Daily Inspiration: Meet Afton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Afton.

Hi Afton, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a burning desire to somehow show other people what goes on in my imagination. That first started with LEGOs, as a kid growing up in the Gig Harbor/Seattle area. I’d build working LEGO candy machines, castles from The Hobbit, and even stop motion LEGO short films. When I was 11 years old, my family and I moved to Kigali, Rwanda, where my parents worked at an international school that my siblings and I went to. It was in those four years that I met some other friends that made videos with me, and that became my thing. I was inspired by Dude Perfect, Brotherhood Workshop, and Danny Gevirtz. I’d write scenes, get my siblings to act, and hope that other people would understand the vision when they watched it. Moving back to the Seattle area for the rest of high school, I realized this is all I wanted to do. My grandpa gave me my first camera, and I spent every weekend making things, learning to color grade, light, and be resourceful. Going to film school in LA at Biola University’s Snyder School of Cinema and Media arts was the next launching point where I spent four years meeting people, shooting countless student projects, and interning with Beats by Dre. And in the first 6 months post-grad, I went to countries like Iraq, South Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, and Monaco, where I created all kinds of commercial, passion, and nonprofit projects. Since then, I split my time between LA and Seattle, operating as a fully-freelance filmmaker.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I was around the age of 3, my parents realized that there was something different about me. In situations where the senses were high, like the physical feeling of walking barefoot on grass or the movement of the ocean current, I couldn’t do it without panicking or melting down. I was found to have something called Sensory Integration Disorder, which means my brain would process the senses at a more heightened level than other kids. After some years in therapy, and unbelievable patience from the people around me, this reality has become my greatest strength as a storyteller and fueled the career that I have today. It allows me to create things that I can envision clearly and feel deeply, redirecting what had been just a challenge into the gifting and passion for what I do.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I believe that story is everywhere. I’m specialized in directing and shooting immersive commercial, documentary, and music video work in international and run-and-gun environments. I dedicate myself to the worldbuilding of every project, because I want every piece I make to say something real and human. For projects like “SAWA”, an unreleased documentary I directed in Musanze, Rwanda, I get so inspired by the incredible people I get to meet and work with. Rigobert Uwiduhaye, a visual artist in Musanze, has built a beautiful community of painters, and I get to partner with him in capturing what already exists. Although I work solo on many projects, what I’m most proud of are my friends from across the world that I work alongside. None of the ideas I think up or am a part of would be a reality without talented people to support and dream alongside me.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I may be a filmmaker, but I was a muscian first. My parents prioritized music in our home, so I grew up singing and playing instruments in church or school even at the age of 4. Playing drums, guitar, or saxophone in different kinds of bands from jazz to classical is something that’s given me a diverse taste in music and art. And as a result, sound is critical in my work. Although I don’t score music for my videos today like I did as a kid, finding ways to drive the story with just the sound is really important to me. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll drop an album…

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aftonmcnatt.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afton_mcnatt/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afton-mcnatt/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@afton_mcnatt
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@afton_mcnatt

Image Credits
Eileen Solorzano
Zac Siewert
Jack Pierson
Liam Caldwell
Alyona Korolko
Fatma Nasser