Meet Johnny Fentry Jr

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Johnny Fentry Jr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Johnny, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

Wow… this is a great question. I haven’t been asked this before. But, I definitely have thought about it plenty of times. Being African American in the production industry, there are not a lot of people that look like me and I am the minority about 90% of the time. I’ve gotten asked the question before “How does it feel always being the only the black person?”. The simplest thing I can say is I have become a master at code switching. I usually can read a person within a few sentences said back and forth and can analyze what kind of person I’m dealing with and how to approach the conversation in an enjoyable and healthy matter for the both of us. If they are into a subject I have little knowledge about, I’m asking about their interests and generally trying to learn more about something. If I can tell they are more knowledgeable of my culture and upbringing, I’m open to joking a lot faster. Usually, I just try to read people’s energy as best to my ability and make the interaction for them memorable. I think this has worked for me as far as staying hired, getting constantly called back, and overall making a good impression on people.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Well, to start off … What I have been doing lately is creating a world. Let me explain. Ever since I was a kid, I have been inspired by Sonic The Hedgehog, Mario, Disney, Spongebob, etc. They all created this fictional world that took us all to a different place. You wonder how do these people actually come up with this stuff. I have tried to come up with multiple characters and concepts growing up. But, nothing stuck. However, I don’t think I had the knowledge or equipment to truly launch anything back then. I do still have a lot of old youtube videos of failed concepts. But, are they really failed or just … undiscovered? This gave me the idea to revive all of my old film stories and ideas and just revamp them. I wrote a book within the past 2 years and I didn’t want to launch it with no audience soo … that gave me the idea to do a restart on things. Krezzyyverse was the name that came to mind and overtime, the idea just kind of kept growing and coming to me as time passed. I really found myself getting immersed into this fictional world I was creating and I wanted something that’ll stick for generations well after I’m gone.

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?

Patience, learning, and staying curious. I think those skills have been the most impactful on my journey. Patience has allowed me to let things take time and not expect immediate results. We now live in a digital world with likes, comments, and share with videos that are 15 seconds to a minute long and if its longer than that, you better hope your audience has the bandwidth to keep watching. We get Amazon packages delivered within a few days and if it takes longer, we’re complaining. I am a victim to this. When I started writing my book, I knew the process wasn’t going to take overnight. It could take months and even years. But, I was prepared for the wait. It made me enjoy the process even more. With this new world I am creating. slowly day by day, I come up with new ideas to enhance the world. I am not rushing by all means and when the right time comes, It will come. I realized becoming a student all over again which involves learning has really shaped my personality. I think most people view me as this vibrant, cheerful, childlike person, which I am okay with. If it leaves them smiling after interacting with me, then I love it. I mention this because children are curious and I am always looking up at the world wondering and amazed at how big things are. If I can give any helpful advice for anyone early in their journey in whatever field of your choosing, is to just stay curious and humble. The world is huge and we are just small specs apart of it. Continue learning into old age. Learning doesn’t stop unless you allow it to.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Honestly, as I’m building this world, I would love to expand my network with more animators and storytellers. There’s a distinct difference between animation and film that I think some people who aren’t into animation just don’t understand. It’s still an art form that is seen for children and some eyes and they don’t seem to take it seriously. I’ve noticed this behavior in some of my current film peers. They are really into very serious films, which is fine! I lean more into the silly cartoon film if I’m being honest. I like to have a good time. I do still watch serious films but I tend to like a balance. As I progress with my Youtube animated series “Krezzia”, I am going to need voice actors as well overtime. Nothing’s going to happen tomorrow. But, key take aways on who I am looking to collaborate in the near future. Krezzia is just getting started.

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Image Credits

Photos & Artwork by Johnny Fentry Jr

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