Today we’d like to introduce you to Arnell Clark.
Hi Arnell, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a content creator based out of Atlanta.
Originally from Montclair, New Jersey, I attended Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia and graduated with my Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism. As a freshman at Hampton, I aspired to be a sports analyst on television; but during my junior year, I took a video editing course that helped me discover my passion. I started off editing news packages for my journalism class but quickly became interested in editing other content.
In Spring 2016, I became a member of the Beta Chi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. After our probate, we had tons of footage but no one to edit it. I used iMovie to create a recap of the probate, which now has 10K views on YouTube. The fact that I was using iMovie back then shows you how much my craft has evolved over the last six years.
One person who played a fundamental role in my growth and success in the production industry was one of my best friends/college roommate and fraternity brother, Jacques Dupre (@shotbyjacques). Initially, Jacques had the camera and I had the editing software Final Cut Pro. We started off creating content for our Fraternity that ultimately went viral numerous times, content that I would say put Hampton University on the map. We also created content for some of the other Greek organizations on campus, as well as the athletic department, and concerts for various artists performing in the Hampton and Norfolk, VA areas.
After a year of learning and perfecting my craft, my career really started to take off. In July 2017, Jacques has just come back from filming a NBA Youngboy concert and asked me if I wanted to help with editing the footage. At that time, Youngboy was an artist that I listened to frequently, so I was excited for the opportunity to work on his content. Shortly after, Atlantic Records purchased the recap video we created and used it for Youngboy’s tour promo. They also purchased the photos that Jacques captured the night of the concert. From there, we started working with a multitude of artists, and that’s how “We Good Productions” was created.
In the summer of 2018, I was invited to Puerto Rico to shoot a music video for Moneybagg Yo’s “Defamation of Character.” The video dropped on YouTube and I watched my content reach my first million views. Three months later, I’m in Atlanta and Jacques asks me to edit a music video for Youngboy. I edited the video the same night, and the next morning, the “Kick Yo Door” video was released on YouTube. In three years, that video has reached 65 million views. I then went on to edit Youngboy’s “Slime Mentality,” which reached 75 million views, and “Slime Belief,” which is now Platinum with 55 million views. When I saw the traction we were getting from working with these big-name celebrities, I knew creating content was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
After making a name for myself in the music industry, I shifted my focus and began creating sports content to expand my portfolio and show people that I can do more than just concert recaps and music videos. Not long after I decided to explore sports content, I was offered the opportunity to work for NBC as a Production Assistant for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. For a month and a half, I created content that was shown on national television for Team USA Men’s and Women’s Basketball. To me, this has been my biggest accomplishment to date, because creating content for the world to see is something I’ve always dreamed of.
Today, I have two cameras — a Cannon 7D Mark II and a Red Raven — I plan to launch my new production brand, “2Exclusive Films” this summer. I still have aspirations of working for a professional sports team, but until then, I plan to keep grinding until I reach the top.
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?
As most entrepreneurs know, working for yourself is a rollercoaster of ups and downs. One day, work is piling through the door, and I’ve got back-to-back videos to edit; and the next day, I’m reaching out to any artist I can find on Instagram that might want to shoot a video.
On top of that, content creators don’t always get the credit or compensation we deserve. I’ve been faced with situations where a label says I’ll receive a net 30 payment, meaning it will take approximately 30 days for the payment to clear, but then it actually takes 90 days. I’ve also dealt with artists not paying the full amount for a video or not giving me credit for the work I did.
For so many years, I’ve sold myself short in this industry not because I don’t know my worth, but because I’ve viewed my work as an opportunity to get more exposure for myself. I try to maintain an optimistic attitude, telling myself things like, “You only made $400, but at least millions of people have seen your content.”
Also, one thing that people don’t know is that two of the videos I created with over 50 million views were actually created on a Mac laptop with a cracked screen. I say that to say clients don’t always take into consideration the difficulties we face as content creators, but when we do our job, we adapt and do it to the best of our abilities each and every time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As of right now, I am a full-time videographer, editor and director, but I don’t look at what I do as a typical job. Yes, I’m getting paid for a service, but I have so much fun creating content that it feels more like a hobby than work. There’s nothing else I’d rather do than edit a video these days. I travel state to state and work with a plethora of artists. On average, I complete at least five music videos monthly. In college, I was known for posting stroll videos on social media that went viral countless times, as well as creating work seen on national television.
Out of all of my achievements thus far, I am most proud of the Platinum plaque I will be receiving from Atlantic Records now that NBA Youngboy’s Slime Belief has gone platinum. I’m also proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and working in an office setting during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
What sets me apart from other videographers is that I am an enthusiastic supporter of the clients I work with. I’m all about seeing people win! I accommodate a variety of budgets and I’m patient with artists even when they don’t have everything figured out yet. My goal is to help them execute their vision in a way that reflects not only their artistry but my expertise as a content creator.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I would have to say my favorite childhood memory was going to Michael Jordan’s Basketball Camp in Santa Barbara, California when I was 13 years old. Not only did I win an All-Star trophy, but I also got the chance to meet Michael Jordan and get an autograph. Michael Jordan is arguably one of the greatest basketball players to ever play the game, so to be able to attend his basketball camp was truly a blessing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://2exclusivefilms.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/nell2exclusive?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_NWRIZgKdzppTdKZeFZVTA
