We were lucky to catch up with Ani Akpan recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ani, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.
When I started my production services company, it was more of an evolution of the foundation I had laid earlier in my creative journey during my teenage years in NYC. Like anyone else, I wittingly named my service ‘Ani Akpan Multimedia’ as I began rendering (usually for free) creative services to friends and family around town.
Here’s what changed — I didn’t end up going to a top film school. I had a great look at NYU, but ultimately ended up going to a liberal arts college in Pennsylvania. In terms of video production skills, I was a big fish in a small pond. However, that stardom quickly wore off my freshman year once I realized the kids at NYU and USC were already shooting on cinema cameras and editing films while I was reading film theory and not making…anything.
The catalyst was realizing overnight that I had to “compete with my counterparts at USC and NYU by graduating college with a visually engaging and high-level video production reel. The caveat was my college had lackluster equipment. So, the idea was born to start my own actual video production company based out of my hometown in NYC. That way, I can buy equipment and count it as a tax-write off. Also, I needed a way to make cool videos. Projects I made for class were never really cool enough to showcase publicly in the same way the films coming out of USC and NYU were being showcased.
For me, I knew I had to look outside my campus, to NYC and beyond for creative partners and ultimately clients that are willing to give me the money needed to make more advanced content.
The timeline was pretty straight forward: Halfway into my sophomore year, I filed for a single-member LLC, created a logo, created a website, and assembled a team of 3 other school mates who had an interest in video production to join my team. Together, we pushed the narrative of Qase Entertainment into the world.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I founded my production company Qase Entertainment in 2016 in NYC. Now, we have broadened operations to Los Angeles as well. Qase Entertainment is a boutique production & content development company focusing on the development of TV pilots, commercials, short-form videos, music videos & artist management.
Qase Entertainment’s consulting services provide direct access and industry insights for clients looking to package and sell original IP to buyers, networks, and traditional world-wide content distributors.
Our mission is to tell the right stories a the right time, in the most authentic manner, with integrity. As long as we produce, STORY comes first.
I’m most proud of being the go-to production services provider nationally for some of the largest corporate/commercial real estate companies. I’m also proud of our management services which to date have helped artists attain shopping and option agreements from top production and creative entities within Hollywood.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
One lesson I had to unlearn is the fallacy that people (in general) know what they want. When it comes to clients in the creative space, most of the time they do not know what they want, even if they think they do.
A lot of the time that becomes clear when you review budget and the SOW (scope of work). the client thinks they want to make a commercial for $50k, when really what they NEED is to make a commercial foe $20k and use the remainder as ad-spend so people actually see the work that was put in.
Never assume, and learn to manage expectations BEFORE any money or time is spent.
How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?
Keeping in touch with clients is key. Usually after a project wraps, it’s important for me to send a hand written note that usually goes along with the final footage USB drive or any materials they need once the campaign is done.
If they paid you a lot of money, maybe send them some flowers a month later to show how much you appreciate their business (because look. now you have money to buy fancy flowers). If not, a simple “happy holidays” or check in some months later never hurts, even if its just to say hello.
This reminds the client that (1) you are human and (2) you cared enough to reach out to them out of kindness. Even if they can deduce as most grown adults can that you are nurturing the relationship in hopes of future business and projects, its the gesture that makes the difference between a one-time client and a recurring client that literally just likes to deal with you you versus the stale & boring competition.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.qasemedia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qasemedia/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/qase-ent/