Meet Kyle Meeks | Writer & Photographer

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

Hi Kyle, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risks are so important to progress. I feel like people often make the mistake of thinking the opposite of success is failure, when in reality failures are the building blocks of success and they cause growth. But if success is the result of growth, the opposite of success must be stagnation. I try my best to challenge myself to do things even if I’m not confident I’ll do them perfectly. To me, the idea of living a comfortable life in the suburbs where I never challenge myself, never learn a new perspective, or never dare to be different is a far more frightening risk and I would like to avoid that with all of my ability and resources. Mediocrity is the scariest thing to me and every time I sleep in or make the conscious choice to stay in my comfort zone, I feel like I’m making a huge risk of falling into a boring life. And I still get tired and we all need sleep but if you’re honest with yourself, you know the difference of when you’re recouping rest and when you’re feeling unmotivated. So when someone offers me opportunities that seem too big or when I feel inadequate for a job, I jump at those scenarios because the risks they present only offer positive outcomes. I either fail and learn or I do well and level up. Either way results in growth and that’s the goal.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I haven’t been comfortable calling myself an artist until recently. Today I can comfortably say that I am a writer and cinematographer with a photography background, but that wasn’t always the case. To be artistic or capable of creating art always seemed like some rare and intangible quality that only geniuses like Michelangelo or Leonardo DiVinci had. How could I be an artist without a dope Italian name? My insecurity was underscored by the hundreds of people, some of which I knew personally, who had the audacity to proclaim themselves artists or creatives when their own parents wouldn’t put their work on the family fridge. I get that you don’t have to be a master to still be a participant, but it seemed so bold that they would give themselves titles when they hadn’t done that thing or hadn’t done it well. I’m still learning from that audacity because not only does creating art require boldness, but I’m more comfortable calling myself an artist because I’ve defined what it is for myself. To me an artist is someone who can create something that causes people to experience their humanity just a little bit more and hopefully trigger some understanding or empathy that can benefit the next person. Because I know what I’m trying to make and who I’m trying to be, it’s a lot easier to identify myself as something because I have my own definition. I’m also grateful for my friends who had that audacity because it has shown me that audacity can be a spring board to catapult you into rooms and conversations where you have no business at first but quickly learn that you too can belong.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Coming from the Midwest, a lot of my favorite pastimes are sedentary like eating or watching movies, but shortly after moving here I was introduced to hiking, which first sounded crazy to me but I’ve found a lot of joy in it. My favorite day would start with hike on a quiet trail where I could enjoy nature and the fresh air. And I’d end that same day in one of my favorite theaters, Alamo Drafthouse, watching Equalizer 5 with a juicy burger, fries and a beer. I love the balance that this city offers. It doesn’t seem to be too much of anyone thing, but it paradoxically has everything in excess. If you like to hike there are tons of trails, if you’re a foodie or a lush there are bars and bistros to gorge yourself to your hearts content. I love that this city seems to feed your passion whatever it might be.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m really grateful for my mom. I owe my passion for movies and curiosity of how they’re made to her. I cultivated a broad historical knowledge of actors and filmmakers all while exploring a menagerie of genres and styles under her guidance. My mom grew up as an only child and spent a lot of time entertaining herself with movies and TV. I also am an only child with a voracious imagination which craved story and spectacle. Luckily, my mom was there to share her knowledge and love of the 5,000+ films she had seen with me through my childhood, awkward adolescence, and my adulthood now. She always has the perfect reference or quote for any scenario. I hope to be successful in Hollywood if for no other reason but to pay her back for all of the Blockbuster rentals and AMC tickets that defined my upbringing.

Website: Www.meeksmedia.com

Instagram: @behindthekamera

Linkedin: LinkedIn.com/in/kylemeeks

Twitter: @behindthekamera