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

Emory, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you been 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? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I graduated from film school in 2017 and was eager to make money doing what I love. I decided to start my own production company Blue Slate Films with a co-founder who complemented my skills, and we have been able to make a full-time living through photography, video production, and editing ever since.

We started the company at a time when corporate video was still stiff and boring, and branded content creation was starting to become mainstream. We began doing event photography and video and building our network of corporate clients, which helped lead to bigger projects for larger companies and nonprofits. We were able to use our filmmaking and storytelling skills to bring a more creative approach to these pieces.

In school, they teach you a lot of the theoretical aspects of filmmaking, but they don’t necessarily teach you the business skills. We had to figure out where our skills were most needed and start marketing towards those businesses and organizations. Once we laid the groundwork, it was a steady building process from there.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Since I was a kid, I’ve always been interested in the arts, theater and music. I realized that storytelling was my passion, and filmmaking combined many of the pursuits I loved growing up. I went to film school and started my company, Blue Slate Films, as a way to bring creative storytelling to the forefront of digital marketing.

Blue Slate Films is a one-stop shop for video production. I’ve produced content for major networks including The History Channel, Lifetime, and NBC and worked with notable brands and businesses across a variety of mediums. The company was also recognized in the Forbes Next 1000 list.

Unlike other commercial ad agencies, we approach content creation through a storytelling lens and consistently deliver videos with a high quality, cinematic feel. We prioritize telling emotional and engaging stories that in turn help drive results, make a difference, and reach wide audiences.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Blue Slate is a female-run Certified LGBT Business Enterprise, so we are passionate about elevating underrepresented voices through our work. We make a conscious effort to highlight diverse communities in every project, and seek clients who support and share this mission.

As we continue to build the company, it’s incredibly rewarding to see the work’s impact on others. We have been fortunate to have our content viewed by millions of Americans and broadcasted worldwide. I’m so proud that our company helps give people a platform to tell these important stories. It validates our mission and inspires us to continue pursuing these goals.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Prior to the COVID pandemic, we were covering many in-person events and preparing to shoot our first big feature film. Once the pandemic hit, we had to cancel our shoots, and were sitting at home like everyone else when I saw a post from the New York governor’s office in March 2020 calling for submissions to a PSA competition encouraging people to wear masks.

I figured it was a good opportunity to highlight the emotions of everyday New Yorkers during this unprecedented time, so we took our camera around the city asking family, friends and even strangers why they wore a mask. The result was a heartfelt spot that captured the authentic sentiments of not only New Yorkers, but people across the globe.

We submitted the piece and weren’t really sure if anyone would see it, but one day in April, we started getting texts and calls from friends and family saying our PSA was being shown during the governor’s daily COVID press conference. We had been chosen as one of two winners of the contest!

This moment was extremely gratifying and ultimately led to bigger opportunities, but most importantly, it helped define our approach to commercial storytelling. By highlighting authentic, emotional responses in the early days of the pandemic, we learned how to deliver powerful messages that resonate on a larger scale. That’s what I love and look forward to doing everyday.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.blueslatefilms.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blueslatefilms/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blueslatefilms
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-slate-films-llc/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BlueSlateFilms
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blueslatefilms?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Image Credits
Blue Slate Films
Brad Crosby (black & white photo)