Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy Fajardo.
Andy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My career started when I was around 11 years old, long before I ever thought of what I was doing as a career.
Growing up, I was always interested in video games and wanted to create my own. I didn’t always have access to the newest games, and I remember going to stores and seeing the latest releases that my family simply couldn’t afford. One of the games that really stuck with me was Super Mario Bros. I remember seeing it and thinking about how amazing it was, but instead of only thinking about playing the game, I became curious about something else:
How did someone create this? And how could I create something myself?
At the time, the internet was nowhere near as accessible as it is today. My mom encouraged me to focus on school and eventually bought me a laptop. That laptop became one of the most important tools in my life. I started going to libraries, reading books and comics, researching anything I could find, and experimenting on my own computer.
I began creating ideas for games and teaching myself different skills. Over the years, I learned audio design, visual design, 3D design, and eventually coding. I wasn’t learning these things because I had a career plan. I was learning because I was genuinely curious and wanted to build something of my own.
Eventually, I created my first game.
By the end of middle school and the beginning of high school, I was still developing my skills. I was fortunate enough to attend Houston Heights High School, a small charter school in the Houston Heights area. One day, while I was working on my laptop during computer class, one of my teachers noticed what I was doing and asked me about it.
At the time, I was working on a GTA style game.
That project eventually caught the attention of my principal. The computer class at the time was primarily focused on basic computer skills like typing and general computer usage. Seeing what I was capable of doing with the technology inspired my principal to completely revamp the program and turn it into an AV Tech class.
That was a major turning point in my life.
When Mr. Norwood became my AV Tech teacher, I was not necessarily the greatest student academically, but he saw something in me. He and many of my other teachers helped me develop my skills and put me in situations where I could meet people outside of the school environment.
What started as a class eventually became something much bigger.
Throughout high school, the AV Tech program grew into a small professional studio where students could work on graphic design, video production, photography, editing, and other creative projects. Eventually, it became one of the most popular classes in the school.
Local artists, student rappers, aspiring filmmakers, designers, and other students all wanted to experience what we were building. Students could create album covers, posters, videos, and other creative projects. For me, it was the first time my hobby started to feel like a real career.
Mr. Norwood and I also developed a strong friendship, and eventually we began working on projects outside of school, including small projects connected to Discovery Green and other opportunities around Houston.
Those experiences introduced me to people who were already working professionally and showed me that the skills I had been developing since I was 11 years old could actually become a career.
One of the people who helped open the next major door for me was my friend and producer, No Limit Shawn. Shawn went on to work with artists such as NBA YoungBoy and other platinum selling artists. Through him, I was introduced to Marcus, also known as Hardhead, the owner of Fresh Sonic Studios.
Getting connected to Fresh Sonic Studios changed the trajectory of my career.
Inside that environment, I had the opportunity to work with local and national artists and develop my skills in a much more professional setting. What started with me wanting to make video games eventually evolved into video production, photography, editing, graphic design, VFX, directing, and working within the music industry.
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work with artists including Boosie BadAzz, Paul Wall, Bun B, Lil Keke, and many others.
I also had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from numerous directors, cinematographers, and creatives throughout Houston, including Vier Films, J Will, D Will Get It Done, OG Films, and many others. They gave me opportunities to work as an editor, DP, assistant director, and in other production roles.
Every person I met added something different to my development.
My career eventually expanded beyond music and entertainment as well. I had the opportunity to work with local businesses, entrepreneurs, and brands, including Johnny Dang, Derrick Grace, US Coins & Jewelry, and many others.
Those experiences taught me something important creativity isn’t limited to one industry.
What started with an 11 year old kid who couldn’t afford the newest video game became a lifelong obsession with understanding how things are made and figuring out how to create them myself.
I didn’t start with expensive equipment, a professional studio, or a roadmap.
I started with curiosity, a laptop my mom bought me, and the desire to make something that didn’t exist before.
Over the years, that curiosity became a skill set, that skill set became a portfolio, and that portfolio became a career. That I’m still continuing to build.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road.
When I first started developing my skills, one of my biggest challenges was simply having the resources to do it. I didn’t have access to expensive equipment or the latest technology. I was working simple jobs in fast food, making close to minimum wage, and trying to invest whatever I could into developing my craft.
There were definitely moments when I questioned whether continuing down this path was worth it, but those doubts never became strong enough to make me give up. I had people around me telling me that I had real talent and skills that could take me somewhere. I realized that I didn’t necessarily need everything figured out I needed to put myself in the right positions and continue improving until I could turn my skills into a self-sustaining career.
Breaking into the industry was another challenge. When you’re young and trying to work around established artists, directors, and professionals, it can be difficult to be taken seriously. Some people didn’t immediately see me as a great director, a great personality, or someone who belonged in those environments. I understood that I couldn’t always convince people with words, so I decided to let my work speak for me.
I also learned some hard lessons along the way. There were projects I worked on for free just to gain experience and build relationships. There were people who tried to take advantage of that willingness to work, and there were projects that didn’t work out because of technical difficulties or because I was still learning and sometimes struggled to keep up with the demands of the project.
One of my biggest obstacles was transportation and finances. There were opportunities I wanted to take advantage of, but I couldn’t always afford the transportation, equipment, or resources necessary to be there and contribute at the level I wanted to. Sometimes the problem wasn’t a lack of talent or motivation it was simply not having the resources to put myself in the right place at the right time.
But looking back, those struggles were important to my development.
Every obstacle showed me something I needed to improve. Every difficult project taught me something about preparation, professionalism, equipment, communication, or the business side of the industry. Instead of allowing those experiences to discourage me, I used them as motivation to come back better prepared.
The road hasn’t been perfect, and I definitely didn’t have everything handed to me. But I think that’s part of what makes my journey meaningful. I had to figure things out as I went, continuously develop myself, and create opportunities with the resources I had.
Those struggles ultimately helped me understand not only what I wanted from my career, but also what I needed to become the person capable of sustaining it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My work is centered around visual storytelling. I’m a video editor, photographer, filmmaker, VFX artist, graphic designer, and director. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work across music, entertainment, business, and creative projects, which has allowed me to develop a skill set that goes beyond just one area of production.
I specialize in taking an idea and turning it into something people can actually see and experience. That can mean directing and shooting a music video, editing footage, creating visual effects, designing graphics, photographing an artist or business, or helping develop the creative direction behind a project or the development of a business within these constraints.
What I’m most proud of, however, isn’t necessarily the names or businesses I’ve worked with. I’m most proud of how far I’ve come from where I started.
I began developing these skills as a kid with very limited resources. I didn’t have expensive equipment, a professional studio, or someone teaching me everything I needed to know. I taught myself through experimentation, research, and simply being willing to learn. Eventually, those skills took me from creating ideas on a laptop as a kid to working professionally with artists, businesses, directors, and creative teams.
I think what sets me apart is the fact that I understand multiple sides of the creative process. I’m not limited to looking at a project from only an editor’s perspective or only a director’s perspective. I can understand the visual concept, the camera work, the editing, the graphics, the effects, the music, and the overall presentation.
That allows me to communicate with different people on a project and understand what they are trying to accomplish.
I also believe my biggest strength is adaptability and creativity. I’ve had to learn how to create with very little, work under pressure, solve problems when things don’t go as planned, and constantly learn new technology and techniques. Coming from that background taught me to focus less on what I don’t have and more on what I can create with what I do have using my imagination as the biggest asset.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I honestly don’t Believe in luck or bad luck, I believe that there’s good opportunities and bad opportunities that you put Yourself in in the biggest role that that plays in my career and business in life is be able to enjoy everything I do and share that joy with the people I work with.
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