Meet Molly Whiting of Westport

Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Whiting.

Hi Molly, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us. To start, could you share some of your backstories with our readers?
I started recording myself around the time that iCarly came out. My sister and I had a vlog that I named iMolly. After that, I just continued to document and capture pieces of my life. I made 4 vlogs during my first year of college, and now I work full-time for an advertising agency where I create social media content daily. Everything that I love and am passionate about connects back to video. More specifically, I’ve always leaned toward social-specific videos. I’ve been able to communicate with a range of people because of my experience on the Internet. From crying at AGT Golden Buzzer videos to documenting family stories, video as a medium has opened my eyes to what reality is like for others and given me a voice to show my own.

Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think for a long time, the main barrier between myself and a career in video was the idea that I would be “good enough” to make it into my job. Sometimes, it almost feels uncomfortable to be self-confident or believe in yourself. When pursuing something like videography, putting yourself out there is intimidating and necessitates a level of vulnerability that can bring a lot of discomfort. Throughout school, I struggled to see myself as an “artist.” A variety of my photography, projection mapping, and sculpture work has even been in art shows or featured in exhibitions. Despite that, I felt like other people were artists, and I have a lot of hobbies.

Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
I make social-specific video content. Commercially, that can mean filming myself making s’mores for a client like Kampgrounds of America, falling on the ground for Heelys, or filming and editing DIY crafts and recipes. I feel most passionate about experiences and how those bring people together. Most of my knowledge comes from the travel industry and the music industry. In both, you’ll notice the way people come together and enjoy the moment they’re in. I’m that person who records a song at a concert but watches it over and over for the weeks after. I naturally have an outgoing personality, but I have a special talent for finding people and stories that need recognition. I feel most proud when I work with someone who lets me see into their world, documenting pieces of their experience that the everyday person might not see. People have told me in many ways that I have a “good vibe.” It sounds funny when I say it like that, but I feel a lot of pride that I can go into a room of just about anyone and find a way to connect with them. It also helps that I love attention.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Everything that happened and has happened since 2020 has shown me the privileges I hold. Sometimes as a nonbinary queer Asian person, I feel aware of the identities I hold that are in the minority. Experiencing COVID-19 put into perspective the privileges that I have taken for granted. I played a lot of Fortnite and worked many hours Door-dashing during lockdown.

Pricing:

• I take headshots sometimes. $50 for a 30-minute session and three retouched images.
• I set the rest of my freelance pricing based on the needs of each specific client.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mollywhiting7.wixsite.com/mollywhiting
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyswhiting/
• Youtube: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitingmolly/

Image Credits
Molly Whiting