Meet Alexis Jacquelyn Smith

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alexis Jacquelyn Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alexis Jacquelyn, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

Acting and filmmaking has been a rewarding challenge since I started in 2017 back in Baltimore, MD. I’ve overcome a lot. I’ve moved across the country, secured representation, made my own films and content, and booked projects that I am proud of. I’ve also struggled often, whether it be in my personal life or career. I can honestly attribute my resilience to three things: my parents, godmother, and surprisingly cheerleading.

My parents and godmother taught me the value of hard work and not giving up. I know their pasts and seeing what they’ve created today for themselves has always inspired me. I know if they can overcome their struggles, I can too.

Now about the cheerleading thing! In high school I decided to try out for the cheer team with absolutely no experience because my best friend thought it’d be awesome… and I liked the uniforms. No one told me competition cheer was a beast. I went from being a girl with no purpose lazing about on the couch, to a cheerleader learning to throw girls in the air and do backflips. I was far from the best person on the team, sometimes even the worst, but I loved the sport and I wasn’t going to let anything get in the way.

I ended up making varsity and earned the MVP trophy my senior year. Every time I doubt my future in film or anything else, I remember those accomplishments and that I can do anything I set my mind to.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am an actor, writer, director, and photographer! I make short films, skits, and take headshots/brand photos. I love all things creative( even picking up painting recently) and it really fuels my soul.

Recently, my film Edge of 23 had it’s festival run and won best short film alongside me winning best actress. I am currently working on two new short films that will be produced this spring. I have been gifted with working with amazing collaborators through this process, which is the dream!

I am also running a headshot session sale. It can be found on my instagram @alexisjacquelynphotography. I truly believe in capturing the artist’s essence, so if you need shots like that I am your girl!

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?

If I had to break down three qualities for an artist, they would be drive, resilience, and confidence.
By drive, I mean knowing and setting your intentions: What do you want to accomplish every quarter? Is it securing representation? Booking something? Learning a new skill? Having a solid answer to those questions sets your trajectory.

For resilience, it is important to have a process to help you remain on the right path. Have a method for how you get out of negativity surrounding your goals. Perhaps you take your focus off of the need to be successful and instead focus on appreciation for where you are. Maybe you take the time to refocus or re-prioritize so that you can continue on your path. These things are important for being able to maintain your drive.

Finally, confidence is key. Your energy sets the tone for your audition, meeting, interview, etc. If you want something, you have to do the work to believe you can do it. That way, you can attract the opportunity. If you are of the energy that you cannot do something, it is going to show to everyone else around you. I recommend affirming to yourself regularly that you can be successful, that you are capable, and you deserve everything you dream of.

Having all of these qualities will help you achieve your goals, especially when pursuing something seemingly complicated.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I absolutely love to collaborate! I believe it is one of the best ways to learn and also to help create the project of your dreams.

I met Aquavis Warfield, the cinematographer of Edge of 23 through a friend on a simple set to create reel clips for actors. I saw how organized, kind, and talented he was and instantly put him on my radar for someone to work with. His expertise helped my film look even better than I imagined, making it award winning, and I would have never met him if I wasn’t open to a smaller collaboration.

I met Adrianna Taffel, the director of Edge of 23, in acting class and we instantly clicked. We often times joke that our brains or connected since we will have the same thought at the same time. She helped take my project to the next level with her expert storytelling skills.

I think what Adrianna and Aquavis have in common is that they are extremely knowledgeable but also very open and personable. These qualities are perfect for a collaborator because there is always give and take. Collaboration is about bringing the best ideas together to make the best product. It is not about ego or sticking to one idea of what something could be.

I think as an artist starting out, relying on those around you to help you is crucial as you build your materials to market yourself. I think it’s a much better use of time versus waiting for someone to put you where you want to be. At the very least, you gain valuable experience so that when it is your time to shine, you are prepared.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://alexisjacquelynphoto.com
• Instagram: @alexisjacquelynsmith @alexisjacquelynphotography @edgeof23film

Image Credits

Aquavis Warfield
Alexis Jacquelyn Smith