Meet K Cornell Kellum

We were lucky to catch up with K Cornell Kellum recently and have shared our conversation below.

K Cornell, 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?
I have found that as a creative in the Entertainment Industry, that you are alone in a room most of the time. I focus on the productions that are being developed and not get sidetracked with the outside world. Honestly, it is hard sometimes to turn off the world but in order to create and develop your own individual space, you have to disconnect sometimes.

With all of the projects that we are developing getting bigger and bigger, it is easy to let the thoughts and comments from the outside world slip in and derail you from the track, but we have a great team working to make a difference.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Just a bit about what I do is a little crazy to explain. We are building, creating and developing what will one day be, our goal, the largest independent Production Company in the world. We are currently in various stages of development with over 350 productions that are either our creations or projects that other creatives have sought me out to produce with them. I am honored to have the Productions that we are getting called to produce coming in because it shows that we are on the right path to success in this volatile industry.

We are continuing to move the Ascendent Studios Group projects to Major Networks, prominent Streaming services and major Distributors in order to get our productions in front of the general public. For example, we have over $700 Million in Review at a Major Distributor right now waiting for the strikes to come to some sort of resolution.

I think that what makes us special, or different (as I have been called) is the fact that we are not “Hollywood” in our approach to this crazy industry but feel that by taking the Family approach, we can get further without compromising our integrity or the quality of what we are building.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Patience, determination and humility.

I believe that to be in the Entertainment industry you have to have a next level amount of patience. We got spoiled when we first got into the industry with a Television Talk Show, the Treasure Valley View then the Stevie K Show, that got picked up by Network 2 weeks or so after the pilot was created. We spent a year on the air and that is almost unheard of now.

I am 100% determined to be successful and will be. I do not put a time frame on success because most times, it is out of your hands. It is best to just keep working on developing myself and the productions that we are creating and let everything fall into place organically.

Lastly, humility is very important because being humble in all areas of the industry helps you and your Brand moving forward. I strive to always include the team because by never making it about myself being the star of the show, people are more willing to work with you. I have to learn to let go of more of the day to day operations to those that are the key executives, which is getting  easier as we grow and expand the Companies.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always looking to collaborate with others to assist them in reaching their goals and making dreams reality. I have been told that my standards for productions are too high but why should anyone choose to settle for low quality on things that have your name on them. We have created a Brand that people are seeking out to work with and only want to be involved in high level production, regardless of the scale.

My personal and professional Brands are very important to me and therefore I do tend to be a bit over critical but that’s just how we dooz it (thanks JB). But on a serious note, we have dozens of collaborations with individuals and other production companies from $5 million to $125 million, so we work on a huge range of productions but they are all going to be amazing.

That is one of the main reasons I started our Management Group, Ascendent Talent Management, so that we could help others in the industry grow their careers to that next level. By working together with others, everyone can be elevated to a higher place in the industry. We are involved in guiding the careers of 165 Entertainment Talents and helping them develop their futures.

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