UpMG • Rebel Jones – (CD • Business Affiliate)
Monique “Rebel” Jones and I attended the same high school, separated by just one graduating year. Though we shared teachers, mentors, and creative inspirations, we never crossed paths. Seven years after I graduated, we finally met—on the set of a film pilot produced by one of our former teachers. Rebel’s infant daughter starred in the project, and by the end of the day, we’d exchanged contact info, sparking a partnership that has grown ever since. Within a year, Rebel invited me to collaborate on the second season of Vicrina Aberdeen’s Vicrina-En-Vogue fashion web series, marking the start of our creative journey. From Living in the Process interviews to brand consultation for Rebel’s candle business, Solar Rituals, we’ve developed a portfolio of projects that fuse storytelling, media production, and artistic synergy. Rebel is multifaceted—creative director, author and poet, candle artisan, moderator and host, performer, and mother. Through Upbound Media Group LLC—via Upbound Solutions, Content & Moments—I’ve supported Rebel’s ventures with media consultation, event capture, post-production, and social media strategy.
Date
January 2025
Service
Upbound Solutions
Project
Kleechi x Cohen - LITP Web Series
Location
Brooklyn, NY, US
Aim
Produce and publish the Kleechi x Cohen February 2025 LITP Web Episode
Audit
Pre-Production Flow Norm; Run of Day Alignment
Act
Record, Edit, Publish, & Promote the Web Show's early February release
Project Backstory | Working with Rebel Jones over the last seven years has been an absolute pleasure. At the start of our seventh year, we collaborated on a red-carpet event with Kadayalee W., founder and designer of Kleechi—a new eyewear brand that celebrated the arrival of 2024 with style. Just two weeks into 2025, Rebel and I reconvened to film a street segment for Living in the Process, her web series that spotlights entrepreneurs, creatives, and influencers navigating their unique paths to success.
What We Did | The day was cold—hovering around 30°F (1–2°C)—but the energy kept us moving. I tested a new AI-powered gimbal for the first time, but the AI functionality posed some unexpected challenges. Even so, we captured stunning visuals and meaningful perspectives from Kadayalee about her eyewear brand. She shared how her designs made it onto Cohen’s Optical shelves in Brooklyn, a milestone that perfectly embodies the process-to-progress spirit of the series. Without giving too much away, Kadayalee’s personal journey with optical health played a vital role in her mission to make prescription eyewear more accessible to others. Be sure to check out Rebel’s production to hear her full story. Here’s to an eighth year of collaborative work with Rebel Jones—creating, commissioning, and championing stories of resilience, creativity, and innovation.
The Framework | Aim • Audit • Act
Kleechi is a luxury eyeglasses brand, now offering prescriptions filled at the Brooklyn Cohen Optical location, 1710 Pitkin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11212, or unprescribed pairs online at https://kleechi.com/.
Date
April 2024
Service
Upbound Moments
Project
Gira's 4th Solar Return
Location
New York, NY, US
Aim
Capture photographs of Gira's 4th birthday
Audit
Implement pre-arragned photo-documentary protcols. Quiet But Warm Presence
Act
Coordinate with attending families; Encourage moments of recreation for candid capture
Project Backstory | Rebel hosted a warm, lively birthday celebration for her daughter, surrounded by friends, neighbors, and family. As a multitasking mother and creative, she moved fluidly between roles throughout the day. To support the event’s rhythm and reduce pressure, I stepped in quietly to manage logistics and media capture. The visuals we produced together preserve the spirit of the day—candid, joyful, and worth revisiting for years to come.
The Framework | Aim • Audit • Act
Upbound Moments is available for youth birthday celebrations, with early bird booking starting at $499 in limited quantity. Contact moments@upbound.media for more information.
Date
December 2023
Service
Upbound Content
Project
2023 Kleechi NYE Red Carpet
Location
Brooklyn, NY, US
Aim
Capture and deliver promos for the creative vision of "2023 Kleechi Red Carpet"
Audit
Implement pre-arranged photo-documentary protocols. Quiet But Warm Presence
Act
Master & deliver promotional materials in celebration of event in early January 2024
Project Backstory | There was no set plan, but Rebel and I followed our familiar protocols, knowing how each other works. We left the CEO’s place less than two hours before midnight. On New Year’s Eve, the surge in cell traffic wreaked havoc on my wireless mics—interference everywhere. As we pulled up, I jumped out of the car, slapped a wired mic onto my rig, sprinted across the street, and hit record. For the rest of the night, Rebel and I worked in seamless sync—she managed creative flow and talent direction, while I captured it all in real time. What unfolded from our impromptu arrival was an elegant, improvised entrance and event coverage born of mutual trust, quick pivots, and experience.
Kadayalee Washington, CEO & Designer, set the standard of the night herself. An industrious entrepreneur, she already has her luxury eyewear available for prescription purchase at Cohen Optical, 1710 Pitkin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11212. She was the entrepreneur; her team brought the rest of the event to life! Follow @officialkleechi on Instagram and Threads.
The Framework | Aim • Audit • Act
Upbound Content is available for booking social media event coverage starting at $1,199, including creative and technical direction. Contact content@upbound.media for more information.
Date
September 2022—ongoing
Service
Upobound Solutions
Project
Rebel Jones - In Her Words
Location
New York, NY, US
Aim
Capture Rebel Jones promotional content of poetry art
Audit
Review 'fly-on-the-wall' protocol when photographing in establishments
Act
Record and master various poetry sessions for later publications
Project Backstory | Rebel and I entered a content creation flurry starting in September 2022. During this period, we committed to intentional sessions for promotional material. On a particularly mild February day, Rebel invited me to step in and out of establishments to capture content. In the earliest stages of penning her current poetry novel, Nude as F***, Rebel offered several sessions of ad-libbed flowetry—poems articulated as stream-of-consciousness.
What We Did | We recorded multiple flowetry sessions, including portrait-trail portraiture and promotional stills. Additionally, we captured behind-the-scenes and B-roll footage for incorporation into self-promotional evergreen content.
The Framework | Aim • Audit • Act
This project was part of a broader retained media initiative. Upbound Solutions offers long-term content services and brand organizational consultation. Solutions packages start at $1,999 USD with a three-month minimum agreement and optional retainer rates. Bespoke solution packages are also available, with discounts for retained clients and upfront payment options. Contact solutions@upbound.media for more information.
Date
Februrary 2020
Service
Project
Location
New York, NY, US
Aim
Audit
Act
Project Backstory | In February 2020, Rebel inquired with me to capture promotional photography for her business, Triple R Productions. Having previously supported the 2019 Living in the Process web series releases, I was happy to collaborate again. We coordinated standard logistics for a multi-location shoot, starting at the Barclays Center and continuing through Crown Heights and Williamsburg.
What We Did | Each location reflected Rebel’s deep connection to her Brooklyn roots. The most special moment came after she and her father completed their joint portraits—when a group of young people in front of her childhood library struck up a conversation. True to her spirited nature, she delivered an impromptu speech about staying true to oneself while embracing education through public spaces of erudition.
The Framework | Aim • Audit • Act
Upbound Content is available for social media event coverage starting at $1,199, including creative and technical direction. Contact content@upbound.media for more information.
Get in Touch by 📨 or ☎️
Let me support your creative ends, or join in mine. Reach out by email (donald@upbund.media) or text (+1-347-762-9075), and phone/virtual conferences can be scheduled thereafter 🗓️ (please leave a voice message for all unscheduled cold calls).
