Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Kaye Solis, also known as AK.
AK, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It was the latter half of 2016 — I just began working at my first ever corporate job, and one day, I get this text message from my sister [and co-founder], Nikki Solis. The message included a photo of a box, in what looked to be in a Best Buy, and the caption read, “We’re doing this.” I quickly discovered that the box had a Canon 70D camera inside. And little had I known, my sister was alluding to what would be the inception of Solful Studios.
Having grown up in Chino Hills, California, my passion for the arts began at a young age. My mother would always poke fun at me for being so distracted in the car — gazing as clouds pass, watching people candidly living, being completely immersed in whatever was happening around me.
Each car ride felt like a movie, a new story each time. I gravitated towards coloring books and Captain Underpants instead of novels. I was raised on rhythm, was a member of the local performing arts since age 8, trained and bred from a World Champion drumline, danced throughout college. I went from pursuing Neuroscience to finishing with Sociology because I loved the curriculum. I jumped into several things as a student just for the sake of experience and extra cash; from washing pots + pans at a dining hall, to interning for a Fortune 500 company, to marketing for a small labeling company, to making pizzas, to working on campus, to spending nights + weekends as a waitress, you name it. And NONE of it included filmmaking.
I want to include this mini resume for the people who may want to pursue filmmaking, but are hesitant because their credentials are “way-off” or “not relevant enough” to even start. I had no idea that I would end up in this until after college! I may have been around the arts for quite some time, but I didn’t attend film school or anything. I went to a state school. [zot zot]
I always seemed to assume the ‘historian’ role of the bunch; I’d [politely] pause a friend’s birthday dinner for a group photo around the table because I knew they’d appreciate it later, pose my parents in front of ANYWHERE because I knew they would love to post on Facebook, and would even stop a friend real quick to snag a photo of them, just because they looked real good. Yet above all, the one thing that intrigues me the MOST is… listening. I enjoy hearing people’s stories, experiences, thoughts, hopes, dreams, etc. I am subconsciously addicted to hearing both the interesting and the ordinary. Over time, I guess I paired that love for hearing stories with telling them. I had nothing but an eye [or two] for what may look good, and an insatiable craving to find beauty in all things.
I have been working as a corporate recruiter for the past 3.5 years for a company that provides services to children with autism. As of recently, I put in my two-weeks to pursue videography/film full-time.
We’re just getting started, y’all.
Has it been a smooth road?
Absolutely! I am already booked until 2050, and everything is gravy. Yeah, no, it most certainly has been a challenge thus far!
When you first begin anything, I feel like you must understand that failing is inevitably and utterly part of it. The sooner that is understood, the easier it’ll be. I can’t tell you how many times I failed — shooting a project film slightly out of focus, renting the wrong equipment, forgetting a lens at home, not having enough time to complete a shot list. No matter how many times I have failed, lessons were learned, and I wanted to be better for next time. So, I studied. I practiced. I failed again. I tried again. I improved. You know, the process. I attribute a lot of my recent progress to my girl, Tiffany Le, who is also a photographer/filmmaker. She’s amazing! (her Instagram is @tiffanylevisuals)
I don’t know how else to put this, so I’ll lay out some bite-sized advice:
– You get better at something simply by doing it more often.
– We’re all human, and we aren’t perfect by design.
– A wise someone once said, “You teach a girl confidence, and the rest is easy.” This has resonated with me for years.
– You can literally do anything if you spend time on it.
And still, there is much more for me to learn.
Solful Studios – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Solful Studios is a Filipino-American filmmaking sister duo composed of ‘yours truly’ and Nicole Anne (Nikki) Solis, specializing in wedding, event, brand marketing, and dance digital media.
I feel like Solful is known for evoking an authentic vibe all throughout, usually having epic, cinematic moments and a strong + unopposed beat-driven backbone. Sound is just as important as the visual. It may also sound cliché but filmmaking isn’t just a paycheck to us. We care too much about people’s lives and the moments within, that we always strive to depict moments as honestly and as beautifully as possible.
We have already captured an array of life-changing events so far: weddings all over southern California, a 50th birthday celebration for a badass woman who was enduring cancer, marriage proposals, dance concept videos for teams and/or individuals, upcoming music artists, and even friends who are venturing into their own brands, etc. During initial meetings with clients, we always end up talking about life stories and how it led them to this very moment of collaborating with us, and I think that’s what helps us in creating bespoke films tailored to what each client likes.
All in all, it really is just the beginning. I’d love to make more conceptual stuff and alternatively, documentary-style films. I am most proud of being a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and how Solful Studios is a SISTER-owned, FEMALE-operated organization. I think that’s what really sets us apart from others, and keeps the ambition going.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
I think a huge barrier for women in filmmaking is film financing. It was such a challenge to feel confident about our wedding rates at first! Were they too expensive for people, would nobody want to book? It turned out that we were selling ourselves short for our services. And I know that we aren’t the only ones who have felt this way — a good portion of women in business have historically under-charged for their products and/or services.
But why? I feel like it’s a mix of under-valuing our own work, not feeling confident enough when it comes to talking money, and having our competencies questioned by other peers and/or clients. But we, as women, should MOST DEFINITELY feel confident in the value we bring to the table and in being compensated appropriately! Women have beautiful minds, creative by birth, and full of emotions that add incredible dimension to the medium of filmmaking, and that is BADASS and important to celebrate. I may be a little biased though.
Being in a male-dominated industry [like a few other industries] can be tough. Female leaders can be overlooked, under-booked, or even underpaid due to such embedded stereotypes. But it’s 2020, the world is shifting, gender equality feels like it’s nearer than ever before, and for that, I am SO grateful.
I cannot wait for the moment when a(n) article/news engine/type of literature/media outlet doesn’t feel the need to describe us as “female filmmakers”, but just as filmmakers.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.solfulstudios.com
- Phone: 909-569-7363
- Email: solfulstudios@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solfulstudios/
Image Credit:
Tiffany Le
Ashley Kaye (AK) Solis
Nat Paghunasan
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