Meet Karyante’ Franklin | Writer, Actor, & Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karyante’ Franklin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karyante’, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’ve always been a dreamer. My imagination never stops, and I’m eternally grateful for that. Sitting down and looking at the world and everything that’s happening is honestly so stressful. Yes, it’s a beautiful place. For real, Mother Earth is gorgeous! But so many bad things happen that it just makes me feel pessimistic about life. Then depression sets in and that’s a whole sad roller coaster nobody wants to ride. So to avoid that, I run with my imagination and create worlds that give me peace of mind. I love to write stories. I’ve written short stories since grade school. My language arts teachers would ask me to write stories as assignments because they loved reading them and wanted to know what would happen next. So that encouragement was helpful. But as I got older, I was taught to think more practically about my career. Think about what’s going to make me money. Since my favorite classes in high school were algebra and calculus, my teachers encouraged me to pursue engineering as a career. So I did, and that went south very fast. I didn’t like it at all. I wanted to switch my major to something artistic (journalism, dance, or theater) and get a minor in business but my parents were against that, and since their opinions meant so much to me, I chose to get a degree in Environmental Science and a minor in Chemistry (go STEM!) And like I said, Mother Earth is gorgeous. I like Environmental Science and Chemistry, but it’s not satisfying to me. So it took some time, but I finally said “No. I’m going to do what I want to do no matter what.” So I took some acting classes, started learning how to write scripts, moved to L.A., and now I’m going full force at what I love to do. I’ve written a short film that’s won a couple of awards so I feel like I’m on the right path.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I currently work in distribution, and it’s pretty great. I get to see a little bit of the business side of film and tv, which is extremely helpful in this career. But when I’m not at work, I’m most likely working on my own content. I have so many ideas so I’m constantly writing and reading and trying to perfect everything. I don’t just wear the “Writer” hat. I’m also a producer and actor so that’s a challenging balancing act. I’m constantly studying better ways to improve my crafts. I get advice from people, I love to learn new things so I take everything I’m told and use it in one way or another. Also, going to events and networking is mad helpful! It’s crazy how many people there are here that want to do the same thing, but at times it hard to meet and mingle. Like it’s so much that comes at you. But it reassuring to know that I’m not the only one making moves you know? Being surrounded by like-minded people is so great, especially for a career in film and tv. It’s hard work, but fun work and I enjoy it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Definitely would have to go to Clifton’s Republic, The Grove, Wolf & Crane Bar, Ovation Hollywood, Grand Central Market, Dreads Caribbean Cuisine, 33 Taps DTLA, take a ride on Mulholland Dr, take tours of Warner bros studio, Sony pictures studios, city wall art universal, the Petersen Automotive Museum, the grammy Museum, Fixins Soul Kitchen, paddle boarding in Marina Del Rey, Venice Beach, Manhattan Beach, Urth Caffe, Swingers Diner, Downtown Santa Monica, and The Santa Monica Pier.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to shine light on my family and friends who constantly support and love me through all of my endeavors! To my mentor Terence Rosemore, love you so much! Thank you for your guidance, love, and support! And to Yvette Foy, who has taught me so much thus far, love you love you! And to Kristina Perez who allowed me to write the script for her film and bring her story to life, thank you and love you lots!

My favorite quote: Je pense, donc je suis (I think, therefore I am). It’s my mantra and keeps me encouraged to keep doing what I do best! Thank you!

Instagram: karyyagirl