Meet Z.L. Singleton | Business Owner, Studio Executive, Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Z.L. Singleton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Z.L., how do you think about risk?
I think of risk as a challenge that must be faced on the road towards success. It is inevitable. The numerous factors related to pursuing ambitious endeavors can be very striking at times, in my opinion. Risk is what brings me out of my comfort zone and forces me to grow, not only professionally but creatively and spiritually as well. It is the tool that keeps my mind sharp and aware of the infinite possibilities that lie ahead in the future while maintaining realistic approaches that match the ambition. A heavy challenge I have always faced is approaching things with a fear of failure or a fear of success nevertheless.
Many profound artists and established titans that lead their fields of industry have stated that fear is one of the biggest catalysts that hinders people from fulfilling the entirety of their potential; not only as a creative artist or a veteran in any field but as a human being. This statement resonates with me as I completely agree with the belief that fear does indeed have that hindrance on us all as individuals. My business partner and Co-Founder, Fredrick Ewelike, has helped me escape the suffocating cloud of angst that has the intentions of keeping a creative, ambitious mind detrimentally grounded or complacent. Over the recent years, I have made great strides in overcoming these fears and proceeding with intimidating opportunities to grow our brand in exciting ways. It is known that nothing worth having comes easily. I only see it as my responsibility to embrace risk with an admirable sense of courage and to maintain an unbreakable sense of optimism and manifestation while diverting roadblocks simultaneously along the way.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What I am most proud of about ZebraTail Studios is that all of our work is fueled by indomitable passion. The amount of heart and effort that is put into a project is given with such a personal approach that it allows every installment the opportunity to have it’s own uniqueness. I am ecstatic about expanding my creative pallet and exploring every genre of cinema. As I continue to build a more versatile style of storytelling, I am looking forward to the memories and bonds that will be made while creating such distinctive projects.

Whether it’s dictating how you conduct yourself within life or pursuing something that requires a significant amount of effort, it’s never going to be easy. I believe that values and principles are the backbone of what drives the pursuit, undoubtedly. I have found both work ethic and discipline to be the principles that I hold dearly the most. They can be applied to seemingly anything you put your mind towards with the intention of accomplishing. I see work ethic as a construct to develop a stronger skillset. Especially when I come across challenging obstacles in regards to creating immersive, original projects. While having ambitious goals, the workload grows heavier and this principle hardens my mind to formulate a sense of enduring willpower to face any feat.

There is a struggle I feel that everyone runs in to while striving towards certain goals and maintaining a heightened level of consistency. This is where discipline has served as a rubric for me to reach those goals while lowering the seemingly overwhelming feeling of it all. It allows me to process the workload and develop a more concrete order of operations to move forward in the most efficient way possible. This principle coincides with work ethic as they operate and flow off of one another in a complementary manner. While I have learned to always increase my level of adaptability to ever shifting circumstances, the importance of being prepared has heightened as well. I have also learned to be patient with the process of how things work while maintaining a throughly monitored behavior of proactiveness.

I am adamant in my pursuit of mastering the world of cinema and creating immersive stories. Stories that resonate with a viewer years after the first time experiencing them, serving as encapsulating masterpieces that impact the soul. Personally speaking, I think the sense of passion behind working on creative projects has lost it’s integrity over the years and I have made it a priority to reinvigorate that integrity with the stories ZebraTail Studios will share with the world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The DFW Metroplex offers so many forms of food, entertainment, and activity. I would definitely start by enjoying an afternoon at Trinity Park in Downtown Fort Worth. The trails follow along the Trinity River while lush greenery line the inland of the park. The interaction and community I see there is always a sight to see. For grabbing a meal afterwards, I would always recommend the Reata. The atmosphere screams the warm culture and roots of Texas heritage. The food/drinks are great and lavish while the view of the city is even better. For exciting night time adventures, I would go to 7th Street and tour the bars within the area. There is a plethora of upbeat clubs, speakeasy bars, and traditional pubs alike. For larger, broader gatherings, the Entertainment District in Arlington is a great outing as well.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The creative and professional journey that I set out on is one that holds a heavy weight full of obstacles and turbulences that have the ability to disturb the process tenfold. Something that cannot possibly be done alone. It takes an army of like-minded individuals to bring a dream or vision into fruition to blossom and shine in all of it’s intended glory.

I give all of my gratitude to our ZebraTail Studios team: Fredrick Ewelike, Nathan Navarrette, Joseph Horta, Julian Enriquez, Matthew “14th Shooter” George, Austin Wagner, Julian Bell, D.J. Samuels, Colin Gilloon, Bryson Cole, Troyal, Sandra Bauer-Justus, and Austin Singleton.

This brand and quality of work wouldn’t be where it is without the hard work and passion behind these individuals that chose to align their ambitions with mine. I look forward to growing the ZebraTail Studios family and reaching the desired level of success, together.

Website: www.ZebrTailStudios.com

Instagram: instagram.com/zl_singleton

Twitter: https://twitter.com/singleton_zl

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZebraTail

Image Credits
Matthew “14th Shooter” George, Austin Singleton, and Keaton Jones.