Today we’d like to introduce you to Huey Rawls.
Hi Huey, 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 backstories with our readers?
As a kid, I did music. I produced and played a little piano. I sung in the choir with my cousins and childhood best friend. I was definitely not the most talented in the group but we each held our own. I watched countless hours of BET and MTV fantasizing of what my first music video would be like. My mom to this day is a straight movie buff and music lover. I don’t know of any 5-year-old who had a purple rain poster in their room but that was my childhood. I was embedded with culture and then in High School, I got my first camera. It changed my life and I realized that my true passion was always behind the camera not in front.
In 2007, I was cast as an extra in The Great Debaters for Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo productions. By the grace of god, I had the opportunity to be seated right behind Denzel Washington. It was a special day. I’ve got to sit and witness arguably one of the best actors in the world direct and I got to see other people of colorwork behind the scenes. That moment changed my life. I knew then that anything was possible.
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?
In production, you are always faced with different obstacles and challenges. I always tell people when it comes to making a film you have three movies for every one script. You have the movie you wrote, the movie you shot, and then the movie you have to edit. What you shot is what you have to edit and it’s simple as that. You either can find a medium where you can live with it or reshoot. There’s a saying in film that says…fix it in post. That’s just the creative field we’re in. For music videos, I’ve gotten pretty selective on those. After a while, you get burned out on certain cliche themes and you want to create stuff that elevates. I try to have a general idea of what the artist wants and add my magic towards it and make sure I set the proper expectations.
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?
I’m Courtney “Huey” Rawls aka Kang Rawls of So Nervy Films, LLC. I’m a filmmaker and I have shot and collaborated with several artists from Dallas to across the country. Like most in this field, I started off self-taught but I also earned a degree from KD Conservatory: School of Film in Dallas, TX. I use my background in film to make colorful, stylistic videos. I also experiment with vintage film photography. I have shot music videos with Tony Rock, Bun B, DOC, Money Waters, Dee-1, Mr. Lucci, Pookie, and the list just keeps going. I’m proud of the work I’ve done so far and even more excited for the future.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking?
That’s a really good question. I worked in corporate America for majority of my early twenties. After doing that for over a decade, I quit and enrolled in film school with a wife, 3 kids, and a mortgage. I used the small clientele I had to make money while perfecting my craft and none of it would have been possible without the support system I had at home. It was rough, definitely went through some hard times but I’m thankful we made it through. I’m thankful I made that change and took control of who I wanted to be in life. I always ask what if I didn’t take that risk.
Contact Info:
- Email: business@sonervy.com
- Website: www.sonervy.com
- Instagram: kangrawls
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5441836/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
