Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mika Pella. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Mika thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
Let me just start off by saying I am originally from Kansas City Mo. I got discovered by a small record label in the Tampa Bay Area. They signed me and moved me in with them. had originally been a Music artist but was doing freelance photography, and was a singer songwriter performing live a lot. My 3rd cd I had produced was called Neon Dreams Liquid Love. How I came up with that was I thought if your going to dream than your dreams should be bright like neon colors, and if your going to love than love should flow smooth like water. Hence Neon Dreams Liquid Love. Shortly after my music manager passed I started getting more into my artistic photography side and film making. I really liked the Neon Dreams concept I had used with my music cd therefore I decided to call my business I launched name Neon Dreams Productions. I worked alot with neon and brighter colors and lighting conceptual artistic photography. I also on the side was producing fashion shows and doing more photo shoots and getting better with video and editing. I now do music, wedding officiating, photography, film, show hosting, and fashion shows for pets, and people since teaming up with my partner, and girlfriend that creates all of the fashions for her company Tailor Sallee. So she designs the fashions and I do all the product shots video productions, and fashion production.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I got into the photography business because I moved to Tampa Bay and started doing it as a freelance hobby. I definitely enjoyed it a lot, so I started doing it more and more, and kind of split up my time between doing music performances and photo shoots. about 10 years ago as a music artist I got asked to be a part of Club Tv Show because the owner of the company had discovered me for my musical talent and decided to put me on as artist of the month back then they were on regular cable very late. Once I met up with him he said that I had what it took to be a host for television. He also said that I was very comfortable on camera, and asked me to be a TV show host and go to big music, festivals, and interview all the stars, and all of the big named Dj’s. That’s why I started learning more about the video and production side of things so I taught myself how to shoot video and how to edit by just getting different programs and working on it until eventually I got good enough that I could actually start getting paid gigs. So with all those different skills I could provide a lot of different services. Then I took it one step further, and decided to get ordained as a minister because I had the on-screen presence and was very comfortable speaking and hosting different events and shows. It only made sense to me when my best friend asked me to officiate her wedding. Everyone there said it was one of the best Weddings ever been to and instead of having to pay a bunch of different people to do different things, she was able to have me as her wedding, Singer and her officiant, and then was able to get behind the scenes video of the whole thing with the help of my girlfriend and partner with everything. I would say really what sets me apart from everyone else is all of the things that I can offer and multiple services done by one person. I got a large projector a few years ago and started using it for shoots, and then learned about projection mapping started doing that more, and learned how to map objects and then moved on to people and recently did a projection mapping fashion show some thing that very few people have ever seen. I like to learn and do a lot of different things and be able to provide experiences, and things that a lot of people have never seen or experienced before. When I started, the dog fashion shows with my girlfriend making the fashions, that’s when the business went to the next level. In a year and a half we have done 4 total Dogs Pet Fashion Shows where the dogs are wearing sustainable fashions that match the models designs that my girlfriend created herself all handmade all thrifted and vintage recycled outfits and accessories. You can find what we do on Instagram at Neondreamsproductions. You can also see my work at Neondreamsproductions.com
How’d you meet your business partner?
I actually met my business partner at a fashion show that she was showcasing in. I interviewed her for television and told her that I really liked what she was doing with sustainable fashions and that I would love to help her out with Photography and or Video and then I didn’t care about getting paid to help her out because I really believed in what she was doing and wanted to help her get to the next level and get her message crossed and somehow showcase her platform and her ideals more. Two days after the interview we actually started dating because we had so much in common. We both went to college for Fashion. We had both been from Kansas City Missouri, and the craziest part about it is we moved to Florida 13 or 14 years apart. And her mothers first job was my grandmother‘s restaurant in Kansas City Missouri. We both just felt like it was meant to be. She was getting ready to graduate from the Tampa Art Institute and through college, and for extra credit, had put together a fashion show that they did at the Institute. I told her I wanted to help her because I had done fashion shows myself in the past and 10 years ago, got to do the first Sidewalk fashion show on Beach Drive working with Designs To Shine who did the first two seasons of dancing with the stars dresses. So I produce the show I was actually the musical artist and I brought in other talent acts and a Dj. Back to when I started dating my now, business, partner, and girlfriend once we started dating, we realized also how much that we could support and help each other because we were both and similar fields and what she lacked I made up for it and what I lacked she made up for. Therefore making ourselves and our businesses greater and better. Surprisingly enough we can work together all the time and it’s a great partnership without a lot of complications and problems. We will be together a year and a half this month and can proudly say that we’ve produced at least six or seven different shows some being virtual, some being Ticket events, and then also doing our bikini dog washes to help raise money for different animal shelters. We share a Micro Pomeranian as well. That is an Instagram influencer and wears all of the handmaid Tailor Sallee fashions, and hand blinged pet sunglasses. Let’s just say the three of us are a little too much lol if you think that sort of thing would be extra.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
I would say my best source of new clients would literally come from me just being at different events, and having my business cards on hand, and just mentioning that if they ever wanted to do a shoot, I’m available I can do photos and videos. A lot of times there might be a couple that we meet or run into, and I always mention that I’m available for a couples shoots, engagement shoots, and wedding shoots. Also by shooting product photos for my girlfriends line of sustainable clothing I end up getting solo model shoots from that that end up being paid gigs, based on the work that I have done in the past. So ultimately word of mouth, social media, and being in the right place at the right time. I am definitely a people person, and would rather be with someone in real life than see them and meet them through digital or through a zoom meeting. Lol.
Contact Info:
- Website: Neondreamsproductions.com
- Instagram: Neondreamsproductions
- Facebook: Neon Dreams Productions & Media
Image Credits
Amanda Quigley-Day Jane Drooger Jen Emm