We were lucky to catch up with Jared Seider recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jared, appreciate you joining us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.
I always have been ambitious about building a video production business. At the beginning, I thought the only way to achieve what I was seeking was to buy the best quality gear and that would translate to the best videos. Every wedding I would shoot at the start I would allocate most the money to buying a new piece of gear. While having great gear is like having a good foundation for your home, I think this thought process can often be over exaggerated online and on social media. I found myself overwhelmed when shooting weddings switching between different prime lenses and cameras. This not only was time consuming, but it wasn’t sustainable and it translated to chaotic wedding films. The best thing I have ever done is streamline my process the past couple of years to make it more simple for me, also bringing on 2nd shooters for help during those high paced moments – and in result – I really think it translates to better wedding films, I am now more calm and feel more in control of the final product.
Jared, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I think my roots is an important part of mine and my businesses story. I grew up in a rural part of the Sierra Nevada foothills in Arnold, CA and have always had a passion for the nature and the outdoors. I was lucky to grow up in such a unique and beautiful part of the Sierra Nevadas. My dad started taking me skiing at Bear Valley Ski Resort when I was 3, only about a 40 minute drive up Highway 4 from Arnold. I didn’t always enjoy it – but once I got into highschool and realized how special this place was it started to carve out what I wanted to do in life. Growing up I always loved playing on iMovie in the early 2000s. My sister and I would make home videos or I would help my siblings put together videos for their school projects. My love for skiing is an important part of my story. My brother James got me into backcountry skiing in my early 20s in 2014, I would bring a GoPro with me and started shooting little videos of my adventures of our ski tours with whoever I went with. This is what really started to inspire me to get into video production. I graduated from Cal State University, Chico in 2019 with a BA in Media Arts and the first year after graduating I bought my first drone and camera. My sister Sami told me one of her friends was getting married and needed a videographer so I offered to shoot it for free (Thank you Karina + Mario, I forever will cherish the opportunity you gave me). In 2019-2020 right after graduating Chico I was working as a data entry specialist for Toyota just to pay the bills while shooting weddings on the side. I got laid off during covid, at the time I was devastated but in hindsight it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I have been full time shooting weddings ever since. I moved to Tahoe in 2019 and have been based here ever since, it is a ideal place to shoot weddings and live the lifestyle I love. I primarily shoot mountain weddings but occasionally will shoot in Napa and the Bay Area, and beyond. My style focuses on real candid moments of the couples story, I want you to watch your wedding just as you remember it. – the laughter, the sounds, and the visuals put to life in a film. We love candid/natural movement in our films that don’t seem posed. Most couples that choose me to capture their day have a love and appreciation for the outdoors, so I always try to incorporate your love story intertwined in the beautiful mountains and nature that I love just as much as my clients. The #1 thing I provide is Highlight Films, but we also offer Ceremony Videos, Full Speeches, Vow readings, Teaser Trailers, and more. I have a variety of different packages that will fit different peoples needs. I am proud of my mountain roots and how that has shaped my videos and perspective on filmmaking.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
It definitely hasn’t been easy. I shot for a wedding videography company out here in Tahoe. When I first moved to South Lake Tahoe my goal was just to network and meet other vendors I was working with at weddings while trying to make a livable wage. I have met some amazing vendors that have become friends – photographers/planners/DJs. We are all a big family here in the Reno/Tahoe market. Growing my community and networking has helped me get a lot of business and new clients from word of mouth. I also am on wedding pro – The Knot/Wedding Wire and that has helped me get quite a bit of clients every season! Lastly, SEO has helped me a ton. Google is super beneficial for exposure for businesses, and client reviews help validate you to up and coming clients.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
Managing a team isn’t easy. Staying organized is the #1 thing for success with managing a wedding videography team. Staying on top of updated timelines, sending the timelines to your 2nd shooters/assistants. Before the wedding my 2nd shooters know what I expect from them, I heavily vet my 2nd shooters before bringing them on – and I only have a couple that I work with every season. On the wedding day I don’t like to micro manage my team, letting your 2nd shooters be creative and only giving them light instruction throughout the day to shoot helps them feel more comfortable and the end result will be higher quality because of this.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.seidermedia.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seidermedia/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeiderMedia/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredseider
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@seidermedia/featured
Image Credits
For the main image – Elsa Boscarello