We recently connected with KOZ SILVERTUNA STUDIOS and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, KOZ thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
I was blessed to have two artistic parents that supported everything I did. No matter how insane it was. From showing up at my skate contests and my pops shooting skate photos to buying me my first professional camera. I honestly could not have asked for more supportive parents. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.
KOZ, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I was fortunate enough to break into the TV world here in NYC about 12 years ago now. I was given an opportunity to work for a smaller production company in the west village called Vidiots. My father had a close friend by the name of Pete Mecca who was a 4 time emmy award winning camera-man on the Dick Cavett show. He had given the owners of Vidiots there start in TV a couple decades earlier. My father always looking out, showed Pete my website and he was so impressed with all my work he got me an interview. Fast forward 12 years and I ended up working for over 20 different networks on over 75 tv shows. Shooting, editing, engineering, directing, media managing, you name it, wherever I was needed, I was happy to adapt always. All the years growing up filming and editing skate videos with my friends, I never thought there was an actual value to what I was doing it was all for fun. Always. Now I run Silvertuna Studios with Jeff Fisher, 13 time emmy award winner and my mentor. I am also launching a new brand with my fiancé Laura “lulu” Reich called KXL Projects, geared to focus on the Artists,
Mural projects, Art Shows, branding deals, merchandising, artist sponsorships, and building connections.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I know some people will give me shit for listing this book as being influential to me, but it was given to me by my mother when I needed it the most. About 20 Years ago, I was miserable, beyond depressed, working as a manager for Avis Rent-A-Car, wasting away not using my craft or any of them for that matter and my mom gave me a few books she thought may help me. One of them was “The Secret” it’s really just a book of positive affirmations, for anyone who didn’t know. I read it a few times and would highlight things I liked in the book. I made a list of things I wanted to obtain.
In short I put the post it app on cpu I edited on at the time (I believe it was a Sony Vaio ha) and on the top of the list was a six figure salary in TV.
I looked at it everyday and made steps to get my name and myself out there.
Within about 5 years of writing that note, I accomplished it, with a full time Union gig in the local 1212 at CBS as a Media Manager and featured Photographer.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I lost two of my best friends, Andrew Reed Meagher, and John Cleary aka Johnny Utah. They left way too soon, initial devastation of losing a close friend can send people one of two ways. I was sitting on the fence heading down a dark path, thankfully I put my mind back into my work and focused solely on that. I was also given another book to help me understand death a bit more, the book is called “Many Lives Many Masters” It just opened my mind and had me in deep thought, it’s a quick read and I highly recommend this one. Life is fragile and way too short to sweat the bullshit. Live every day to the fullest.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.silverunastudios.com
- Instagram: silvertunastudios
- Youtube: Silver Tuna Studios
Image Credits
Laura “lulu” Reich