Today we’d like to introduce you to Kay Barnes.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kay. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have been actively pursuing art since I was a young girl, deliberately and unceasingly writing in a journal at least once daily. I had my first work published in an anthology when I was ten years old. I willingly admit that I have been creating stories since I knew how to put ideas together in my mind and just have never stopped. There’s something about being able to express to others the humanity of what makes each of us unique that speaks to my very soul. As a young African- American girl who grew up in the less progressive areas of Alabama, I had many experiences that shaped my art. I grew up in Dothan, Alabama to a single mother who had been convicted for involuntary manslaughter of her drug addict boyfriend. My childhood was riddled with events equal to and also much more traumatic than the above mentioned moments of life. My mother didn’t believe in counseling or therapy so my only outlet was my art, specifically my writing.
So in essence, my origin story as an artist began as innate need to express the life that I was experiencing whether good or bad. After high school, I went off to the Army, which took me all over the world. I feel as though my life, as well as the lives of those I have come into contact with, has deeply contributed to my art and showcasing the human experience. I aspire to write, as well as, direct actors on an even larger scale than the indie films I have created thus far. Over the past four years, I have been working full time developing screenplays and honing my craft as a writer/director by working with industry professionals as well as attending The University of North Carolina School of the Arts Film School as an MFA Screenwriting student.
Great, 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?
*Throws head back to laugh* It has been anything EXCEPT easy. However, it has totally been worth it! I have had many moments of struggling with self-doubt of whether I was good enough for this industry or if people would even care about what I had to say. Yet, the moment I stopped waiting for a set at the table and decided to bring my own chair instead is the moment my career really started to go in a much better direction. There was one time I even had someone agree to mentor me and find that they only sought to exploit me. These are extremely hard lessons that I had to learn. But, these lessons have molded me into the hard-working and driven artist that I am today. So, I’m grateful for those moments.
Please tell us about Entangled Butterfly Entertainment.
Entangled Butterfly Entertainment is an artist propelled production company that develops and produces independent film and television content across all spheres of narrative entertainment. Specifically, I am a writer/director. I am well versed in several genres. However, I thrive at doing action thrillers (which I assume comes from my 11 years in the Army), as well as psychological dramas. I regularly enlist in the talents of other extremely skilled artist from various specialties (camera, sound, etc.) to help bring stories to life. One thing that I am extremely proud of and that sets my business apart is that it is an artist propelled company, which for me is special because, although I am “the fearless leader,” it is mostly a collaborative environment where the whole creative team’s ideas or not only welcomed for input, but also highly respected.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from my childhood is running around the neighborhood playing cops and robbers with my cousins and the other neighborhood kids. The storylines we would come up with were AWESOME!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10454573/
- Email: entangledbutterflyent@gmail.com
- Instagram: @thekaybarnes
- Facebook: @thekaybarnes
- Twitter: @thekaybarnes
Image Credit:
Sophia Jeter
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
