Conversations with Corey Lightner

Today we’d like to introduce you to Corey Lightner.

Hi Corey, 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 backstory with our readers?
I come from a long line of those who have served in the U.S. Army; my mother, most of her siblings, great Uncles and Grandmother have all chosen this path at one time or another. With that being said, I’m used to adapting to new situations. Every three to five years as a kid, I’d have to relocate to a completely different area. Detaching myself from old friends and all that I knew to be normal. My way to make friends in these kinds of situations was through humor. Comedy allowed me to create worlds and be characters that no one saw coming. I could be whatever or whomever I pleased. Making people laugh felt like a superpower, one I gradually got better at with time. This developed into making skits in high school and later music videos and miniseries in college. I aspired to get deeper into this world and set goals to make those same worlds and characters from my childhood appear on screens for all to see. I wanted people to feel good with the stories I could tell. I set a goal to get to ATL to get into TV / Film production by 2020 just two and a half years ago, I set a goal to move to ATL in order to get into TV / Film production by 2020.

When I achieved this I felt like I was on the right path. I’ve now been here for seven months and have been on numerous sets for big budget music videos, independent short films and networking like crazy to meet some incredible creatives. Currently I’m working on directing a short for one friend and a music video for another. While all this is going on, I still have tons of ideas of my own I wish to bring to life, so stay tuned.

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 year 2020 alone made getting to ATL very tricky. Because of the pandemic my moving date was adjusted several times. I was also told last minute that in order to graduate from college I’d had to take Summer classes and of course getting the dreaded news of not getting to walk across stage. I’ve fallen in and out of love with ideas or ways to execute them. I’m having quite a time searching for means of income while pursing my dreams. My creative team is still where I left them before coming to this new space; my friends inspire me and help me get ideas from out of my head and onto a camera. They push me to be better. However, with all of these challenges and more, I see opportunities to grow and try new things.

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’ve been practicing the art of photography for about three years now. Over time I’ve gotten better and been paid more for my skills. I’ve run into quite a few fellow photographers who’ve shown me their styles and taught me a lot. Aside from photography, I’m known for breakdancing. I love to bust a move every so often. I’m still in search for a fellow dancer or community to dance with. I taught myself at age eight how to do this by watching famous icons over and over again on TV. I’m proud of my ability to always share my ideas and create them for others to see. I’ve directed six music videos, each with better quality than the last. A miniseries, at least a hundred skits and various collaborations have been birthed from my hard work in the past few years. The next set of stories and visuals I plan to put out will have a fresh look, unique style and larger impact. What sets me apart is my adaptive nature, way of including others into my process, and determination.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Everyone has the creative capacity to create, you just simply have to take that first step. Feel free to check out my work, I’m always down to bounce ideas around or just learn more about ATL. Check out some of my prints over at https://coreykorayl.darkroom.tech/ and use the discount code KØRŸ for 10% off until the end of February.

Pricing:

• 1hr photoshoot: $125
• 2hr photoshoot: $200
• Prints: $15

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.coreylightner.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prod.by_koray/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbzhVHV9diS0y9_bzt6FP2w
• Other: https://linktr.ee/KORAYzCreative