Meet Kimberly Quigley | Distributor, Executive Producer

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

Hi Kimberly, how do you think about risk?
I think anyone who wants to try something new and venture into a field with original thoughts is intrinsically taking a risk. The people who are leading in the entertainment industry all have that in common. I have heard many times the terrible odds of success, numbers and figures thrown at me and I always dismissed that as a wrong way to evaluate because it is missing the factor as to WHY those few did succeed. The biggest common denominator is that they never gave up. There are many stories of people in this industry who had been turned away by every studio or every label and then when they finally made it somehow it was an enormous success. That is almost typical of the icons in the entertainment industry. So, when it comes to starting a project in this field, just know that it will only succeed as much as you make it happen and the risk is only in giving up. The challenge is to your own ingenuity and creativity in problem solving and that includes being able to self-correct.

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 have long wanted to be able to make my own stories come to life through film. From starting off as an actress on set in my teens to creating my own interview show, to learning distribution and creating a company to do so for others. I have helped several films get packaged and financing over the years, and am making huge strides as an Executive Producer. I don’t even feel as though I am halfway there because there is so much more that I plan to make in the future and being able to fund films consistently is my next biggest goal.

I started from nothing, shooting my first shows in my garage and having no studio support or funding. In the end, I am very proud of having accomplished hundreds of hours of interviews on my show The Red Booth.

Then I graduated into distribution and I specialized in underrepresented markets mainly, the African film market. After 4 years of working in that arena I was able to build a catalog of nearly 400 hours of content and was able to help place shows and movies onto streaming platforms. This was a very difficult journey and had not been mapped out by anyone. Hearing the thanks and words from those filmmakers made it all worth it. Also knowing how much the films and shows were appreciated when they got to the right people was so fulfilling.

I think the biggest factor in getting to where I am today is always learning, always asking questions, finding people who are already doing them and getting advice. But also taking leaps to start things even though you may not know how to do it all, and figuring it out along the way. When I was producing my show I had to learn how to edit. I had to find ways to get it onto TV by reaching out to tons of people. When I started my distribution company I had to constantly look for new avenues and learn about company financing and the financial industry which is so vital in any start-up. I think learning about the business behind being creative is very important and I have spent a lot of time on that. I also connected with many other creators, traveling to new places in the world, meeting other filmmakers and getting the word out to represent more projects.

Overall I am a creator. Whether this means creating my TV show, creating other TV shows, creating a company, developing films, or even writing my own stories, all of it is a creative process. Learning to find the right people to work with is a big thing. Also I had to focus my energies more and not take on so much. I think creative people tend to be creative in many ways and have lots of projects going but in recent years I started to shed projects and work on getting maybe 3 made first and put most of my attention on the first one, then keep pushing the second and sort of the keep the ball rolling that way.
I like to work on projects that are inspiring and raise awareness in some way. My interview show was meant to help support people in the arts and give good advice to others who strive to do so.

I think it’s important to keep your integrity in when working in this industry. Stay true to the kinds of messages you want to send and also work with people who are here for the right reasons. If you notice someone is really negative, don’t work with them. If you notice someone is dishonest, don’t waste time trying to manage it. Creative things flourish with the right support. Find your support.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Old Town Pasadena so I would start off by showing them the local sites here. We have tons of restaurants, 2nd only to New York in restaurants per capita! The Luggage Room Pizzeria & La Grande Orange is delicious and set in a beautiful historic building. Houston’s and El Portal are some of my go to spots. There’s also the Pasadena Playhouse where you can see live shows with a great atmosphere. I would take them to see the many historic buildings and old homes in the area that are stunning if they are into architecture. The Huntington Gardens and Museums, here which you can easily spend a day enjoying. Also Mt. Wilson has breathtaking views to the ocean.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would definitely say that I owe a big thanks to my parents. Although they aren’t in the industry at all, they nurtured my creativity growing up. My father introduced me to all the classics and would read me Edgar Allen Poe at bedtime, which led me to write poetry and many stories. He also played piano and from this I wrote songs and sang. My Mother had been a catalog model in her earlier years and taught me about modelling as well as putting me in several art classes. It was a creative environment which makes a huge difference. They always encouraged me. I also want to thank my kids for cheering me on and for giving me an even greater reason to prove that you can do anything you set your mind to. I would also like to thank the many people who worked with my over the years on my show and on other projects including Slevin Rucciaro, Misa Garcia, Brian Romo, Cameron Hines, Alex Lake, Mimica Blasco, Laura Byrnes (PinupGirl Clothing), Lior and Danit Melcho and so many more that made it possible.

Website: skyrocketinc.io druidpictures.com

Instagram: kimberlyq_actual theredbooth

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyaquigley/