Hidden Gems: Meet Darion Taylor of FREE ROYALTY ENTERTAINMENT

Today we’d like to introduce you to Darion Taylor.

Hi Darion, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started with a passion for storytelling, which originally for me, meant writing screenplays. I didn’t grow up with a roadmap into the industry, but I had a a vision, and a relentless drive to figure it out. That vision eventually led me to film school. I attended Full Sail University in Orlando Florida. It was there that my filmmaking journey really began. Knowing that I wanted to write and produce, I teamed up with an individual that only wanted to Direct, and individual that was only concerned about Cinematography and Editing, and finally an individual that focused on scoring and sound design. With these individuals I began producing short films and music videos for indie artist. I even had the opportunity to work with James Cameron as a PA for one of his projects.

After graduating from Film School I moved back to Los Angeles, where I took every opportunity I could to continue to learn the ropes of production—on set, behind the scenes, and through hands-on experience. This also meant working more with the camera. I no longer was only interested in Writing and Producing, I fell in love with Photography and Cinematography as well. Eventually, I carved out a space in television, film, and new media, working with major networks and building a foundation not just for myself—but for others.

That desire to build turned into Free Royalty Entertainment, a creative company focused on developing bold, original content across scripted, unscripted, and documentary platforms. Alongside that, I launched Free Royalty Academy with my partner Jai Harris, to empower the next generation of artists, storytellers, and entrepreneurs; especially those who, like me, didn’t have a blueprint. Free Royalty Academy and the potential of what it could be is my main focus. I love filmmaking, acting, photography, and I love assisting with the development of the next generation of Artists and Filmmakers.

Today, I continue to work across the creative spectrum, writing, directing, producing, photography / cinematography, coordinating, and building platforms for new voices to shine. I believe the future of entertainment belongs to those who are willing to create their own lane and bring others with them.

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?
The Obstacles / Challenges I faced most along the way were internal. Pushing myself to continue to believe I’m a filmmaker at those points in time when work in the industry was scarce or when a production ended and it was time to find a new gig. It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Like most people chasing a creative dream, I’ve faced my share of setbacks—financial instability, rejection, burnout, and the constant pressure of trying to break into an industry that doesn’t always make space for new voices. Early on, I often felt like I was doing everything alone—learning the business, navigating production, pitching projects, and building relationships from scratch. There were times when I questioned if it was worth it.

My biggest Obstacles now have to do with building Free Royalty Academy because of the vision I have for it. It’s more than just a school, it’s a production house and it’s a development center. It’s the next Universal Studios / Netflix / Major film School, and it’s going to be expensive to create fully, but once it’s at the point that I see it becoming, it’s going to open up doors to those who face the same Obstacles and Challenges that I face starting off, and hopefully be a guiding light to help them along their journey. My other obstacle is figuring out how to carve a path for myself creatively, without the major studios and major production companies. Creating content and building audiences using my creativity, my writing abilities and the knowledge I’ve obtained these years assisting these types of companies with producing content.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Free Royalty is more than just a production company, it’s a creative ecosystem built to empower storytellers, filmmakers, and creatives from all walks of life. I am Co-Executive Producer along with my partner Jai Harris. At the heart I’m still a filmmaker and creator. I still love to write and produce scripted content, I still love to produce and develop Documentaries and unscripted content. What I’m most proud of brand wise is that through Free Royalty I get to do those things. Once the Academy gets larger and has the success that I know it will, I’m be able to assist more creators with writing, creating and developing the projects that they too are passionate about.

As far as services for Free Royalty, since we are a full Production Company we specialize in developing and producing original scripted, unscripted, and documentary content across all formats.
Services include:

Scripted TV and Film Production, Docuseries & Reality Development, Commercials & Branded Content, Concept Development & Pitch Deck Creation, Full-Service Production from Pre to Post.

Our Free Royalty Academy is a traveling and online educational experience built to empower the next generation of creatives.
Offerings include:

Acting & Filmmaking Courses (Youth & Adults), Workshops in Directing, Cinematography, Screenwriting, Editing, Youth Creative Camps & After-School Programs, YouTube Educational Series, Industry Guest Speakers & Mentorships, Custom School/Community Partnerships

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I see the industry shifting from Major Studios to Individual Creatives and Creative companies that can keep up with Entertainment and Business for the the 21’st Century. e.g. New Media Production, Streaming, Content Creation, Online Education, Social Media Management and Influencer Marketing, Digital Storytelling and Content Creation, AI, Virtual Production and Emerging Technology, Acting and Performance for Digital Platforms.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.freeroyalty.biz/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freeroyaltyllc/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darion-taylor-91034815/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeRoyaltyLLC
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/dariontaylorphotography/

Image Credits
Credits: @freeroyaltyent