Today we’d like to introduce you to Chuck Akin.
Hi Chuck, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Chuck Akin Executive Producer – oogoog
General Manager – Vū Studios
Chuck has been telling engaging visual stories for more than 25+ years. He writes, produces and directs story-driven content across multiple platforms. Chuck has produced award-winning feature films and feature docs as well. He also produces many regional commercials, high-visibility music videos, as well as a handful of the acclaimed Masterclass series.
For the last year and a half Chuck has donned the General Manager’s cap at Vū Studios in Las Vegas; a 42,000sf studio with a 130ft long LED Volume screen that specializes in Unreal Engine virtual production.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Producing films in Las Vegas has always been a challenge, because historically there hasn’t been a lot of independent films that shoot in the valley. So Chuck and his business partner, Wes Hirni, have had to cultivate captivating stories from relationships outside of the Las Vegas Market as well as nurture local talent.
Since there are not enough feature films to keep a business thriving in Las Vegas, film and video producers have to find other types of motion pictures to produce. Using their production company, oogoog productions as a production services business, Chuck and Wes produced everything from indie feature narrative and documentary movies, along with A-list music videos, Masterclass industrials and myriad other video content in order to stay relevant.
That relevance led to Chuck & Wes managing AVD Studios, a 9,000sf traditional sound stage with a 60ft cyclorama wall, for about three years, and then the pandemic slowed production to a halt. But with that door closing behind them, Chuck put a business plan together to try and raise funds for a Virtual Studio. Before they could raise the funds, Chuck got wind that Vū Technologies was opening a studio in Las Vegas, so he reached out to them and quickly produced a National Commercial at the studio.
It was then that the owners of Vū asked him if he would be interested in managing the Las Vegas studio, and he told them that he would be honored, as long as he could still produce projects for oogoog.com as well.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Vū Studios?
In 2021, Tim Moore and his fellow co-founder Jon Davila established Vū’s first virtual production studio in Tampa Bay, Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shortly after, Vū began opening virtual production studios across the country and establishing Vū as an early leader in the growing virtual production market. Today, Vū is home to the largest network of virtual studios and has introduced disruptive technology products like Vū One and Virtual Studio to the market. Focused on simplifying the content creation process through easy-to-operate production platforms and an evolving set of generative AI tools, Vū provides greater access to advanced creative technology to enable the creation of Content at the Speed of Thought™.
Vū is a creative technology company for next-generation content. Home to the largest network of virtual studios, and a force in shaping the growing virtual production market, its creatively diverse and technologically forward-thinking team of experts blends art and science to redefine virtualization and unlock new ways to visualize the world. With an expanding global network of virtual studios, disruptive products like Vū One, and an evolving set of software tools, Vū enables greater access to advanced creative technology. To learn more about Vū, please visit vu.network.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Finding a mentor is tough. I think a mentor finds you. You have to be hungry, and grind every day. You have to show that you are willing to do what it takes to make your dreams a reality. When you do this day in and day out, you will eventually come in contact with someone that sees a bit of themselves in you. They will notice that you are determined to succeed at your goals and you are taking advantage of every opportunity that is presented to you.
When you show this sort of tenacity and thoroughness, others will undoubtedly notice, and a few will congratulate you or commend you on your fortitude. It will usually be someone that has similar interests or work ethic and will take you under their wing, whether you asked for it or not, you now have an adjunct mentor. These relationships often bolster new opportunities for you to show them you have what it takes to advance to the next level or chapter of your career journey.
At least this is how it happened with me…so I imagine it happens this way to others as well.
Pricing:
- each project is unique
- therefore each budget is unique
- we work with all levels of budgets
- we price on a pre project basis
- we love to collaborate
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vu.network/locations/las-vegas
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vu.network
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vu.network
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vu-network/mycompany/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/V%C5%ABTechnologies
