My name is Astin, and I rock. 

I’ve been a Rock Singer. A poet. A music journalist, Freelance writer. I’ve worked in the Film Industry for almost 8 years, customer service for 10. I grew up in Atlanta, attended college in Philly, spent a year in Beijing, and lived 4 years in Jackson. I returned to Atlanta in 2017, to put all the pieces together. 

My commitment as a filmmaker and storyteller encompasses the elements of dry wit, neorealism, absurdity of true experiences, and Afrofuturism.  My work is a true reflection of my experiences - a disjointed array of beautifully incongruous, of lifetimes and discoveries. In short, I make kids’ heads spin on career day. 

I graduated from Temple University’s Film & Media Arts Program in 2012. Thereafter, I pursued living and working abroad as a Production Assistant in Beijing for a year. Since that time, my work as a Short Film Producer and musician has been showcased in critically acclaimed film festivals such as Brooklyn Film Festival and Oxford Film Festival; on public access TV networks, namely Mississippi Public Broadcasting and the Jackson Public Education Government Channel; and in various private screenings.

Last year, I received Invest Atlanta’s Creative Industries Loan Fund for Real Fakes Season 1 web marketing, promotional content, & legals fees and development of Season 2.  I was interviewed for Atlanta local magazine, VoyageATL.  Prior to, I’ve been interviewed for my musical short film, Love Soliloquy, by Portico Magazine, The Jackson Free Press, and several digital platforms. Love Soliloquy had also received grants and monetary support from city council institutions, including Jackson City Council and the Mississippi Film and Video Association, now the MFA. 

When I’m not on set nor on stage, I am in classrooms. Education served a major in my development as an artist, for trading information with younger minds fosters creativity in myself. I’ve been an advocate for arts education since 2013, and teaching since 2015.    I began with founding a community arts initiative, Inspire Jackson, (Jackson, MS) an organization for teens to express arts outside of school. I later taught various film workshops, including Atlanta programs KidsTV and Camp XI.

My mission behind every work  - even customer service - is to encourage individuals to accept the differences in themselves. When we can accept the differences in themselves, we then embrace the wholeness of other people. This mission pushes me to tell truthful stories that challenge the status quo; whether I’m on stage, on set, or in the classroom.