We recently connected with Hazel M and have shared our conversation below.
Hazel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?
As much as I enjoyed my time at film school, there are so many areas where the educational system is failing the next generation of filmmakers. When I started my business, I had zero business experience. I had no idea how to land clients, how to pitch, how to hire employees, the list goes on. I know some people might think “well Hazel you went to film school not business school,” which is true but so many things about the film business were left off of the curriculum.
I’ve been out of school for several years so it may be better now, but from conversations with the next generation, we are still stuck with the same problem. Graduates don’t have the understanding of the business to start their own. Which can be fine if they are going to a production house or agency, but if they don’t have a concrete grasp on how the film world works, they are going to be stuck in entry level roles unless they further their own education.
I value so many educators who have gone the extra mile to ready myself and other students but there needs to be more. More hands-on training and testing. I want these students to be ready and also safe on set. So many quit the film industry soon after graduation because they aren’t prepared. It’s almost like we need a course on life, like, “hey you have dreams of making it in LA, well let’s go over it. Let’s get you a game plan, because your 1 student film is probably not going to get you a meeting with Spielberg.”
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Hi I’m Hazel! I’m a producer, owner of HOC, and I’m a camera nerd. I’ve been in the commercial video business for 15 years. The first video I ever made was in 4th grade. I produced a hoverboard tv ad for class. I was the only student to have their script memorized and I was pretty proud of that. My first paid gig was when I was 17. Filming for sale videos for a horse barn. $20 per horse. So, if you count those years, I’ve been filming for 25 years. I think we should count it. My hoverboard video was world class (just kidding).
My first film classes started in high school in a summer program where you could see me slinging a 16 mm Arriflex film camera around Disney World.
I was fortunate to be able to attend film school where I majored in Film Production, minored in Psychology, and received two certificates in Documentary Production and Leadership. I was also able to intern at two organizations. A museum, helping their video team create video projects for exhibit, and at a video production company. The latter turning into my first job out of university.
I founded Hazel Oliver Creative (HOC) 7 years ago. We’ve helped non-profits raise over 3 million dollars and we have produced about 1,000 videos and countless photo projects. Outside of the non-profits we also specialize in corporate communication (trust us we will make you look great on camera), events, small business stories, and sports, specifically, car racing, and bike racing. We focus on emotionally compelling stories in all lengths. We have just added podcasting and a print shop to our offerings as well. If you’re looking to advertise your business, help a non-profit raise money, gain insight from a podcast, or decorate your home with prints contact us through the website, hazelolivercreative.
One thing I want people to know about myself and also the whole team at HOC is that we truly care. We might not be your employees, but we might as well be. We don’t just set up a camera, we help strategize with you to make sure our services will help amplify your story. We have great relationships with our clients, and they come to us year after year and that’s due to the care and concern we give every project.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
I can say confidently 90% of my client list is referrals. Networking has been a great avenue to find a win-win for our clients and prospects. I value my network so much, first they are wonderful people, but they are also why HOC’s doors have stayed open. We are always venturing into new markets around the US and a referral is 1000% better than cold pitch emails any day.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
There are so many resources I wish I had known sooner! There are a couple resources that really jump out at me and the first one would be creative recruiting companies. This saved me early on in my business journey. They were a great way to get my foot in the door and get HOC’s name out there. The second would be networking events. There are so many great and also free events out there, just check sites like Eventbrite to see postings near you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hazelolivercreative.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hazelolivercreative/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hazel-oliver-creative
Image Credits
Jai Mayhew and HOC team members