Making ¡¥The List¡¦
8/10/2009 22:34:25 | other
I¡¦m in the business of telling other people¡¦s stories, whether it be capturing the special moments of a happy couple¡¦s wedding day or making a corporate video, so when it comes to telling my own, it feels a little¡K unusual, to say the least.
Hollie Allman, Editor of The List, contacted me recently with an idea for a feature she wanted to write in her magazine on local entrepreneurs. I was honoured to have been shortlisted as a candidate for the article¡K and then I realized that I would have to talk about myself.
Luckily, I¡¦d started writing this blog, which gave me a head start and helped me get my thoughts together. Hollie had sent a detailed guideline of how she had envisioned the article, styling it in the form of a diary, and included some pointers as to what to include in each section. Ironically, it turns out that the most challenging part of this experience was providing a photo of myself!
I¡¦d like to thank Hollie at The List for her patience and support. If you¡¦d like to read all about Johnny Productions¡¦ humble beginnings, check out the new issue of The List, out in stores now!
Success Story
Johnny started his company "Johnny Productions" in 2005 and the business has gone from strength to strength. Here is the diary of how he made it to where he is now.
The Training
November 2004
I studied Architecture at university and when I graduated I found myself a stable job with a good salary, but after a while I realised I wasn't getting the job satisfaction I needed. Having previously done some part-time videography work for which I had received positive feedback, I
decided to take it on full-time.
The Preparation
December 2004
I began work as a freelance videographer, which allowed me to gain invaluable experience as well as a number of good contacts. I would say that these are two of the most important assets when setting up an independent business and they definitely increase its chances of survival. A short time later I felt confident enough to start Johnny Productions as a small, independent company with the main objective to provide a unique service for wedding videography.
The Company Launch
January 2005
Johnny Productions was fortunate that whilst it was still in its early stages, I was able to budget enough to rent a small office to see clients and also rent studios whenever I needed somewhere to shoot. Much of my budget was spent on equipment such as cameras and computers
and the initial set up of the company is still by far my biggest expense. Investing in good quality equipment together with faith in my ideas and abilities, have played a huge part in turning Johnny Productions into a profitable business.
A Helping Hand
September 2005
Susan joined the company whilst we were still a fledgling company and successfully brought her own creative talent to the business. Originally a musician with a university teaching post, Susan decided to give up her profession to become the company photographer. Her artistic flair and individual style is highly appealing to our clientele and she continues to make a major contribution to the success of our company.
A Minor Setback
December 2005
The introduction of digital photography and its growing popularity has had a detrimental effect on our business, with more competitors for fewer clients. Our main selling point and a reason clients choose us over our competition is that we tailor-make every video, every photograph to each individual client, be it a couple on their wedding day or an in-house corporate video, catering to the specific styles and wishes of our clients to produce a unique end result. This means that we may take a little longer over an assignment where a digital photographer can offer a faster service.
New Staff
January 2006
Luckily we managed to overcome the digital photography boom and the company began to expand. We had to hire several more photographers and videographers to cope with the workload. Initially, we did all of our photography on site; now we have our own fully-equipped studio with which to bring our clients. As our business has grown, so have our ideas and I believe this has been reflected in the quality of our product. We also developed a post-production team who are based in the
studio and a make-up/hair artist on hand to advise our clients.
A Growing Business
February 2007
We started to expand our portfolio from just the wedding market to include many other areas of photography and videography such as corporate videos, family portraits and commercial photography.
The Big Break
July 2008
Any job that we receive has its challenges, but one of our most memorable assignments was the honour of being asked to be the official photographer for the former President of the United States, Mr George Bush Senior. Susan, who was assigned to the, received little information
beyond a request to bring her passport and ID card to a designated place! Unable to bring an assistant, the first great challenge was dealing with all the logistics of a photoshoot by herself, from setting up the lighting to organising groups of up to 150 guests, amongst whom
were the CEOs of many large corporations. Each morning brought a fresh challenge as Susan would receive the day's agenda and have very little time with which to plan her schedule. It all became worthwhile when the job was completed and Mr Bush personally invited her up onto the stage
for a picture. Due to the success of that assignment, we have since had numerous job offers from several American companies looking for a photographer to document their meetings in Hong Kong.
The Next Step
January 2009
Our newest service is an expansion to working overseas, particularly for pre-wedding portrait work in countries from Japan to Prague. Every trip we take brings a new experience and every client that we work with provides us with inspiration that allows us to create new ideas and
broaden our horizons. Our main goal has been and always will be to create something distinctive that will last in the hearts of our clients forever. I believe it is our attention to detail, our quest for perfection and our hard work that allows Johnny Productions continued success. I feel so lucky to have been able to accomplish my dream.
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