Kenneth Gifford was already in the room when he decided the room wasn't enough. As the co-owner of a working New Jersey film studio and one of Newark's most active creative builders, he decided to construct the infrastructure himself. Not because he was ungrateful. Because he was paying attention. And what he kept seeing was the same gap — talented people making real work with nowhere to take it, no platform to carry it, and no infrastructure built around their needs. So he built the infrastructure himself.
Co-owner of Ironbound Film and Television Studios, founder of the NORC International Film Festival, architect of Vault Access distribution, and the mind behind LCA Magazine — Kenneth's career doesn't read like a ladder. It reads like a blueprint drawn by someone who got tired of waiting for other people to draw it.
He sat down with Steven Strickland on On The Set Podcast and laid out exactly how a working life gets built — through service, patience, faith, and a refusal to treat any job on set as beneath him.
The Crew Stayed. That Changed Everything.
Kenneth Gifford's entry into entertainment didn't begin with a plan. It began with a friend asking him to cut class and audition for an MTV show. He told that story with a laugh and a warning attached — don't do that at home, it's not always the right call. But that one choice led to six years on The Grind as a dancer, and more importantly, to the observation that changed his entire trajectory.
When the talent was sent home, the crew stayed.
That detail landed differently for him than it might for someone else. Most people in that position enjoy the moment — they're on television, the show is running, life is good. Kenneth started paying attention to the machinery around him. Who were these people still on set when the cameras stopped rolling on the on-air personalities? What were they doing, and why did the production keep moving without the faces in front of the lens?
When MTV called him back for another show, he made a request that shaped the rest of his career. He wanted to be part of the crew. He stepped in as a production assistant, stayed behind the scenes, and started learning the whole machine — not just his corner of it.
"You can't be a filmmaker and not be a fan of all of it."
That line is the engine of everything he's built since. Film is never one person's work. It's lights, sound, camera, performance, editing, production design — all of it shaping the same result. Kenneth wanted to understand every piece, because the people who only understand their piece are always the first ones the production can move around.
He doesn't look for one hero on screen and treat everyone else as background noise. He watches talent wherever it's doing strong work. During the conversation he mentioned seeing Steven Strickland's growth — including his role on Law & Order — and feeling the urge to write a project with cops in it. Inspiration, in his view, arrives from anywhere if you stay open enough to receive it.
Every Role Is Your Role. Every Problem Is Your Problem.
Kenneth doesn't believe in sitting back and doing only the narrow job on the call sheet.
When he directed Indica Road, he was so invested in every detail of the production that he said he looked like a PA half the time — moving props, adjusting the frame, handling things that could have waited for someone else. He didn't let them wait. In his eyes, that's what the job requires. You handle your part, and when needed, you handle someone else's too.
Two stories from his career illustrate this better than any general principle could.
On the set of Motherhood, Uma Thurman asked him to walk with her to a store for chocolates. He went, strolling through the Village in New York thinking it was a casual errand. Only later did someone on set show him a news article: police were looking for a stalker connected to her. His reaction was honest and funny — but the lesson underneath it was serious. On set, you rarely have the full picture. You show up ready for what's in front of you and stay sharp enough to handle what isn't.
The second story showed what sharp problem-solving looks like when the machine is breaking down in real time. Kenneth was working as assistant director when the lead actor walked off mid-shoot after a dispute with the director. The production looked finished. Kenneth offered a solution that sounded impossible — kill off the lead character inside the story and shift the narrative to someone else. The team argued. Then they tried it. A car crash. A briefcase. A new person picking up the mission. The film survived.
Hancock, he pointed out, was still shooting scenes the week before release. Big productions scramble too. Chaos isn't a sign that the work is dead. It's often just part of the process. The people who stay useful inside that chaos are the ones who build careers.
Set life doesn't clock out when the plan falls apart. It demands more — and the people behind the frame who can deliver more are the ones worth calling back.
Build Your Own Table. Then Fill Every Seat.
The phrase that keeps returning in Kenneth's story isn't borrowed wisdom. It's operational philosophy.
He's been telling people for years:
"You don't have to sit at somebody else's table, go build one."
And then he built several.
Vault Access grew out of frustration. Thousands of films get made every year and go nowhere — not because the work is bad, but because the distribution path doesn't exist for independent creators without major backing. Kenneth built his own path. Vault Access is now part of the Streaming Innovation Alliance, putting a platform born from indie necessity into the same conversation as companies built on far more capital.
LCA Magazine — Lights, Camera, Action — came from the next gap in the chain. Even when a film gets made and distributed, it still needs marketing, press, and visibility. LCA covers indie film, shares opportunities, and spotlights filmmakers who typically get overlooked. The first issue launches with a two-part cover: Tobias Truvillion on one side, actress Sierra Foster on the other.
The NORC International Film Festival was the first table he built — a place where filmmakers get exposure and a real screening platform. It's also where Steven Strickland first met Kenneth.
And Ironbound Film and Television Studios is where the episode was recorded — a space Kenneth co-owns and still walks into every day with the same energy he had when he first asked to stay behind the scenes at MTV. He described waking up each morning and coming to a place where he gets to create the world he wants.
But what he keeps returning to isn't the ownership. It's the access it creates for other people. People want resources. People want help. People want to be included. If you offer those things with consistency, people respond. For Kenneth, that isn't a side mission. It's the reason to stay in the industry.
The Break He Earned by Showing Up Before the Paycheck Did
When Kenneth talks about his first major turning point, he doesn't point to a lucky phone call. He points to a decision he made before anyone offered him anything.
The break was Cadillac Records — a major film with Beyoncé, Jeffrey Wright, and Columbus Short attached. The director was Darnell Martin, a filmmaker Kenneth respected. He wanted the chance to prove himself on that level.
So he offered to work for free.
He stepped in before the deal was right, before the numbers made sense, because the opportunity mattered more than the guarantee. He did eventually receive something for the work. But the moment that changed his trajectory came before any of that — when he was willing to do the job without the paycheck justifying it yet.
Jeffrey Wright's performance on that film stuck with him beyond the professional milestone. Wright played Muddy Waters with total commitment — on set and off, carrying the character through every day of production. Kenneth described that as service to the film, not performance for the camera. The difference, in his view, is everything. One is about the actor. The other is about the work.
For anyone who sees a credit as a title to protect rather than a contribution to make, that story lands hard.
Dreams don't stop at one finish line. One opportunity builds toward the next one — but only for people willing to show up before it's guaranteed.
New Jersey Film History Belongs in a Building You Can Walk Into
Kenneth keeps returning to one truth that he's now turning into architecture.
New Jersey is the birthplace of film. Not a contender, not a regional talking point — the origin. And he wants that history to live somewhere people can stand inside, not just read about.
The New Jersey Motion Picture Museum is the most ambitious project in his current portfolio — a major downtown Newark development tied to the state's film history and the future of production here. The plans include museum space, a working film studio, movie theaters, a restaurant, recording studios, and residential units designed for filmmakers and artists who need a real home base.That vision is the fullest expression of everything Kenneth has built toward. Exposure through the festival. Distribution through Vault. Promotion through LCA. A place to work through Ironbound. And now a place where all of it is anchored to the legacy of where American film actually started.
His own next film, The Studio, will be shot inside Ironbound. He described it as an action film with a post-apocalyptic setup — different rooms of the building controlled by different gangs, a group forced to move from one end to the other and survive each territory. His comparison was sharp and unashamed: The Warriors, Gangs of New York, and Escape from New York. He's still creating, still pushing his own work forward, while building the infrastructure for everyone else to do the same.
His soundtrack for all of it? Prince. The greatest artist of all time, in Kenneth's view — not only for the talent, but for the self-invention. Prince learned instruments, danced, wrote, and moved through an industry that wasn't built for him without spending energy chasing approval. That freedom became power. The lobby of Ironbound, he mentioned, is Prince purple.
When Steven asked if Kenneth considers himself successful, the answer was immediate and honest: not yet. He's still grinding. The work isn't finished. And as long as that's true, the verdict stays open.
That's the standard set life actually runs on — not the title, not the building, not the credit on the poster. The work that's still in front of you. And the discipline to keep moving toward it.
If you're building a career inside this industry, you already know the uniform for it.
OTSA is rooted in Newark — not as an aesthetic, but as a responsibility.
Find yours at onthesetapparel.com
#OTSA #OnTheSetApparel #KennethGifford #IronboundStudios #NewJerseyFilm #IndependentFilmmaker #SetLifeCulture #CreatorUniform #BuildYourTable #FilmLegacy #VaultAccess #NJFilmStudio #OnTheSetPodcast #BehindTheFrame
Build Your Table
Key Takeaways
01
Kenneth Gifford did not wait for access — he built infrastructure.
02
Every role on set matters, and every problem becomes part of the job.
03
Ironbound Studios represents a working future for New Jersey film.
04
Real success comes from creating opportunities for others.
Full Interview Transcript
New Jersey is the birthplace of film. Everything about the film industry started in New [Music] Jersey. People want resources. People want help. People want to be included. So, you do that. You include them. You give them resources and you give them help. And as long as you're offering it, people will accept. You got to know that no matter what role you play, if you're an actor, director, producer, writer, you also got to contribute to the craft as well. And that's important. In the film industry, every role is your role and you got to play your part and you got to play somebody else's part and you got to help everybody no matter what. So for me, as long as I'm in the business, I'm I'm I'm going to help somebody. Faith is everything. It doesn't have to be about religion. You have to have faith that it's going to happen. And if you don't believe it, then why would anybody else believe it? Is there still excitement in being an owner of a film studio? Oh, that's a loaded question. Um, the the truth of the matter is, come on, he's the plug. Hey, before we dive into this amazing interview, I have to take a moment to give a huge shout out to our sponsor, On the Set Apparel. They are all about quality gear for creators like us with clothing designed to keep you comfortable and inspired on set, ensuring that you feel and look your best as you pursue your passion. So, use code OTSP20 for 20% off your next order. Let's get back to this amazing interview. And don't forget to use that code and tag us for a shout out. Peace. Welcome, welcome, welcome to all my creatives. Welcome to On the Set podcast where we dive into the captivating world of film making from behind the scenes. I'm your host Steven Strickland and today we have a special guest for you. He's a trailblazer. I mean this man has worked on blockbuster films like Hancock, Motherhood, uh Cadillac Records, even the iconic Joker. He is a powerhouse film director and producer. He is the CEO of Area 21 Productions, the CEO of Vault Access, the CEO and founder of of LCA Magazine. He is the former director of the office of the NORC office of film and television. He's also the CEO and founder of the Norc International Film Festival where I met him. And he's also the co-owner of the Ironbound Film and Television Studios where we actually film on the set podcast. Ladies and gentlemen, everyone listening and watching, I want you to welcome this iconic man, Kenneth Gford. Steven, what's up, man? Good to see you. Good to see you. Good to see you. Good to see you. Good to see you. Glad to have you, man. All right, so we're actually getting ready to start, guys, so you can uh stop what you're doing. Can someone come and fix Kenny's mic, please? That would be great. Get a little comfortable in this couch here. It's a nice couch. Yeah, man. I wish I could take the credit and say I made it myself. Nice pillow. Right. All right. So, man, glad to have you on. Glad to have you on. Absolutely. Glad to have you here. Um so, let's get right into it, man. Let's tell us about yourself. How did you get started in the industry? Ah, that's a loaded question. Um the the truth of the matter is I actually got started uh I was in high school and a friend of mine asked me to cut class and to go audition for a show. Mhm. So, I was like, "Why not? Don't do that at home. It's not always the right thing to do." But I auditioned for a show uh on MTV and I made it. So, you know, I was like, "All right, bet." And that that kind of kicked off everything. Okay. MTV. How How do you go from MTV to, you know, all the things that you do now, wearing these wonderful hats, film director, producer, co-owner, CEO, all that good stuff? Actually, that is it was MTV. I I made it on the show and I mean I I I was a dancer on a show called The Grind, right? So while I was on The Grind, you know, we did like six years, the show was over. They were like, "All right, great. Everybody go home." But the crew stayed and I was like, "Well, we got to go home, but the crew get to stay." They was like, "Well, that's that's crew. That's behind the scenes. You're talent. Good luck." So, um you know, we went home. So they called me for another show and I was like look if I come and do this show I got to be part of the crew too because you know they stayed. So I did that. They allowed me to be a part of the crew. I was a PA and um from there I I stayed behind the scenes and and just grinded it out and let God take his way and Okay. All right. Yeah. So you like you like the behind the scenes. You you're a fan of the process of how things work. I'm a fan of everything. You can't be a filmmaker and not be a fan of all of it. I want to be behind the scenes. I want to be in front of the camera. I want to check the editing. I want to see who's going to, you know, get the sound done. I want to do auditions. Um, it it really is an industry where you have to know it all to be able to do it, no matter what you're doing. Okay. Uh, let me throw this out at you early. Are there any films or directors or actors that you know get your creative juices flowing that inspire you, keep the fire burning for you? Everybody. Like I don't I don't look at one uh actor or director and say, "I'm I'm excited." I I look at everybody and see what's being done because it's just the art of being creative that gets me going. Just seeing people do their thing is like, "Oh my goodness." Even even when um I started the film festival and and you came on and auditioned to be part of the red carpet host. Um I was watching the videos of people auditioning. I was like, "Yo, this dude out here with a suit on and and really pushing himself and I was like that's what's up." And as I watched you over the years grow, you know, watching you on um Law and Order Law and Order you on, right, man? Yes. Say it about me. It's about to make sure. Yeah, Law and Order. But watching you on Law and Order, I was like, "Yo, I got to I got to write a show that's got something to do with some cops now." Oh. Because I was inspired by the character that you portrayed. Oh. So, it's not just one person. Like, I'm just I'm excited and inspired by just talent. Okay. All right. So, I mean, there are few actors that come to my mind that's like kind of like on the Mount Rushmore, but what about these underrated actors like like a Don Cheetel or a Jeffrey Wright? So, so Jeffrey Wright, I I worked with Jeffrey Wright on Cadillac Records. That was that was my first time meeting him. And when I tell you I have never met an actor so committed to his craft that every day he was muddy waters. Like every every day he was that was his persona. onset, offset, walking, talking, he carried that role. He is such an amazing actor and to think about what he did over the years like even when he played in Shaft and you know Peoples Hernandez. Peoples Hernandez, you know, this is Egyptian cotton. I thought he was Spanish. I did too. But, you know, he's he's the phenomenal actor and and Don Chu is just I mean, Jean Carlos Espazito, Don Cheetu, Jeffrey Wright, like those are some iconic actors and just I mean, everything about them is inspiring. So, would you say that, you know, meeting Jeffrey and and working with him and his work ethic, does that did that spill over into you being, you know, uh inspired to do the things that you do now? Oh, it has to. Um, you can't be around somebody like that and not be inspired. Like you you you literally can't be around such greatness and it not rub off on you. And what what that did was it made me go harder and just say, I need to do more. I need to be able to contribute more because not only was he a lead, but he was a contributor to the film. So you got to know that no matter what role you play, if you're an actor, director, producer, writer, you also got to contribute to the craft as well. And that's important. You've got to contribute to the craft. All right. Always remember that. Um, so let's go let's go behind the scenes since you're a fan of, you know, behind the scenes and the process. A lot of people think that it's the glitz and the glamour, but it's the it's really the behind-the-scenes work, the the sweat and determination that, you know, make things happen, you know. How how is that for you? You know, has there ever been a project where you had to think like outside the box and it made it made that project that much better? Everything is outside the box. Everything you think of everything outside the box. Even if I'm a guest on a show, I usually come in and go, "Well, listen. I think something should happen this way or that way." And I give input. I literally just directed a film called Indica Road that's going to come out the end of this year. Okay. And hell, you would thought I was a PA cuz I'm directing, but then I'm also like, "No, let me move this cuz I don't like the way this is sitting here." And do you need something? But it's again, it's contributing to the craft because, you know, you could sit there. I could easily sit there and collect a check and sit in my chair and be like, you know, action. But that's not what the business is. The business is about you being involved and you being in the mix of it and being in the thick of it. I don't believe in, you know, you you play your role. In the film industry, every role is your role and you got to play your part and you got to play somebody else's part and you got to help everybody no matter what. That's that's always right. Are there any have there ever been any uh surprises or challenges uh um you know what surprises or challenges do you encounter that people trying to get into the industry may not know about? Well, you're you're saying have I had surprises or encounters or what I need to tell people what not to do that too. I mean, based on based on your encounters or any, uh, surprises and challenges that happen on set, you know, uh, or with people trying to get into the industry. Yeah. Give us give us My biggest thing with people trying to get into the industry is slow down. Like people think because they make a phone call, it's going to happen tomorrow and and it doesn't. And I'm a very reachable person. Everybody tell me I have to stop doing that and I have to stop being so accessible. Um, it's in my nature. Uh, you know, it's it's just what I do. I don't believe in being that person on top of a mountain. I want to be with everybody doing everything. But, you know, there's some people like somebody I get my phone number from somebody I know and trust and those people I make sure that I block their numbers too after a while because they'll have somebody call me. This person be like, "Yo, I got a show." And I'm like, "Okay, tell me your show." And tell me the show. And I go, "Okay, let me think about it or give me a minute." And they're calling damn. No, no, no. Yo, I need a answer ASAP. Well, the answer is no then cuz you got to slow down. Like everything doesn't happen overnight. The industry, as we say, it's hurry up and wait. Yep. And you know, people have to understand that one, everyone has something to do. People are busy. But if somebody takes the time out to hear you, give them time to marinate on it. Give them time to think about it. Don't think that it has to happen today. And as somebody in the industry, as somebody who wants to do something, know that everything happens in time. And you know, if if God is is meanted for you, then it's meant for you. So let it work. Let it play. And don't think that just because it has to happen today that it won't happen tomorrow. And don't think that you're on a time limit to get something done because it's going to happen when it's supposed to happen. So I mean, you've mentioned you mentioned God, you know, a couple of times. uh your your your your attire, you know, my my boy Leun. Yes. Um would you say that faith plays a big part in and in in your everyday life and how you move and go about, you know, being Kenneth Giver? Well, well, for me, faith is everything. Um I I was taught at a young age, you know, God said, if you don't want something, you don't don't claim it. And if you want something, claim it. So, I don't I don't claim anything I don't want. And I go after everything that I feel that I do want. And whatever God has for me, God has for me. But faith is everything. And it doesn't have to be about religion. You have to have faith that it's going to happen. And if you don't believe it, then why would anybody else believe it? I know that's right. Tell people that all the time. You got to believe it first. Absolutely. Um, now we are sitting in the Ironbound Film and Television studio. Yep. And I know there has to be some or had to be or is there still excitement in being an owner of a film studio? Absolutely. I I get up every day and come to a place and you know somebody I know says something. I can't remember what it is. I'm I'm I'm a adlet but it's something like do what you love and love what you do. So h I wonder who said that. I don't know. But somebody says that that right here, you know, but no, I absolutely, you know, I get up every day and and I come to a place where I get to create the world that I want. Um, you can't knock that. That's excitement every day until it's time to pay the bills. And but, you know, that goes away after a while. But no, I love it. I I wouldn't I wouldn't want to do anything else. Plus, I get to help so many people and that's the real important part of it. It's about again contributing to the craft. I'm giving something away. So, no, I absolutely love it. Okay. Um, talked about behind the scenes. Let's get into some trends in the industry. Now, indie flicks are they seem to be somewhat of the underdog. How do you how do you feel about that? And what do you do to help indie films? So, indie films aren't actually the underdog. Indie films are the backbone to the industry. Because when you start, you're not starting out with a feature film, right? You know, produced by a studio. You're starting out with an indie film, be the short or even the feature, but it's indie. And you have to start in that lane to build up to it. So, if it wasn't for indie films, there would be no backbone to the film industry. There would be no big budget film because, well, how do I know you can do it? How do I know you have the passion for it? How do you know you have the passion for it? You know, Ryan Kouglier is is one of the biggest directors out there right now and even he had to start somewhere. So, with Fruitville Station and films before that, it it's about indie. So, a lot of people may not know, I mean, I said it in the intro, but he's the CEO of Vault Access. That's a uh a streaming service for, you know, indies and and things like that. So tell us you know how that was. How did that how did that you know come to fruition? What was the what was the idea? When did this start for you? So when I started the film festival I wanted to help individuals get distribution. So I was pushing it to a lot of platforms and people were picking one or two films and when you look at the amount of content that's made a year, you got thousands of films made every year and it goes nowhere. So, I wanted to build something that I didn't have to beg somebody else to give these people distribution. So, I was always raised, you know, you don't have to sit at somebody else's table, go build one. So, I figured build my own table and start my own streaming platform. And with that, um, I used the relationships I had and the partnerships I had and now Vault is a part of the SIA, which is the streaming innovation alliance, uh, which is founded by the motion picture association. Uh, part of this alliance is Fubu, uh, Dame Dash's, uh, America New, you have Disney, you have Cinemax, uh, Netflix, Warner Brothers. So, you know, little guy from NORC that wanted to build something to help the other little people are now sitting at the table with the big dogs. Oh, sitting at the table with the big dogs. I mean, I'm sitting I'm sitting on the couch with you. You you're a big dog, man. I'm trying to be like you when I grow up. There's actually some some interesting stuff coming out about Vault really really soon. M um we we got some some new co-owners uh that are coming in as partners. Nice. And um I can't say who it is right now, but yeah, man. I told you not to tell everybody. I was It's not me. Oh, next time. Okay, I got you. But, um, yeah, it's it's all all I'll say is I got I got three brothers that's coming on as partners and co-owners to Vault now. So, Gotcha. I'm I'm trying to fix my face on camera, right? Yeah. You got three brothers that's coming as partners for Okay. All right. Take it how you can. Okay. All right. But for for the June activation of the North North to shore um for the summer activation of North International Film Festival, it would be a huge announcement for that. All right, cool. Just make sure I'm there, you know, on the red carpet or something like that. You know how I do. Um so, you know, you are an innovator, man. Like I said before, you are a trailblazer. You have so many things going on. You wear so many hats. You started a magazine, LCA magazine. tell us what that what that's about. LCA is lights, camera, action. Um, again, it's about independent film making. Um, with the festival trying to get individuals exposure. So, I I gave you a chance to be on a platform and have distribution, but then it was well, who's going to promote it and who's going to market it? And it's, you know, it's so tough trying to get people in magazines and get filmmakers on billboards. So again, it was then just build your own. So LCA will be launching this year. Um on the cover, we we're going to do a two-part cover to the magazine for the first launch. On one cover is going to be Tobias Trailion, you know, our our homie from NORC. And then the other cover is going to be Sierra Foster. Uh she's an actress in LA. She plays Livewire. So you know, it's it's a really dope concept of having a magazine that's just geared towards independent filmmakers. So you'll have information about resources and auditions and equipment and locations, but then also we'll take those independent filmmakers and give them a chance to shine and promote them in the magazine and give them features. Oh, nice. Nice. So, so you know the pandemic happened, you know, you got the pandemic, you have social media, you know, pretty much taking over. How do you stay in terms of LCA, in terms of the magazine? How will you stay hyped or uh connected if you will with you know with the magazine and and getting it out to people? I mean people want it like it's it's just that you people want something. So it's not really a case of how do you stay hyped. You just know that there's people want resources. People want help. People want to be included. So you do that. You include them. You give them resources and you give them help. And as long as you're offering it, people will accept it. So for me, as as long as I'm in the business, I'm I'm I'm going to help somebody. Jim, you need help? Call Well, call Stephen. His number is and I'll call Kenny. Yeah, I'll be I'll be the middleman. I'll be the middleman. Absolutely. So with with uh again with everything that you do, man, and you you know talked you talked about how it started, but if you could pinpoint what your big break is or what people would consider, you know, your your big break. You mean what what was my big break? Yeah. Yeah. Oh, abs. I owe that to Darnell Martin. Um I tell her every time I see her. Uh amazing director, born and raised in the city of Newark. Um, she directed Cadillac Records and while I was already in the industry, that was my first real big movie that I did um that I worked on. Everything else was either TV or smaller productions. Um, and she gave me a shot, you know, she didn't have to. And she was like, "Look, come on board." And and I'll tell people something I don't I don't tell anybody. Cadillac Records was a major motion picture that had Beyonce, Jeffrey Wright, Columbus Short, like it had some real heavyweights and I did it all for free. I did not get paid to work on Cadillac Records. Um when I when a friend of mine told me about her doing the movie and they were good friends with her, um Winom Sinclair, she's a casting director. Uh she was really close with another uh woman who I was really close with, Eloise uh Eloise McCrae Dover. Um and Winome and Eloise was like, "Hey, our friend is directing a movie. You should go talk to her." And then I got a call and was like, "Hey, you know, we're trying to shoot something in it's called Cadillac Records about 1960 Chicago and they needed a place to shoot it um to look like Chicago." So downtown fit the bill. And um Darnell was like, "Hey, you know, we I could use you, but we we got everybody we need." I was like, "I'll do it for free." And she was like, "You're hired." And um I spent that entire production with her and working on that film and it was it was absolutely amazing. and and later on I did get something for doing it, but um it was the fact that I was prepared to jump in and just do it. Man, you you definitely are a man of your word and I see you practicing, you know, what what you preach. Uh and you know, I'm grateful, you know, that I know you and what you do, you know, for the city and for the industry. Uh you know, you've been shaping the entertainment industry uh for the past past few decades. You know, I'm not that old. You're not that old. Okay. All right. Yeah. Um but dur during you know during these decades and you shaping the industry has there ever been a moment where you had to step out of your comfort zone to chase or fulfill a dream. This is my dream. So see people think they have a dream and my dream is to be an actor or my dream is to be this or my dream is to be that. You have multiple dreams. I've had multiple dreams. I dreamed of owning a film festival. I'm doing that. I dreamed of owning a studio. I'm doing that. I dreamed of having a stream platform. I'm doing that. Just because you have a dream doesn't mean that dream stops. So it doesn't add to another dream. So when you have a dream, follow it. God gave you that dream for a reason. Yeah. So um I don't you don't have to step away from anything to fulfill your dreams. And your purpose and your passion may not always be the same. So yeah. Yeah. Just do it. Okay. I like that. I like that. How do you balance? I don't everything that you don't. You got to finish that question. I don't. You don't? What do you mean? I am the most unorganized person in the world, man. Like, hey, you still get it done. And I absolutely I I am Listen, I can tell you how to be organized and I can tell you how to set it up. But when it comes to me, I believe in I'm I do it when I do it. If if I have a deadline, I put it at the top of the list. If I don't, I'm going to work on it and eventually it will get done. But I don't I don't believe in and I'm not saying it's the right way to be. It's the right way for me. Right. Right. I don't believe in trying to figure out how to balance things. What's going to work is going to work regardless. It's it's just that simple. When you try to figure out if I have three hours today, I have two hours tomorrow. No, I'm going get to it when I get to it. And and I'mma work on it. I'm g strive to get it done, but I'm not going to let the work dictate who I am or when I get to it. Um, so balance, I don't think for me, and again, this is not for everyone. For me, I I don't balance anything. I just I'm up until 3:00 in the morning trying to get stuff done. Wow. And getting up at 6:00 to be back in the studio. Wow. That's that's that's dedication and no sleep team no sleep listen but okay so I know we're talking film making I want to step out for a second and and ask what no I guess this can kind of go with film making because when you make a film you have a soundtrack right what's the soundtrack of Prince oh okay all in your life any soundtrack for me is Prince period prince is I the greatest artists of of all time. And and that's not to take away from anyone or their talent because Michael Jackson was amazing. Like there are some amazing artists. But Prince, he he worked through adversity. He created a niche in an industry that wasn't built for him. He taught himself how to do everything. how to play the piano, how to play the guitar, how to dance, and he didn't care what people thought about him and everyone accepted him because he did not care. So like I have every Prince album. I have every Prince song that was printed and the the soundtrack to my life is a every moment is a Prince song. Wow. Just it is. That's cool. The lobby to the studio is Prince Purple. Like it Oh, I never thought about that. Yep. I never thought about that. That's cool. That's cool. All right. So, let's get into, you know, uh uh challenges. You know, I know this journey has its setbacks, it ups up and ups and downs. You know, it's like a roller coaster. Do you have any juicy behind the scenes on the set stories, you know, where you know, you don't have to say anybody's name, you know, that just shows what really goes on on set. something that people might not, you know, expect. I'll I'll give you a story. I was working on a movie called Motherhood with Uma Therma and Mini Driver. Oh, okay. And Uma Therma says to me, "Let's go to the store. I'm going to get some chocolates." And we had just got her chocolates, but we were like, she wanted to she wanted to get chocolates for a friend. Mhm. So, I was like, "All right, cool. We'll we'll walk to the store." Now I'm walking to the store in in New York in the village with Uma Therma and um it was surreal because I I love her work. Loved her on Kill Bill. Like she's just an amazing actress. Shout out to Uma. Absolutely. So we're talking and we're walking and um I get a phone call and it's the director and he's like, "Hey, uh where are you? I'm walking with Uma to the store. He goes, "With security?" "No, like it's Uma Thurma, but we good. Like, ain't nobody bothering. We We good." He goes, "You get back here as soon as possible." I was like, "I'm walking with Uma Thurma to the store. I'm not going to tell her no." So, I get her to the store. We We get the chocolate. She wants to go to another store. We walk to another store. We're walking back. Director calls me again. Where are you? I'm on my way back. like we're like we're good. Don't worry about it. We get back, she goes to her dressing room and I'm sitting there. Couple of people walk up to me goes, "You walk to the store with Uma Thurma?" "Yes." "Without security?" "Yes." And then someone shows me a a um their phone and it was a news article that she had a stalker that the police was looking for. And I was like, um, so I'm walking her to how y'all let me walk her to the store without scared. Wow. But it was cool because she's just a regular down to earth person just like every actor is. But sometimes working on a production, you don't know what's what. So you really got to just check and be sure. But you got to be careful because there may be things out there that's you know it ain't your doing but it is and something could have happened but you know God blessed us and it didn't but I don't walk talent to the store anymore. You got people for that. Yeah. I don't do that. You got people you got security for that. Yeah. You know uh that's a great story. That's a great story. Yeah. Yeah. I like that. I like that. You know you know staying with the theme of challenges and setbacks. Can you think of one moment where there was something, you know, on set that was really challenging and you had to push through it? Like, how do you push through something? No, absolutely. Um, I'm going to tell you a story, but now I'm going to make it short. Okay. So, I was working on a on a film and I was I was the assistant director and the actor, the lead in the middle of the production just quit cuz him and and the director just didn't get along. They just did not like each other at all. So he was like, "I'm out." He quit. So everybody's like, "Well, well, we're done." So, you know, we're we're all this time into this film. We're we're halfway done. And they were like, "It's a wrap. Like, we don't there's no way to finish this." I was like, "Just kill off the the lead." And they were like, "What?" I was like, "Just kill the lead and put somebody else in his place." And they're like, "No, you can't switch somebody out in the middle of a production. You your guy make it go." I said, "No, you absolutely can." I said, "Have the lead die in the movie. You don't even have to show him die. Just the scene we're about to do, he dies. Somebody else picks up the manu as the hero and continues the the saga. And they were like, "Well, that's just stupid. Like, we're we're not going to do that. That makes no sense." So, I said, "Okay, well, all the money you spent, all the time you spent, scrap it." And when you're filming, people have to realize on a production, you get paid by the production, not by the day. Even if you have a day rate, your day rate is based on how long the production is going to be. So if the film stops, guess what? You still got to pay everybody. So it was you're still going to pay everybody regardless. So just kill off the lead. After about maybe an hour of arguing, they were like, "Fine, let's let's see how it works." So the next scene was a car chase. So, the car crashes, the lead, we pretend he's dead. And I was like, "Now, have someone walk across the street trying to see if he's okay." And they pick up, you know, what's in the car. It was a certain thing. It was a briefcase. And I was like, "Now give them a phone call." And now they have to continue what he was doing. And it worked. And all I would say is just if you pay attention to a movie with somebody getting a phone call, may or may not be Yeah, man. I'm sitting here. I'm trying to think or something. Car crash, briefcase, phone call. Which movie could it be? And you're not going to tell us. No, I'm not going to tell you cuz I don't want to get in trouble. I feel you. But we appreciate that. But the thing is, you don't stop because things don't go right. You don't stop because things don't go the way you want them to go. You just continue and you figure out a way to make it work. Like we literally I remember we we were shooting Hancock and we were shooting Hancock uh the week Hancock was coming out because we just we weren't done and everybody's like well you know how's that possible with such a big production cuz it happens. We literally were in Manhattan shooting up until six o'clock in the morning the week before Hancock came out and they had to add scenes and edit them and send them out and it just happens. So just because something doesn't go your way, you stop. That's like you shooting a production and and your your camera breaks, your lights don't work, your like you keep going. You don't you ain't never seen somebody in in life just say, "Okay, things aren't going my way. I no longer want to do this. Forget it." You know, you you have to continue. It just is what it is. Just do it. Just do it. Just get it done. I'm not paying Nike for that. So, okay. We're not gonna pay Nike for that. So, I mean, your your your resume, man, is is is very impressive. Yes. Thanks. Yes. You know, on the I don't have pillows, but I'm probably going to take this one with me. Your resume is uh is extensive, you know, and you know, you've done things, you're still doing things now. You know, what what did what did success look like for you? And has that changed? Um, I'm not successful. I'm I'm still grinding and working. So, it hasn't changed it. I don't know what success looks like. I know what failure looks like, and I don't like it. And I'm good. I want to keep going and pushing forward. So, no, I'm I'm not successful. I'm just someone who's been doing a lot of things that they love to do. It just it just keeps going. So there is there's always more to do. Absolutely. Because when when you decide you're done and when you decide I'm ready to sail off into the sunset, go sit on the beach, relax, and just be me. Then you can gauge your success. If you're not at that point yet, then the job ain't done. We stay dropping jibs on this show. You gota you got to keep watching. On the set podcast is dope. If you haven't realized that already, I'm just letting it be known right now that it's dope. We have guests like uh Kenneth Gford. Just just keep watching. Let me let me get back to my job. I'm sorry. Um, in all the decisions that you've had to make, are there is there one or any that you had that you may you may regret and wish you had a doover? No, I don't I don't regret anything. Um, I don't regret anything in life because regret leads to worry. Worry leads to stress and stress leads to confusion. And if I did it, then it's done. And if it's already been done, then why would I regret it? It already happened. And clearly I did it for a reason. Um if I like the reason or not or if the reason made sense to me, it's done. But I know that if I do it, then what? If you go back and change all of your bad decisions, you won't be who you are. So there's nothing to regret. It happened. So life is about progress, not perfection. So just keep it going. Wow. There's nothing nothing to look back on and say, "I wish I would have." No, let me not lie. No, let me not lie. Somebody came to me years and years and years ago and was like, "Yo, you want to buy some Bitcoin?" I was like, "No." And I mean, it was like less than a dollar. I was like, "Anybody going that ain't going to do nothing. I regret that." Right. Right. But nah, actually I I don't regret it because I probably wouldn't be the person I am today. Um, but nah, there's there's no room for regret in life. If you have regret, then then where's your progression? Wow. So, throughout your journey, has there ever been a moment where moment or moments where you've just been floored or taken aback by all this love and support that uh people have shown you, whether it's, you know, the city of Newark or your friends and your colleagues abroad. Like, can you think of moments where it's like, wow, that's every day. every every time someone says I appreciate you or every time someone says you helped me um I'm floored by that because I don't think that I'm doing much you know for me I'm just doing what I think is right and what I would want somebody to do with me and I don't really look at it as I'm I'm doing anything special but some people do feel that way and and I love that. Um, so anytime someone says that help, people say thank you. I'm like, well, you're welcome. You know, I'm appreciative of of everyone that I was blessed to help in any way. So, I'm always floored and inspired by people who feel like I may have given them a helping hand or done anything because I'm just I'm just trying to make someone's life a little bit better by the fact that someone made my life a little bit better. I'm not going to cry on this chair. I was about to say don't cry now, but I'm not going to cry on this chair. But I I will say, bro, that I appreciate you. Um when I I mean somebody for real, for real. For real. Don't stop rolling. I'm I'm I'm vulnerable. I'm I'm okay with my emotions, man. Uh you know, as an actor, you got to be available to your emotions. No, but I've I've known you through, you know, your family before then, but really becoming, you know, friends and and colleagues and you being back and forth being my boss, you know, all these years, man, I thank you for the opportunity. So, I'm going to give you your flowers, you know, right here on the set podcast for Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. No, man. I really want to give you I really want to give you a flowers, man. Uh, do you like flowers? I love flowers. All right, cool. I want to give you your flowers on the set podcast man because you know that you know I had been hosting you know events before uh the opportunity you know to audition uh for the North International Film Festival and for you to you know to bring me on and notice that I had what it takes to be a part of your brand and and your vision man that you know that means a lot you know entrusting me with you know the people that come across your red carpets and at your movie premieres and and and the festival itself. So, you have helped me become a better host in what I do and uh I appreciate that, man. And um just want to give you give your props for that. That's that's one of those moments I'm like, you know what I'm saying? So, okay. So, yeah, man. That you know, meeting you, you know, led me to meeting uh the great uh Marlon Curtis, you know, the big boss here at On the Set podcast. Uh, and uh, I'm here hosting now, man. And so, you know, much love to you. Much love to to Marlin and and and the team. But, um, getting back to getting back to business. Um, advice advice for upand cominging, you know, creators. Man, I want to put you I'm going to put you in a time machine. It's not a Delorean, but I'm going to put you in a time machine. I don't I don't even get the Delorean. No, you you don't get the Delorean. You don't get Delorean. Okay. But I'm going put you in a time machine, man. And I want you to either or both. It's up to you. It's your world, bro. Uh either give advice to your younger self. Oo. Or you know what? Right there, cuz you had you had that feeling right there. So, what advice would you give to your younger self going back in time? Uh, young young a younger Kenneth Gford, honestly, because I find it amazing when people ask that question. M um if I had to go back in time and I got a chance to tell myself something, I would say go harder and and do more and don't think that I couldn't. Just go harder. And if I was to go and tell anyone else, just stop thinking that you can't. Like there's literally nothing in this world you can't do. You got this and God got you. Just do it and just make it happen. And anyone who knows me, especially with my film festival, my favorite saying is get it done. Make it happen. That's it. Because if if you say it, then you should be able to do it. Mhm. And that's it. You got to go by what what words mean. And words mean everything. If you ask anybody in in any form of authority, anybody in any form of religion, um anyone in any form of opinion of of a high standard, they will always tell you it's about the word. When you look at politics, it's about the words that were written by our founding fathers. If you look at religion, it's about the words that were written by God. If you look at people in the hood, it's about my word is my bond. So clearly, your word means something. So it has to mean something to you. So if you can say it, then there's nothing that can stop you from doing it. Wow. Speaking of words, what what advice would you give That's your camera right there. Look into that camera. And that's my camera. That's your camera right there. Right. That's his camera. Um, what advice would you give aside in addition to because we know it's get it done. Mhm. We know it's We know it's um uh uh uh if you can say it, you could do it. And don't let anybody tell you you can't do it. What additional words of wisdom and encouragement and and game would you give to the up and cominging hustlers in the film make uh hustler hustlers in the film making industry and those who might even want to have their own film studio? What would you what would you say to them? Failure is an option. Don't think that because you failed that it's over. And to fail, you have to choose to fail. If you keep going, then it's not over. And that doesn't mean you failed. That means you are progressing and you're moving forward in what it is that you want to do. So, never look at anything that goes wrong, anything you think may have failed, anything that may be a challenge as a sign that you need to stop. There are going to be whispers in your life forever that will tell you, "Don't do this, don't do that, don't walk this way, don't walk that way." Just ignore it all and listen to your heart. Listen to your drive. If your family tells you that you're wasting your time, if your man or your woman tells you that it's not going to be successful, just grind it out because no one is going to be there for you more than you're going to be there for yourself. That's it. Do you mentor people? I mean, cuz like you're like a mentor extraordinaire right here. Nah, cuz No, cuz I'm I don't have the patience. I'm horrible at it. Okay. Like I'm still trying to mentor myself. Right. Because Right. You have no organization. Exactly. Right. But you get it done. I I do because I have to. But no, honestly, the reason why I don't mentor people is because I don't I don't look at I haven't learned to see myself on that level of being a mentor yet. Um like I'm I'm right there with everyone else. So, I don't see myself as that person to say, "Oh, let me tell you, Young Bloodood, how to get it done." Nah, like, "Yo, what what we doing, young blood?" But yeah, I just felt like saying that, man. Listen, hold on. Hold on. We're definitely going off topic right now because I realized, and wait, let me say something for people just really quick because I know it's going to come. We'll come back to Young Boy. Absolutely. People watch it. So, I keep rubbing my nose, right? So, so as you know and as people that know me know I ain't been bald long. So the hair came from here to here and I'm I am so uncomfortable with having a mustache and a beard. Like how do y'all do it? Can we get some clippers? Can we get We can take care of that right now. Bro, it's constantly like a piece of hair moving on your nose and you're just like stop and I can't like it ain't nothing else. I'm just I'm glad you clarified that cuz I think I think the viewers might be looking like what is that's how he gets it done. No, that's how he gets it done. He's like, "Something's wrong with this D." I'm just sitting here and I'm trying not to touch it, but it's like it's it's Oh my goodness. Like it's a It's going to be all right. Yo, being an adult is hard. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So So Young Bloodood, I a couple of months ago I realized that I'm an OG. I was at I was I I was at the basketball court, you know, just watching, you know, watching people play cuz I don't play. No, no, no. I got a bad knee, so I m uh you know, I'm out of shape. I mean, round is a shape, but that's not the shape I'm trying to be in. Listen, but um so I'm sitting there and it's a group group of group of young guys and young girls. They come in and they're having this conversation and then one of them sits down to roll up, right? And he's like, uh that's weed marijuana. Um he he says he said, "Yo, OG, you mind you you mind if we smoke?" So I'm just sitting there, you know, um I just bought a Icy from one of the ladies with the icy truck. Bought Icy. He said, "Yo, OG, you you mind if we um we roll up?" And I'm like, he's talking to me. So, I turn around, I say, "Go ahead, Young Blood, do your Go ahead, Young Blood, do your thing." I made it made it worse by calling uh Young Blood. But, um but uh I'm going to get back, you know, get back get back to work now. So, okay. OG, let's What is Triple OG, what is your legacy? Have you done it? Oh, I know you said there's more to do. What is the legacy that you're trying to leave behind? I mean, it it depends you talking about professionally or personally because personally my legacy is my family, right? Um being able to raise some amazing children and having a beautiful family. That's my legacy. Um in the industry, nacity doesn't come until, you know, give me a give me give me a couple of months and my legacy will be there. Um, I'm in the middle of building the New Jersey Motion Picture Museum. So, okay. You will have that downtown Newark. Uh, it's a it's a 30,000 foot museum. You'll have uh Wait, 30,000 square foot. 30,000 feet. Wait, how how many square feet is is this uh building? The whole building is 48. 48. So, okay. All right. Yeah. So, it's going to be a 30,000t museum. You'll have a um 26,000 foot film studio inside the building. Uh you'll have two movie theaters, a restaurant. Come on. Um he's the plug. New recording spaces and 350 residential units for filmmakers and artists. So that's right now. That's right. That I think would be my like when I do that, that's when I'mma go back to work. Wow. Yeah. Wow. Okay. So, you lead me right into future projects, man. We gonna talk about future projects. What do you What's coming down the pipe, man? Can anything we can get a uh you're already dropping, you know, exclusive. Any any anything we can look forward to coming down the pipe? Um yeah. So, for me personally, um which is crazy because people always ask me why I'm why am I not doing my own thing? Mhm. And I mean, I do my own thing, but I I love helping other people and working with other people, but um I just finished writing a film called The Studio, which is about this studio. Um it's going to be an action flick. So, think of think of Warriors with Gangs in New York with Escape from New York. Cool. So, you'll have a I like that pitch deck. Yeah. So, I'm not even gonna say what your Yes, I can because what's happening? Anybody watching? No. So, it's it's about a a post-apocalyptic time uh in the US where gangs are in um it's modern time where gangs are are in their own territory, but there are buildings that are sectioned off for certain gangs and you're going to have a group of actors who are in a gang. I'm not going to say any names. Actors are a gang. Well, no. Oh, I'm saying a group of actors. Gotcha. That's in this gang. Um, that have to get from one end of the studio to the next. So, the key is every room in the building is a different faction of a gang. So, studio A would be, you know, one gang and studio B is another game. And you've got to go through each studio to get to the end. So, Okay. Well, um um if you need my resume, you can go to Actors Access. Oh, bro, your name is already on there. Oh, I was just saying I was just saying, you know what I'm saying? One thing I don't do is cast my friends. You're already cast. You You find out about it the day you talking about. Matter of fact, I just I called I was like, "Yo, Stephen, we need you to be on set." Yeah, man. Tomorrow. Yeah. You got to be ready. Got to be ready. You got to be ready. Um Wow. This has been great. It's time, man. This it's it's over. It's over, man. I can't believe that it's over, man. You know, I thank you. I thank you for, you know, being on the show. Uh, it's great to have you here. We thank you for letting us film here. We thank you for letting us film here, man. You are definitely a a trailblazer. You dropped some gems. I know people are going to want to uh follow you and know how they can, you know, get in touch with you, stalk you, and all that good stuff. So, you know, give give us your social media, however we however we can find you. Uh, go to I am Steven Strickland. Um, that's my line. But, uh, no, my my Instagram is uh what is my Instagram? Uh, is it Kenny Kitty Kenny G Kenny G3674? KG something like that. That's my Instagram. Something like that. Um, you can go to the to Norc if that's the film festival Instagram. Look at this one. You can go to the Vault Access. That's the Vault Instagram. You can go to LCA magazine. That's LCA. But most of all, go to New Jersey. Spell it out. New Jersey MPM. That's New Jersey Motion Picture Museum. That Instagram will lead you to what's coming very soon to our beautiful state and the art of film making. Because what people don't realize is New Jersey is the birthplace of film. Everything about the film industry started in New Jersey. Yes. So, yes. This is our way of connecting that back. Cool, man. I mean well since we talking about it you know you can follow me I am Steven Strickland I mean you can follow me at Strickland media group that so talked about mentor mentor you are mentoring and you don't even know it you know I thought about you know my company Strickland media group you know by you know watching you so I learned it by watching you remember that commercial but but yeah I don't have a hood I got you I got you your hoodie coming soon the hoodie comes with just tell me what colors you like purple and I'm going to get prints put on the back all my favorite color is red, so you know. Okay. All right. Cool. Now I know. So, uh just make sure that you remember to uh subscribe to On the Set podcast. Uh if you have on follow us on Instagram, On the Set podcast. If you have any topics or things that you want to discuss, you want us to, you know, talk about on the show, hit us up and let us know. Um until then, you know, keep learning, keep exploring, keep uh realizing the magic of movie making. I'm your host, Stephen Strickland. This has been our guest, Kenneth Gford. And as always, remember, do what you love and love what you do. Thanks, Ken. Absolutely. [Music]