Today we’d like to introduce you to Cayn King.
Hi Cayn, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Cayn King attained his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Filmmaking & Video Production from The Art Institute of Houston, where he graduated with honors and won the award for “Most Outstanding Filmmaker.” As a result he was chosen to work on set for The Art Institute’s national commercial campaign and other professional productions including the set of Bill Hughes’s Sci-fi film, Matt Mercury. King’s next chapter in film would go on to take him across America as a videographer and photographer in the professional Motorsports industry covering the 2012-13 NASCAR Nationwide Series, 2014-2018 Pirelli World Challenge, 2014-18 IndyUSA, and 2017 F1 Racing. In 2019-2021 created a TV series called HouWood Series landing it on several major streaming platforms like Prime Video, TUBI, and Youtube TV& Movies.
With over 20 years in the making building relationships and connections in the music and film industry, King’s sense of adventure has given him a repertoire of skills and creative works including; 56 short films, numerous corporate videos and events, sports journalism, music videos, reality show pilots and many more. With that same passion and love for filmmaking, King founded the Advantage Film Workshops and has taken his decade of experience and industry secrets to provide a film program that help change the lives of students by providing them with life skill sets needed to have the advantage in becoming working artists and professionals in today’s vast industries.
King’s recent works include his role as location manager for director Dave Meyers on the set of Travis Scott and Drake SICKO MODE music video and Facebook. He currently teaches Photography & Film at the Urban Enrichment Institute, formerly known as, Fifth Ward Enrichment Program, for at risk youth. When King is not filming or writing scripts or watching them, lol, he enjoys his three beautiful kids and wife, making music and hanging out by the ocean.
Cayn is a veteran of the United States AirForce where he earned his Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate Certification and served as a Combat Medic.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Its been a road with bumps and curves the whole way, but that’s what I am accustom too is hardworking. My first job at 13-15 yrs old was chopping cotton, which is really chopping the weeds around the cotton in long cotton fields of North Texas or Southwest Oklahoma. I like this cause it produced a hard worker. My film dues were made as I worked for the race car industry, I had to be quick on my toes. Upon graduating I felt I would work more closely to my film peers but I quickly find out this is a lonely climb. In this film world you’re only as good as your last film. In filmmaking you have to work as a team on production and mistimes in the beginning with no money no clout no-one wants to share. However I did have many blessings of people that did want to work together. Many of my beginning struggles were trying to make a living in the city I was living, it was just impossible in the city of Houston to get anything going consistently. That took a toll on the household finance.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am known as an entertainer and a producer of many artistic events. I am the filmmakers filmmaker, I love to teach film and dream film. I am a professional music recording artist as well and have use those talents to help write my movies. My main talent is being a finisher, I complete shit! I do not play around when it comes to my art and expression. I know exactly what its takes to get a production from concept to completion and beyond to distribution.
I understand the value of Marketing and Branding your product. Knowing where you wanna be before you get there is the key.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Hmmmm.. I dont call it luck, I call it blessed by the Gods. I always told my self I am Perseus from the Clash Of The Titians 1977 film, when the gods would leave tools to help him meet his destiny. I feel like that has been me my whole life. I came from poverty in Oklahoma, We my family and I are Native Americans from Arizona, we also came up in a time to where black folks and white folks did not like each other nor liked anything not understood. Like a dark complected native running around the city. My family are extremely talented in the arts, but the life we had did not allow for luxuries that art often needed. I dreamed of what I do now since I was little boy dreaming on my grandpas tin roof in Altus Oklahoma. I would stare off west into the sunset dreaming of Hollywood and being big star. So luck is an insult to me when I totally understand the journey god allowed me to be on. Not luck blessings & guidance from my universe.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.advfilmworks.com www.houwood,com
- Instagram: @ckingii_ @blkjagfilms @houwoodseries
- Facebook: @832VIDEO
- Twitter: @blkjagtv
- Youtube: @blkjagtv
