Sky Palmer AKA “SkyDirects” discusses how he pivot during the pandemic from a film director to a tech founder
admin2 Sky Palmer, who is also known as SkyDirects, is an American film director and tech founder of pressful.com, a tech startup with a website that aims to redefine the press industry.
Sky, thank you so much for joining us today. I was curious about your background because you went from a successful role in the music/film industry to a, relatively speaking, vastly different role in press and journalism. How did you start out in film and music?
Thank you for having me, it’s my pleasure! And yes, it does appear I went off on a random tangent, but for good reason! I started in film back when I was 18 years old, I was given the opportunity to be Nick Cannon’s personal videographer. For a young guy like me at the time, this was a dream, and it was my first foot in the door to pursue a career in videography.
Wow seems like you hit the ground running with that gig! What was the role like?
I certainly did! The role was busy, to say the least. As Nick Cannon’s personal videographer, my job was to film him at various events around town, particularly the candid shots and moments. The role of a videographer is to make the audience feel like they are right there with the crew, so I certainly had my work cut out for me.
Fascinating, so besides filming and documenting, what other roles did you fulfil at the time?
Well, I’d say the highlight of that role was being able to collaborate with him on the set of his show “Wild ‘n Out.” I remember watching the show in high school, as it had just started a couple of years earlier. I never imagined at the time I would be working so closely with him on the show, and my experience there opened many doors for the future of my career.
So, when would you say your first big break was? Obviously working on Wild ‘n Out by itself must have been a huge deal, but what really accelerated your career?
Perhaps the pivotal moment was when I was scouted by Cudda Love. I knew I worked hard and was passionate, but to see it validated by the same guy who was known for discovering Nellie, Biggie, and Mase… Let’s just say it was humbling and exhilarating at the same time.
I can only imagine! So how did you cross paths with a big name like Cudda Love?
I still ask myself that to this day, haha. See, at the time, Cudda Love was scouting for a new project he was working on for B2K, the number one boy band at that time. I guess my work really stood out, because soon enough I was following around B2K, Fizz, J-Boog, and other big names around Hollywood as a videographer.
Must have been a genuine experience! So, what project stood out the most during your time with Cudda Love?
I’d say, hands down, it was when I edited and posted the video “Life after B2K.” It turned out to be a viral hit, gaining tons of publicity, and was later picked up by Warner Brothers.
Amazing! Did you make more videos after that or was that when you decided to change things up? I know I’d retire after a big hit like that!
Hah, not exactly. I went on to direct over 100 more videos after that. Not exactly the retirement we all hope for!
Nice, did you transition to your own content or were you still working on projects for other names in the industry?
I bit of both; I suppose. My own content had generated over 10 Million views on YouTube, so I seemed to be doing something right! But at the same time, I was working on other big projects in the music industry. For example, I directed a music video for Meagan Good and the HELLO Girls. This was my first national music video, and it was a true delight to work on. It ended up premiering on BET 106 & Park.
Seems like there is no limit with you, Sky! Any other major projects during that time?
Oh yea, several. Since then, I was blessed to be able to work with some of the most recognizable entertainers out there like Trey Songz, August Alsina, T.I, Shaq, Christina Millan, and more!
Truly amazing! So, did you always want to stay behind the camera? Or did you plan to transition towards multiple roles, diversifying your experience?
Being behind the camera was and will always be a passion of mine. I guess I may have had plans on the back burner, but it wasn’t until my environment forced me to make such a transition. I had been interviewed by top radio stations such as Sway in the morning’s hit show, but of course it would primarily revolve around my work behind the camera.
So, what forced you to make the transition from directing films to revamping the press industry? I’m sure all the readers are curious to know!
Certainly! Well, as my ambitions rose, I wanted to direct a full featured film debut. I called it “Run Nixon,” and it would have starred Fizz from B2K. Unfortunately, with the pandemic looming throughout the world, people were not so eager to open their wallets when money was tight all around, thus we could not raise the funds needed to make the film the featured hit that I wanted. So that was when my co-founder Mich Vital and I made the leap to focus on a new mission: redefining the press industry, and we started pressful.com.
I envy such resilience! So, what is pressful.com?
Pressful, simply put, is a way for people to gain exposure through interviews with journalists at an affordable price.
I see, so like a means of PR? What would you say you are aiming to fix in this industry?
Exactly. In today’s world, press is difficult to achieve, particularly when trying to reach out to journalists to interview you. There are so many talented individuals with exceptional ideas who fly under the radar because they do not have the financial means to break through the press barrier. We aim to change that at pressful.com.
So, it seems like this is a means of leveling the playing field, so to say?
Yes, precisely that. In a world inundated by massive wealth inequality, exceptional artists, entrepreneurs, musicians, and other talented individuals are left standing behind a financial barrier if they lack the capital to move forward. We aim to change that by giving these talented individuals a means of exposure on local affiliate news stations all the way to a national platform.
That is great to hear! What was the launch like? Do you have any subscribers or are you still in the early phase?
We officially launched January 7th, 2021, so we are definitely still in what you’d call the early phase, haha. But since we’ve launched, we had over 300 customers sign up within the first week alone. This signaled to us that we were filling a void in this industry. To add to that, we even won the best product award from Product Hunt. The initial momentum is certainly uplifting.
What does the future look like for you, and Pressful?
Well, it is only the beginning after all! Pressful will be releasing a mobile app soon, which will give people access to over 400,000 journalists at their fingertips. I am excited to see how these opportunities will evolve the news and journalism space. As for me? Well, I always wanted to become one of the youngest black billionaires in the Tech space!
Don’t forget about us when you do! Thank you so much, Sky, for taking the time to discuss your life and business with us today. Where can readers learn more about Pressful.com?
It was my pleasure and thank you for having me! You can visit our website at pressful.com to learn more about our services and pricing.
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