Newsletter
Sed ut perspiciatis unde.
SubscribeWe were lucky to catch up with Daniel Mendoza recently and have shared our conversation below.
Daniel, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
I am so fortunate to have made a career out of doing what I love. It’s amusing how often we have an idea of how we think we want things to go and then life just seems to kind of throw those plans right out the window. I have learned over the years to not get too attached to my ideas of best path forward and setting up a video production company is my best example of this.
Amoroma Productions began in 2010 at which time I was working as a Lab Technician in the Dermatology field. I was already an independent contractor so the decision to start a new business centered around my passion for filmmaking just made sense. Initially the main challenge was not having the work experience or portfolio to win over potential clients. So I began approaching small businesses in my area who seemed to have a great story to tell and a need for video content. I offered them free services to start building up my portfolio and gain more experience. I managed to scrape together just enough projects to keep me engaged and hungry for more.
At that time my wife was working as an event planner and I took on some small jobs filming weddings for some of her clients. I never thought event videography would be something I might be interested in but it was a way to actually make money with this craft. Before long I found myself beginning to enjoy the experience of filming corporate events and even weddings. More importantly, I began to see that my skills were improving tremendously. I definitely began to see the path to working in video production full time but I found it difficult to walk away from the Lab Technician work because of the great pay.
Then in 2016 my main Dermatology client informed me that my services would no longer be needed. I was fortunate that they had given me thirty day notice but I was in utter shock. Life seemed to pause and I had a difficult decision to make. Do I seek out more Dermatology clients, despite being unfulfilled in that field, or should I focus all of my energy into Amoroma Productions? I hadn’t been happy working as a Lab Technician for the past year or two, so every fiber of my being was telling me to pursue filmmaking. So I spoke with my wife and decided that it was worth taking the chance on myself.
Over the next year I networked more than ever and managed to make some great connections with some incredible entrepreneurs as well as event industry professionals that led to more opportunities. I could see that I made the right decision and if I continued putting the work in, my business would continue to grow.
In 2017 I would get a phone call from my brother-in-law that would change the course of Amoroma Productions. Rob had been working in advertising for over a decade and had only recently left a large agency to start up a smaller agency with a fellow creative. As fate would have it, they were looking for someone to edit a project they were working on. They took a chance on me and I worked incredibly hard to ensure that the collaboration was a success. That was the beginning of an incredible partnership between Amoroma Productions and LOLA agency which continues to this day.
Some might see this as nepotism, but I know that ultimately the success of that project is what led to the ongoing relationship. The longer you work in an industry like ours, the more you realize that most of the time it actually comes down to who you know. I have no doubts that they continue to hire us because of what we bring to the table every time and we believe that it shows in the results. Through our collaborations with LOLA agency we have been able to work with large clients like Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Total Wine & More. Those opportunities definitely have led to the growth of the company.
2020 presented yet another milestone for the us. My wife, Kellie, was able to leave her job in the hotel industry and join Amoroma Productions full-time. She was to take over the sales department while being a Producer for all projects, allowing me to focus on the creative side of things. To date I feel that has been the greatest accomplishment because Kellie actually graduated from Chapman University with a degree in Film Production. It was our shared passion for filmmaking that was the initial spark of our relationship so to see that come full circle is quite amazing.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I knew I wanted to be in the creative field since my early teens. I have always had a passion for art, photography and writing so filmmaking eventually just seemed to be the perfect way to combine those mediums together. As an introvert I have always felt a deep desire to remain connected to the world and art was a powerful way for me to express myself to others. In my early twenties I began filming anything I could with a simple camcorder until eventually I was able to afford a proper camera and the opportunities for creativity grew exponentially.
My parents taught me to work hard and always give my best effort with everything I did. I found that trait to really resonate with the many small business owners I had met who were putting everything they had into their businesses. In any service based industry it is all about people and the relationships you build with them. Trust not only has to be earned but it also has to be maintained consistently.
The majority of our work these days is focused on marketing content but we also continue to provide event videography services. We also work on documentary and narrative films. When it comes to creating marketing content it is important to get to know the brands you work with as well as the people who represent those brands. Our approach is focused on really getting to know a company’s culture and brand identity as well as their goals with the marketing content we are creating for them. Having a strong comprehension of their short and long term ambitions is key to us providing critical insight in what we do.
Video as a medium is a communication between two halves. One half are the storytellers and the other half is the audience. We want to know what our clients want their audience to feel and take away from the video content. Once we have an understanding of that we can begin to find ways to enhance the outcome to try and create an experience for the viewer that will resonate and inspire them to take action.
Amoroma Productions is really big on community. We strive to help shine a positive light on the great things and great people around us while also working with clients to understand the value of creating their own community with their customers. Helping strengthen and build up communities is one of the most rewarding aspects of the work we do. We strive to create a legacy that matters in the long run while still making a positive impact in the short term. We want to have a successful business, but to us the outcome outweighs the income.
Doing what is best for our clients is just part of who we are. While we do work with some larger clients, we have often found so much gratification in helping small businesses grow and make a great impact in their communities. We can assist clients with branding as well as creating and executing marketing campaigns. Our unlimited network of resources can help us take on projects of all sizes and even with smaller budget productions we have so many creative ways to still deliver powerful results.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
To date our best source for business has been referrals from current and past clients. Online reviews and search results can leave you uncertain so having someone personally vouch for you is still as important as ever. This is why we treat every project as an audition for the next one. If something goes wrong on a project we make sure to acknowledge it, address it and figure out the best way to move forward in a positive way to ensure everyone is satisfied with the overall collaboration.
Referrals can also come from other filmmakers and production companies if you have the mindset of community over competition. There are so many opportunities out there so you can’t allow yourself to be driven by fear or desperation as it often leads to overpromising or taking on jobs or clients that just aren’t a good fit. We don’t want every client, we want the clients and the projects that are right for us.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
Managing people is possibly the most challenging part of running any business. We are all different in regards to how we communicate, what we need from others to feel appreciated not to mention a varying range of work ethic. The most important lesson I have learned is to lead by example. If you are unable to set the tone for what you expect from your team you will never be able to motivate them to give you their best.
It is so important to try and find the right people to join your team. Sometimes we have to be willing to take a chance on someone with less experience if their values and work ethic are strong. the technical skills are much easier to work on than a bad attitude and nothing will hurt morale more than a negative personality. Our industry is primarily driven by independent contractors so we are constantly looking for people who are reliable and easy to work with.
We like to know what ambitions our team members have so that we can help to facilitate their personal and professional growth. People ultimately want to feel valued and acknowledged so meeting this basic desire should be a priority for any manager or leader. Make time for your team and allow them to be heard. Create opportunities for them to show you all they have to offer.
Ultimately, hire the right people, empower them to give you their best and just try to stay out of the way. So often it seems that supervisors try to mold team members into who they want them to be as opposed to helping them become the best versions of themselves. I believe the best relationships are those that rely on each other’s strengths to overcome any possible weaknesses. My wife and I are the perfect example of this, both in marriage and our business partnership. We make each other better by being together and we want that to carry over to the rest of our team as well.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Cindy Hardy (professional headshot) Nick Gasmena (behind the scenes)
Suggest a Story: CanvasRebel is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know
here.
