We were lucky to catch up with Alex Kister recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alex, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
I developed my confidence by simply DOING more projects that I was excited about. There’s nothing worse than having an interesting idea sit in your brain forever without doing anything about it because you’re afraid of what people think. If you think it’s interesting, there is bound to be others who will also think it is interesting.
When I first started getting popular online from my work, I took a lot of the hate and harsh criticism to heart which initially crippled me. Over time, however, I learned that there will always be people who don’t like it, and that’s perfectly okay. It is never a reason to back down or be self-conscious about your creations. I thought, “Well, I know that there are some forms of art that I don’t particularly enjoy, but it doesn’t make me respect the artist any less,” so why would I respect myself as an artist any less either?
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have been uploading horror short films on YouTube for almost 3 years, and was lucky enough to find instant success with my most popular series of films “The Mandela Catalogue”, a found-footage style series (think Blair Witch Project or Paranormal Activity) that has slowly evolved into a more mixed-media project.
In my projects I like to play on the childhood fears I experienced when I was young. For example, a recurring theme in the series is the inherent mystery of analog technology such as old glitchy VHS tapes that confused me as a young child. Without even realizing it, this was how I found my audience so quickly by offering relatable content to others within Gen Z that shared similar childhood fears as I did.
The series took off after that and I have retained a very loyal fanbase that has stuck around throughout the evolution that the series has taken over time. This process has led me to some fantastic business opportunities such as collaborating with companies to sell plush toys of some of my characters, wearable merchandise, and even physical VHS tapes containing the films I have already uploaded on YouTube. I never anticipated this passion project of mine to turn into a primary livable career, but I am very grateful for it.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three qualities that were the most impactful in my journey are relatability, consistency, and perseverance.
My content being relatable to others is what got me off the ground in the first place and has proven to be crucial in building my audience so quickly. After that initial take-off, uploading consistent content that holds similar themes throughout is what helped me retain that audience for a long amount of time. However, with consistency must come perseverance that I had to have during the low points of my career. These are the most crucial qualities that work in harmony when passion is involved.
I didn’t have these qualities when I started, however. It was something that needed to be naturally developed after a lot of introspection about what I wanted to do with my passion project-now-turned-career. It is best to have a strong support system that has your back throughout all the hardships that come with new big journeys such as the one I embarked on.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
A recent challenge I am facing is accepting that relationships I form as a result of my success are not always healthy for both me or the other person. I was always in denial about the idea that I am put on a pedestal by the other person despite it feeling like we are both equal to each other. Lack of judgment and communication on both sides can be very detrimental in situations like this, but it has given me an entirely new perspective of the relationships I form from now on.
It is best to keep your circle small from the very start of your journey, only making close connections with those with a similar “power level” as you, rather than someone of your following.
Contact Info:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kisterkatalog
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlexxKister
