We recently connected with Adrianne Owings and have shared our conversation below.
Adrianne, appreciate you joining us today. We’ve love to hear an interesting investment story – what was one of the best or worst investments you’ve made? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)
The best investments I’ve made — of both time and money — have all involved taking big risks in my career. And the single best investment I’ve made in the past few years was in building my production company, End Quote Pictures, and more specifically in producing our four-episode narrative series Hell Is Other People.
My friend and I started the company together in 2022 by doing several short projects, but at the start of 2023, we were both in a creative rut and knew we needed to take on a new project, even though we didn’t necessarily have the outside financing. I had been thinking about a French play called No Exit that I had read in high school; the story revolves around three people trapped in hell who, to put it simply, aren’t getting along but are stuck together forever. I thought there was a way to do a “play within a play” spin on the material and film at the theater where I’d been working at the time. So, after several late-night brainstorming sessions, I wrote the script for the first episode within a few days, and just weeks later, we were planning a shoot.
I felt way out of my depth in terms of experience and cost, but somehow I knew that it would all pay off — I was well aware that it would be a “fake it ‘til you make it” scenario. I decided to eat into my savings and started hiring a crew, most of whom I’d never met before and simply found through Facebook groups and job boards. Then, we went through the casting process, and in about another month, I was on set for the first day of shooting episode one. And now, we’ve wrapped three episodes and are planning for a fourth while completing post-production on the first three, while pitching and trying to sell the series.
This project has been one of the most exciting and fulfilling creative endeavors of my life, but it would not have happened if I had waited around for someone else to give me permission. Instead, I made a plan and figured it out on my own, which inspired me to continue taking this initiative on an increasingly larger scale. And these risks are the only way that I’ve truly pushed myself and grown as a creative. I started this company because I felt frustrated by the feeling of having to wait around for someone else to give me a big break, especially as an actress. But now, I know that I not only can be in the driver’s seat — I enjoy it.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am an LA-based actress, director, producer, and writer, currently working in film and television, although I started my career in theater. I grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas before I went to Yale University for college, where I graduated with a degree in Theater & Performance Studies in 2020. I also graduated from the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts Classical Acting Programme in 2019.
After school, I started my career in film production and development in documentary, first at Gigantic Pictures in New York City and then as a Development Executive for director and producer Joshua Zeman. This is where I learned the ins and outs of film production from start to finish, especially as an Associate Producer on his latest feature Checkpoint Zoo (premiered at Tribeca ‘24), which inspired me to start a company where I could spearhead my own projects. End Quote Pictures was born in 2022 after a group of actor friends and I had gotten together to film a short, just hoping to get some high-quality reel footage. But as we continued to work on projects, our synergy made it clear that there were more exciting possibilities on the horizon, like the aforementioned series we’re currently working on, as well as several other projects that are in the works.
Right now, we are primarily focused on building a client list and providing production services for new projects, whether for narrative and commercial film projects or other forms of media. That includes UGC, podcasts, traditional short or feature films, docu-series — whatever you want to say, and wherever you are in the process of saying it, we want to help! I remember when I had ideas of things I wanted to make but no way to materialize them, I was intimidated to contact production companies like ours to see what they could offer. At EQP, I want to make those barriers a thing of the past.
We’re just excited to work on new projects and provide high-quality visual storytelling for anyone who’d like to collaborate with us. The state of the entertainment and media industry is constantly in flux, so we’re focused on telling stories for the “now,” that resonate with present-day audiences. We aren’t tied to traditional forms of media or ways of doing things, but we do have the experience to create really exciting work. I’m so proud of the community we’ve built amongst our rockstar crew and team, and I would love to continue fostering an environment that not only respects but invigorates both artists and clients alike.
So, if you have a project in mind and need some help — set up a free consultation with us, and let’s make it happen!
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
The best way to support creatives at the moment — aside from simply paying them what they’re worth — is to believe in the “little guy,” especially if that applies to the people that you already know. I don’t mean that pejoratively; I only use it to refer to people (which includes myself) who are early on their road to career success and don’t have the achievements and resources of a bigger star quite yet. There have been so many stories, especially in the past few years, of people achieving creative success in unorthodox ways and leveraging all the resources they have in order to eventually make the work that matters to them most. They may seem like overnight successes once they make it big, but in actuality, most of them have been working nonstop for years just to get one golden opportunity. Most of this work is thankless, grueling, and invisible — until it isn’t.
So, if you find someone’s work interesting, support them the best way you can. Just because they may not have received some kind of institutional support yet does not mean that their work should go uncelebrated; in fact, that kind of liberty lends itself to creative innovation. If something feels new and challenging, dig in, and if you can support them more substantially, give them that chance. It’s the only way the industry can adapt and change, especially since so many traditional media outlets are reluctant to take big risks.
You may also have friends who are artists who don’t seem to be making a living off of their work at the moment, but all of that can change in a matter of days or weeks, particularly if they have a support network. If you know and love someone who makes creative work, show up for them by going to their shows or exhibits. That’s the only way we can improve and gain confidence in our work, and trust that it makes a world of difference when there’s even just one person that believes in you. Creative industries can be lonely and cutthroat, so even just spending one evening supporting a friend’s work can give them the encouragement they need in the face of so much constant rejection.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
One of the most impactful ideas I’ve heard about creative work is a quote from an episode of This American Life with Ira Glass, often referred to as “The Gap.” He talks about how, in creative work, you get into the game because you’ve got great taste but your skill level might not allow you to reach your full potential yet. So, you constantly feel the discrepancy between the work you are currently making and the work you want to be making, and all you can do to close that gap is just to make as much as you can, and you will improve. I think of this quote often, whether I’m a leader of a project or simply a part of someone else’s; all of this work is part of bridging that gap.
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re falling behind because what you’re capable of doing isn’t living up to the standard of the art that you love, that inspired you to do this in the first place. When I first heard that, it was so reassuring to know that that’s not only normal — it’s pretty much necessary. That’s because it teaches you to enjoy the exciting, horrible, volatile thing that is the creative process. I constantly see that proven true as I reflect on my past work, and it reminds me to learn from past creative mistakes and incorporate them as part of the larger story of my artistic journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.adrianneowings.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adrowings/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adrianneowings/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianneowings/
- Twitter: https://x.com/adr_owings
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@adrianneowings
- Other: https://www.endquotepictures.com/ (Company website)
https://linktr.ee/endquotepictures (Company linktree)
[email protected]
[email protected]
Image Credits
Nile Scott Studios
Kayla Alise