We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Eddie Castillo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Eddie below.
Eddie, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry
As a commercial media director at Altered State Productions, I’m always on the lookout for the latest trends in our industry. One thing I’ve found fascinating lately is the rise of interactive video content. This medium has an incredible capacity to engage viewers, creating deep, immersive experiences. Platforms like Vimeo are making it easier to distribute this type of content, and I see huge potential in integrating these with services like Shopify to drive sales. Despite challenges like accessibility and affordability, I am convinced that interactive video content is the future of entertainment.
Virtual Reality (VR) is another trend that has caught my attention. I see it as “the next evolution of engagement and experience”. In a departure from traditional social media and search ads, marketers are now exploring VR gaming to construct immersive narratives that resonate with audiences on a deeper level. While VR had some initial hiccups, recent advancements have revitalized its potential. Brands that embrace VR will experience a surge in audience engagement and brand loyalty.
Altered State Productions has trailblazed into a new era of work-life norms, setting up their virtual office within Spatial’s immersive 3D environment. Their virtual office, complete with sleek furniture, dynamic NFT art, and futuristic workspaces, is revolutionizing their approach to collaboration and communication. Meetings have morphed into interactive 3D sessions, and storyboards are not just sketches, but vibrant, explorable 3D worlds.
The transformative power of this shift is evident in their video production process. Altered State Productions now utilizes Spatial to pre-visualize every aspect of their shoots, from camera placements to talent choreography, saving substantial time and resources while enhancing the quality of the final product. This innovative approach has not only significantly reduced operational costs but also increased client satisfaction.
The 3D virtual environment also offers significant productivity and creative benefits. Team members, represented by stylishly attired avatars, collaborate seamlessly from any part of the world. Mundane tasks like ordering coffee or managing notifications become engaging experiences in this interactive space, elevating every aspect of the work-life experience.
As I look ahead, I see a future of marketing rich with opportunities to captivate audiences and forge deeper connections. Experiential marketing, VR, and more efficient campaign creation processes are just a few of the trends set to shape this landscape. The merging of technology and creativity is set to redefine marketing, offering endless possibilities to engage and inspire consumers. The future is exciting, and I can’t wait to see where these trends take us.
Eddie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Whatsup everyone! I’m Eddie Castillo, the proud co-founder of Altered State Productions, a trailblazing venture that’s one part creative production studio and one part marketing agency.
Our mission is to revolutionize the way businesses and brands shop for marketing services. We offer a wide range of services that cater to all creative production marketing needs, whether that’s branding, art design, email marketing, video production, digital marketing, SEO, or affiliate marketing. You name it, we’ve got it!
Our team comprises dedicated marketing experts who thrive on creating brand media that speaks to audiences and delivers tangible results for our clients. We’ve had the pleasure of working with clients from all walks of life, from ambitious startups to established Fortune 500 companies. Our expertise particularly shines in the creation of video media for e-commerce brands, which we distribute on paid media channels.
As a kid, I was always the one who was more drawn to the commercials than the actual TV shows. The creativity, the storytelling, the artistry – they fascinated me, sparking an obsession that would define the rest of my life. Armed with a bulky VHS camcorder, my brother and I would spend countless hours making our own versions of the ads we saw on TV, framing shots, and dreaming up taglines. Those were the humble beginnings of my journey.
From that point on, every choice I made seemed to push me closer to this childhood passion. It felt like an invisible thread was pulling me towards a future in the creative industry. I dove headfirst into the world of media production, working as a freelancer on commercial print projects.
As a project manager and freelancer, the biggest hurdle I often faced was the lack of transparency and efficiency in the process of production and distribution. Everything was shrouded in mystery – from pricing to delivery times and results. I’d find myself scheduling countless discovery calls, and waiting weeks for a quote, only to end up with a final product that didn’t live up to my expectations. It was disheartening and frustrating.
The entire process was skewed toward the service providers, often leaving the clients feeling overlooked. The deposit fees were sky-high and with no guarantee of the quality of the final product, it felt like a game of chance. As a client, I felt like I was always shopping around, always comparing prices, never truly satisfied with what I was getting.
This frustration lit a fire in me. I knew there had to be a better way. A way that prioritized the needs of the client. A way that made the entire process more transparent and efficient. This desire for change laid the foundation for Altered State Productions, and it’s what still drives us today.
The birth of Altered State Productions was the embodiment of my life-long dream and a solution to the challenges I’d faced in the industry. Our company, a seamless blend of creative production and marketing agency, strives to solve the very issues that I had once struggled with as a freelancer. With our innovative marketing shop, we’ve reimagined the entire process, prioritizing transparency, speed, and guaranteed results.
What sets Altered State Productions apart is our innovative Service-as-a-Product (SaaP) model. This novel approach has allowed us to simplify and modernize the way businesses engage with creative services. We wanted shopping for marketing services to be as easy as adding items to an Amazon Wishlist. We’ve designed our platform with you in mind. We know your time is valuable, so we’ve made it easy for you to explore various media and content projects, select the services you need, and build your dream campaign all in one place.
Moreover, our platform introduces an enticing rewards program to enhance customer retention and add a thrilling aspect to the shopping experience. Along with this, we cater to diverse budget capacities and payment preferences, offering flexible payment options like PayPal’s “Pay in 4” program.
Now, picture this: you’re shopping for a video commercial for your business. You’re not just buying a packaged deal but selecting various elements of the creative process — perhaps influencer appearances, drone shots, or specific color grading. These items go directly into a shopping cart, allowing you to curate your campaign to fit your unique vision. This is what we’ve called ‘Cart to Campaign.’ It’s about empowering our clients with an unprecedented level of customization and personalization.
The anticipation surrounding the future of Altered State Productions is positively electric. We’re excited to have successfully worked with brands like New York Fashion Week, Dallas Blends, Samsung, and Valyou Furniture. Seeing these brands grow and succeed with our assistance is what makes us most proud. We’ve strived to stand out in the market, and with our innovative platform and commitment to delivering exceptional value to our clients, we’re doing just that.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
Every great story starts with a single step, and ours was no different. With only $1,500 in our pocket, we leaped into the unknown, driven by a deep passion for media production and a belief that we could make a mark.
We invested that initial amount into our first professional camera, a used A7S, that would be the origin of our scaling agency. Every button and setting was meticulously studied, every feature mastered. It was a labor of love and a baptism by fire. The road was challenging, but the goal was clear. This initial investment, scary as it was, allowed us to take on our first few gigs, transforming our humble $1,500 into a promising $7,000 in revenue the first 30 days.
With each new project came new opportunities and challenges, propelling us to learn, adapt, and grow. Every dollar earned from those early gigs was promptly re-invested into our venture. We acquired better lenses, superior lighting equipment, and advanced editing software, enhancing our production capabilities with each purchase. Each new tool was a building block, expanding our offerings and honing our craft.
Equipment: Our ambition demanded superior production quality. To achieve that, we invested $35,000 in high-grade equipment, including DSLR and mirrorless cameras like Sony A7siii, BlackMagic, Canon Mark DS, and Mavic Air Drone, an array of native lenses, stabilizing equipment, top-tier audio devices, and LED lighting. We also secured necessities like camera bags, memory cards, and filters.
Software: Next came the vital digital tools. A $5,000 investment got us industry-leading software such as SEMRush, Adobe Creative Suite, Quickbooks, and Davinci Resolve for color grading.
Production and Post-Production: A total of $8,000 covered costs like travel, location fees, props, talent fees, cloud storage, and freelancer fees. This budget also catered to unique needs like green screens and specialized equipment rentals for specific projects.
Marketing and Business Development: Our client base grew organically through referrals, but we started experimenting with paid media and Google marketing in Q4 of 2022, a venture that cost us $2,000.
Salaries: Lastly, we allotted $150,000 towards our wages, a fair amount that ensured our personal sustenance while we nurtured our business.
So there it is. The ledger of our journey, a testament to the audacity of starting small and dreaming big. But beneath these numbers lies a tale of relentless hustle, of unyielding determination, and an unquenchable passion for creating something meaningful. From a humble $1,500, we have built a venture that has proudly generated over $250 million for brands and businesses worldwide. As we explored the impacts of each investment, we discovered that when you truly love what you do, you aren’t just creating a business – you’re crafting a life that’s rich in purpose, fulfillment, and success. That’s the real wealth we’ve accrued, and it’s priceless.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Picture this: a breathtaking Hawaiian seaside mansion, the backdrop to a high-profile bikini photoshoot. It was a tantalizing spectacle, a workaholic’s dream come true. For any media director, this was the stuff of fantasies – a glamorous assignment, a dream team, and a stunning location. That was my reality in 2020, a testament to the dreams I’d worked so hard to achieve.
I was riding a wave of success, juggling brands, commercials, and talent, in what felt like a vibrant ballet of creativity. The sound of the Pacific, the whispers of the palm trees, and the soft Hawaiian music added a certain rhythm to the hustle. The sunshine danced on the pristine water, casting an ethereal glow on the models, making every click of my camera feel like a masterstroke.
Far away from my roots in Texas, and even farther from my parents in California, Hawaii had become my home, my sanctuary for the past four years. As the director of the shoot, my eyes were locked onto the viewfinder, my mind choreographing the next perfect shot. Amidst the thrilling chaos of the set, my phone broke the spell, its soft vibration nudging me back to reality. A call from my dad flashed on the screen.
In the momentum of the shoot, I dismissed the call, promising to return it once I had a breather. As my father often said, “Find what you love, and let it kill you.” I was living his words, lost in my passion, dancing on the delicate line between devotion and obsession. Little did I know, that call was his last attempt to connect with me.
A week later, I was jolted out of my work-induced trance by another call. This time it was my brother, his voice heavy with grief, delivering the devastating news of our father’s passing. The missed call suddenly carried the weight of a missed opportunity, a heartbreaking echo of a chance to hear my father’s voice one last time.
In the aftermath, a profound urge compelled me to leave the only copies of the photo shoot I had on his place of rest. I hoped that somehow, in the depths of the universe, he would bear witness to the results of his sacrifices and unwavering support. It was my way of showing him that his dreams for his son had come to fruition, that his love and encouragement had birthed the life he had always envisioned. Though he may no longer be physically present, his spirit forever guides my journey, a constant reminder that his sacrifices were not in vain.
In the wake of this loss, a profound realization dawned upon me. “Find what you love, and let it kill you” took on a new meaning.
I realized that finding what you love is not solely about the pursuit of personal ambitions. It is about discovering the remarkable souls who make those ambitions worthwhile. To find them is beyond measure. They were the ones who painted the vibrant colors onto the canvas of my dreams, who breathed life into my aspirations, and who gave my work purpose and meaning.
And if we are fortunate enough, we will ride this wave called life with them for as long as we can, taking in every precious moment, and finding meaning in the connection that intertwines our lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alteredstateprod.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alteredstateprod
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alteredstateprod
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alteredstateprod/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/alteredstatedtx
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC09ZY8gNL-w4VCQa9aQ8v6g
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/vcdJbSZhxz
- Other: https://vimeo.com/alteredstateprod
Image Credits
Eddie Castillo