Wondering how to become a Videographer? Using his skills in business and finance, he launched 2Bridges in 2016 with the goal of providing creative video solutions for NYC businesses. Since then he has provided video services and solutions to local businesses, as well as large organizations, like Pace, Klarna, Bloomberg, Amazon, Qatar Airways, and FCWC/NYSERDA.
Because of his extensive business background and passion for film, he has the ability to lead film crews to execute on any video project, stay on budget and produce quality videos that provide ROI to all his clients. He believes in safe, COVID compliant sets. Connect on LinkedIn.
How was your university time?
I went to Fordham University, a school in New York City. I majored in Finance and Economics. One of the important things in my university experience was my involvement in many activities. I felt it prudent to try new things and expand my base knowledge of things. We’re all taught to “think outside the box” but business in general likes to put you in a box. So I felt I needed to push myself by constantly pushing myself out of my comfort zone.
Why did you choose a career in Videography?
I discovered my affinity towards creative things when I studied for my MBA at IESE in Barcelona. At the time, I spent as much time writing scripts as studying for my MBA. I discovered my creative itch. However, I didn’t know what to do with it at the time and I had student loans to pay. Plus, I graduated during 2008 at the height of the financial crisis.
I wanted to stay in business and finance, until I learned how to build a business around my creative skills.
I eventually learned digital marketing and SEO. This led to developing my website and developing an online marketing process to acquire leads. I used this to build up my local video production company.
I went full time with video production a year ago. I like being my own boss and also doing things that are more creative. I just get more enjoyment from what I do.
What jobs prepared you to where you are today?
I worked at a startup a few years back. When you work in a startup, you have to wear many hats. In other words, you have to develop various skills even if it’s not your main job. I had a traditional finance job at the startup, but I was in constant contact with the marketing team. I learned how they did things. I used what I learned to build my own website and to grow my local video production company.
Moreover, I was surrounded by many entrepreneurial people. By being around other entrepreneurs, it pushes you to go ahead with your idea. I spent many years being comfortable in a finance job because it was easy and paid well. But by being around other ambitious, entrepreneurial people, it spurred me to stop “settling” and push myself to start a business.
Can you provide some book recommendations?
I’m not big on non-fiction so I’ll recommend the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
It’s not a traditional business book about motivation and management, but it actually is. The story is about a fellowship of adventurers with complementary skills who come together for a single purpose. You have Gandalf the wise wizard, Legolas the archer, Gimli the strong Dwarf warrior, and the Hobbits who had a strong immunity to the ring. The story is about how each member contributed in their own way to achieve a single purpose – to defeat the evil Lord Sauron.
On the surface, it’s not a business book. But business is about finding complementary pieces for a single purpose or goal. The Lord of the Rings story emphasizes this and shows you how important it is to have the right person for the right job. Who else could have carried the ring other than Frodo?
This is why I prefer fiction over non-fiction. They say a good metaphor can teach you better than a lecture about a certain subject. And this is what many fiction stories are — metaphors about life.
How do I keep myself updated?
The video production industry is constantly changing. There are numerous advances to video technology. Also, there are trends that you need to pick up right away.
For example, the Covid crisis brought about the rise of livestreaming versus in-person conferences. I needed to adapt my strategy so I could offer livestreaming to potential clients. Moreover, more and more video shoots required Covid protocols, like hiring a Covid Compliance Officer (CCO). I needed to learn these protocols and allocate budget for the CCO to stay Covid compliant.
I stay updated by networking with other video production professionals. Also, my contemporaries hang around the same social media groups. By being an active listener, you can pick up what’s happening in the video and film industry.
Any advice about CVs?
If you are relatively new to any industry, keep your resume one page.
Use powerful verbs and show more examples. Instead of writing “Great manager of people,” write “Led two focus groups to launch an initiative that saved the company $$ amount of dollars.”
If you have more than 5+ years of experience, don’t be afraid of having 2 pages for your resume. It’s expected you have done more in your field so your body of work should show it.
Lessons from your experience that help with your decision making.
I had one defining moment in 2019 that made up my mind about my entrepreneurial journey.
At the time, I was still working in finance full time and doing video production on the side. However, 2019 started strong for me as my years of digital marketing started to pay off.
I didn’t want to completely let go of my finance role because it was easy, stable and paid well. However, the video production was starting to ramp up.
I received an offer to produce a proposal for a multi-million dollar, indie movie. I’ve never done anything like that before. I was even surprised when the initial proposal was approved by the investors.
However, after further due diligence, I made a small error in my proposal and the investors backed out of the deal. At the time, I was still working full time in finance, while running my video production company on the weekends.
It was getting stressful managing both things at the same time. This contributed to my lack of focus on the film proposal.
I then realized if I wanted to make movies for a living… I had to make a choice. Five months later I left my finance position and did video production full time.
Key lesson learned — If you want to do something right, you have to give 100% focus on it.
Also read How Joe Burridge Got A Job In The Video Games Industry (ELECTRONIC ARTS)
