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

Vixon, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Back in 2015, I found myself bored, creatively. I tried many creative endeavors at the time between creating content on YouTube to producing short films, but I wanted something that had more of an impact and was less about me and more about the subjects that were in front of my camera. Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s “Humans of New York,” I decided to start my series called “Minute Made New York,” a profile series highlighting different people in my sphere, and also all over, who I felt had a good story. The main premise of the series was to reveal what motivated others to live life and pursue their passions, whether creatively or personally.

I started off with the people close to me at the time; my coworkers at my job in a media house in Brooklyn. It was fascinating capturing these in their element; as they worked, created or played out a moment in their daily lives. I would then sit down with them and record the audio (which I would later translate into a podcast format), of them speaking about themselves and who they are. The best part about this project was the videos were only a minute in length; a perfect amount of time, considering the attention spans of social media consumers, plus it played to the theme of “a New York minute.”

Later that year, after publishing many profiles, I submitted my work for an international short video competition (MegaCities ShortDocs). I knew, from a lot of feedback, that the project was good, but when it became a finalist in the contest, I was ecstatic. It meant that I would be going to Paris, for the first time, for my work to be showcased in front of an international audience. I couldn’t believe something I created would, literally, take me so far. The trip and experience itself was so valuable and memorable between the people I experienced it with and the other filmmakers I met overseas.

Though I sunsetted the series, due to the pandemic and personal timing, its impact on my life is something I will always value and treasure. Who knew that a few minutes would last forever?

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and share with our readers your background, for context?

I got into video production back in 2008, at my alma mater SUNY New Paltz. From there, after graduating, I had some internships that first tested my production skills, from recording to storyboarding and editing. Most of my video work began capturing music events around the city and posting them on YouTube for others to see.

Building an audience from that work, plus the creative skits I shared on my personal YouTube channel and other casual events I recorded (ex: baby showers, parties, etc.), I wanted to focus my craft on highlighting people and their personal brands; helping to spread the work about their work in a creative light. Later, I discovered that I was passionate about helping small businesses with their visual assets that they can used to build their business across social media platforms.

I want people/brands to know that I want to highlight them beyond the “talking head” concepts. I want to showcase, through action and authenticity, that the service(s) they provide have some life to them; that they’re more than someone just describing what they do. I’m proud of my ability to get people to open up and share themselves as others would love to see them. Sometimes, a video is an official introduction, for potential clients/customers, to a brand that is just getting their start. I want to be the person who helps to get them to the next level of their brand awareness.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the major lessons I had to unlearn, especially in my line of work, is that the customer is always right and that they know what they want. Most customers have no idea what they’re looking for, but they know that they can’t do it by themselves.

One time, I was working with a client who wanted to revamp their fashion brand. They had a vision of what they wanted to achieve, but logistically, it was all over the place. Thankfully, I was able to work with them, on the spot, and come up with some creative solutions to what they wanted and they were amazed how things turned out.

Sometimes, it’s not that people don’t know what they need, but they need some help getting their vision to the finish line. I love being able to input my suggestions and them being considered, versus just being a guy behind a camera and pressing record; simply going with the flow of what they want. It is amazing what can be accomplished in a collaborative effort.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The rewarding part of my work is seeing the reactions of those who view the final product of my projects or their projects. It a part of the motto of my business name “Play. Watch. Replay.” I imagined the excitement of someone watching and rewatching the final video in awe and enjoyment.

I always take honor in someone trusting me with their vision. Sometimes, a level of imposter syndrome affects how I see myself and my work and all it takes is someone wanting to work with me to remind myself of all the work I’ve put in and the many years of experience under my belt. I will always treasure that feeling of someone wanting me to be in charge of their project coming to life.  

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vixonj.com/
• Instagram: @vixonj
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vixonjohn/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@vixon_j

Image Credits
Shante Carlan Kyle Lynch Natalie Washington