We're joined by filmmaker and mentor, Jackson Kingsley. Jackson has worked on a vast variety of high end projects, both documentary and commercial, for major clients such as National Geographic, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, Air BnB, Bacardi, and much more. Jackson is also a mentor for freelance videographers looking to expand their business in every area, finding clients, charging, building networks, and more with his course Video Business Mastery.
Check out Jackson's Course Video Business Mastery (discounted link)
Matt Johnson's Wedding Film Framework Course
We're joined by filmmaker and mentor, Jackson Kingsley. Jackson has worked on a vast variety of high end projects, both documentary and commercial, for major clients such as National Geographic, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, Air BnB, Bacardi, and much more. Jackson is also a mentor for freelance videographers looking to expand their business in every area, finding clients, charging, building networks, and more with his course Video Business Mastery.
Check out Jackson's Course Video Business Mastery (discounted link)
Matt Johnson's Wedding Film Framework Course
spk_0: 0:00
on this episode of The Eye Filmmaker podcast five Things I Wish I Had Known Before, Starting a video production company. Welcome back to another episode of the Eye filmmaker podcast. My Name's Aerial. Martinez. Glad you guys can join us on this episode. We have Jackson Kings. Leon had a great conversation with him. Jackson Kingsley is a documentary filmmaker. Very, very talented individual. He's from the UK, so he's working with local and international brands such as Animal Planet, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Red Bull, BBC and He's also won some awards for his films. So, needless to say, the guy is talented, he knows what he's doing. Eso were ableto sit down with him and have a nice conversation, and he shares the five things that he wish he had known before starting a video production company. Now this was extremely exciting for me because I was very interested in what someone of his stature and his talent had to say about that and deaf. I definitely learned, ah, a few things on this episode, and I know that you guys will, too, so I want to get to that in just a second. Just I want to let you guys know that this this episode was not live on YouTube just because he is that he was actually in Portugal when, ah, when we recorded it. And it was an unstable Internet connection. And I didn't wanna have to go alive and then cut and want nine deal with all that eso We just decided to record it separately and kind of put it out. But that doesn't mean you can still see the video, the video still going to be available. We just simply recorded it separately. That'll be up on YouTube is well over on the iPhone maker YouTube Page. And I want to also let you know that Jackson Kingsley is not on Lee, a, uh, extremely talented into documentary filmmaker that gets fantastic clients and fantastic work. He is also an educator. He also has his own course on business mastery. So that's the name of the course, but is basically showing and kind of revealing all of hiss secrets on how he was able to build his business, how he was able to scale his business, what he was able to charge and getting all the clients. And he has an entire course put together on everything he did to kind of get to where he's at now. So that's a pretty amazing, amazing thing that he had put that together. You can find his course. I'm putting a link to that course on the show notes for this episode now. Disclaimer. I am getting a commission for this. So I did ask, um Jackson to give me a link for you guys, and this is actually a You're getting a better price. I'm specifically for my listeners so but either way it's it's worth it to click the link because it will take you to, like, a 40 minute Webinar where he is showing just Aton Aton of information. And I was ableto sit down through that and it was just so valuable. So even if you don't purchase his course, it's valuable just to go and check that out. Um and you know, at the end he'll he'll kind of show you the whole value of everything, but he just gives you a thana a ton of information through that webinar. So I would recommend that you do it, but yeah, In addition to that, I do get a commission. And it does help me as well and at no extra cost for you as actually cheaper for you guys when you use that link. So I'm gonna have the link to that on the show notes for this episode. It should be linked right there. If you're on iTunes on Spotify. Any other platform that you're listening to this you should see the link right there. Or you could just go toe i filmmaker podcast dot com Click on the link for this episode, and you'll have the link for that there as well. I think that covers all of the introductions. And ah, So here is my conversation with Jackson Kingsley, Jackson, Kinsey. Thank you so much for coming on the iPhone maker podcast. I know that you're super busy and these air crazy times right now, but I appreciate you taking the time to coming on and and sharing some knowledge with us.
spk_1: 4:38
Thanks. Manner. I appreciate you inviting. May be
spk_0: 4:42
so I guess we can just get started with your background where you're from and I guess your your background how you got started in the industry of video production.
spk_1: 4:53
Yeah, sure. Well, I'm originally from the UK, but I'm actually stuck out in Portugal a moment because of the coronavirus. Let's give a little back story about me. I started in film and TV production about 10 years ago, originally as a camera system, and then I started my own business. So what is a shooting producer director for a long time? I what with Animal Planet on decently. For a few years ago, I got a documentary with National Geographic and then most recently have been working on a production with a friend of mine who's trying to break the world speed record on a snowboard. But that's that's sort of been put on hold with the whole Corona situation. Alongside all of that. I also teach Andi. I run a course called Video Business Mastery. So I think you got in touch because you saw my most recent video on YouTube on been trying to share awareness and help people help other video creators with setting up and running their businesses, and in particular with the challenges of landing clients and charging higher rates.
spk_0: 5:59
That's always ah, and invited talent toe learn. Everyone wants to know how toe get more clients get better clients make more money. Doing so, um, but yeah, you're right. I saw your video on five things I wish I had known before. Starting my video production business. Um, founded. Very interesting. Very interesting that I don't want to talk about today. Um, so I guess for those that are starting off and even, you know, I I think I feel like it applies to even though that I've already started and might need to kind of do some sort of u turn or maybe curve their model a little bit, reconstruct their entire method or approach. Um, I guess let's start with number one. Um What? What is the first thing that you wish you had known? Sure,
spk_1: 6:54
yes. So the first thing that I've ever brought up with that you can't differentiate set. You can't differentiate yourself simply by creating great looking content. I believe that was the 1st 1 Yes, on duh. I do believe that a lot of video creators a lot of people get into video production because they love creating. They love the visual side of it and the aesthetics. Andi, as a result, with now in a situation where there's a really oversaturated market of people who are producing great looking content. But as a business, that's not the That's not the way to differentiate yourself anymore. So what I what I'm getting out in the video is that results are the way to differentiate. So you're going to say some?
spk_0: 7:36
Yeah. Yeah, that I feel like when I first heard that one, that one was a big bomb. You started the video off very strong because it's almost a bummer, because and And I've said this before, All right. You know, one of the problems that we had back in the day was that to get access to professional grade video production equipment, you have to be either funded by Hollywood or just have to be some sort of millionaire to be able to afford that kind of stuff. Now we have that kind of technology, even in our pockets, right? Yeah. You can get great looking content with just about and I talk about a lot about video, the quality of these new cameras that are coming out. I'm a big gearhead. Eso I talk a lot about video, um, quality and whatnot lends his lights audio, etcetera, but now that's like, that's that's super normal. That's like it's like you say it's It's already expected if you if everyone if you buy a $500 even my A 63 100 that I don't even use anymore. It is really my Webcam now, but I can still go out and make great looking content with that camera. So if you can expand a little bit with what you mean by, um, results, right, so it's not the quality. It's the results.
spk_1: 9:00
Sure. So when we when we talk about the creative, we're talking about things like image quality resolution, maybe like bit depth, more advanced things like that on those kind of things that are going to go over the top of a client's head. Onda. Ultimately, you want to be steering the conversation war towards tangible business results. Things like return on investment, revenue and profit. And that's the language off business owners. These are the things that the businesses that you want Teoh Landis clients, that that's the kind of language that they understand best. One
spk_0: 9:37
of the key at that. I'm sorry. I thought you were done. Go ahead.
spk_1: 9:41
I was just gonna add that one of the one of the key things is that video is an incredibly powerful tool. Andi, Not just not just visually, but in terms of what it can do for businesses and the way it can change people's minds and build a brand. It can destroy a brand. It has so much potential, Andi, by using the right language with clients and by focusing on results you can you can tap into that.
spk_0: 10:08
That is, I mean, it's so true and even us as as filmmakers and videographers, we expect the same results as well. I mean, we want to have those conversations that involve really making more money, right? Like it doesn't It really doesn't matter how you make it. You just need to make that money. Um, and you know, sometimes we think that the quality is all that matters. I for sure have thought like that in the past. Um, but yeah, it's really the results and, you know, to go even a step further. Personally, I think the results are you know, it comes with a great story that is told through that video that you make Ah, but that's like gets a little more specific. That gets a little more specific with the ah, with the actual production of it. So that's great. That's Ah, the first thing you wish you had known anymore to that are good.
spk_1: 11:03
Yeah. I mean, I think everyone can assed video creators we can we can all relate to this time from We've seen people who were producing exceptional quality work, but they're just not making any money from it. Or there are people who are producing, you know, stuff shot on an iPhone that they're charging 10 2030 grand upwards for. But it's because they're positioning themselves as a as a video specialist, someone who can work on strategy and results for the client. So there's a big difference between the two.
spk_0: 11:36
Yeah, I've seen some huge numbers come out of people that are producing stuff on phones on, and I'm talking more specifically like instagram stuff. People that are just making a killing on social media only, um, where brands and companies want to get behind that. So that's Ah, that's very eye opening. Yeah, very eye opening. Um, So what's number two?
spk_1: 12:00
Yeah, number two. I believe that was that. You need to be speaking to business owners. Every day on this is this is an interesting one because now we're in the current climate clump. This is an interesting one because now we're in the current climate with Corona virus. Andi, The natural tendency is the kind of withdraw Andi. It feels very easy. Just Teoh not be speaking to clients to sit back and wait for everything to pass. Andi, I think that that's kind of that's very much the wrong approach, more so than ever. Right now, we need to be taking the opportunity to talk to as many of our clients as possible so that we keep building report all good businesses of built on good relationships. I think that would be the number one sort of piece of advice that I like toe trying and still in people is that the quality of a business is determined by the quality of its relationships. Wow.
spk_0: 12:59
Do you have any, I guess, tips on how to approach clients in a more productive manner. Um, I guess what? How do you kind of approach clients? How do you send out that initial email to let your clients know that you're thinking about them that, you know, we're still in business, you know, whatever it is, kind of remind them that you're still there.
spk_1: 13:25
Yeah, of course. Yeah, that that is That's one of the big challenges that people face. But I would I would say that the best relationships are like relationships of your friends. Andi. A lot of the best clients that I've had over the years. I pretty much consider friends. So one of the things would be that rather than emailing them attend to pick up the phone and start a conversation that way just feels a lot more. A lot more human. I feel like they get more out of it on. Do you condone work on building the trust and report with his clients on your just staying fresh in their mind? You know, you're positioning yourself is through the go to the go to person the go to expert. So whenever they need video advice because you've been on the phone to them recently, they know that you're there for them.
spk_0: 14:11
That's super interesting. That's good. And how did you come to that realization? Like, were you always in the habit of speaking to your clients. Where did that come from? Yeah, so it's been a
spk_1: 14:25
bit of a journey in that sense. When when I first started out, I was really focused on on on on the quality and the creation of Good Content, Onda. As a result, I really had my head deep in the in the business. In the creative side of it, Andi, I consider myself a bit of an introvert, so I didn't make the effort to go and speak to clients every day as I should have been. Instead, what I did when I first started my business was was a hard A sales person, Andi, that that really helped that help gain some traction and build up a portfolio to begin with. But I wasn't practising those important people skills and building those relationships that I needed Teoh in order for the business to really grow. So there was a time, a few years into my business when I got a mentor, Andi. He really taught me the importance of having that connection with the with the customer with the client. So I've tried base Andi, I can I can say now that really look, it's the one thing that's really enabled my business to grow is being there to talk to the clients and help them and keep that connection alive.
spk_0: 15:39
Wow. And so this next one, this is that That's two already. This next one, I feel like it's it could be subjective. Uh, but it's ah, do your best creative work first thing in the morning, right? Um, I think some people are more like myself. I think I do more working at night because it takes me a little water wake up. But can you go into a little bit into that one? And I think the concept is true, though I do think that the concept is true. If you could go ahead and explain that one.
spk_1: 16:11
Yeah, I think that that's the key is to focus on the concept. Some people are morning people. Some people, night feet, night people. Yeah, Andi, like I get asked a lot about time management and good ways to organize a day. And how can you be most productive, Andi, For me, it's just being the realization that I just get all my productive work done first thing in the morning. So getting up at 56 AM working so sort of three toe, five hours straight on one creative task without any distractions has just been so helpful. The time after, say, 9:10 a.m. you're just gonna be inundated with emails and phone calls and all sorts of distractions. And it's so easy just to go day after day without giving the time you need to those tasks that you know a really important. But you kind of they're not urgent, important, that long term important, but no immediately important on those the task that really gonna help you grow your business. So I think if you consent time aside, whether that's first thing in the morning or for you, you know, last thing at night, then then he's just really make sure that you get the important stuff done.
spk_0: 17:19
Okay, so I guess that one supposed to be time management then. Yeah,
spk_1: 17:24
well, I think for me, like I said, it's It's in the morning where I'm most effective. Okay? A lot of people say that their most effective in the evening, but I give give him a nudge to say Give it a try in the morning. I think I think it makes a difference. I consider myself a bit of a night owl as well. But by, uh, by waking up on, do not having any other distractions just being completely fresh, I think that's when I get my most productive work done. I place a bet that most people would as well,
spk_0: 18:00
When you say most productive, do you mean creatively or do you mean ah administration wise?
spk_1: 18:06
Definitely. Creatively. Yeah, I feel like a lot of a lot of the administration work in a business congee done pretty much any time of the day. I mean, I mean, it's easier done when other businesses are awake. If it's phone calls and emails and things eso obviously that kind of night 9 to 5 period works pretty well for that kind of stuff. But the creative tasks are much better when you don't have those distractions.
spk_0: 18:32
Yeah, I mean, that is very true one rule that I try to uphold, even though I'm bringing it right now. But one world that I try to uphold is not having my phone with me while I'm tryingto work because I think social media, whether it's YouTube or instagram, is such a vortex and it'll suck you in. And before you know, you just spent two hours throughout the whole day. Ah, just going in on social media and kind of not even being productive on social media. Because I do post a lot on social media for, you know, I guess for work, sometimes for this podcast and whatnot, but sometimes just browsing, browsing around. Ah, but, ah, that that is so true having those distractions, Um, I can definitely relate to the part where you said that, you know, the little things that you think are not important in the short term, Like answering emails are actually very important in the long run. And that might relate to your second point to the second thing you wish you had known. Which is, ah, that communication and talking to having business communication with your clients and whatnot. I think that's very true. And very, very helpful. Um, so, yeah, I mean, I guess I can definitely give it a try trying to be creative in the morning. It's just what you've got.
spk_1: 19:59
You You've got your podcast. I mean, you've clearly got a good sense of of time management. You're doing something right to be able Teoh to fit that into a day as well. So that's good.
spk_0: 20:10
Yeah, it definitely gets me out of my comfort zone. And that's actually very true. Even for your second point talking to people, you mentioned that you're an introvert, right? They have to get you out of your comfort zone to proactively approach your clients and talk to the because it doesn't make you comfortable. And I think that that's true with any aspect of business, right? Yeah. If you stay in your comfort zone, you're gonna be comfortable. But you're gonna stay comfortable. I think that, you know, when you make sacrifices,
spk_1: 20:41
I think not. Just not just for business, but I think for personal growth and as a general general rule for life. If you push yourself outside your comfort zone every day, if you do one thing, then I think that just leads the feeling more fulfilled. And, like you challenged yourself and you put yourself more, I think I think it's good around.
spk_0: 20:58
That's good. That's fantastic. So let's go ahead and move on to number four, which I have here as higher your weaknesses.
spk_1: 21:07
Yes. Yeah, it's a big one. Yeah, I mentioned before that I hired a sales person early on in my my business career. Andi, I realized very quickly, as I said, a bit of an introvert that doing the sales side of the business wasn't something that came naturally to May Andi, particularly the cold outreach. Speaking to someone who had never spoken to before. Andi, uh, talking about myself is something that never came naturally on DSO. For me, the way to get around that to begin with was to hire someone who could do that. Andi. It made a huge difference. Just even if you are good with people on dure comfortable doing the cold outreach, I think it's safe to say that you don't have unlimited hours in the day. So there are a lot of benefits toe hiring and filling in your weaknesses. But I think more so than anything is to be able to manage your time more effectively and to be ableto Teoh, avoid those really time intensive tasks. So the second person that I employed and to fill in my my other weakness was was an editor, Andi. I'm sure most video creators can relate how time consuming editing is and how much of a challenge that ends up being even even if you enjoy it. I mean, what about you?
spk_0: 22:29
Oh, yeah, Yeah, I know my editing takes so much time. I actually don't really do too much editing these days. Um, I think that on a subconscious level, I was really pushing toe on Lee be shooting a lot and doing cinematography and And what not? And as a result, I'm just about all of my jobs are these days it's only shooting and giving the footage to my clients. Um, and I personally enjoy it because there's not there. There isn't that post production stress. And I could just fill up my schedule with only shooting gigs and just deliver footage the entire time. Not to say that I can't edit or not to say that I'm not willing to edit, but I I don't know. I just I don't think that I mean, I haven't purposely kind of conveyed that message, though to my clients is just most of my clients that come are just really needing a lot of, you know, footage, I guess, and you know, they need the the you know the FS seven camera. They need to shoot or whatever camera. I can go rent it. Um, they need kind of, ah, someone that can do it all, I guess in the in production, because that's usually how I sell myself as a one man band. I'm not typically hiring an audio guy or a gaffer. What? Not I could and I have. But most of the time I'm on my own or with a p a that I'm with. Um, yeah, I mean, that's that's my own. I kind of like that method. Uh, I don't like that method where there isn't that much post, and I don't have toe. Ah, worry about that too much. Um, where I can come back after a long day of shooting and just relax. Yeah, I Maybe after I back up the footage. Ah, have. So that brings me to a question that I'm pretty sure a lot of people are probably gonna ask. How How did you go about hiring? I mean, if I could hire somebody today, I would you know. Um did you did you have capital to start off? Did you have some sort of commission based higher that, you know, for every seal that they made on a project, they get a certain percentage. Um, how did that come about?
spk_1: 24:49
It was a bit of a mixture of everything to begin with, So really? Okay, I I didn't pay myself or I paid myself as a little as I possibly could in the early days of my business. And almost everything went to my sales person Teoh to motivate him and get things moving. And then there was also a commission structure on top of that, so it was very difficult to begin with. Andi hiring people is is a challenge, but I was lucky in the beginning in the i news and people who were very good at sales. Andi. So if you know anyone in your close networks, that's always the first place to try. You know, whether you're looking to hire someone or whether you what you're looking for clients, I think people always overlook how valuable their personal networks, and then the contacts that they have already can be.
spk_0: 25:39
So when you hired somebody, they have toe have obviously a background in sales. But did they also have to know the industry your industry.
spk_1: 25:50
So the ever for the first person who I hired didn't have a didn't have much experience off the industry. So I've always had this had this sort of principle with hiring that it's more important that person is a good fit for the company rather than having the necessary skills. Because skills can always be tall but changing someone who they are inherently on, making them a good for the company that's near impossible. You gotta find someone who is a good fit, and then the schools. The skills can be taught.
spk_0: 26:24
That's good. That's good. Yeah. Um, I I feel like, uh, it's just it's a huge
spk_1: 26:30
benefit. If they have the schools already, obviously on duh. If they haven't understanding, then then it can put you miles ahead. But there's also a little flip side to that. There's a caveat, which is that sometimes, if people are very experienced in an industry already, they'll be quite set in their ways. So if you were to hire someone in the early stages of your business and you wanted to mold, um, Teoh work the way that you work and understand things in a similar way, then you may actually be better off hiring someone who's fairly fresh on new to your industry just because though they will be more Moldable, there'll be more adaptable. And Ellen
spk_0: 27:09
Yeah, that's that's definitely a good tip on that one. Because you don't want people kind of injecting their own method. That might not even be your method into their sales pitch. Right. And then you have a client that's expecting something that they're not going to get.
spk_1: 27:25
Yeah, can cause a lot of fresh in. And a company,
spk_0: 27:29
I bet. Um, So how did you go about the model I know had mentioned. Like you said it was a mixture of both were with regards to hiring this person. Um, did you set some sort of quota for them to meet right? Because I can't imagine to keep him employed if they're not making any sales.
spk_1: 27:52
Exactly. The KP eyes for a sales person. Key performance indicators are usually important. However, one of the lessons that I could pass on is that when I first started in my business, I set those KP eyes to go for quality. Sorry to go for quantity. Over. Quality on. That was a big mistake, particularly in video production in that way would churning. We're turning a lot of clients around. We were going for as many as we could on a on a monthly basis, but that meant our attention to detail, and the time that we spent with each client wasn't that good. Andi. Seven years later, I'd say that now my focus is couldn't be further on the opposite, which is a focusing entirely on quality. And I would much rather have three or four clients a year who meet my revenue quota, who give me really rewarding work that I enjoy, rather than having to deal with 2030 40 different clients just because of the amount of work that's involved in each and every one, I think I think one of the challenges of video production is that every project takes a fixed amount of time or a minimum amount of time, regardless of how well it's paid. So if the gig is paying $500 or it's paying $5000 there's still gonna be a set amount of work involved in the landing. The client doing the admin, the envoy saying, the shooting, the editing so the actual amount of time required from you for each project doesn't really variable that much. So I think that's a really good argument, Teoh. Focus on quality over quantity.
spk_0: 29:44
Yeah, E I mean, you got you got my mind thinking Now, um, would that depend on the nature of the work that is being requested? Um or I guess, for you I mean, unless it's all a documentary, right? Cause I can't imagine if it's heavy, heavy, heavy effects in that project. That kind of changes the tables a little bit,
spk_1: 30:09
right? Yeah, I think fit for you. A Z said it sounds like you're working as a shooting producer director of the moment. The all in one solution. Andi. I imagine you'll be wanting Teoh to get us many kicks as he can to keep you keep you busy day in, day out, but well, paying gigs. But right, right. I think the same principle still applies in the sense that you'd probably rather be dealing with only a small handful of clients who give you all of that work rather than 10 or 20 different clients where there's so much more time involved in the management and the oversight of the projects and all of that. There's a lot more that could go wrong.
spk_0: 30:48
Oh, yeah, definitely. I mean, look, if it was up to me, the first person that I would I mean, what I do is first person that I hire on any given giga za ph just to help me with all my gear. Ah, but then you know I'll probably get audio is the second, because I'll deal with the camera, and I don't have to worry about that. Let them handle that. Um um, And then after that, maybe lighting, right? Yeah, but no. Yeah, I definitely agree with that. That part because I could be getting so much more work than I currently do if I just dropped my prices. You know, um, if I was charging what I was charging when I first started, um, it's funny because I had a conversation with with, ah, with my parents that my parents actually run a business completely out of the production video production. They do taxes for truck drivers, which is very, very, very specific. Ah, but you know, they got a lot of business. They got a ton like hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of clients. But then, you know, they struggle a lot with these clients with bad attitudes and this and that, and some of them don't pay. Some of them do whatever. And I told him, like I told him, Do not you need to get rid of those clients that are just giving you a hard time? And they're they're not giving you your money's worth with regards to just giving you, um, with regards to work that you're doing, you know, like, spend the time and take care of your good clients that are paying you always on time, right? And to things are gonna happen. You're gonna make less money. I mean, I'm sorry you're gonna lose clients, but you're gonna have a lot more time to focus on your good clients. But then what? What that's going to do, though those good clients are gonna refer you to other good clients, right? Um, so, yeah, you might make less money in the beginning, but focusing on Onley good clients now, this might be it's kind of the same and different in this end because I think we're both working with businesses. Were not working with individuals, so but it kind of still applies. Right? So you have an our terms. We have less work, but we have good work.
spk_1: 33:09
Yeah, really? I think I think the way that I would I would approach it is the 80 20 rule that will also known as the Pareto principle, which is the but 80% of the results come from 20% off the input. In this case, it's the client. So most likely 20% of your clients of producing 80% of the work. Andi, the other 80% could probably be sort of moved out. The way I think room make room for higher quality clients that you know, ultimately enable you to grow your business.
spk_0: 33:40
That's good. That's good. So it brings us to the last your last point. What is the last thing? The fifth thing you wish you had known before you started?
spk_1: 33:51
Absolutely. The last one was Find out what's working on double or triple down on it. Andi, this really stems from I think my lack of focus in the early years of my business in that I was always starting one thing, and before I really finish it and make the most of it. I just move onto the next thing. Andi, I think this is something that a lot of people, a lot of creatives in particular, suffer from Onda. We just want to get as many projects going as possible. But when we stop and pause for a minute, Andi, really think about what's working within the business? We got an opportunity to say, Well, hang on a sec. So this is actually producing most of the results and you could apply that the 80 20 rule here. So you look at what 20% of things within your business is actually working well on double or triple down on that, rather than moving onto a new project and doing all the hard work will over again. So, for example, a lot of people are always trying to land new clients. But actually, you've done the hard work with a lot of your existing clients. So there's actually not all that much sense and going and landing new clients. When you convey be developing new projects and ideas with existing clients, you've done the legwork already. That makes sense.
spk_0: 35:08
Yeah, yeah, I mean, you've already build a relationship with that. I mean, exactly. Unless you hire somebody to started other projects, it started playing your other rules.
spk_1: 35:21
Yeah, well, exactly. I mean, that's another thing is you could be saying, for example, well, it's worked really well, hiring a sales person. So let's hire another one or the editor is doing particularly well on part time. So let's double triple downs on the editor making full time or hire another editor. Andi, your double tripling those results on the back end. So you then have more time to focus on the important things in the business. Andi, for example, One of the one huge benefits of getting an editor in is that by freeing up that the time you're you're not working so much in the business. But you can really begin working on the business, Andi. Then you can really start to think about things like, what can I double triple down on what's working? What's not? But that bat mindset to be in that position sort of requires you to have gone through that process of of finding out what's working, what's not in hiring and filling in your weaknesses and going through the steps.
spk_0: 36:23
It's a lot of trial and error. Seems like Can I help you figure that out on your own there? I I It would be rare to find the the the right formula at the beginning.
spk_1: 36:38
It can be It could be difficult to begin with if you don't have the guidance. And I think it's one of the things that I mentioned before that when I found my first mental really fast started fast tracking my results. Because when you're working with someone who has been there and done that, then you kind of gotta you gotta Cici, you've got someone you can say. Well, don't do this. Give this a try. If you go in this direction, you're going to get these results. And having that level of experience and guidance is is a great way toe skiffle, the trial and error.
spk_0: 37:11
Would you say that? And I never I know we've already mentioned all five of them, but would you meant would you say that finding some sort of mentor should be something that you do also?
spk_1: 37:22
Yeah. I don't want to go and directly plug my my course. And what what do you
spk_0: 37:26
do it? I was gonna plug it at the end anyways, but go ahead, appreciate.
spk_1: 37:30
But I do really strongly believe that having someone who can guide you. Andi, in my experience, the mental has made such a huge difference to my development in my progress that I think everyone should should find a mental whoever that is. Find someone who's who you want to emulate, who's been where you want to be, who's doing what you want to do on. Ask them for guidance. Find out what worked for them. What didn't, you know, invite them for a coffee even, and just pick their brains for an hour? Because that's how it started with me. That's how I got My first mental was a simple conversation over coffee, which led toe five plus years of exponential business growth. As a result,
spk_0: 38:12
that's fantastic. Yeah, I've mentioned it several times. Um, when I started, I had extreme Jeb's my friend Ricardo. Um, we went to the same church, but he was already in the high end production world doing some high end videos for all the biggest artists out there, you know, pitbull, Shakira. Ah, Lenny Kravitz, Like just making all these fantastic work. But he's a jib operator, and that's what he focuses on. He owned his own dribs, and he only took me in. He started hiring me as a p A, but, um, so that I can learn. And that's how I literally saw I didn't go to film school so that that was my film school I started. It's funny, cause on set, after I'm done helping him, I would just wander around, start bothering the DP, start bothering the director gaffers or whatnot the audio guys just tons of questions on set. If anyone is doing that, do it appropriately, while you're not rolling and not in the middle of the Dio. Yeah, so important. Yeah, so, yeah, it was just a whole bunch of Ah, I was able to learn a lot through that, Um, and it was through that where I learned a lot of onset advocacy. The do's and don't you know when you're working with the big production crew, um, and whatnot. So that was very, very, very helpful for me. And even then, like working on my own two ps that I hire are usually the people that want to learn. So I get a lot of messages like that as well. People that live in the area. Um that want to come on set with me for free, But I never have anybody on set with me for free. I never allow that. Like, if they want to come, they can compete, be my p a and I'll hire them. Um but ah, I don't like having people work for me for free, but either way, Yeah, I think that that's super super important. Super.
spk_1: 40:09
Yeah, You made an interesting You made an interesting point there about the traditional film industry. When you go to work on, say, TV dramas feature films, they've got a structure there which has been working for many years now. Which is that you you come in at the bottom and you work your way up to the top. But you're effectively getting meant toward each stage off process you go in is ah, runner than, say, assistant camera First assistant Andi, you're having one person above you guide you and mentor you. But nowadays, with video production as it is now, it's so easy just to go and buy a camera and set up a business which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But it does mean that you can just end up without the kind of guidance in the expertise and that the input that would really help the business grow.
spk_0: 40:56
You can totally expecto like bump your heads a lot more times. If you're on your own, then you would have if you had a mentor for sure. Absolutely. 100. And it is not only just having a mentor listening to your mentor. So, like, someone that has been there before has already bumped their head and is telling you that for a reason. It's almost like a parent. Kind of.
spk_1: 41:15
Yeah, but it definitely makes sense. Toe, listen to them as much as you possibly can absorb all of the knowledge.
spk_0: 41:23
Absolutely. Um So, Jackson, thank you so much. Can you go ahead and let everyone know where they can find your work where they're confined? Your master class, um, and just just find you and send you messages and whatnot? Of
spk_1: 41:36
course. Yes. So I'm running a free training session at the moment, which is 40 minutes where I packed in as much value as I possibly can on all things related to the business side or video production. And if you go to video business mastery dot com, you can find out all about it. You condone. Get the free training on. You can see the course that I made there to Andi. If you want to get in touch with me directly about anything. My email is Jackson at five day film dot com.
spk_0: 42:05
Perfect. I'm gonna make sure I have put a plug toe. All of those a link to all that on the show Notes for this episode over it i filmmaker podcast dot com Ah, and you can find all of Jackson's work. And ah, dude, thank you so much for coming on and spending some time here. I know that you're super busy during the shutdown. Over in. Ah. Is it Portugal, right?
spk_1: 42:26
Yeah. In Portugal. Yeah. I really appreciate you taking the time as well, because it's has been absolutely talking to.
spk_0: 42:32
Thanks, man. So there you have it. That's my episode with Jackson Kingsley. I hope you guys found that extremely informative as I have. I can tell you one thing. I definitely and going to rethink a few of my methods, perhaps start doing some creative work in the morning. Ah, as Jackson challenged me to. I think that is good to try new things. Maybe you never know. Maybe you find something that you didn't know the foreign in terms of time management and whatnot. So it's always helpful to get with other creatives and learn their methods to see what works and sticks with you and what doesn't, uh, and and that's how you grow. That's how you get more experience. Just a reminder. I am putting all the links to everything mentioned here. Whether it's Jackson's work, I'm also putting his business mastery course a link to that over on the show notes for this episode. That link also will give you a special discount for his course. I take advantage of that because, remember, you don't have to purchase this course, but you can sit through his 40 minute webinar and just still learn a ton of information. Jackson is an extremely talented. He has a lot of information offer, and I highly recommend that you guys do that, even if its just to sit through and get some free info. That's always an invited gift. So I hope you guys check that out. And ah, you know, supporting him also supports me over here on this end. So I appreciate that in advance. I hope you guys enjoyed this episode. I think it was a really good one is a very beneficial one. And, um, I would love to know your feedback. Let me know. Over in the comments over it. I filmmaker podcast dot com Let me know in the comment for this episode. What do you guys thought? What, you didn't like what you liked, etcetera. Eso let me know there. So with that being said, I will see you guys on the next episode on the I Filmmaker podcast Money and Jerry Martinez.