Today we’d like to introduce you to Dillon Marcelin.
Hi Dillon, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My love for video started out as a child where my dad would bring out his VHS camera on all of our family vacations/outings (you could imagine all of the embarrassing moments that were captured). This love was also nurtured through my constant consumption of music videos during my youth through BET, TRL, MTV Jams + more.
Then came HS, my friends and I would record each other during Pep Rallies and upload them on YouTube.
During my time at Florida International University, I fell in love with marketing and storytelling. I eventually got a go pro and started making all types of vlogs/videos (I even ran into Casey Neistat during his “Airport Ripoff” vlog.
After graduating, I decided to pursue videography a little more seriously and I started to do festival work, music videos, event recaps, and even weddings.
Now being the person I am, I wanted even more from this venture. So, I started doing video production work for therapists, life coaches, and more.
*Not to throw a wrench in my videography story*
I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart, from selling candy in middle school to flipping & selling shoes in High school. So, when I’m not doing video production for clients, I’m reselling Telfer Bags, PS5s, Sports/Pokémon Cards, and other in-demand items. It honestly brings a sort of “high” to me and helps me connect with my inner child. I get a certain type of rush.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. When I graduated from Florida International in 2016, I was jobless and almost broke. I didn’t have a car; I was unhappy being back home and I knew I needed to do something asap so I won’t become “stuck”.
I ended up applying for jobs and I relocated back to South Florida and I worked for City Furniture (I took advantage of their relocation package and bought a car). For a brief time while working at City Furniture (December 2016 to the end of 2017) I didn’t make many videos and I ultimately bought into the dream of becoming a GM for the company.
But April 30th, 2018, I got fired from City Furniture and my only source of income was from…. videos. I was able to survive for a couple of months down south, but I figured it would be better for me to relocate back to Orlando so I can regroup myself.
Truth be told, from June to August of that year, I was in a dark time in my life. Trying to remain afloat with clients so I can pay bills to try to move on from a relationship, it was tough for me.
But other than that, the next obstacle I faced on my journey was losing my dad in April of this year. I know people hated COVID and want to eliminate 2020 from their lives, but I loved 2020. I loved what that year did for me.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
*** I was about to pick Business/Practice etc. ***
But I don’t think that encompasses the entirety of me.
However, when I’m not indulging in flipping/reselling, I do Video Production for companies and professionals.
The name of my company is Reeldill Productions and I consider myself a “Video Therapist” instead of a typical videographer/video production company.
What sets us apart from everyone else is that we see is that we focus on actually bringing results to our clients through using video instead of focusing on trying to make a pretty image/video.
We use what we call “video therapy” to get to know our clients and not just listen to their words, but their business models, as well as their wants/goals and we help extract this message with a video camera in the room.
What I’m MOST proud of is I helped Kevin Perez (Vice President of True Haul) close one of the biggest deals of his career through a video I made for his company. When he told me that, I was ecstatic!
An honorable mention I’d humbly brag about is I went on a tour with the artist Toosii before he blew up and I learned much on that trip as well as being put onto an artist up close and personal before mainstream. Something I also thought was cool was seeing how much his music impacted his listeners, seeing how he engaged with his fans and sharing some dope moments with him, his manager, and DJ. All great people. I love the success they’ve been having.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I see more companies being more innovative when it comes to storytelling, branding, showcasing their day-to-day operations as well as being more transparent/vulnerable with their clients all by using video.
More companies are using video in their marketing/branding messages and content, but there’s so much more uses to video outside of simply marketing and branding.
Videos can solve internal problems within a company, improve their communication, employee performance/emotional buy-in, boost sales, improve employee retention, and more! (I could really go on and on with this honestly)
Pricing:
- Pricing isn’t one-size-fits-all. Pricing for projects depends on what the company needs and the scope of its problems. However, projects can range from $2,500 to $20,000
Contact Info:
- Email: myreeldill@gmail.com
- Website: reeldillproductions.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereeldill_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dillon.marcelin/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheReelDill__
