We recently connected with Brian Tong and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Brian thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you 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?

I’ve been able to successfully live off my creative work full time in two different creative careers! A career in dance and a career in film making.

I’ll summarize, it’s a beautiful story.

1. The Bank

I worked at a bank, I wanted to study to be a CFA because it was stable. I found myself being called on as a go go dancer and animator gigs for galas, soirees or clubs time to time. That burnt me out during my day job to little to no sleep. I developed a strong networking skills which led me to connecting with many festival producers.

I needed to film a lot of my dances and classes, after hiring or asking people to help, I ended up doing it myself and it turned out better. This was the seed that soon after turned into my second career.

2. Xperia and Capital City Dance

During this interim, I was burning out, and I’ve accepted to be a replacement dance teacher at a local studio that I take classes from. What was temporarily soon after became permanent thing, but more on that after. Xperia was a start up company that head hunted me for video work, I was experimenting and making a buzz in the film side of things.

I quit my bank job to work full time at Xperia, only to be closed after 2 months because I was so green in the video world. I had no idea what I was doing, I took the opportunity. I needed to pay bills, and was stuck in a hard place with no job with a bruised ego.

I was in a very tough cross road in my life.

3. Depression, The Doctor and Capital City Dance

As the funds run lower and lower, I did the most unhealthy thing – I drank. I numbed my pain with vices (I hope I used that term right). One night, I stayed late and was luckily sober – I met a man who needed a ride, his friends left him. We bonded over a conversation and he said he needed a ride home in the suburbs where I lived.

I offered. We had weekly meetings discussion about our lives, careers and he gave me a large insight about his job as a chiropractor. He said, he goes to clinics that provide him slots to fulfill patients coming in that clinic. He was placed over 4 different locations,

He gave me an advice that changed my life.

“I’m sure like the clinic, there’s dance studios that needs a teacher to teach their clients (kids). Find them”

Soon after, I was booked part time at Capital City Dance, and paid my bills.

10+ years after, what was only 2 classes, became 21 classes a week. My festival partners recognize my work so I grew into a booking agent for other dancers. the city gave me love by making a feature for their Ottawa’s Own ambassador (Ottawa Tourism) campaign and this whole episode save my life. My dance career boomed.

4. Film making and LA

To summarize this the bet I can, no one could film dance like I did in the city. I travelled the most with all the dance networks at the time. I filmed classes, restaurants, galas, soirees, festivals. It got too big that I started subcontracting.

I had to face a battle with cancelling gigs for dance for film and vice versa. So took a break, I left to LA because years ago, an acquaintance of mine tried to persuade me to live with him and chase our dream. I didn’t out of fear. He ended up filming for Twan, Steven Spence, Amanda Cerny, Adam W, and Logan Paul. Not going to LA was my regret. So I’m reclaiming myself.

During that trip, I applied for a news media outlet that wanted to highlight Ottawa (my city) and I applied many times. One day, they called for an interview and I was in West Hollywood living at the time and got my first big client in film.

This became a 5 year relationship and propelled my media agency career to a whole new level. Here I am, but there’s more to the media agency story – I’ll leave it for now.

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I lived out of survival, it’s exhausting and I still am today. After growing, learning and being surrounded by many, I decided to tap into a more peaceful route and recite affirmations and meditate. I know, very holistic and earthy but it helped.

I decided to perceive and believe in the abundance mindset and do what I do best everyday because I’m fortunate to do so.
I wish I had better circle of friends (affluent friends), I wish I travelled more if that was nurtured in me, I wish so many things in my life that would have sped up if I knew the world is full of riches that will give back to you in ways that you don’t have to worry, like paying your next bill.

I guess this has to do with your environment. I dreamed of places and things, but my spirit and passion got me there. My city was not the most nurturing for the creative, so I would have wished I jumped to Toronto (where I live now) a lot sooner. Oh, that client I got – was in Montreal, that should have been the green flag for me to travel more.

Fin.

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

I got into the industry by being the person I needed the most. As in the services and offers did not exist in Ottawa from my network. I started dancing because it was my outlet which led me to clubs and bars hiring me for work.

To brief from the last question, I ended up teaching a fulfilling dance career and developed a casting agency that landed me a long list of festivals there after.

Whilst in this process, I learned to film to document for marketing purposes which led me to co-found Studio 79e Media Agency Inc. a media production company.

Our forte are content creation and digital media for creative agencies (communications and PR, marketing, experiential and others). We do content strategy, social media management, creative direction, scripting, filming, editing, photography, casting and even a bit of performance/speech development due to my choreography background.

The biggest solution that our clients come to us far is a media production that humanizes their brands from the static business tone they are usually known for. Many of our projects are mini docu series produced like fun Netflix or YouTube series and edited down for social media distribution. They are often media campaigns and roll outs, from big productions to run and gun cellphone, we’ve adapted the quality that would get the attention in any format. Content creation is our thing.

As I continue to grow this company, I’m proud to say not only I pride in my peers/team for production but I’m glad people feel heard, safe, energetic and motivated when they get on set with me.

It’s never a bad energy with me. I want everyone to remember to be thankful and feeling fulfilled on and off set.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Business accelerators. You are only successful from the 5 people you surround yourself with. I went to a business accelerator which amplifies and help local business grow, founded by investors, businesses and the government. There I met a lot of business people who make 6 figures and above, got into workshops and had mentors and business circles. It helped me grow.

They gave me my first $5000 grant which got me to where I am today.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

It was survival at first, overtime now that I’m in a safe space in my life (but I often revert to my old ways time to time) my new goal is provide impact and change through human connection and creativity.

I never want to hear the term ‘struggling artist’ I’ve been there, I see it and I’ve done the road map twice to make it a career.

I’ve kick started many peoples careers, and I’ve helped amplify a brand throughout COVID and more. It’s time for me to hone down further as a person behind the camera but as much as behind their vision, everyone deserves to be creative, everyone deserves to do what they’re passionate about.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/studio79e or whatsgoodbtong
• Facebook: https://www.linkedin.com/whatsgoodbtong/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsbtong/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/whatsgoodbtong

Image Credits
I’ll add more, I’m running out of time a bit and will revisit and email you back.