Today we’d like to introduce you to Jared Allen.
Hi Jared, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in California and started appearing in small local commercials when I was just a kid. I took Digital Video all throughout high school, and after I graduated, I went to the Los Angeles Film School. In 2009, I appeared on the Jay Leno Show as a winner of Jay’s Student Film Festival and Critical Review- where I was critiqued by Richard Roeper. After graduating from LA Film School in 2010, I worked for producer Gina Mingacci at Moxie Pictures for a couple of years. Then, I worked as the creative coordinator at a large ad agency in Los Angeles where we made direct-response commercials. During all of this time working for other companies, I spent my free time, freelancing and began shooting content for events in Orlando, FL. In 2015, I decided to pack my bags and move to Florida. I’ve had the pleasure of working all over the United States and have filmed everything from huge events with 10,000 people to small dinners with less than 10. I love shooting short-form documentaries, interviews, and personal videos – it’s a passion of mine. I’ve worked with A-list celebrities like Sterling K. Brown as well as everyday people who would just like to film their great-grandmother cooking up her famous meatballs. No matter who I’m working with, my goal is always to capture beautiful and authentic moments that will be cherished for generations to come.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I started in the depths of the recession. Times were tough and starting a business seemed like a pretty risky proposition. But I was young, hungry, and determined to make it work.
There were a lot of challenges along the way- people trying to undercut my prices, steal my ideas, and undermine me, but I didn’t give up. I kept fighting and eventually found success.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. And that’s why I’m successful today.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am extremely proud of my appearance on The Jay Leno Show. It was pretty exciting – I was only 19 and had been in LA a total of 5 months. I mainly work with nonprofits and large corporations these days, and I love it. It’s not just about the creating a video or taking a picture (although that’s pretty great too), it’s about figuring out each company’s unique image and voice. I value the opportunity to create something new every time I turn on my camera. Plus, who doesn’t like getting paid to play with their toys?
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Just starting a business involves taking a big risk. You’re pouring money into this idea that you hope works out. You can’t guarantee that you will be profitable but you do it anyways. I was fortunate enough to have made contacts before I fully dove into beginning my own business but I did take a big risk. I was the production manager on a low-budget feature in Los Angeles and had been having arguments with the producer/financier about safety on set which lead to me deciding to leave the job. I found someone to take over my lease within seven days. I moved to Florida on just more than a week’s notice and called a HUGE potential client as soon as I crossed the state line. He said the only way we could work together is if I moved to Florida and I said, “I’m already here.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.brandyoustudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandyoustudios/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandyoustudios
Image Credits
Brand You Studios
