Adela : 0:07

Hello, dear friends, welcome back to the Artists Within podcast. I am your host for season one, the Road to Resiliency, adela Hittel, and this podcast is produced by Fink Project, human and New Way to Think. I'm really excited for our next guest and to talk to him about his work. I've actually had the privilege and the honor of following him on our social medias for quite a while now, as I've been in the film game of just the back end and behind the scenes. It's been a really unique experience to watch humans grow and see their work grow and see where they're going to go and then to meet them in person and to see what stand for and who they are. In that view, from what you've seen, and this next guest is just absolutely phenomenal, at least from my perspective and now I could be wrong in all the shapes and words and forms and sizes.

Adela : 0:56

However, I do believe wholeheartedly that seeing and humans who can portray one vision of themselves and who they are through their art, through that, and be authentic and then be met in person that way, it's a beauty and it's a rarity in this industry, in this world. So I am so excited to introduce to you guys Carlos Smith, the second, and it is. He is here to talk about his experience in the film industry and to talk about his cast to films company and the future soul film that's going to be coming up. So, without any further ado, let me stop talking and introduce you guys to the man of the hour, who will do a much better job in the introduction. So, carlos, welcome to the Artist Within Podcast. Thank you so much for taking your time to share your voice and your story and experience here with us. Please take it away and introduce yourself. Give us a way better introduction than I did.

Carlos Smith II: 1:56

No, you did great though. No, you did a great job, so I highly appreciate it. But for some of you, I may know who I am. Some of you probably don't know who I am, but, um, my name is carlos smith. The second some go by, some don't be by those 2k. Um, I represent cast two films. I have been doing filming uh, filmmaking for 15 years. I've been doing the videography for 18 years, um, and it's something I've had a passion of doing for such a long time. I was not born in Jacksonville, but I was raised in Jacksonville, but I'm from Jacksonville because I've pretty much spent my whole life here, for the most part, but I also do videography as well. I film events, I film music videos, commercials, things like that, but my huge biggest passion is the filmmaking part itself.

Adela : 2:43

I love that is the filmmaking part itself. I love that. Um. So when? Um? So let me ask you, uh, like I said, I followed you for for a little bit and now obviously everything is running out of my brain that I had had on, even my notes. For some my ipad just shut down, so that's just great because it's on my notes. But can you tell me, uh, what was your first uh film or project that you fully put yourself in, from the director, writer perspective, the whole thing, it was your baby. And how did that influence and change the way you viewed art? And was there a moment in that time that you saw the correlation between your mental health and your state of being, um, and saw that there was value in and in learning the full craft of, of this industry?

Carlos Smith II: 3:31

that is a great question. I just had to put that. That was a great question. I'll say well, you know, I did some films before I started taking it seriously and I'll, um, but I'll go from the point where I started taking it seriously. Um, so, when I did my first feature film, it it was called Homeboys. I premiered it at Sunrise Cinema back in 2013.

Carlos Smith II: 3:53

And, you know, just doing that at the time, it was something, you know, filmmaking was something I've always wanted to do and I just kind of went for it, didn't know what I was doing.

Carlos Smith II: 4:01

You know, I wasn't really that much much, you know, talented at that point yet, but I remember, when we did the film and I was enjoying the process as I was going and I was learning at the same time that, um, biggest thing is patience, number one, because you know, you deal with everybody's schedules and things like that.

Carlos Smith II: 4:18

But for me, mentally, it was it kind of it started building me mentally because it made me realize, um, the potential that I have as as a person and a filmmaker and being able to bring people together and, you know, ultimately brought a joy to me when I, you know, premiered the film and people just showing love and respect for the craft at the end of the day, and it showed me what I was capable of doing. So me, mentally, it was a special place. It was a special thing for me Just knowing I have the capability of telling stories on a bigger scale than I'm used to doing. And you know, just to sum it all up, it's just something I enjoy and that's just something I've been wanting to continue ever since that moment.

Adela : 5:01

I love that you just stated something that this year I finally came with a quote to kind of summarize what you said too the confidence in my knowledge will override the feeling of incompetence. And I believe that we, as human beings, we only feel, and I use the word feel because it's how we narrate so much of our words versus actuality and fact and reality, but how we feel about the world and the perception of the world as less than and inadequate because of the lack of knowledge and that could be the lack of knowledge in any subject you know we're talking about film in particular, but it could be in any subject and to know that an art and a craft can give you that and if you have enough self-awareness and conscious want to go, you know what.

Adela : 5:56

This is a good path, right? This gives me confidence. This gives me, this makes me feel good. I enjoy this. This is a path that I can, uh, create a bit more with.

Adela : 6:06

I like the response of this, uh oh yeah and it was really just because, again, you gained that knowledge which literally provided you the confidence to be here now, and exactly making you know the future soul, um, and so how? I wanted to ask, how do you believe that art influences are your filmmaking, but just in general, are, are living as, as human beings? How does that influence our, our, our being of, of, of our spirituality, our minds, our conscious awareness and even our physical form?

Carlos Smith II: 6:47

and once again, a great question. Love these questions already. Welcome to the artists within. We're here to have a deep and empowered conversation not that's why I was like it's it's it's different.

Adela : 6:58

I I want to know so that we find value in the conversation, right, not just skimming over stuff. So yeah, so so how do you find what? What's your correlation of the influence on that?

Carlos Smith II: 7:10

so I'll just say this, I'll definitely say this number one. So when I um, when I started getting better at filmmaking, even up to the future soul, one thing I've noticed that, um, I have a lot of people telling me that I've inspired him to do films, I inspired him to write stories, inspired him to do this in the third, and so on. While it's possible, you know, for me it's a great feeling because I was once that person that you know was on the other side. I was like dang, I want to learn how to do this one day. And I'm watching other people with more experience than me at that point doing what they're doing, and it's me finally being in that place where I can kind of do my part and just, you know, share um, but also for, like, on the spiritual side, it's um, it's very profound for me because and I'll share this story because I think it's very interesting uh, I've had some fun facts.

Carlos Smith II: 8:05

I call them fun facts for cast members of the film that I'm doing now. So, like characters that remind me of my family members and I remind them of their family members, or we've had very similar connections of some sort. So, for example, one of the characters. That's based on my sister she, so the character that she's based on. She's the youngest sister that I have in my you know, siblings or whatever, and she's the youngest out of her siblings. So it's just like little connections, like that has been happening pretty much every time I do a film. Now, it's so much I can go for, but, um, but I feel like it's it just brings. It's just bringing people together at the end of the day and just letting them know what, um, you know how much power it is when it comes to bringing them together. It's so much I can go for it, but it's just a sum that though.

Adela : 9:00

Well, it's unity, right. And um, again, this when we talk about the artists within I, not, so so I get. I don't. I'm not here to preach anybody's beliefs, faiths or any kind of shape or form. It's whatever every individual human being has for themselves. That it is, that is your personal conversation.

Adela : 9:15

My own one is that we're made, we're God's children and and we have one narrative and that's the word, and that word is creation and power and light, and you know just greatness from that, which is what we all seek, from our own children, our own family members, our own everybody. But we don't look at the value within ourselves. And I found very interestingly through my experiences of being you know, I'm a special effects makeup artist and cosmetologist in my background and working on human beings and creating things they have to create, like the human body. The human being is my favorite canvas. Uh, when it comes to the art form and and learning that canvas, learning how that absorbs right, the information, the paints, the, the strokes and the like, the tools we use, it is such a fascinating thing to me.

Adela : 10:07

Um, and and what we project out of that right is is this beautiful creation of an art piece, whether again through film or through this. I think that connection and spirituality you get to question. You know who you are, where you're from, what you, what you want out of this life, where you want to, how you want to define it, what defines you and when you create a piece, something that you have so much control over, you, know where you're the director, the producer of it, the writer of it you gain this understanding of a self, I believe, in such a deeper way that I don't think you would get if you didn't step into that role, because you're only playing roles in different ways.

Carlos Smith II: 10:48

Correct.

Adela : 10:51

How has, in your opinion, navigating this life and this journey and getting to where you are, because you have a lot of experience in this industry here, especially in Jacksonville, I mean, you're going on almost two decades now, fully of being immersed in this world, which is phenomenal Kudos to you, by the way, because most of us are quitting left and right just because it's hard to even, you know, get through the first no or first thought. How have you navigated? Your creativity you need to express, but still maintaining the structure of yourself while balancing reality, because our artistry is a double edged sword, right? It's such a beautiful play of creating and yet it can create destruction just as easily as it can create this greatness, and sometimes greatness is even harder. Not even it's harder to be. Rephrase that, it is harder to create because it requires a lot of more non-negotiables from yourself, like discipline and commitment and determination and faith and belief in yourself.

Adela : 11:59

How have you, how have you navigated that journey? Because I know that it can be, it is. It is extremely lonely and extremely dark at times for an artist or for a human, and just in humans, I mean we, we talk about that just through mental health all the time. It's so hard for them to navigate this world. How have you done that, and in correlation with what you're doing too, and how has that helped you?

Carlos Smith II: 12:26

well, to be honest with you, what, what keeps me going, is the results that I've gotten in the past, projects that I've been doing for the last you know several years or not. Um, I think about, I think about all the success that I've gotten to this point. I think about all of the the, the great moments, the great memories that is created. I start there and, um, I always think about the people that supported everything I've been doing. So that alone is been my, you know, some sort of motivation for me to keep going. And also, you know, I personally feel nobody can tell your story better than you. You know what I mean. So that's the thing that I go by, you know, because you don't you tell your story is the only way it's going to be told correctly if, honestly, you know honestly.

Carlos Smith II: 13:11

So I think about that as well, and, of course, all the other aspects of artistry in general. We already know like, when you deal with reality and all this stuff you got to think about, you know the biggest thing is to not rush, and I feel like if you try to get it done for the sake of getting it done, you're going to be sacrificing things that you don't need to be sacrificing to get it done and therefore you're going to be hurting in both sides, you know, on your creative side and your reality side. So you don't want to do that time and get things together on one end, just so it won't interrupt the other. That's another way I think about it and that's just another way I see yourself be able to get that vision out without having to, you know, let yourself you know, let yourself, you know, go self-destruct.

Adela : 14:00

I think what you just said is so powerful because we're talking about the correlation between creativity, being able to create something tangible to the world for, for the community, for the market, for the people, for whatever, whoever it is out there that is consuming, that when we create that, that and you said that is your story it is 100% your narrative, that you're speaking and that you're sharing your perception, your essence. You can't necessarily give 100% of it, because not everybody's going to agree to it, but what you can, do is give parts of it and, as you mentioned, we, I think, as human beings, we should be able to associate.

Adela : 14:37

I think everything is art. I think this conversation is art. I think that walking your dog is art, right, because it requires energy, it requires thinking, it requires processing, it requires actually putting things together. How elaborate and how colorful is all up to each own perspective or decision, but everything you do washing your dishes, by the way, guys is art. Learn how to do that one. That's an art piece that we should all learn, but it's part of who we are. I don't think we value ourselves as a human being, as an artist, in a way that is the actual paint, the actual brush, the actual camera, the actual boom, the actual recording device.

Adela : 15:19

I need all of those things to create my vision, but what I have within me is all of those. I have a voice, I have a story, I have my eyes that have created these images and these visuals that nobody else can see and nobody else can put forth. How has that process and then convincing humans to see that vision and see that narrative, what has that been like for you? And has there been challenges and struggles in working through those relationships? Because, again, when we think about our perspectives and our passions and these moments that we got this idea and we can create, we artists can look at somebody as the camera, person, as the boom, as the, but when we look at it from that self perspective, how has that translated to being able to get help for people, especially, again, if we're not financially able to pay someone? Or how do you? What has that challenge or that trial been for you in this, in this industry, this industry?

Carlos Smith II: 16:27

well, the biggest thing, and so preparation has definitely been the biggest thing, and that's if you prepare everything correctly, then it'll run a lot smoother. But then again, sometimes when you plan that sometimes it falls through, sometimes it does. Um me I have. I take a lot of time in planning before I approach anybody about what I'm. That is the most utmost important thing for me. Before I start anything or before I present my vision to anybody, before I bring the idea to just you know I just I need to 100% know what I want to do before I bring it to anybody else, because I've had situations where I just kind of come up with little small ideas and I just talk to people here and there I realize it doesn't work that way.

Adela : 17:10

I mean either, because it just seems to be like we say we're like, hey, we're serious, but nobody seems to be serious and it's just talk, talk, talk, talk, talk until you come up with a PDF and then they're like oh, there's paper.

Carlos Smith II: 17:21

Right, exactly, exactly, so, yeah, so I have to make sure I'm fully confident this is what I want to do. I have all the the script, done, all of the shots, like I need to make sure I have everything ready to present. So at that point I don't feel any type of doubt when I approach somebody with it and be like hey, this is what I want to do, this is the vision, this is the idea that blah, blah, blah, all this good stuff, that I'm at that point I've learned that I have to do it because I realize preparing it makes it less Again, it makes it a lot smoother for anybody. And I've had situations where I've even gave advice to people about it, like, hey, prepare everything you need to do, and if you don't do it, it ain't going to come together like you want it to. And I've told people and I've seen people fall through.

Adela : 18:08

Listen, I'm a coach on that. I teach people how to plan and strategize for their projects, for their stuff, and literally step by step, and then they go. What do you mean? I have to do that. What do you mean I have to think about that? Isn't there people for that? Isn't there people for that? Yes, there's people, for that.

Adela : 18:31

Job doesn't mean they understand your vision or how you want it executed without the actual laying out the foundation of it. The structure of it needs to come from you. The infrastructure of how you want the policy, the procedure, all those words that we may be afraid of, those things need to come from you so that people can look at it, review it, see if they fit the position for it, want to be a part of that position and want to give that time and follow that as well, because you need people to follow you. You need people to make you better. You need people to see where you're wrong or see where the holes are, so they can be filled in. Because you are doing all these things and when we can start looking at from that perspective. In changing, we take full ownership and and and you know responsibility of everything we're doing and can go, no matter what happens. When people don't meet, you know we don't meet the deadline or we haven't. Whatever it is, somebody isn't up to part, it's no one's fault, but the person in charge, because, at the end of the day, you set the full foundation, the full role, the full space.

Adela : 19:29

Is there a project where you thought you had all your ducks in a row and you were like I'm the man, I'm the man, I got it and you, you didn't either listen or you didn't find it? There's just, and it it just. There was a little bit of that tension, that right, you know, like that thing, because you yourself thought you had it all done. But again, as we learn and as we grow, we don't ask the right questions of the people that were, you know, around us. We don't go hey, do you see what can be better? Do you see how we can fix this? Do you see how this can be improved? We just ask the, if you have, would you mind sharing what that was? And how did you yourself, outside of getting smarter and preparing better next time, how did you navigate that situation and what was the result?

Carlos Smith II: 20:21

I had a situation where I couldn't go through with a project because of my lack of planning. You know what I mean, so I learned it. I had to go through it project because of my lack of planning. You know I mean, so I've learned it. I had to go through it. You know I mean, it's like, it's like, but that's the only way you're gonna learn is if you actually go through it. So I had a situation where I was trying to do this short uh, film and parody, and you know, of course, one of the number one things is scheduling, trying to get everybody together in the right time and whatnot.

Carlos Smith II: 20:44

But I I kind of like could, I just couldn't pull it the way I thought I could in a sense, and it just we ended up not being able to do that. Probably this was over. This was almost a decade ago at this point, but I remember ever since then I've been making sure I've been on point with that. So yeah, but I, you know it wasn't like I wasn't, you know it was. It was a tough situation for me because I really wanted to do it. I knew it was a great idea, but again, I just didn't do what I had to do to make it together and and it is, it's okay, you know, I mean, I'd rather learn it earlier than now, you know, I mean.

Adela : 21:15

So 100, 100. I don't think we we take our loss. I don't think we, we and I not, I think. But I know that a lot of us don't sit there and go dang this, this loss, this thing is like what can I learn out of it? What's this something that I can do so that it won't happen again? I know I'll make this, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not even in 10 years, but it's going to get done, because it's already done. The idea is there, but the execution of the process might take some time, and learning about myself or learning about others, or the process might take some time. So it's really good to be able to say no, even to yourself and stop the process from happening before you.

Adela : 21:52

You know you go in there. What was for that particular one was there? Was there like a outside of like seeing that things weren't going to work, kind of knowing it? What was like your final like? I know that I have to call this off, I have to trust my gut, I have to follow through that this isn't going to work, no matter how hard I try and like. I just have to, you know, nip this in the butt. What was that conversation with yourself like, or process with, because I think it's hard for us to have it right it's.

Adela : 22:22

It's hard for us to acknowledge when yeah we have hit that roadblock or not put that, that plan into the way we wanted to? And and how do we actually stop it before we put ourselves in a position that's even worse?

Carlos Smith II: 22:36

right I. So I remember during the time, I remember it was just constant schedule conflicts. That was like the biggest thing I tried to like when I said I tried multiple times. It was, it was so many and I just knew at that point because usually, usually if it's supposed to go, it would happen, you know. I mean, so something is, something was arranged there. But yeah, it was constant schedule conflicts between out, between all of us, and at that point I knew that if I keep going I'm just gonna be wasting everybody time. I would have gotten too deep into the situation, it would have made it much worse. So I had to call it off at that point and because it was, it was, the situation wasn't changing. I tried different strategies, I tried different times. Nothing was working and that's why I knew I was like, yeah, I got to let go, I got to keep it going and go from there.

Adela : 23:24

And doesn't that humble you a little bit every time you got to call something and be like you know what I?

Adela : 23:29

Because you got to do it in front of people you respect and you admire and you thank for their time, right like one.

Adela : 23:34

And I think that's one of the things I admire about you that I'm just learning even more is that you really have respect for the fellow human who's around you and who's given in their time and who's given in their work, especially to their craft and to doing that. Um, and tell me what you, what you hope to achieve with, or what you're. Well, let me preface this. Actually, before I get to what you hope to achieve, let me ask you what has been the most surprising thing about, uh, the humans in this jacksonville area right now through your experience in creating, because I think a lot of us get a rep for Jacksonville and the arts community as not being as unified as it should be or as we want it to be. It feels, even just in my last conversation and even from my own perspective, it does feel a little bit more segregated than it should be, because we have so much talent, it's just in these little pockets and sectors of stuff and it kind of stays there.

Adela : 24:35

So yeah.

Adela : 24:37

Yeah, okay. So it's still here, so, okay, okay. So so what has been your well one, your greatest, you know? Maybe surprise on the good side from that community in this? And then, what do you think we could do to bridge that gap between these amazing creatives? Because, again, when I was at the pitch party I'm in there and I'm meeting literally a room full of people for the first time that I didn't know existed to the capacity, and we said we have a whole room to make a full, full feature film right there and then, like, we could, right there, on the spot, do it um and with all the talent and, and yet it's just poof right all right all over yeah yeah, so what what's been your again, again, what's, I guess, what's the good, good surprise you found in that, in that diversity that it is, or in that segregation would surprise you out of the humans here.

Adela : 25:34

And then, how do you think we could maybe influence the change and bridge that gap that we have?

Carlos Smith II: 25:41

great question once again. Um, so I'll bring that to the pitch party. I remember, um, I remember when we were talking at the pitch party we were talking about we we. That to the pitch party. I remember, um, I remember when we was talking at the pitch party we were talking about we we. That was the subject that came up with like a lot of, like you know, groups doing their own little separate thing. But I feel like I feel like just doing more events in general that that caters to the film community. I feel like that is starting to bridge the gap in a sense, like slowly, but certainly I feel like that's starting to bridge the gap, in a sense like slowly, but certainly I feel like that's starting to help. Like, even me personally, I'm trying to go to more film festivals in Jacksonville just to network with other filmmakers and go to film premieres, like I think there's actually a film premiere tonight and then I'll be there at this or Sunday.

Carlos Smith II: 26:23

I'll be there tonight.

Adela : 26:25

So, listen, we got to show up. We'll see each other at sunray, sunray, listen, rip, sunray, we gotta just. You know like I, I signed a petition, people are again. Thank you, jacksonville city, for wanting to keep all of our arts alive and keeping our hair, like our heritage and our culture, alive. You're doing a great job. Uh, so if you can hear the great sarcasm in my voice, that would be great.

Carlos Smith II: 26:48

You know it.

Adela : 26:50

So, and again, nothing against anybody or anything, just stating the facts. So, yeah, no, I yeah no, okay, sidetrack. So we're going to be there. We're going to be supporting Royce in the documentary for the filmmakers. You're in it, I'm sure. Right, did he reach out to you? Me too? Look at us, we're both in there and we didn't even know, and we didn't even know. This is the blessings and the beauty of community, right and networking and connecting. Um, what, what has surprised you about our jacksonville community?

Carlos Smith II: 27:22

I've like I will say this now because I since I've been doing this for a while. Like I remember when I started filmmaking in general and this was back in well 2006 when I started filming stuff, the the I'm just a spirit from a film community perspective, it was very small at the time. It was literally only like a few people doing it at the time. As far as the filmmaking video production, I mean, chad Hendricks was still doing it at that point. I think Chad Hendrrix is probably one of the few people that has been doing it as long as I have. Um, if not, I think he probably did longer anyway. But I remember when I started doing it it was very small and over the course of when dslr cameras started coming around, I kind of felt like it was more consumer friendly in a sense. So more people kind of have more access to making films and it just slowly started growing.

Carlos Smith II: 28:11

But we'll, we'll address the elephant in the room. Yes, there are still, like you said, there are still like groups of people, you know separate things going on. But yeah, I feel like, I feel like if we keep pushing and the festivals and the film meets and things like that and even me personally. I've even me personally like I try to connect with other filmmakers with the films that I do, so either either they cast as a character or just like, or helping out on set or something like that, and I also offer to help on set when I can, if I'm available or whatever. So I've tried to do my part, but I feel like I feel like we'll eventually get to the point of everything crossing over us, but I don't know, I can't put a date on, obviously right I think eventually it'll, it'll.

Carlos Smith II: 28:57

We got to we got to.

Adela : 28:58

There's too many of us who believe in that and in each of our sectors, like really in each of our little corners. And I know that because I'm constantly out there talking to people and I'm like, oh my god, like on the west side we got this, on the north side we got this, and then, oh, in orange park we got this middleburg, I didn't know, middleburg had that what. And you're like what are you?

Adela : 29:16

talking about and and and and we're, but again we have to give give where what it is like our land size is is so massive that it's so hard, and taking the initiative to drive out 30 minutes out of our time that is to do things consistently for things, and again then maybe don't bring as much value at the time in our space in life that we need it to, makes it also harder for us to do that. So again, I understand all the nuances of our community growing and what could be hindering it. I do believe that we, we can do a little better job of encouraging each other and motivating each other and what we're doing. Uh, and giving our flower maybe not all the bouquets and I was as a, as I talked to somebody else maybe giving the flower where the flower is and allowing our filmmakers to, or our creatives to create the bouquets that they want, just just with that support and with showing up and with kinds of, you know, words of encouragement, because small steps are still steps and I think that with the new way our city has taken the initiative to support just the filmmakers on that small step.

Adela : 30:22

I've heard a lot of talk on social media and seen a lot of well, that's such a small amount for this or that's so, oh, all this and this and that, and it's like, well, it's a start, why can't we start somewhere? Why can't we start and take it and build it into greatness? What makes us think that we deserve the greatness up front, like we haven't put in the work? We haven't, you know, some of us haven't put in the work. You know, for some of us we've been going two decades and then going and putting in that work. But what makes us think that it's just to be handed and not the actual part of what's going to sustain it right, which is the community and unifying that, because we can make Jacksonville a different center of film than LA, than Atlanta, than Miami, because we're a different kind of community. I really believe that there is so much diversity and so much power in that community here, just because each human here has a different story to tell and different perspective and a different skill to follow up on Right.

Adela : 31:25

And yet yet, because we're going to look at it from what section of town they come from or what neighborhood they're in from, we're not going to give it the same value as we would in some other or places, and our perception of that is is a little bit skewed, I feel like, as people who are living here and experiencing that. So I think that we should, you know, showcase more of that artwork, like with um, the monk reef documentary from. Uh, let me make sure I get it right. I have it right, dana dana yep yep from dana.

Adela : 31:57

Uh, is it mall or?

Carlos Smith II: 32:00

I believe so.

Adela : 32:01

Okay, so if we're miss, we're saying it wrong, we apologize um all right, we're so sorry, miss dana. Um, but it's m-a-u-l-e.

Adela : 32:10

And uh, she did moncrieff springs documentary, which I can't wait to talk to her about this too, but again, knowing what we have in our, in our city, knowing what we have, that's the power of art, right like that's the power of, of what we have as creatives in this community. And to ask you the question on that now, what? What have you seen the art, have you seen our, our artists, influence change in our community through the works that we've done? And if not, do you think we have the potential to do that and create the changes that we want just through the, again, the voices of the arts that we have?

Carlos Smith II: 32:45

um, I believe so. I believe so Because, like I said earlier, it's like when I started doing everything, like you know, eight to 15, 17, 18 years ago, it wasn't much going on. I feel like I'm gonna say this. So it wasn't even just from the film side, even outside of film, it wasn't much going on. Even then it wasn't like not just film but just a lot of artists was not really emerging as much as like I guess it wasn't really a thing back then, Right. So I feel like with that growing the way it did, it grew exponentially Like it grew, it grew like a huge. So I feel like, I feel like because of that, it is bringing more events to the city Number one, like we pretty much have.

Carlos Smith II: 33:31

We've had to sit, we've had to sit before a long time that it's nothing to do with Jacksonville, and I feel like us artists changed that we're changing that like we, yeah, I it irks me when I hear that, like because, if you really, if you know, I feel like the artists really kind of changed that stigma in a sense. Now, of course, you got to bring more people into the, into the mix, because some people are still not aware about it to this day, but I feel like we have changed that part of Jacksonville that there's nothing to do Because, again, it's an event pretty much every single week in Jacksonville and it's mainly from us. It's mainly from our events, our premieres, our shows, our Music events that are happening Right the music events the art festivals that are happening.

Adela : 34:15

Everything that we are doing into creating this buzz and changing the perspective has been from the artist's perspective. You are absolutely. You're absolutely right, because for a long time, and still to this day, we still have a bad rep of what jacksonville is versus when you're actually here it's. We're not. We're not just the crime city.

Adela : 34:35

Okay, like we're not just this like absolute hood thing that you call in terrible way that we can't and and just mean we're not. Actually, jacksonville, from what I have found in my travels, is one of the most, again, beautiful, diverse communities we have from all aspects of life, and if you just go downtown to talk to people, if you find out their stories and hear who they are, where they're from, why they're there, it gives you a different perspective about Jacksonville and it gives you the history a bit more, that you don't even hear again in our records or in our news or in things like that.

Adela : 35:10

You get to hear from the fellow human being that's lived here, that's native, that understands, and I think we have quite a few of those stories that you're absolutely right, we are changing that dynamic in that, and the only way it'll continue is if we continue to tell those stories, because those stories are those voices. Are we the people? We're powerful, we, the people. When we unite, we are powerful in what we need to do. The messaging, though, has to be good, and it can't be a message of hate, you know. It can't be a message of revenge or hate or vengeance. It has to be a message of love and uniting. Uh, and I do believe jacksonville has, as artists as who we are, has the actual right now front runner for being able to create the that change in in a we're in a vacuum.

Adela : 35:54

That's needed, right, that is so needed, um, and artists like right and an artist like us, and what you're doing and which I want to get into your, your next movie and your film, um, and what you're doing and how you're creating and involving that community to do that it's.

Adela : 36:09

It's showcasing that again, we have the potential to do what we need to do if we're doing it right and treating our humans right and shine and create the platform of Jacksonville and film and arts that can compete at the levels of these other ones right now that are in the negative space and in the narrative, that is, in putting down and isolating and I say this, isolating through diversity too. Not let's, let's be real. Not just unifying through diversity, but actually, um, absolutely just making us behave in a way that we claim it's under that and it's not. Um, so, uh, no, oh. So I was like I lost my train of thought, but so now the question I wanted to ask you tell me how the community has helped you create this new feature that you've got going on, um, future soul that's going to be coming out, and and tell me about it, tell me about the sci-fi drama, tell me the idea behind it and inspiration, and, oh, tell me it's, it's the fun part.

Carlos Smith II: 37:13

I got a story on that one. So, as far as the community is concerned, as far as, like you know, being well, every film that I do, I always do my best to have the community involved with it as much as possible, even through extras, you know, or playing a character, or just helping on set, things like that. I have a lot of people ask questions on how to be a part of what I'm doing. So I always try to be, I'm very open on that number one. But yeah, yeah, you know I do the casting calls and whatnot. People come out to the casting calls. We have a lot of people that always come out. It's it's a, it's a great experience just to meet people and see people audition.

Adela : 37:48

It's fun for me, I love seeing me send me the next invite, I'd love to come out. I don't know what role, but I'll come out it's so fun to me.

Carlos Smith II: 37:57

I really enjoy the process of getting the casting.

Adela : 38:01

Okay, casting not to change it, but casting is seriously, to me, the most fun part of the process because you're really finding the character to the story and seeing what nuances. It's not about what's written in the paper, but what's not right, is that?

Adela : 38:16

how you look at it, because I look at it about as right, I look at it, it's not what's really necessarily written on paper, but when the nuance of the essence of that character comes in front of you, it's like you just know and that, oh okay, did you so for? For did you have that moment for your, for a character in your story, that you knew that this is it, this is what's like, and you knew that that was just gonna be flawless, because they were just it, because I know I've had a few of those and I'm like my job is so easy because you know, like you're so easy, like you're so great, um, right yeah, what was that?

Adela : 38:51

did you have that?

Carlos Smith II: 38:54

oh I'm. Look, I can tell you I've had plenty of those like at the casting call. I've had plenty of moments where, yeah, this is the one that's playing this character. Like I was already sold on this person, kind of thing. And I've had that happen like pretty much several times and it is like, and the crazy thing about that is, um, before I go to the next part, like the crazy thing about that is is like, once I'm sold on somebody, once I'm sold to a person that can play the specific character, nobody else can really change my mind at that point. It's very difficult to break that.

Adela : 39:23

Right, that person would have to potentially commit murder or do something really atrocious. For me to have to say no to that, because once it's done, I don't care what you say. That's it. They're the essence. At least that's on my end. But I'm not much of a hard ass when I'm like I want that that's it, they're like adela, we should change it. I'm like that. Did they commit murder? Did they do something? Absolutely that would be atrocious and against humankind?

Carlos Smith II: 39:49

well, no, I said okay like so yeah, I've had plenty of those. And then, you know, for the people that can't and I also do as well I also do virtual casting calls as well. So I make sure to give everybody a fair chance to audition, because some of the cast members have been selected from the in-person casting call and some of the cast members have been selected from the virtual casting call. So it's not like it lowers your chances. I mean, you get it's. You know, if you can't make it to the fiscal one, I'm gonna give you that opportunity still. So I try to be as fair, as open as possible. And then for the people that just not quite ready to play a role but could be an extra, I definitely put that information out for people to be extra.

Carlos Smith II: 40:28

So the community always come together. For you know, when I get ready to do a project, they always ready to be a part of it and or support the project in some fashion or some way or form. So from that point, you know we, you know we just start filming everything and kind of keep it going. I do. I made the trailer reveals exciting. I kind of like making the event, make that an event on its own and community is just excited anticipating the trailer. So I kind of do things to keep everybody involved and keep everybody updated with everything that I'm doing, just so they you know, just to keep everybody aware. I mean, I do the best I can you know from where I'm at and kind of go from there.

Adela : 41:05

We're one person, we're one human being.

Carlos Smith II: 41:08

That's it I do the best I can from where I'm at. So I mean, but everybody helpful as far, especially the cast, has been very helpful with you know, help promote the movie, share the movie, things like that, um, but the story itself is is an interesting one because it is a time travel story. Um, it's a time travel story, but and of course it has been done before, but the way I did it was different. It's, um, so because the, the main character, switched places with his younger self by accident. So so now his younger self is in the future, in the current time, trying to figure out what is going on. He has no idea what's what and in the, you know, the current ones in the past thing it worked, have no idea. He switched places with his younger self. So that's just like the base of the story.

Carlos Smith II: 42:02

But the characters are quite a few of them are based on real life family members, um, almost like a love letter to the family in some sense. Like you know, I had a couple sentences, I had it passed, and two of the characters are based on those characters. So it's kind of like what would I do in those situations? If I can bring them back in some way, what would I do or what? How would I, you know, play that out or whatever. So I think it's personally a story for myself and the family in a way, because it's a good therapeutic thing for me personally. So story-wise and character-wise, it's very special for me and as far as the cast is concerned, they have definitely been on point playing these characters.

Carlos Smith II: 42:35

It's been fun on set, especially when we're with extras. We did a pool party scene, we did like a Hollywood scene, we did a WJCT. We had a lot of fun out just having a fun time. We also did a banquet scene as well where everybody was kind of upscale. So we still do our part to make the city look beautiful. Also, it's like you know, we we highlight jacksonville as well. In these films we don't just tell the story, we also highlight jacksonville because I feel like that's part that's important to me, to showcase the city as well but, also obviously make it make sense in the storyline play right, you know I still make that part of the writing, just to make it work right, no, I love.

Adela : 43:18

Well, I I wanted to ask you, jack, again, jacksonville has become my home. It's, it's absolutely my home. I I come from a time and place where my home was completely taken and destroyed and just had no chance of saying it, and then I spent so long searching for it, trying to go back to it, trying to figure out and get the identity of it. Um, and then I realized that, being in Jacksonville and just through art and experiencing artists like yourself and different humans, that this, this is home, this is period you know, and home is where you decide you're going to let your heart be and where you're going to love the humans that are there and see them for what they are and really just experience it. Uh, and once I learned that and being through them again, being in these art communities, really helped me understand that. What has you mentioned? That the two characters were based on two family members that passed, which my condolences to you for that. Thank you.

Adela : 44:16

What was the greatest challenge in writing this story? Even I mean, or did you find it more just, as you said, an homage and more of a love letter to their teachings, to their greatness? Or what was so challenging about having to play that out and do that, do those scenes or do those storylines? That again, as somebody who's you're dealing with, somebody that you know so well and these humans that others are portraying, did you have any reservations or did you? What was that process like for you?

Carlos Smith II: 44:50

As far as my sister concerned, she had passed in 2020, so, but that was my first time ever talking about that in a story, in a film. It took a lot for me to get to that point, of course, obviously obvious reasons, but, um, and then my uh, my brother. Well, you know, he's my stepbrother, but I call my brother, but my stepbrother actually passed away while I was writing the script, so he I didn't get a chance to actually tell him before he had passed, so, so that was a very tough moment. So, so, writing these characters in, yeah, it's crazy. Yeah, yeah, I was. He was still alive when I started writing the script.

Carlos Smith II: 45:27

So it was what it was. You know, I think, for me personally, you know, it was a way for me to express why I was feeling in within the storyline. So, and that's why I mentioned earlier, I think it's a great. It'll be great for the family because they will understand the references that I'm telling this film. So, but yeah, writing was definitely hard.

Carlos Smith II: 45:48

Like writing those characters out was definitely difficult because, you know, but it it was a great way for me to heal, you know, I mean because I got to speak my mind in a form of my art and it was a great way for me to heal. You know what I mean, because I got to speak my mind in a form of my art and it turned into a beautiful story at the end of the day. You know what I mean. So, ironically and ironically so, the lady that plays the character that's based on my sister. So I think I mentioned this earlier and this was a crazy moment and I'll never forget it she told me I reminded her of her brother that passed away and she reminded me of my sister that passed away.

Adela : 46:25

Wow, like such a cosmic connection to have here while you're doing something, to have, like the opposite right, like the complete yin and yang of somebody experiencing something from two perspectives Not only from a unified human perspective of having to grieve and understand and process this loss, but also from the male and the female version of understanding what it is to navigate something that you lost. That's the other version of you, right, like you lost your sister, she lost her brother, and here you are having an essence of a sister and here she, she, is having an essence of a brother. Um, to kind of bring this, this, this just union, forth. I think that's so beautiful, what a beautiful story, um, to come out of that. Thank you for that's that is, make sure you share that, that, because that is right there.

Adela : 47:18

That is such a beautiful story and I think these, when we start doing these, when you got this idea to do this, was there outside of again paying this homage? Did you was there like a persistent need to just say something? Like you said it helped you heal or express? Did you even know what that was? Or did you just have to start writing? Or you knew that you wanted to say something to to the loved ones, but you didn't know what, and and or did you have a clear idea?

Carlos Smith II: 47:50

um, the story itself. I mean, well, the main storyline I had the idea for already, but, as as far as those characters, I just felt like it was something I needed to do Because I've been kind of with the exception of like making like little, those little notes in this in my previous films, like you know, you know for my siblings or whatever but yeah, I feel like I wanted to tackle that part of my life in some way. I wanted to tell that story of what I felt as the older brother going through that time and the story, the way the story plays it out, it's, it references, all of this stuff. You know what I mean. So I feel, but I feel like it was something I needed to do Cause I didn't want to be quiet about it forever.

Carlos Smith II: 48:33

I've been quiet about it for the last few years. I was like you know what I need to. It was just, I just had this urge to tell this part of my life and to be vulnerable for the very first time. You know, last projects I did was like more. It was, you know, drama. It was more like the action films and stuff like that. So I was just having fun with those films, you know, having like scenes or whatnot, but you know, but this was like more of a vulnerable place for me.

Adela : 48:56

This was your soul. I mean, this was your soul and I felt a future soul. Yeah, this was your soul.

Carlos Smith II: 49:08

And yeah, so it was it, but it was great. I'm glad that I did it. I'm glad that I went to that vulnerable spot in my life and being able to tell that story, because somebody else is going to need to hear that and see that Absolutely yeah it is so I feel like it's going to be great. It's going to be a great moment, for sure.

Adela : 49:26

Well, I'm really excited. Please invite me to the premiere. I'd love to be there, I'd love to support. So let me know Personally, message me, tag personally. Message me. Tagging me on social media it just doesn't work. I don't see that stuff. There's too much of it. But if you personally message me, I'm there. Um, because again, that it's I. I remember having to share my story of my suicide um attempt and just I had to get it off the chest without saying anything but just like share what that felt like, and the only way I could do that was through.

Adela : 49:57

I couldn't necessarily talk about it in in the way even just now right, um, and but to say what I needed to say, what I felt like, where I was going to go, what I hoped for. Uh, you know, I did a music video and music is a huge part of my my thing, um, and that really influenced, like again changing my perspective of how I was going to do stuff and and how art really had the way to transform your word of, of what you thought, transform your reality and and also be again the curse to your reality if you don't take control of it, because it can let you play with your imagination so hard.

Adela : 50:37

Um, yeah how do you think they not just the film portion of that, of this, in this, in this music but, or in this uh film, but the music and the selection of um, the lighting and all of this how much of that they play into what you were potentially feeling and representing in, in those feelings like anxiety or and I mean may or may not be right, but like depression, because a lot, if we go through grief or or even grief, or were those feelings or were those um conversations as, as you were doing, editing it, made part of that? How did that play into ensuring that the again the, the feeling of what you were trying to convey was there? Was that challenging to do for you, or did you or was your team really just on point to know exactly how it was going to be for you, or were you able to translate that enough for them to do that?

Carlos Smith II: 51:29

Oh, like you said, on the music side of everything.

Adela : 51:30

Yeah, Like you know just the post stuff, because the post can be, you know, it changes a lot, the post is. So, let's be real. We talk about the filming and the pre-production, the planning.

Adela : 51:43

We don't talk about enough, like we said, the post, post, post and that post is what is literally almost life draining when you have to go back and review and rewatch and second guess almost everything that you did or didn't do. And second guess almost everything that you did or didn't do, um, you know, with this particular, because it was so personal, um, was it so much more fluid at that end of that to like no, this is it like? I know the melancholy of this, I know the, the triumph of this, I know the. The space of this was was your narrative really defined for this by the end of that, or did you need help in redefining that? Because what I found is that I needed help in really redefining a lot of mind ending of it because I thought I had and this was it. And boy, once you go through it, you're like not even close, or was it?

Carlos Smith II: 52:28

pretty on point I mean to be honest with you, all of that is still pending right now, because we're actually we're still pending on that right now. But I will say this, I believe, once I get to that point, when it comes to music in general, I'm very particular on it and I feel it's important, it's extremely important, to really let it drive those emotions out, because music does play a huge part in this every scene. Now, I did, however, I did, you know, peep the clips that we've done, um, and then I'm already starting to think of ideas of where, what type of sound that I'm going to put behind it and to really kind of push that narrative of what's actually happening in the scene.

Adela : 53:13

So, um, definitely definitely something I got to think on still, but I know for sure, once I get to that point, it's gonna definitely well, I'd love to well, I'd love to hear that conversation because I think that's where I, so I again, I am all about, um, the depth of a human and seeing where the process is in the process of doing something. Because I don't, we as a human being, when we're in something so personal, we're doing it from a perspective of getting it done and logical and strategy and planned, and this, the emotion, we say we're processing and we're doing, but we're not really, maybe not, or, if we are, I'm so intrigued in the ability of us to be able to feel the depths that we feel right, whether that's joy or pain or triumph or tragedy, whatever it is, to feel it at the depths that we feel it and then be able to translate it in a controlled manner into something that is packaged that required you to literally figure out. Because the emotion is so overpowering for most people that it's so hard to literally figure out.

Adela : 54:17

Because, because it, because the emotion is so overpowering for most people that it's so hard to even get out of bed at days, right and you know, when we talk about mental health and we talk about art or we talk about expression or in any shape or form, we talk about the overwhelming feeling that literally shuts you down, and it's a feeling of impossibility, a feeling of despair, appealing of nothing, a feeling of emptiness, just non-existence, and to be able to expect and then and then add grief or add loss or add, you know, just a tragedy to an event of already feeling that. Um, I know from personal experience, I've been there. I say that so you know it's just, but to know how to translate it, that emotion, into that, and how music plays such a vital role in connecting that and that slight frequency and making it happen. I would love to sit down with that for that conversation when you do that, because I want to dissect that brain and be like what was that key?

Adela : 55:14

why did that key do that? What did that ting in you right there? Why? Because I think because if we experience and explore that, I think that it'll translate. And it translates so much better when we do it to others and they go oh that like crescendo moment goes and it could be somebody right. You know exactly what I'm talking about with that, just oh, I got, I got.

Carlos Smith II: 55:34

I got something too. I just thought about now. I remember now there was a scene in a couple of the projects probably projects that I've done and it kind of like it's like a sad and somber type of scene because one of the one of a love characters in the hospital severely injured and it had in in the the, the character in the hospital was like very angry and upset, felt like she wasn't protected and things like that. So when she had to kind of pull into that side, she had to pull those emotions out. And so I think I found like some it was like some piano tunes or something like that I can't remember the top of my head like like a piano key, just keys, and it was just. It was just I know. So you know okay.

Adela : 56:16

So that's like my okay, that's where I thrive in that so much. I just think that that's such a like oh my God, need for that conversation and that.

Carlos Smith II: 56:28

If it's pulling you, the one that created the story it's going to pull a lot of people.

Adela : 56:32

It has to Like. It can't not translate, it has to. It has to like. It can't not translate, it has to. But I think we also, as artists, we lose the key when we make it to you, and I hope the humans who are listening or in watching this podcast and can hear what we're talking about, that art and film, ensure all this that we're doing. It's a form of expression. It's a form of expression. It's a form of and a way for you to create something out of what you might think is absolutely the worst part of your existence today. But it's a moment in passing and that moment in passing can be a moment of one day or one year or 10 years, but it's a decision up to you and how you decide to react to it and in what ways you decide to push forward, how you decide to react to it and in what ways you decide to push forward. I hope that you find encouragement in these stories and in people who are making and creating films, or creating music, or creating art, creating fashion, creating their home Okay, literally, you, creating your home is a piece of art. Creating your family, creating yourself. It is really your ability to create whatever it is you desire to do and I hope you again, I hope you take away the courage and the strength that that a human can have, the resilience that it can have if it decides to channel it outside of its feeling, right like outside of what is so overwhelming for us. And the more you gain through that feeling and the more knowledge you gain about that feeling, the better story you'll get to tell and and the more the more humans you'll get to affect. And I think, carlos, you've done that through quite a few of your projects, because so many people do know you and and so many things that you're doing. And I think that this film is going to really touch a lot of humans who need to understand what grief is, what loss is, but I assume also what triumph at the end of it is and looks like and how it uh, how it can challenge you in in your worst ways. But also the community around you can pick you up and and push you through and you just have to be willing to reach out and willing to look past. You know that self into that and and thank you for doing that because, again, those stories are the ones that change the most and we do and I think we shy of avoid from them because we know how great they're going to be. There are stories, but we don't, but we don't want to say that out loud. Right, it's true.

Adela : 59:24

So can you tell me what the plan is for Future Soul that's coming up? The premieres are going to be coming out. I believe I have it down here on 9-20 in Jacksonville, so September 20th, and then in orlando september 28th. So tell me what that process is like right now that you're going through, or it has been how, what the challenges have been in getting these things. Um, because some, uh, some of our creatives right now are trying to figure out how they're even going to get you know, get a shown or get get a premiere going. Um, you've done these quite a few now and are kind of an expert in how you're doing them. What has been your process so far? What have you learned in this one compared to the other ones, and where are we gonna be here in Jacksonville seeing you? For those who are in, Jacksonville, of course, of course.

Carlos Smith II: 1:00:13

So right now, I think the more I've done these premieres, the better it's gotten for me. Like for me, I don't learn from every last one that I've done. I always try to think what I can do differently from the last ones, or if I do a bigger presentation, or you know, so on and so forth. So we're going to premiere at the Regal Theater. I premiered my movie there, one of my movies there last year um, yeah, the one up the street from avenues mall yeah so it's a great theater it's an awesome theater.

Adela : 1:00:44

I think it gets so much undervalued. It's like just doesn't get enough attention.

Carlos Smith II: 1:00:48

It's a great theater hey, so, and then and I, and then, when I did premiere last year, I, I just loved, I just loved the experience.

Carlos Smith II: 1:00:56

Yeah, I've done amc a couple times, of course, good shout out to somebody a couple months of course, um, even the san marco theater and uh, um, I worked with somebody rp to that theater, but um, but yeah, it's just essentially um similar process that I've always been doing just reach out to the theater, make sure it's available at day and then we kind of start building a plan from there, cause I like to plan ahead of time. As you know, that's one of the most important things. We plan everything ahead of time because we want to make sure we have all our ducks in a row before the premiere happens, everything set up for the cast, you know, tickets, all that good stuff. So we kind of like keep it as streamlined as possible because, of course, there's a lot of moving pieces in premier. So, um, you know, from the movie itself to the sponsors, to the, you know, we had even have the, the theatrics behind it, like the red carpet, the limo bus and all that stuff.

Adela : 1:01:49

So we have flashing lights and cameras hollywood style.

Carlos Smith II: 1:01:52

We have all of that. So so we just kind of like but yeah, it's been pretty smooth so far. Like I said, we just kind of like we know exactly where we want to do it and we know where we want to premiere that uh, and if we kind of like write down our game plan of how we're going to pull it off, and you know we're taking it slowly, but that's why we started now at first rather than later. Um, as far as orlando's concerned, I've done, um two of my, I've done two of my movie premieres in orlando before. I've lived in orlando for like five years at some point at one point so I was, I saw I got connections in orlando as well. So that's why and then, plus, I got family in central florida, yeah, so I was like why not, why not?

Carlos Smith II: 1:02:29

work and put it out as many people as possible exactly so, orlando, um, good, um, we, we, uh, you know, you remember Gene, gene Colbert, that was at the pitch party and, um, ironically enough, the film that he showed um, ironically, yeah, the film that he showed. It was like a short film, was like a very short. I actually did the editing for that film and I was like, oh, I know, I know this guy like it was interesting. I don't think I've met Gene up to that date. I didn't know he was part of that. I didn't know I was.

Adela : 1:02:58

It was the actor listen, this is it right here, you guys? This is it right here? It does. You never know who, you know where you're gonna go with, who you're working and what you're doing. Just because you don't know all the details behind the scenes of what's happening doesn't mean that somebody doesn't know your name or you don't know someone's name somewhere or that you've worked together on something so far, just like that it's. It's that one degree of separation right now. Um, and how wonderful is that that was pretty cool.

Carlos Smith II: 1:03:28

I was like, oh, I, I know, I, yeah, so it was pretty cool to meet him. And you know he, he was telling me, hey, if you need help with the orlando show, I, I got you, so we've been. You know, um trade trade for her, that was there. You know he, he was telling me, hey, you need help with the Orlando show, I, I got you, so we've been. You know, um Trey, trey Ford, that was there. You know Trey say he's gonna talk to Gene about it. So we'll definitely make that connection and, you know, come together with that for sure yeah, I just talked to.

Adela : 1:03:48

I just did Trey uh Trey's interview last week and so I'm excited to share that. What a great guy too he is. And his story yeah, yeah, that's, that's fantastic, um, awesome. So, uh, let's, uh, let's find out where everybody can find you, can find cast two films and carlos and all the other good stuff and all your previous work, and how we can support you as a community, or if there are sponsors out there who want to support, how can we all come out and find you and do that absolutely so.

Carlos Smith II: 1:04:17

I am on instagram at cast two films at cas number two films um at the future. Soul for instagram as well. Uh, I do have. I'm on facebook as well. I need to delete some people because I'm at my max. I need to delete some people.

Adela : 1:04:30

You better, because I sent you a friend request.

Carlos Smith II: 1:04:32

You better accept that no, I cannot, I literally cannot add anybody right now. I'm like oh my gosh, who can I delete? So I, I gotta, I gotta, I don't know, but sub somebody for me.

Adela : 1:04:42

Sub somebody for me right there, because because I'm waiting on that.

Carlos Smith II: 1:04:44

But yeah, you can find me on facebook at um. Uh, right now I'm carlos the carlos the filmmaker, smith the second. Or you can just put in facebook dot com, slash los 2k6, and that'll go straight to my page. We also have a future, so the future soul, on Facebook as well. Just type in the future soul, it'll come up YouTube. I bet LOS2K6 for a lot of my work is that as well. I'm pretty much mostly active on those three platforms. I'm not really on well platforms. I'm not really on well.

Adela : 1:05:25

They call it x now I'm still gonna call it twitter.

Carlos Smith II: 1:05:26

I don't care, I call it tweet, tweet, so, but cast two films on twitter x, whatever they call it at this point, and some hills we gotta die on. Okay, some hills are just yeah, that's where you can find me. I don't social platforms and yeah, I will keep posting updates with the movie premiere. We'll be opening up a sponsorship soon for the premiere in Orlando and Jacksonville. We'll be putting more information out on that soon. So, yeah, that's where you can find me at and hope to connect with you guys for sure.

Adela : 1:05:53

Perfect. So make sure you guys are following all of that and let's leave our listeners and viewers with a message of inspiration, hope, a last word of encouragement, uh, that they can take with them good one, good one, good one I know, welcome to a good podcast.

Carlos Smith II: 1:06:11

I better get a good review so there's this line in my movie, um, that I wrote, that I personally, that I actually, um, there's two things that I always say, and this is what some of my mom always says. I put this in my movie as well everything you do builds character. That's a, that's a. That's one simple line that I've always that's stuck with me. And another line that I have in the movie that that that's a personal thing for me is that I feel like you're doing something right when you inspire others to do the right thing. So that's the thing. Those two little things that stick with me, you know, forever. So I'm always going to say those little things in my thought process.

Adela : 1:06:48

I love that. Thank you so much, I appreciate you so much.

Adela : 1:06:52

This has been such a great blessing. I am looking forward to having more conversations with you and sharing more of your journey with our listeners and our viewers. And you guys, please listen, please follow. He is a phenomenal filmmaker, but it also again, I was right as always, adele is right an awesome human being. So just follow him and follow his story and make sure that you tune in to the future Soul coming up in the premieres and all the other details are going to be coming up with all of that. So I thank you all. I appreciate you and until next time. My dear friends, I wish you nothing but the blessings, nothing but the love. Enjoy your day and see you around.