Check Out Director Snipes’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Director Snipes.

Hi Director, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey began in the humblest corner of Lincoln Park, Georgia, where the sidewalks were dirt and the stars felt close enough to touch. I grew up in a shotgun house, raised by a family whose love was loud, whose lessons were sharp, and whose grit shaped the rhythm of my spirit. My grandfather put hustle in my hands early with collecting aluminum cans, picking pecans, and survival. That small grind lit the spark that would one day become a camera, a studio, and a vision.

I moved through triumph and tragedy, through the quiet ache of loss and the loud noise of the streets. Football lifted me for a season. The world tried to break me for a season. I have seen moments that could have ended my story, but grace would not let me go. Every setback became a teacher. Every heartbreak became a page. Every dark tunnel became a hallway toward the light I stand in now.

Filmmaking did not just call my name. It rescued me. It gave me a place to put the pain, the hope, and the hard-earned wisdom. It gave me a way to turn my story into something that could heal someone else. So I invested in myself, studied the craft, earned my degrees, and built Yatta Vision TV from the ground up as a home for stories that look like us, feel like us, and rise like we had to rise.

Today, I stand as a director, writer, producer, mentor, and builder of a platform that reaches people far beyond the blocks that raised me, but I never forget where it started. I never forget who poured into me, prayed over me, or pushed me. And I never stop believing that the very streets that once tried to swallow me became the soil that helped me bloom.

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?
It has not been a smooth road. My story carries the marks and fingerprints of every storm I had to walk through. I grew up in a place where trouble moved fast and opportunity moved slow. I lost people I loved. I faced grief before I understood how to put words to it. I made choices that pulled me into the streets and forced me to grow up quicker than any child should.

There were seasons when my life drifted off track. I experienced heartbreak that shook me. I battled moments when I felt unseen and unheard. I went through homelessness. I struggled with trust. I had days when the weight of my past tried to convince me that the future I dreamed of was too far away.

There were moments in my creative journey when doors stayed closed, when support was thin, when people misunderstood the vision I carried. I invested everything I had into filmmaking at times when I barely had anything to give. I had to learn the business side on my own. I had to rebuild my circle. I had to change my surroundings to protect my purpose.

But every struggle became a stepping stone. Every hardship became a lesson. The pain shaped my discipline. The obstacles sharpened my voice. The broken places taught me how to stand strong and lead with compassion. I did not travel an easy road, but the difficult road trained me for the path I walk today.

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 am a filmmaker, a storyteller, and a builder of vision. My work lives at the intersection of truth, grit, and purpose. I write, direct, produce, and shape stories that come from the heart of the communities that raised me. Through Yatta Vision TV Productions Inc. I create films, docuseries, and original content that reflect real life, real struggle, and real redemption. I specialize in shaping narratives that feel lived in. My characters breathe. My settings feel familiar. My stories carry the weight of experience and the promise of transformation.

People know me for my raw storytelling style. They know me for the way I pull emotion out of a scene and the way I guide actors into their truth. I focus on authenticity. I focus on the heartbeat inside the story. I create work that inspires, teaches, and opens doors for others. My platform allows independent filmmakers to shine. My brand speaks to artists, youth, dreamers, and people fighting their way through the shadows.

What I am most proud of is the journey itself. I built this from the ground up. I earned every step. I turned my pain into purpose. I went from a young man trying to survive to a director shaping a world of film that reaches across cities and screens. I am proud of the opportunities I am creating for others. I am proud of the students I inspire. I am proud of the doors I am opening for the next generation.

What sets me apart is my voice. My vision is rooted in real life. I create from a place of lived truth, not imagination alone. I have walked the roads I write about. I have seen the things my characters face. I speak from experience, and I direct with intention. I am also different because I build platforms, not just projects. Yatta Vision TV is not just a production company. It is a movement, a home for stories, and a bridge for independent filmmakers who need a place to grow.

Every frame I shoot, every word I write, and every project I bring to life carries the heartbeat of someone who refused to give up. That is what defines my work. That is what sets me apart.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Books and Writing & Filmmaking Guides

Anything that breaks through the flashy “Hollywood dream” and brings me back to roots stories about redemption, hustle, survival, and transformation. These remind me of who I’m writing for.

On the craft side: books and guides that sharpen structure, character development, and dialogue. I draw strength from works rooted in realism, human complexity, and emotional honesty.

Podcasts / Conversations / Mentorship-style Resources

I listen to storytellers and filmmakers, people who’ve had to fight for every frame and every chance. Their wins and their scars remind me I’m not alone in building this world.

I also tune in to interviews and conversations with entrepreneurs, artists, and people who have overcome hardship. That kind of transparency inspires discipline, perseverance, and growth.

Apps and Tools

I use screenplay formatting software to keep things professional and clean.

I spend time curating my vision, organizing projects, and scheduling production using digital tools so I stay on track even when the grind gets heavy.

I use my mind journaling, reflecting, staying honest with myself, and reminding myself of purpose.

What I value most is not the label of the resource itself, but the effect: does it challenge me, humble me, sharpen me, or inspire me

Pricing:

• Minimal crew feature film: 10,000 dollars to 40,000 dollars
• Full crew independent feature: 50,000 dollars to 200,000 dollars
• Actor pay depending on experience: 100 dollars to 5,000 dollars per actor
• Equipment rental or purchase: 5,000 dollars to 30,000 dollars
• Marketing and promotion: 3,000 dollars to 20,000 dollars

Contact Info:

• Website: https://yattavisiontv.net/
• Instagram: yattavisiontv_
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jevonte.snipes.5
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenyatta-snipes-sr-82a23b18a/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@YattaVisionTVRokuTv

Image Credits
Images courtesy of Yatta Vision TV Productions Inc.