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Meet Stef ‘Sharky’ Schultz

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Stef ‘Sharky’ Schultz.

Hi Stef ‘Sharky’, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m a true creator with an entrepreneurial spirit! I’m also an American recording artist & composer, fine artist, comic book series creator, actress and filmmaker whose singing, artwork, and other creations have been featured at conventions, in art galleries (most recently at a Los Ruano Gallery event in LA), and on stages all over the country, leading to book signings, features at pop culture convention panels, and eventually to work on film sets all over the country!

My nickname roundaboutly came from growing up in a family obsessed with classic films and sharks. I created a website and brand called “Sorry Little Sharky” in my teens, which led to the nickname “Sharky” after a little encouragement from friends in Comics and Martial Arts I met through all of my travels.

My latest endeavors are in getting my songs and compositions licensed in film and TV and on building a humanitarian character brand called “Hunnie Bumble and Friends” with (at this time) nearly 30 million views through my animations on GIPHY! The brand is centered around stories of a quirky queen bee and her friends and will lead to conservation efforts, pollinator research, and expansion of recycling networks all over the world.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have many irons in the fire and exciting things around the corner to look forward to. I’m thankful to have been able to do a little bit of everything, still, most things in life do not come easily and often take time to develop, and while I’m grateful I have had a lot of exposure and successes in my endeavors, it all hasn’t added up to a big break as of right this moment. The pandemic took a toll on all of us, and I’m still recovering from the disruption myself. I do my best to be a continuous learner and self-improver who lives in hope because all you need is that one ‘yes’ that can change everything! With a solution-orientation mindset, there’s not much you can’t accomplish — after all, we’ve never lived tomorrow before, and anything can happen!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My dreams and endeavors have opened doors to so many exciting places and events over the years!

Hunnie Bumble and Friends @HunnieTheBee: This year, I successfully pitched Hunnie Bumble and Friends, a family-and-eco-friendly character brand, at the Global licensing expo in Las Vegas and won the award for Brand & Design!  With this win comes an opportunity to showcase the work in Vegas again in 2023, where I don’t see how I won’t get the brand licensed globally, considering the massive engagement it already has!  It tells its story through dozens of little animations on GIPHY (29.5 M views at the time of writing this: https://giphy.com/HunnieBumbleAndFriends), as well as comics and videos, all available everywhere online (Webtoons, Youtube, social media) — and HunnieBumbleAndFriends.com! SO much more to come, so stay tuned, follow @HunnieTheBee!

MUSIC: I am a singer, songwriter, and recording artist “Sorry Little Sharky” aka “Stef Sharky Schultz.” Always up for a collaboration, I’ve had some fun ones in the past! I’ve been writing music since my childhood and sung my original songs live on TV in Austin a few times, in addition to performing at venues in Houston and San Jose. I’ve composed and recorded an album (Sorry Little Sharky Vol. 1) and two singles(Raise Hell, Beauty in Futility), and some of these songs are being pitched for sync in film and television by Ali at Amadeus Licensing, whom you interviewed recently!

COMICS: In 2017, I made a comic book series called “Misterguy” – the story of a widowed inventor and explorer who must make sense of his existence by meeting his creator – that I got placed, at one point, into 30 different comic book stores nationwide, gaining some famous fans in the process! Both completed issues are available on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Stef-L-Schultz/e/B072MLWZSH?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1669404711&sr=8-3), and I still have a few beautifully printed and high-quality hard copies left in storage, too!  I held numerous book signings and convention exhibitions for “Misterguy” and was invited to multiple panels to talk about it while I was promoting it!  This currently double-shot series is a great showcase of my solo storytelling, drawing/layout work, character design, background painting, and photography… I created the series from scratch, based on a character I first drew in my early childhood.

FILM: I’m proud that I spent the last handful of years working in the film industry, wearing many hats — behind and in front of the camera — on commercials, motion pictures, documentaries, a TV station, and even for a film studio in Houston! This kind of work takes you everywhere, so I’m known for being on adventures often and keeping people guessing about where I will be next!

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Change is the only constant in life — and I do my best to roll with all of it, considering the industries I’ve been in are always kind of a rollercoaster! There’s no telling what the future holds or what will affect it as we continue to rebuild together — but I’m optimistic!

Pricing:

Contact Info:

       
Image Credits
Art by Stefanie Schultz, aka Stef “Sharky” Schultz, as well as self-portraits. Additional Photos by Don Q. Hannah Photography, Los Angeles and John Calvin Cates and Robert Smith at Austin Public TV Station.

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