Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex West.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have always been a dreamer. As a kid, I excelled in creativity with arts and crafts, particularly drawing. As a kid, I remember having a deep interest in movies. I watched a lot of VHS tapes so my sisters and I would act out scenes from movies. My first monologues were from “Juice” and “Boyz in the Hood” (don’t judge haha). As I grew older, I gravitated towards writing and I actually aced all of my essays for college. Now, here I am. A young black actor and filmmaker using my creativity as a platform to inspire and make an impact in my community. It’s crazy how the subconscious prepares us to be who we are. Peace to John Singleton and Spike Lee, my lifelong inspirations.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I have never seen a smooth road in my life. I grew up as a troubled youth in the inner city so my biggest struggle was always knowledge of self. Knowing who you are makes your journey less painful. As far as acting, the biggest struggle is consistently believing in yourself and persistently pursuing your dream. Even when you get 100 no’s and 1 yes. As far as scriptwriting, directing and creating films is concerned the struggles are the same, but they are now amplified. Only because now you are creating waves of opportunities and frequencies for others. Artists are sensitive about their work so it takes a great deal of confidence to expose your projections and creations. One day you can feel like the world champ and the next day you can feel like a loser haha. As long as your vision is clear and goals are in alignment with your passion you will prevail though.
Life After Life Productions – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are a black-owned independent film production house. We specialize in writing and developing scripts as well as directing films. My wife and I started Life After Life Films (at the time) in 2014 when we were actors who were tired of the lack of opportunities for people of color in the industry. We wrote a few scripts, bought some camera equipment and created diverse projects for the audiences. I am excited to see how diversity in Hollywood has magnified over the years. It makes me proud know that we were producing these projects before it became a trend/shift. My goal is to keep creating these waves for a lifetime. We are self-owned and operated, and we finance our own films. This allows us to keep our diverse voices and own our creations.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
My definition of success is to be mentally free, spiritually free, physically free, and financially free from the matrix. I aim to continue to be responsible in my community and to stay aligned with my passion and purpose. I look to separate myself from those who do not share the same energy and desires as me. And I tend to focus on surrounding myself with people and things that fit my future instead of my past. In the end, this looks like peace and harmony.
Contact Info:
- Website: LifeAfterLifeProductions.com
- Email: lifeafterlifefilms@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/mralexwest, Instagram.com/lifeafterlifeproductions
- Facebook: Facebook.com/mralexwest
Image Credit:
Alex and Ruby – Phelan Mark
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