Grow Your Video Business 149: Why Right Now Is The Best Time To Start w/ Les Gaddis
Are you waiting for the perfect time to start your filmmaking career? I hate to break it to you, but there will never be a perfect time. Right now is the next best thing and today’s guest is going to explain why and how to get into the game, even if you feel that you’re not ready.
Les Gaddis is a Texas-based cinematographer, blogger, and podcaster. He runs Gaddis Visuals, a production company that offers a full array of services, including concepting, scriptwriting, storyboarding, filming, motion graphics, and editing. He strongly feels that helping other filmmakers grow and learn adds value to everyone in this business.
Les shares his lifetime of experience in the world of film. He’s changed a lot since he started out helping his family make videos as a child. Now, as a business owner, Les shares how he built the confidence to take the risks necessary to make it big. As a jack of all trades, we talk about how Les decides when he can do a task himself, and when he feels it’s better to delegate it out.
For any aspiring filmmakers who haven’t started their video career yet, Les drops some great advice: just get started. Use your current job, if you have one, to bankroll your filmmaking and get out there and do it! Start making something and start sharing it.
Even if you don’t have any clients yet, there is work to do. Les’ advice is to start constructing your brand and working on your reel right away. With that, you’ll be better positioned to attract the type of clients that you’re looking for.
What can you do today to build your brand even if you don’t have any clients? Leave a comment on the episode page!
In this episode- Knowing when to outsource and delegate and when to do the work yourself
- Staying motivated when work is scarce
- The importance of starting your career even if you don’t feel ready yet
- Creating for yourself versus creating for the world
- What it takes to build a lasting business from the start
Quotes
“Whenever there’s slow times or I’m wondering what I’m going to do with my life, I instantly just go to creative mode.” [18:14]
“The best filmmakers are the ones where you can see their life experiences in their films.” [20:27]
“The end goal of having a complete video is just not enough anymore…. You have to have some type of distribution plan that makes sense for either your brand or the company’s brand.” [36:24]
“Even while you’re building a reel or doing video work, set yourself up brand-wise. Put your content out there in a way that’s smart.” [41:47]
LinksFollow Les on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Vimeo | YouTube
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