We were lucky to catch up with Alvin Dang recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alvin, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

I had learned video editing and the basics of videography through a high school elective class. This silly mistake of signing up for “Video & Web Design” changed the course of my life forever

In a school that put so much focus on STEM, the very few business and elective teachers there truly give it their all to make us realize we had more options in life than a STEM related career. My video editing teacher, Mr. Ruzzi, noticed I would go out of my way to find tutorials online to make my projects stand out. At first he would make light hearted jokes about me copying tutorials online, but with time he started to realize that video editing meant much more to me than he expected. More than I could even expect myself.

Once I was in the second year of the advanced course of that class, I felt myself outpacing the course itself. Ruzzi definitely noticed this. His wife had owned a marketing agency at that time and this was my gateway into receiving my first form of payment as a creative. He began hiring me to edit and eventually even film videos for his wife’s marketing agency.

I remember receiving that first paycheck, seeing the multiple 0’s on it and being absolutely mind blown. It wasn’t my first job ever as I had a part time job as a 17 year old, but it was the first time I had received that amount of money at that age. I would eventually land a full time job through a very kind reference letter from Ruzzi as well. Having a mentor that believes in you more than yourself is truly life changing.

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’m currently running a wedding videography business based in Southern California, Exos Weddings. There’s so many talented videographers in our world today so it was important for me to find a way to stand out while solving a big problem that many couples face.

Something that I feel is truly special to what we do as Exos Weddings is our “Lover’s Highlight”. I hear about so many horror stories from couples not receiving their wedding video content for almost half a year and sometimes a WHOLE year. It’s a shame when you pay so much money and you’re only able to reshare iPhone videos that your friends tagged you in on social media.

So the “Lover’s Highlight” is a 24-hour turnaround video that is more than just a trailer/teaser for your wedding film, but it is its own special video. I wanted our couples to be able to share a perfect video that represents the day to all of their friends and family and within 24 hours. I truly believe that our “Lover’s Highlights” stand out way above the content often seen on social media. It solves another problem that goes into our next point.

Everything looks the same! At least according to the many bride / bride-to-be’s that we’ve talked with. A lot of wedding videos can follow a very cookie cutter format, so it was important for us to break that mold, to make sure each video looks and feels unique to the couple themselves. Because we come from filmmaking and music video production backgrounds. We’re able to combine our technical skill to capture one of the most important aspects that’s often overlooked in wedding films. Capturing the FUN of the day! We’re not afraid to be in the middle of the dance floor and to be a part of the party.

Lastly, a big inspiration for myself personally is my significant other. I was lucky to find someone in this life that is also a creative. She works a full time job, while also running her small business. She always makes time for the people important in her life. She’s grown her small business social media presence while doing all of this. She really is my number one inspiration at the moment!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I never really accepted myself as “creative” until recently. I felt like there were so many more talented people in this world, but then I had realized I think very differently compared to my non-creative friends.

I think as creatives, we’re more willing to accept times of uncertainty and instability if it means we’re able to live life on the terms we want. We cherish being able to live life on our terms more than stability. Non-creatives may want to see each step laid out in the process. A guarantee that the path will lead to a stable and comfortable life.

For creatives, that path isn’t always guaranteed. That’s a really hard pill to swallow. Fortunately, there’s a lot of jobs out there now for creative people to really thrive. But, even getting to that point can be a huge shot in the dark for many people. And when you’re running your own business that highly relies on your own creative skill, there is no guarantee of stability. But what makes it worth it as a creative, it’s being able to dictate your dream on your terms.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

A huge part in my journey not just as a creative, but as a person was discovering the Daily Stoic. Ryan Holiday, the creator of the Daily Stoic, also runs a YouTube channel that feeds a lot of his written content into video form. A Latin saying he often quotes is “Memento Mori” which translates into “remember death” or another way of seeing it “remember, you must die.”

It sounds grim at first, but it really is about perspective. It is a reminder to not postpone what you want or love in this life. It applies to more than work, but can also apply to your relationships.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.exosweddings.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exosweddings