Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Bill Parmentier. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Bill, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

When I first started Oldstorm Studios in 2016, I had already been in the video and film industry for nearly 15 years. Mostly I work in commercial production, and almost all of the productions I worked on were run-of-the-mill, creatively. They were safe and watered down and boring. It was maddening watching the same videos get made over and over and over. Frankly, I knew I could do better. I had spent 15 years networking and writing short scripts on the side in preparation for…something…and I guess Oldstorm Studios was it.

At first making the LLC was just for secure business purposes, but I knew if I stuck with it I could really make a creative dent in the industry. I wasn’t in the position to borrow a bunch of money and make a huge splash with a coming out party, so I played the long game. Over the next several years as I continued to work as a freelancer, I reached out to potential clients and started making those connections. Slowly but surely my clientele grew and businesses started reaching out to me.

And this was all wrapped around the idea that businesses CAN take risks creatively and it won’t bankrupt them. In fact, they’ll come out ahead! Instead of dull pre-roll ads on YouTube, let’s make a real short film about your product, with a real screenplay and everything! Instead of cookie-cutter vertical videos for social, let’s write a ton of jokes and really make people laugh with ridiculous characters! These are the sorts of ideas that I push upon my clients: truly imaginative video that basically no one else is doing. They stand out and get attention.

I was certain the idea behind Oldstorm Studios was a winner because no one else around here was doing it. Would it be a long and difficult journey? You bet. Would it also be a rewarding and inspiring one? Absolutely.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Film has always been my preferred medium, by a lot. When it’s good, it’s a perfect blend of visual and audible, technical and artistic, realism, fantasy, and emotion. Growing up I loved making silly videos, so when I heard you can make a career of that I jumped at the chance. After film school, I worked on any set I was allowed on. Short films? Yes. Feature films? Of course. Reality TV shows? Uh, yeah why not? Years and years of absorbing experiences and trying new jobs in the industry narrowed my focus. I knew I didn’t just want to be a part of the crew, I wanted to be the creator.

Now as creative director at my own studio, I push my clients to take more creative risks, because in a sea of content you gotta stand out. As a student of film, I lean heavily into narrative. Each of my ideas has a real story to it. It’s one of the best ways to connect emotionally with an audience. And when you connect with them emotionally, be it through inspiration, or laughs, or tears, you got ’em.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

The client, when it comes to creative decisions, is rarely right. Coming up in the industry you encounter plenty of creative agencies and production companies that tell you to just do whatever the client says. That’s bullshit. Why hire a creative agency or production company to do the creative work if you aren’t going to trust them to make the right choices? I say if a client is making a stupid creative decision, tell them. And if they still don’t want to listen, drop them. Maybe it has something to do with being in control, but I hope it’s more about making better creative choices.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

I tried cold-emailing potential clients. Lots of them. Got zero responses. I knew I had to do something to stand out and grab their attention. So, being a film buff, I got a hold of a box of old VHS movies (free from Craigslist!), made a list of all of the potential clients, and mailed them a curated VHS tape, a branded insert in the style of old blank cassettes, and some stickers and a business card. Somebody at their office HAD to get the mail and see this package. They HAD to open it and see what was inside. A short while later, after following up with an email, I got multiple responses, with one of those turning into my biggest job this year!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.oldstormstudios.com/
• Instagram: @oldstorm_studios
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OldstormStudios
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billparmentier/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCakt_ib3q93nwMxaTaNAvzw