lot of people doubted me when I said I want to work in the film industry. Having a disability doesn’t mean I’m limited in life. My mother taught me how to be independent and think outside of the box. There is always a way to overcome obstacles, build a support system and knowing your purpose to keep moving forward through the tough times.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7689715/?ref_=nv_sr_1
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystal_alexandria/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/krystalclearmedia
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystal-alexandria/
• Other: Email [email protected]

Image Credits
Jeremy Evans, Jorge Barba, Carlos Medina