Spending a well deserved rest during a Friday evening, Kory Smith sips on a Gin and Tonic. He sits and listens to my questions regarding his current endeavors and future goals. Smith is a graduate of Old Dominion University where he majored in Mass Media Communications with a minor in Film and Video Production. One would assume that he came to the university with a clear focus on video production, but his path was not as directed in the beginning.

At the time Kory Smith entered college, he was declaring to be an engineering major. His mother and stepfather encouraged him to go to school and do what most people set off to do: graduate, get a stable job, work a 9-5 schedule, and do the daily grind as a professional. Smith was not a stranger to working hard towards an end goal… but after a discouraging failure in his physics class, he decided that his focus had to be elsewhere.

Incidentally, his mother had left a video camera in his dorm room. Smith was introduced to editing software by a dorm mate and he began to produce creative video projects for the simple fun of it. After his mother returned to campus and voiced her concern regarding his future, Smith pointed to the camera to answer vehemently, “that.”

Since then Kory Smith has not looked back. He knew that his focus should be on creating one-of-a-kind music videos. This is his true passion. He currently doesn’t have much interest in filming movies, commercials, or event coverage; instead he is compelled to aim for the level of work that directors like Hype Williams, Michelle Gendry, and Spike Jones has achieved.

“I believe that I possess a younger, more modern approach compared to some of my competitors in this area,” says Smith. “I have the ambition. I want to go for the best or bigger. I’ve hung out of cars, climbed up ladders, almost been arrested… all for trying, and getting, fantastic shots. I live for the compliments that people give me when they mention that the ‘look’ of the video was very professional and finished.”

Smith always looks to improve upon each project he has completed; assessing if there is anything to learn from what he’s done previously. “Unless I get to the echelon of my profession, I never want to plateau in my ability to conceptualize and produce good work.”

His ideal client would be any up and coming band or musician that is currently transcending into their breakthrough and is ready to be taken more seriously. He would like someone like T-Pain, who’s energy seems to be driven and professional, someone who can give more and play to the camera.

“I like when people come prepared and take their work seriously,” Smith adamantly states. “ I appreciate helping those who are in the same situation as myself. This is a business and it is what I live on. We need to collaborate and be equally demanding of one another and then the work can speak for itself.”

Kory Smith has partnered with Tremayne Johnson (A.K.A. “Treezy”) and Eugene Gonzales. They are the ones running Inklined Studios based in the Ghent area of Norfolk, Virginia. This is a recent establishment, although the trio has been working together for over 3 years. Smith remarks, “I want to be around those people who are driven. Some are too content with waiting for opportunities. I can’t do that. I literally eat this stuff up. LOVE what you do… or quit!”