Today we’d like to introduce you to Asha Bynoe-Berry.
Hi Asha, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I began my interest in cameras and filmmaking as a child when my dad would make home videos of the family (something he’s been doing since he was in his early 20’s). So he kind of passed down to me or instilled in me that same passion and eye for the lens and catching memories from a viewer’s point of view. As I got older, around middle school/high school I got super into YouTube lip-syncing videos which are basically homemade videos where I would choose a song and create a music video to it in my house. I have a plethora of those in the archives, kinda cringey, but I loved to do that! It allowed me to be creative in creating worlds for artists and music that I liked even though it wasn’t professionally made or official (lol). I taught myself how to edit on iMovie, then Final Cut Pro, and even some Adobe Premiere.
My freshman year of high school, I went to an art school in Florida for one semester, where we got to experience working in a live soundstage and create mini film projects as part of the curriculum. Then I moved back to the Bay to finish freshman year and the rest of high school. As I prepped for college and “real life” I decided that I wanted to study Cinema. I ended up going to San Francisco State for my Bachelor of Arts degree in Cinematography. There I got to experience professional sets on narrative fiction film projects and professionally made music videos and all kinds of film stuff. So, in a sense, I have been doing film all my life. In college, I decided to create a production community called Manifest 333 where we join filmmakers together to make interesting, visually creative projects of all mediums. Now, I’m 22 years old, just moved to LA, and pursuing that dream!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
No, it has not been smooth at all. There’s been so many obstacles, like family health issues, getting my camera and equipment stolen, things not working out the way I plan, friendship failures, losing myself, relearning what it means to be passionate about something, etc. It was been a long time coming but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Everything that has brought me here so far has taught me so much about my strengths, weaknesses, habits, skills, deep consciousness, surface world view, just all of it. I read a fortune cookie that said, “Failure is the tuition you pay for success”, and that is one of the hardest things I’ve had to digest but now I see there’s a balance to all of this creative process and creative growth and I respect it. Trust the process.
We’ve been impressed with Manifest 333, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Manifest 333 is my production company, but I like to call it more of a creative community where we make productions of all mediums. Whether it’s music videos, short films, or branded content, we support artists who wish to bring their stories, visions and ideas to life, and connect them with outstanding upcoming filmmakers who are passionate about the art of storytelling, to create powerful, visually impactful art videos. I think what makes us different than most prominent film production companies of right now is that we don’t brand ourselves as a company but more of as a community. As the founder of M333, I am working hard to create this platform, this space that elevates upcoming filmmakers and artists/creatives of color especially and provide opportunities to be paid for the work they do equitably. That is a goal I have for the brand as we grow. Also, we don’t want to just have one type of style, but rather a melting pot of many different creative views as part of us building an inclusive platform.
Check out the website to see all we do — there’s short film content, music video content, event photography, mini-documentary footage, archival and lifestyle videos, and more. M333 is still in the beginning stages and in no way can I do this all on my own, so I am excited to meet people along the way whose visions and passions align with mine and the goals of M333. I want the readers to know that a new Black-woman-created production company (creative community) is here in California and we are down for anything! We assist creatives, artists, businesses, etc. with manifesting (producing) video content that translates their stories into something seen, heard, and felt, through film and multimedia. Right now, we are focusing on building connections and creating as the stars align. We love doing music videos and short films right now and are welcome to other types of projects, linear or nonlinear. We love to experiment!
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
In college, when I was coming up with a name for the world, “Manifest 333”, I would see the numbers 333 everywhere. Whether it was on a billboard, clock, taxi, random post on social media, tattoo, picture, wherever, the numbers were following me everywhere, everyday (and still do). At that time, I was getting super into tarot as well, so seeing those numbers just made me have to look more into the meaning and numerology. So, after learning more about 333 and seeing how it aligned so well with my purpose and passions, the production company became Manifest 333.
Contact Info:
- Email: inquiry@manifest333.com
- Website: manifest333.com
- Instagram: @manifest333_ and @a5haa
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUdne7YR-ES1HPsDl0q5uw?
Image Credits:
The two images of me behind the camera, for those two images, credits go to Aaliyah Filos of My Rose Colored Views Productions.
