Meet Roxy Young

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Roxy Young. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Roxy below.

Roxy , so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

Creativity is something that comes pretty natural to me. I feel it’s a gift God has blessed me with. I am originally from West Virginia and my creativity is rooted from growing up there. I learned at a young age to take what I had and to be resourceful. That skill is something that has followed me all of my life. I think anyone can spend millions of dollars to create something amazing, but I think people who have less can also create something equally awesome due to their creativity, ingenuity, and imagination. There are times I will challenge myself by just going to a location and thinking to myself, “Okay, what can I create today using what I have around me?” My emotions are another thing that help me create. Whatever emotion I feel, whether that be depression or happiness, I take and put that energy into what I create. My emotions are usually the backbone of my creative ideas. I think also being around the things and people that inspire you is something that helps to keep the creative juices flowing. Being around the things and people that inspire and excite you is top tier. As creatives we are constantly learning and I think it’s important to learn from the people and things that inspire you so that you can create your own lane and do the same for others.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

First off, thank you so much for having me! My name is Roxy Young and I am a filmmaker and creative. Some days you can find me scouting fresh faces for one of DC’s top modeling agencies, AF Talent Management. Some days you will find me collaborating with peers in the creative community and others you’ll catch me putting film work together as a one woman film army. I wear many hats, but my true passion and where I am most focused right now is in my film work. I’m not really your average filmmaker / video gal and that’s due to the fact I shoot everything from iPhone. If I did not tell you I shot everything with an iPhone, you would never know. My little phone and I have gone from shooting in media pits with grown men and giant cameras to doing video for the white house press secretary. I have gotten to do some cool stuff within my career thus far. There are so many times I will get the question, ” Why don’t you use a regular camera ?”. Using a regular camera defeats the purpose of what I am trying to do. You don’t have to have the most expensive camera to be creative and that’s the point I’m trying to make. I call my little business iLox and there are two goals I have set out to accomplish. The first goal is to shoot a campaign for apple using iPhone. I want to be able to walk in Times Square and see the campaign I shot on a billboard. The #Shotoniphone Campaign is something I am a thousand percent aiming for. My second big goal is to shoot and direct a feature length award winning film using iPhone. I think last time I checked there were about 13 award winning films in Hollywood that have been shot on iPhone. It’s something that has been done already, but nonetheless I would love to be able to add to that number. Some people will frown at the thought of iPhone filmmaking because a typical film camera isn’t being used, but I think people tend to underestimate what you can really do with these bad boys. For example, I have a short film I am getting ready to submit this week to a festival. I shot the short in a pool with just myself, a housing case and my iPhone, all completely underwater. I may or may not have drown a few times shooting, but it was all in the name of making art.

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?

Resilience, love, and being yourself. If I were to give anyone advice in the pursuit of their passions I would say this, it’s not going to be easy but it can be done.

#1. You are going to have people that will tell you “no.” You will encounter some people whose motive is to use you. You will have people that will stab you in the back, etc. What I am saying is all very real and honest BUT you will also have good people that will help you along the way. You have to be able to take those hits while continuing to push forward. When the hard times hit, because they will, keep pushing forward and look at the hardships as building blocks of strength. Resilience has been a key factor for me.

#2. Whatever you decide to do, you have to love. When the money isn’t coming in, when things go wrong … you still have to get up every day and put that same love into your work. I think that’s how you really know if you love what you do. The love for your craft is what fuels your drive. I had times when I first started where I got up to work with a negative bank account and a can of beans to eat and was still excited about what work I was going to put together. The love for my craft carried me through.

#3. Be yourself. Authenticity is your signature.

And I think my last piece of advice is to choose your circle wisely. Surround yourself with like minded people who want to see you win and vice versa. Community is everything. I work very independently, but also would not be where I am without strong backing and support from my communities. If you’re around people who are passionate, driven, and creative, that’s gonna rub off on you. Get around people you can learn from.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

I don’t think I can just pinpoint one person. I think the different communities I work with play a big role in that. Relationships in your communities are everything. If I had to narrow it down to one person though, I would absolutely say Chelsea Cushing. Chelsea Cushing, who is AF Talent Management CEO, has been someone who provides great community and leadership in general. I met her a few years ago when her agency had a collaboration event unlike anything I had ever seen, and from that I met so many great, like-minded people. Even though I have my own business in film, working with Chelsea and the agency has taught me a lot and has been awesome ( Sending big love to the AFTM fam ).

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @ilox_by_loxystyles @[email protected]
• Other: e-mail: [email protected]
  e-mail: [email protected]