Meet Keith ‘Klep’ Napier

We recently connected with Keith ‘Klep’ Napier and have shared our conversation below.

Keith ‘Klep’, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
In this industry (Media/Journalism), being the “little guy” or small fish in a room full of sharks, its almost expected that we’re probably less than or don’t exactly have the reach to touch the masses. So My thought process has always been that if you want to make an impact or stand out, you have to bring a level of professionalism, research and production value so when they (audiences) see you working a press junket or red carpet next to say, an ABC, Variety or Comicbook.com no one questions whether or not you belong in that room. Do the work before tho show up.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
What we do at Wearecritix.com is provide a respectful place online where movie nerds and pop culture junkies like myself can convene to share their opinions or get up to speed about what is happening in the world of movie, TV, pop culture news and celebrity interviews. What makes us special is that where strictly here for the art of it all. In a world where social media gets over flooded with controversial tabloid entertainment news, we here at CritiX Media focus only on who’s working on what projects, release dates, changes in production and breaking news. The focus is to cultivate the respect of the creative craft through the lens of the fans. No one talks about the things they love and hate more than the consumer or supporter for that thing, especially with their friends and family. Our goal is to reconstruct the way we talk about movies. I’m a pundit not a critic. And word of mouth has always proven to be one of if not the best source of promotion. For example, on our platform, you can go on over to wearecritix.com/contact and shoot us a message about what your watching, want to watch, or whats coming up and well share that on our platform giving you all the credit for the recommendation. Its not about what we think, its about what YOU think,

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?
Looking back, as an independent outlet I think the first thing I learned was to learn how to do as much as you can on your own. Now, this doesn’t mean don’t ask questions, that is not the same thing as learning. You cannot learn if you don’t ask questions. But, what i mean is, and especially if you’re starting out, is before you go pay say $1,200 – $5,000 for graphic or web design. video/audio producers. Give it a go all by yourself. You may surprise yourself. Buy your own first tripod, camera and microphone and start creating news content. Then, when the opportunities start rolling in and you’re in a better position to outsource, you’ll know and understand exactly what it is you’re looking for when it comes to your brand and how to better execute it. These kinds of things save time and money when working with others and you already know how to produce your own content.

Number two is simple, Do the work! Research, watch youtube tutorials, soak up everything you can about this field of work and study your peers in this industry. Stay connected; Meaning you cant talk about pop culture news if you don’t follow pop culture news. Every outlet has a similar or different approach, so what will make you stand out? From logo, to colors, to style and delivery on camera, it all counts.

And last but not least and most important if you’re looking to add on, expand or grow a team. Expect no one to have the same amount of passion for what you do as much as you do. Yes, you may have supporters and believers in your corner, but if you have an idea, no one and I mean no one will usually execute until you make the first move and set the tone. Be the example, listen to the people you include, but sadly what they say will never speak as loudly as what they do or don’t do. A lot of people want to be around the glam of it all but cannot handle the hustle or professionalism it takes behind it all. So pick your tribe wisely, or be ready to carry all of the weight.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
Since 2017, we have been blessed with so many successes and growth moments after being invited to attend some of the biggest comic book conventions in the country as press. San Diego Comic Con, New York Comic, Wonder con and Rhode Island Comic are where we’ve connected and covered projects from numerous movie and television studios such as Disney, Netflix, Showtime, Hulu, HBO and Amazon to name a few. This has lead to a lot of one off interviews and coverage throughout the year during non convention seasons.

But over the past year or so, wearecritix.com had been blessed with the opportunity to partner with global movie theater chain National Amusement’s Showcase Cinemas. Being that their chain was such an inspiration and gate way to loving film for me, it was just as much an honor as it was a pleasure to be working along side them as an independent content creator.

We look forward to hopefully working with them again in the future and leave the door wide open for any and all partners looking to get into the movie talk, nerd, pop culture business with us.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Photo Credits: CXCC Studios 2023

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