AZ - ABOUT YOU!
Tell us your elevator pitch, so who are you? How do you introduce yourself to people?
I’ve got a very unique self-description but I like to say that I am a creator both in front and behind the camera. My background is in shooting both photos and videos for artists and brands but now I’m being shot as a host for Nike SNKRS and whoever trusts me to not be too much of an idiot on camera.
How do you balance your work and your brand - your brand was obviously birthed from being freelance - which I think is absolutely sick, can you tell us what birthed it?
My brand, Pay Your Shooter, was birthed through the sheer frustration of people taking the absolute p*ss with asking for free shoots, free photos, and brands really trying to take advantage with rates when offering work to young creatives. I am a firm believer in having to work for free to a certain extent to get your foot in the door but once a brand is asking you to come to WORK, you should be paid and respected as a ‘normal’ job role would. Just because you’re young and creative and having a nice time does not mean that it does not work. We can have fun and make our hobbies our occupations these days, we ain’t all gotta be miserable in our jobs.
You started off as a photographer, into videography right? So how did you transition into being in front of the camera?
I’m trained in film and then decided whilst studying that I wanted to do still photography instead and somehow found a way to make some money from it in clubs at my university. That led to me just playing around and doing loads of both photos and videos for friends that made music or wanted to model and that transitioned into working in radio stations and for sportswear brands and eventually music labels to produce and direct and edit films. I found myself on the other side of the camera by chance after I pitched a job to Boxpark, we wanted to quickly shoot a pilot for a series that I was supposed to direct and shoot myself but in a panic, I got in front of the camera and then the CEO of Boxpark saw the cut and messaged me saying that if he has any content going out with the Boxpark logo on it then he wants me to be the face for it and from there it just built and now I’m signed to Nike SNKRS as a face!
Who gave you your first opportunity and what did it look like?
All of my first opportunities in all of the different aspects of the creative fields I’ve been involved in have come from genuine relationships. I’m a heavy believer in meeting and hanging on to natural connections, if meetings are forced it never works for me. I’ve always met people I’ve clicked with and then offered a hand and work has seemed to spiral from there really. I’ve not really applied for much work, it's all just sort of blessed me through connection.
How do you go about getting opportunities/pitching yourself?
‘Don’t beg it’ is a huge rule I stick by when meeting or speaking about myself to anybody. I don’t like to try too hard and I think you can see through that when people are really trying to overextend themselves and prove they’re sick. If you really are sick, that will shine through. There’s always a time and place for everything, don’t try and tell me the software you use and the kit you have at home and how much you charge for stuff in the club, sorry sir.
If you weren’t doing what you are doing now what would you be doing?
I would say if I wasn't an infant of the camera I'd be behind it and when I’m not behind it I think that I would probably want to do something in the food. Chefs are frustrated creatives too and I feel like the energy I have for long nights in my edit suite would translate to long nights prepping in the kitchen in a different life, plus I love chopping veg.