We recently connected with Mark Aiello and have shared our conversation below.
Mark, appreciate you joining us today. 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 always had a passion for filmmaking and visual storytelling. I went to film school and although I was determined to make a career in the industry, I had no plan for where I was going. I spent my years out of college trying to figure out different paths, totally unsatisfied and miserable with all of them. It wasn’t until the pandemic where I decided to go fully independent and work as a freelance filmmaker with my own set of niche clientele. With millions of people getting laid off during the lockdown, as well as completely starting from the bottom, it was an incredibly hard, trying period for me. However, it was very encouraging for me to take a positive action step and making some serious risk. I spent the entire rest of the year building my portfolio which has now led me to make a comfortable living as a solopreneur. I still have a ways to go to reach my goals, but I am confident and determined that I am getting closer each and every day and am on the right path. There are plenty of things I know now that would have definitely sped up the process earlier on.
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.
I studied film at Fairfield University. During lockdown of 2020, I decided to work as a full-time independent contractor because I couldn’t bear working for someone else; I knew exactly what I wanted to create, who I wanted to serve, and knew that I had to be on my own in order to make it happen. I create content for edgy brands and businesses – this ranges from manufacturing and construction companies to tattoo ink makers. My primary focus is brand story documentaries to promote brand awareness and also short form commercial content for social media. Aside from my edgy, rugged style, I believe what sets me apart from my competition is my ability to listen to my clients’ needs and that I am very easy to work with. I’d say I’m most proud of is my craft itself and the continuing quality of my work on further projects. What I would like people, especially prospects, to know about me is that I am not just here to create something cool for you, I’m here to give you results and help you make money.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Better to ask for permission than forgiveness – WRONG. The opposite is true. Had I made more bold, daring moves much earlier on, whether it be a major decision or just a simple act or behavior I may conduct when dealing with a client or on a shoot, I believe I’d be a much better leader now. Leadership is one of the main skills I’m working on for myself. No good leader asks for permission, they make decisions that they know are right, regardless of what others might say. Had I been more honest with myself and trusted myself to go with my gut more, I definitely would have made more failures, but I think I would have learned more from those failures. Failure can be a valuable teacher – something they don’t teach you in school.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
By servicing various businesses and industries, I get to learn a lot about people. Whether it’s a client job or a passion project, when I go out on these shoots and when I meet with the people I’m working with, I get to see and interact with business owners and their employees learning more about what goes into their work, their process, their own stories and struggles, as well as what they’re working towards. Particularly, the people of the trades inspire me. They build the backbone of this country and they do it with their bare hands.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.markaiellofilms.com
- Instagram: @markaiello
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-aiello-47849991/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoTJCRsGDR4_afs8z00gCg
- Other: https://vimeo.com/user147521873