PhilanthroFilms

Kendrick King never expected to be a teacher. In fact, when the opportunity first arose, he turned it down. “I was like, ‘No, I don’t wanna be a teacher. I didn’t go to school for this,’” he said. But when the offer came a second time, he took it as a sign from God. Now, as a media teacher, King is shaping young minds and staying deeply involved in his passion for media.
Born in Queens, New York, King moved to Ludowici, Georgia, at a young age. After graduating from Long County High School, he was uncertain about his future until his family encouraged him to aim higher. “My little nieces would look up to me and say, ‘You’re more than this. We believe that you could be more than what you think you are,’” King recalled.

That push led him to Valdosta State University’s mass media program, where he found his passion for film, photography, and graphic design.
Determined to carve his own path, King invested in himself. “I come from nothing. I come from nowhere. So I have to make a way for myself,” he said. Using his own money, he bought a camera and started building his brand. He networked relentlessly, introducing himself to professionals in the field and offering his services for free just to get his name out there. “I started off doing everything for free. I got my name out there, and all of a sudden, everything just
took off.” That drive eventually led him to teaching. Through connections in his fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma, he learned of an opportunity to teach media at Lowndes High School. Though he was hesitant at first, he realized the impact he could make on students who, like him, needed guidance in the world of media. “I think I’m in the right place that I need to be,” he said.
But teaching hasn’t taken him away from the field. King continues to run his own media company, WorKing Media, and collaborates with Philanthrofilms. “I always preach to my kids, ‘I’m never gonna try to teach you something I’m not doing myself,’” he said. His work with Philanthrofilms has provided professional opportunities for himself and hands-on experiences for his students. “It’s been a great exchange between teaching and being out in the
field.”
Among his most memorable projects with Philanthrofilms was a recent film shoot that tested everyone’s endurance. “We were outside in the heat every day, waking up super early just to create something special,” he recalled. “Even though we almost got eaten up by ticks and bitten by rattlesnakes… I [even] ripped my pants! It was exciting!” But more than the work itself, King values the relationships he’s built. “I got a chance to invite some of my students to
join me as well. They got to see and work with me and other professionals simultaneously.” Through his work in media and education, King has learned a valuable lesson: “It’s okay if you don’t know everything. Even if you teach it, you don’t need to know everything. That’s why you have a team around you.” He instills this same mindset in his students, encouraging them to embrace their strengths and collaborate with others. When asked to describe his experience with Philanthrofilms in one sentence, King didn’t hesitate: “A blessing.” He recognizes that many people don’t get the opportunities he has. “I
don’t overlook it at all because I know where I come from. And I know a lot of people wish they could be in this position.”

For King, success isn’t defined by a single project or achievement—it’s about the community he’s built along the way. “When I do pictures for people, or if I do video, if I do graphics for somebody, we still build that relationship. It’s like I’m family. They see me out and about and remember me. They treat me like [a] cousin.” Looking ahead, King hopes to continue serving as a mentor, showing others that they don’t have to settle. “I wanna show people that you can actually make it. If you put your mind to it. We only have one time to live this life, and it’s shorter than we think. Why not do something that we love?”
His advice to aspiring media professionals is simple: “Do it for you. Don’t do it for other people, because you can’t always please everybody. Please yourself first, and then you can create something great that others will gravitate towards. And never doubt yourself. Don’t limit yourself. Be a jack of all trades. Be the greatest you.”