Building a Successful Film Studio | Mario Visions

Being a solo entrepreneur in Los Angeles is no easy feat, but Mario Visions is the prime example of how persistence and grit delivers praiseworthy results withing the film industry. As the owner of Site Studios, Mario has built up a large array of standing sets which have brought in many big-name clients and a profitable revenue. Originally intended to be used as a personal space for his videography career, his studio has since grown into a successful rental space with a variety of film sets including an underground subway, a classroom, and a casino. Learn how this this grew for a DIY project to a full-fledged business in today’s episode of the CinePacks Podcast.

 Introduction to Mario Visions and Site Studios (00:00:18)

The Subway Set: From Concept to Completion (00:01:02)

Challenges in Building and Expanding Studios (00:05:20)

Dealing with Tight Budgets and Unexpected Costs (00:12:19)

Managing Risks in the Studio Business (00:24:05)

The Role of Networking and Relationships in the Industry (00:29:07)

Balancing Passion with Financial Responsibility (00:31:57)

Mario’s Advice on Investing in Yourself (00:35:00)

Final Thoughts: Do It for the Love, Not the Money (00:51:19)

Follow Mario Visions - https://www.instagram.com/mariovisions/

Subscribe to Mario’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@mariovisions

Transcript

00;00;00;00 - 00;00;18;21
Unknown
Hello. When I get a studio where they're like 16, 18 hours, I'm feeding everybody, but we won't be here. I did a lot of it without really knowing that I was doing the right thing. Like the first studio, right? I think that one I made like 100 grand profit. Center pads built for. What is up? And welcome to the Cinemax podcast.

00;00;18;24 - 00;00;42;06
Unknown
I'm Tyler Casey with my co-host Andy Chen. Today we're joined by Mario Visions, a creative owner of Site Studios. His creative spaces, which rent on Pure space and geek ster, include a ton of sets that you guys have definitely seen, some of which is a school, a casino, a classroom, and a recently added underground subway station. How's it going, Mario?

00;00;42;08 - 00;01;02;12
Unknown
So appreciate you guys for having me, bro. it's from Crazy Day today. Yeah, you said you just got off a set. I mean, yeah, just. Lady's got off set. She came straight over here, so I was like, yeah, yeah, crazy day. But if you're coming around, I appreciate you guys for having me. Yeah, yeah. You've been killing it with especially the studios just seeing like, all the new sets pop up.

00;01;02;12 - 00;01;24;11
Unknown
It's been crazy. yeah. What's your latest set? Is the subway set? Yeah. talk a little bit about that, man. Well, that one, that one was crazy. You know, what's funny is, like, every studio I've done, and there was never a plan. So that one, the only plan was, was like two years ago. I wanted to release that, but we didn't know how to build.

00;01;24;13 - 00;01;38;00
Unknown
I don't know what we're going to do, how it was just like an idea. And then, after building the size studio one and the school was like, okay, I think we could build it, but it was like a two year thing, and then we built it, but it was supposed to only be the inside of the subway.

00;01;38;02 - 00;01;52;26
Unknown
And as we started like building it and we started building like the elevator toy, I was like, you know what, let's expand this, let's build the hallway and then let's do this and let's do that. And you guys know budget eventually goes too high. And I'm like what was I thinking. But yeah it's like it was it's been like two years for the subway.

00;01;52;27 - 00;02;07;19
Unknown
But until now. But even that wasn't like fully planned. Like the outside wasn't planned the whole way. Not really either. It was just like the elevator. I didn't know how I was going to set it up. So that just happened. It was like a two years worth, like to finally bring it out. Two years of actually working on building it.

00;02;07;19 - 00;02;20;20
Unknown
You're saying like just trying to get to, like, like it was in the back of my head was always like, I had, like, a mood board. And I was like, one day I want to do it. And like the owner where I have the school, he's like, hey, I have another space, okay? And I was like, it's perfect size.

00;02;20;23 - 00;02;36;24
Unknown
And I was like, let me, let me, let me do it. I mean, he gave me a good deal because I'm a good tenant for him. So it's kind of worked out. That's great. Can we pull up the clip of the subway? but yeah, we got some footage of, oh on the subway. There's the subway. Yeah.

00;02;36;24 - 00;02;55;19
Unknown
I honestly love the. I feel like the hallway adds so much like with the tile, the subway tile. You know, the tile on the walls, like, really adds a lot. yeah. That's crazy that you built this all by yourself. Like, this was just you. And did you have any other help or. Dude right there? John. Yeah, he helped me.

00;02;55;21 - 00;03;12;20
Unknown
it's funny, I posted on, like, on Instagram and like, a 19 year old kid actually built that. Oh, it was 90 year old. It's crazy. And then, I got another contract, like towards, like the second half because I wanted to, like, done fast. So I reached out to someone else and he recommended me someone. And, that's how it all came about.

00;03;12;22 - 00;03;26;24
Unknown
But, basically I was like, I, I come up with the game plan, and then I just get, like, the people in place that like, you know, like, all I knew was like, I do the finishing touches. Yeah. Like the little things that I know I need to go pick up, but, like, I give it to them, like the people that are good at that.

00;03;26;27 - 00;03;43;08
Unknown
Yeah, yeah. But that was, that was a crazy one. That one was like, do we want like 25 grand over there over budget? Yeah, that was kind of. It's crazy. I mean, it looks great. It looks amazing. Yeah, I really say yeah. Yeah, I appreciated that was definitely a fun one. And this is a different like you said you have different these are different buildings at different locations.

00;03;43;08 - 00;03;57;05
Unknown
So that one's like in the same building but it's like separate. So it's like minds and it's like the fabric store which is like the owner, the whole place. And then it's a subway. So it's like in the same place. It's in the same building. Yeah. But it's just like a different entrance. Yeah. I gotcha. So you have the classroom there as well?

00;03;57;05 - 00;04;16;29
Unknown
Yeah. That's how you see the classroom okay. Yeah. So this one is crazy. This one's super vibrant. And I think my favorite part is really the, the hallway with all the lockers. I feel like you really killed this look. I feel like it looks like, you know, like just the classic hallway scene you'd see in any type of, like, you know, film or classroom.

00;04;17;02 - 00;04;35;01
Unknown
It looks like, because it's all connected, you can. I feel you can really shoot, like a whole whole scene or, like, follow a character walking around and, and you have the office right here, which is like perfect, you know, especially. And you have a locker. You got everything, man. Bro. Like this one. Yeah. This one was like, dude, it was like a scary three, four months.

00;04;35;01 - 00;04;53;15
Unknown
Probably because once I released it, it didn't do good for 3 to 4 months. I thought I failed because, like, when I first saw the hallway because, you know, I had, like, the first official studio, those lockers, I, I brought those and I was like a school hallway, and I was looking for a place that has that. I didn't want to build walls because that would be cost.

00;04;53;15 - 00;05;07;00
Unknown
So I found that place and I was like, this works. So I released it and dude, it like flat for 3 to 4 months. I was like, you're like, damn. Like, I built this whole hallway. I was like, because when I first saw it, I was like, you can make two different sets, but were going to be small.

00;05;07;01 - 00;05;20;11
Unknown
We can divided in the middle. But I was like, let me go all out. I rather go big and I give people the better experience because I mean, as a shooter, I don't want to just be content, you know, this, this side. You know, I want to get it. 360 so yeah, they worked out after four months, but I took a hit like for sure.

00;05;20;11 - 00;05;36;20
Unknown
That one was like, was there something that you did that like got the word out there. Like how did that had a word start picking up like that. Just it just happened Lou. Like do they. It was like people were kind of low balling like, hey, like, can you do it for this outside of, you know, pierce space and all that and I like I had to take it here.

00;05;36;20 - 00;05;52;11
Unknown
And I was like, yeah. It was like like I wasn't making anything really. But I was like trying to see, like, is it going to hit I think when is five? Because I think I released that and in December, January I start hitting summer. So I was like June basically. So I was like I was out of school.

00;05;52;12 - 00;06;09;02
Unknown
Yeah. They also I guess like people started preparing for back to school. so commercial started coming in and I was like, dude, this is actually pretty cool. And that's how I remember the aperture shoot shot there did that. Was that that was at the beginning. Okay. So so you were like, hopefully you're like, all right, this is going to hit.

00;06;09;02 - 00;06;29;00
Unknown
And then yeah, if kind of flop for four months. Yeah. I was like, are you able to make recoup investment on that or is it still. No I was able to recoup. But it was yeah. 3 to 4 months. I was like, man. Like, you know, normally when I release though, I always have like at least four shoots ready to go to like try to showcase what I can do with it and try to give people like an idea.

00;06;29;03 - 00;06;47;19
Unknown
Let's that you're shooting yourself. Yeah. I'll try to being an artist or shooting commercial aspect, that or anything really to show them like, hey, you guys can shoot it like this, like grass, green grass, put it on, you know, pure space and all that. So yeah, we do that, we do that too. But yeah, we also like bring in like our friends and like other people with different like, like photographers and stuff like that, you know.

00;06;47;19 - 00;07;09;11
Unknown
Yeah, people have different styles and stuff that we can't do ourselves. Like we just invite some people. Do some free shoots, just at least get the content out there that you guys do with every space. You guys are you. I think we've done that with every space. Yeah, and we've done that work because like our Broadway studio, we just remodeled it and same thing, like we did this big remodel because we haven't changed that set since 2020 when we first opened it.

00;07;09;13 - 00;07;24;24
Unknown
So it's been the same since then. We've changed a few things in and out, but we just did a full remodel, so we added that grade ceiling, we added the elevator that goes into the grade ceiling and like that circle room in the LED hallway. so we did all that and then it was just still dead. Yeah.

00;07;24;24 - 00;07;45;20
Unknown
Just like, what are we going to do? You know? So we did promo, we did a shoot and it was still like slow. So we're just like like let's plan like let's just schedule a few people because that's what we've done with all our other studios. We'll just schedule a few friends to just come shoot some content, you know, do a photo shoot, do whatever, and just, like, get us some behind the scenes.

00;07;45;22 - 00;08;01;25
Unknown
And then, I don't know, I feel like I don't know if that's like the key, but like, I mean, I feel like it also feel like on Peer Space, it takes a bit for like, I don't know, the algorithm to catch up for you to get started getting pumped up because like when you first post it, you're on like page 2000 or something.

00;08;01;25 - 00;08;20;26
Unknown
Crazy, right? Yeah. And then after a while, like somehow depending on people, how I think it's how many people click on your thing, during searches or something besides kind of shifting it up. So then you start seeing yourself on page 100 and it was more popular keeps going up. But I think it's just takes a bit of time for it to, to kind of do that, I think.

00;08;21;00 - 00;08;37;10
Unknown
So talk to me a little bit about how you even got into the studio game as, your first studio, how did that kind of come about to? I mean, we were kind of talk well, I kind of talked a little bit about it when I got in here, but, so the first one wasn't supposed to be pure space.

00;08;37;12 - 00;08;52;05
Unknown
It was supposed to be like me personally, because, I used to light all the shoot I was doing, like, live performances in my backyard of my parents house, and they show was having it also in fog. The wind was blowing it. If I try to do backdrops, the backdrops were moving and I couldn't practice lighting, but I eventually learned it.

00;08;52;05 - 00;09;13;22
Unknown
But I'm like, okay, I can't do this every time. Take all my gear from my room all the way to my backyard, set it, break it down at three in the morning. And I was like, I was tired. I was like, I would love to set something up and leave it like that. So I found a, like a little studio right by my house, and I was like, dude, this is like a perfect place to create, learn lighting, bring artists, and really showcase the world.

00;09;13;22 - 00;09;35;04
Unknown
Like, hey, like, I want, I deserve bigger budgets. I wasn't, I was getting five, 600, but it's so it was like nothing, right? Like this. Literally just me. I was doing putting $100 or 100ft into my friend, so I wasn't really making anything. I start to edit. So it was kind of like a self-imposed assignment until I remember, like, I put those tubes hanging and I did like a little story like, oh, I was just excited, you know?

00;09;35;04 - 00;09;47;15
Unknown
And then I got like five directors. When are you going to release? I was like, what are you talking about? I do like, this is just like, I'm just like a little, you know, I'm just all excited. Like, my first place is like the whole during Covid. So I was like, finally I have an escape from the house.

00;09;47;16 - 00;10;01;04
Unknown
Yeah. And yeah, I brought them in and then I put on pure space. I was like, you know, if it gets rented a little bit, I'll be cool. But that's not the goal. And yeah, it just blew up like that was the one that I mean, it was, you know, during Covid like everything just went crazy all the money.

00;10;01;04 - 00;10;18;07
Unknown
So it just blew up and I was like, what just happened? I couldn't shoot there no more. I couldn't do my YouTube videos. I was just like, the craziest thing. I'm like, dude, are you serious? So I got an office after that. But that's really how it came about. I was like trying to invest in myself. And then so that one, that one has the casino in it now too.

00;10;18;12 - 00;10;34;21
Unknown
No, that was just like the first one. It was in Monrovia. okay. Gotcha. Yeah. So you don't have that person? No, no, I close it down. Gotcha. So then you're. And then you move to the one that is, like, more of, like a multiset, right? It has a lot of different sets. Yeah. what's which sets are in that one?

00;10;34;21 - 00;11;04;23
Unknown
That one. It's, was the mini mart, the outdoor bodega, the money room. Like the RGB wall, arcade, the strip club and the casino. Yeah, yeah, the casino. I think we have a clip of that. but, I actually sort of it. Not in the casino, but I shot a video, really? At the store, which, said that you use, we used, we use the market or, like, the outside of it, and then we use the money.

00;11;04;25 - 00;11;23;16
Unknown
yeah. Okay. Do you guys have it in the outside, too? Like, because there's a outside area that's just, like, nothing. Yeah, but you throw some lights in that, like, stuff, you know, it's like grungy. It's like to start on the floor. I wanted to make it an outdoor, like a yard. Like a jail yard. like it has the look, but it's the apartments are there.

00;11;23;24 - 00;11;36;21
Unknown
And yeah, there was an issue with that. So all my, like, sound decisions. Yeah. Like music and like it was the owner was kind of coming at me, so I was like, I'm not going to deal with it. Yeah, I think I remember I think we like had to play the music super quiet, like on his phone or something into his pocket.

00;11;36;21 - 00;11;53;22
Unknown
Yeah. It's such I eyesore potential there. But I'm like, dude, I just can't like, you know. And it's a, it's not the best area. So I'm like, if I leave, wait by someone, jump over and take the waitress. because I was like, mahola. So I was like, yeah, I'll skip on the ceiling, waits over a fence because you got to be strong.

00;11;53;22 - 00;12;19;13
Unknown
I thought about it too. Yeah. I was like, damn, but you just never know. You know, some of these people eyes, are not for sure. Yeah. What? I I've talked to you on the phone a little bit about this, but, like, with running, like certain, like you're set, like you said, like you have this strip club and you say, like, a lot of people, like, are trying to book it at, like, strip club hours, like, like one and 2 a.m. like, what are some of the challenges with that?

00;12;19;13 - 00;12;40;10
Unknown
And like what, you know, like, have you had to deal with that? It's just like you're you're looking at a strip club. Like you will see rappers are just clients I guess in general, like they'll come. I mean, if it's like a rap video, they, they will bring the girls. But like before I know it, ten more people come, five more people come to, you know, and then ten more people will come on top.

00;12;40;10 - 00;12;54;00
Unknown
They like, do this like 40 people and they're like, dude, this is like, you never know. Like, you know, you already know. I grew up shooting these type of rappers and like, I grew up in that scene. So like, I know one wrong person being there and there could be a gunshot like that could be something like that.

00;12;54;00 - 00;13;09;22
Unknown
I don't want to risk that. And the artists that come sometimes like these A-list artists, they're, you know, they have a rare reputation. I don't want to risk it in my place because I will shut it down if that was to happen. So we try now. We keep him in and was like, after I forgot what time we ten and under.

00;13;09;24 - 00;13;23;25
Unknown
Like, there's no more than that, you know, because it's just not it's not safe. Yeah. Like I just want to keep my place safe. They, we've had encounters like that's bad how we've that we dealt with like, you know, my girl was in jeopardy. Like being in that area. I'm like, she was like, what do I do?

00;13;23;25 - 00;13;38;26
Unknown
I'm like, you know, well, don't don't walk in, like, just let's see what happened. But you can't walk in. There was like a gun and everything. So. Yeah, those those like stuff happening inside in the moment. Yeah. And like there was like an argument or argument. No, wait. No, it was like two artists that don't like each other.

00;13;38;26 - 00;13;53;19
Unknown
They ended up there, where their two separate shoots. Like, did you have was it two parts of the studio or is it just like they just both ended up at the same? She just, it was the same. The same. Shoot. They just both ended up. Maybe one knew that the guy was there and he decided to confront him, but it was like, yeah.

00;13;53;19 - 00;14;06;18
Unknown
Like we just. Yeah, I couldn't step in or anything. I just told her to step away and, like, I wasn't there. But even if I was, I'm like, what do I do? Like, this is like, you know, you don't want to get involved in that. So it's it's. Yeah, it's like crazy things have happened. Like, I'm pretty sure those are the ones.

00;14;06;18 - 00;14;21;01
Unknown
But yeah, that's like one of the biggest ones that I remember. Like, that can't happen. But it just got diffused by then and night like nothing actually it stopped after like an hour. They just argued for an hour. For an hour. Just argued he had them against the wall gunpoint. And I was like, dude, like, I'm just looking at cameras.

00;14;21;01 - 00;14;38;22
Unknown
Like, yeah, I was looking. I was like, just watching this. So that was just. Yeah, I'm like, don't pull the trigger. You know? I'm like, do like, are you serious? Like. And my girl, she didn't know what to do. I'm like, stay away. Like that's it. Stay away. Yeah. luckily yeah. Everything I guess they resolved it, but yeah, it was like they were like they wanted to add time because like, the whole hour.

00;14;38;22 - 00;14;55;29
Unknown
I'm like, no, just tell them there's another booking happening. Kick them out. Like, we can't have that. So thankfully yeah. Yeah. Was it like LA rappers now? I think these two were like I think one was from Miami and the other was from like probably from LA and just randomly happened to. It was like a friend of a friend and he brought them in.

00;14;55;29 - 00;15;12;09
Unknown
Like what? So I think maybe was an accident thing. but it was like a crazy because I know there's a lot of like LA rapper like B for like, just like, I don't know, because we because I brought our Broadway location, our first one. Like, that's not in the best area either. So like we've had rappers show up for shoots and they're like, oh, I don't know.

00;15;12;09 - 00;15;31;16
Unknown
This is in this hood. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not leaving the car. And they just like, leave. But like, I don't know if the director is like didn't know or what, but like, I mean, the artists paid for it. They just decided they're not shooting the video anymore and they just left. So we still got paid. And the director so obviously he's just like, whatever.

00;15;31;18 - 00;15;55;17
Unknown
But have you guys have any like ever had any accident like that. Any, any. No. Crazy. You never had any like confrontations or anything like that. I think the most we had like Draco do a couple of videos before he passed, like he did a couple music videos. We had just had a ton of, like, security and stuff, and they were just like being super careful, super like like, you know, just making sure nobody, nobody that wasn't supposed to be there was coming in.

00;15;55;19 - 00;16;12;28
Unknown
but that was just like. But all the, all the guards, like, had guns and stuff like that. So was little safety. It was like a crazy scene to see, you know. but I mean, yeah, nothing went down, though. It was just like just. But yeah, they're like kind of aware of, like the area they're in and like, okay, stuff like that.

00;16;12;28 - 00;16;28;29
Unknown
But it was like back to back to he was there like two days in a row for like two separate videos. One, he was a feature on all black video, and the other one was like something else, but like two different directors, two different productions, just having to book our slot two days back to back at the same guy.

00;16;29;01 - 00;16;52;08
Unknown
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00;16;52;15 - 00;17;13;21
Unknown
Now back to the episode. What made you guys get into this whole thing? This whole studio? Yeah, I mean, we did it during Covid as well. and I think it was kind of like similar. I mean, we're both awesome music video director shooters, like, you know, like, came from the same background. We just shoot stuff ourselves, like run a gun, like one man band type stuff.

00;17;13;24 - 00;17;30;08
Unknown
And like, when we built Cinemax, we started saving some money. And then I think the justification of getting our first place, like, I knew I was going to still use it for at least if I get like two, three music videos a month at least that could cover the rent somewhat, you know? And then we can do pure space and see how that goes.

00;17;30;10 - 00;17;51;21
Unknown
But the pure space took off, I think, like and then we're like, oh, this is actually a viable business. yeah. But we but we kind of lucked out because when we first, we moved into that place and that was just me, my buddy Liam, I think. I don't know if Josh helped out a little bit, but my girlfriend was helping us, like, construction and stuff was just like building these sets, and they're like, okay.

00;17;51;21 - 00;18;11;25
Unknown
Like, I used to help my dad do construction and stuff. So I know, like a little bit of, just like basic wall builds and stuff. So we built, dressing room. We built, like a little hallway with LED plexiglass ceiling. and then it was just like, not that great. We got barely any bookings, and then all of a sudden this random guy comes in, he's like, hey, what are you guys doing here?

00;18;11;25 - 00;18;28;24
Unknown
We're like, oh, soon the music video is like, oh, I just moved in upstairs. I was like, oh, what do you what do you do? And he's just like, oh, I build sets for a living. And he was this like, like literally after we met him, like three days later, he built out this crazy set for us within like two days.

00;18;28;26 - 00;18;46;17
Unknown
Yeah. Little like two, three days where I was like, oh, I really want to do, like, this kind of idea on this side of the room, but we just, you know, we don't really have the experience or like, know how to do it. But he was like, oh, I got you. I got you two, three days later, it's like fully built out, like the cool it like, like the sickest thing I've seen.

00;18;46;17 - 00;19;03;14
Unknown
I was like, crazy. So we just kind of lucked out and meeting the right person at the right time. And he's been building all our sets for us ever since, like, we come up with all these ideas, like all these sets here. Alan, Alan Stubbs is our production designer, and he's kind of like, like led, pretty much the build.

00;19;03;14 - 00;19;20;16
Unknown
And I mean, he has own team as well. but yeah, I mean, we've been kind of DIY from the start, but now that we have his how I do it helps a lot helps are the they're they're like called scenic designers right. Or what's the work I mean there's yeah I don't I guess there's different term design.

00;19;20;17 - 00;19;37;23
Unknown
There's like yeah there's a scenic people. There's like I mean, he came from a scenic painting background. I think he used to do like, concrete faux walls and stuff like that before he started doing film stuff. But, I mean, I think his official title on film sets, it's like a production designer. So he kind of handles the design of things and the like.

00;19;37;25 - 00;19;59;22
Unknown
Delegates. I was like the head of the whole thing. Yeah, the whole department. So then he brings on K'Nex, he brings on set dressers, brings on, like, I think even prop buyers and stuff like that, like different departments. But I mean, most of the time he's he knows what he's doing for like, so he just does a lot of it himself too, especially or like, I don't know, a lot of the stuff is like try to keep the budget like manageable.

00;19;59;22 - 00;20;24;03
Unknown
So it's a lot of pulling favors and going through Craigslist ourselves, trying to find props. And yeah, that's how you get a good looking client. Hopefully you find the gems. Yeah, but you do all you're like all this, all these sets that all these pretty much you've done yourself with just a couple of for instance, like we I tried hiring like you know, I went on Facebook groups, but to the prices they were giving me, it was like, this is I'm Hispanic.

00;20;24;03 - 00;20;39;03
Unknown
So like we work hard and I'm like, they're asking for, where's it pre-production? like, like, oh, I forgot. And then like the day rate and then they race plus a pre-production. I like what like for me, I'm like, what does that include? You just come with a paint and you just look at the wall and leave.

00;20;39;10 - 00;20;55;05
Unknown
Yeah. Like what? I don't know, I don't understand that. Right. And, they're charging me for the subway when I actually let the stressing on the walls. Oh, okay. I look, try finding because I'm like this. I don't know how I'm gonna get that. Like, there's a certain type of material for that, or, like, not paint, but, like, you know, something that I does that.

00;20;55;07 - 00;21;12;17
Unknown
And it was like they're quoting me 35 to $5000. It's just just distressing. You know, it's funny because I after meeting Allen, like we we discussed a lot of this stuff ourselves. Luis. Just black paint mixed with water in a spray bottle. That's all that is. Yeah. That's what. So that's what happened of me and my girl were like, you know what, forget this.

00;21;12;17 - 00;21;28;00
Unknown
Like, let's just go and I'm gonna go. I think we went to Michael's. I was like, just buy all of them. And I think I only spent a hundred bucks, you know, all the little things. And then we bought it like a little dummy tile. Practice on it. Okay. Second try, she got it. And if we were to discount it all the paint, she would only spend ten bucks.

00;21;28;02 - 00;21;52;19
Unknown
And it took it, like three hours to do this. Save yourself five grand that. Exactly. I'm like, what were you guys charging me? I'm like, I get it. Probably would have been like, cleaner. Yeah, but, like, the camera's not really gonna we're not zooming into that, you know, and it's also going to get beat up. Like, that's the thing about a Pierce base location too, is you have to think about what's going to be durable, you know, because a lot of these people who come in aren't going to care about your space as much as you do, and they're going to bang shit up.

00;21;52;19 - 00;22;09;01
Unknown
And, yeah, you know, walk cisterns into the walls. Yeah. Holes and stuff. We got a crazy hole in our in our brick wall. I'm like someone falling into it. It's got to make sure it's built right. that's like the number one thing. Yeah. It's tough. Yeah, but you guys been doing this for a cool minute. I want, like, all your sets.

00;22;09;01 - 00;22;28;06
Unknown
I've been like, a good job every time. I assume, like, these guys are just doing. But what I respect about you guys is you guys bring good things to the table. Something that I see, like it's different. Yeah. That's not your typical. I'm not that guy. Like, I feel like it's been done. But you guys bring like creative like things that are just different.

00;22;28;06 - 00;22;41;22
Unknown
And I feel like that's what the market needs. Yeah. So I appreciate when people bring that because like for me it's like, oh cool. I can, you know that'll be another space, you know, that I can utilize. Isn't that like a traditional where anyone can go and you can get that type of look? Yeah, yeah. I mean that's definitely important for us.

00;22;41;22 - 00;22;58;29
Unknown
I think just having unique spaces, that stuff that we can't like, it's because, I mean, we should build it ourselves and stuff too. So like, you can go through pierce space and find all these things, like there's so many like there's a ton of hospitals. That's that's why I like modern ones too. So that's why we did kind of more like a vintage one that fits.

00;22;58;29 - 00;23;22;17
Unknown
Like where's that one that we actually just oh, it's here out there. Yeah. It's like brand new. and then like, yeah, pretty much just finding stuff that's like. Yeah, different and unique enough to fit, for it to make sense. And like, I think as a business standpoint as well, like if you just do another cycle or whatever, like there's a, there's like a hundred thousand on like, yeah, I think it's definitely more worth it to fun.

00;23;22;17 - 00;23;38;17
Unknown
I mean, it's also more of a risk, I guess, cause hasn't nobody else has one. Yeah. I mean, that's that's another thing like we've had opportunities recently to open like another studio, like we had a pretty good deal, but it's just like we didn't have an idea, you know, like there wasn't something that we really wanted to do.

00;23;38;18 - 00;24;05;29
Unknown
There wasn't. You know, we could have just did something super basic. But I don't think we one we don't even think it would have worked. Like, we want to make sure the idea is good enough where it's actually going to work, you know, but also just bringing something new to the table and, like, innovating a little bit is, you know, which was crazy because I, we saw you open the subway set and we were trying to figure out how to remodel our Broadway set, and we were literally like thinking about building a subway like that following week.

00;24;05;29 - 00;24;21;08
Unknown
Yeah, like the next week after you posted it and I, we saw you post it and I was like, Holy fucking shit, this is crazy. So like, I sent it and it was like, I, we can't do this. Like, we got to go back to the drawing board, but like, we're glad it was you who did it and you killed it like we had.

00;24;21;08 - 00;24;41;04
Unknown
No, we weren't even thinking about the hallway or anything like that. The hallway was such a good idea. That was like, it adds so much more like. Because honestly. Yeah, it. Yeah, we didn't we wouldn't have had space to build out that much like a hallway, the elevator, you know, the entire thing and the subway. Like we were just thinking about doing the interior of a subway just because I feel like that's something that LA doesn't like.

00;24;41;04 - 00;24;56;12
Unknown
There was a place that had it like a while back, but I think they shut down and now there's not really anything else. Like, oh, there was a subway already and there was at another state. I forgot what the stage was called, but I was following them and they had a subway and a couple people shot there, and then they just took it down.

00;24;56;14 - 00;25;10;06
Unknown
but but now, now I think you're the only one. Okay. That's good. I was like, oh, damn, I didn't know. And that was like, there's probably some other somewhere else, but just not. Yeah, not even they did it. Like I think it was like three years ago and they had it. but it's been yeah, it's been a little bit since they taken it down.

00;25;10;06 - 00;25;29;07
Unknown
But I mean, it's always been pretty like, beneficial for you, though, like, like I know because for us, when we opened this, this one, this most recent one, just like the people that we've been meeting, like networking has been growing a lot, you know, like just meeting the, like, bigger artists that's been coming through or like bigger directors and stuff like that.

00;25;29;07 - 00;25;58;07
Unknown
Like, do you feel like that's benefited you at all from, like, being a shooter and director and DP yourself? So at first that was like the second. So not the movie studio, but the size of the one. That was the goal. Yeah. It was like, oh, I can be there, I can host, I can meet people. But after doing it for a whole year and for me was like, though that one was that one changed my life because like, as far as money wise, like, yeah, I swallowed all my money like I never had that much money.

00;25;58;07 - 00;26;11;12
Unknown
And then I just do it there. I was like a crazy, dumb idea of mine. Like, every time I look back, I'm like, I can't believe I actually did that. Yeah. And that was a goal for a year. for, for me to just like, you know, network with people that come in. But after the year, it was like taxes.

00;26;11;12 - 00;26;25;21
Unknown
And I was like, dude, all that money I kept, I could I just gave my friends the money, lower my taxes. And then at that time, I could have been utilizing it to do other things outside. I was more of like trying to get the money back that I spent. That's what I thought. But realistically it was kind of like dumb.

00;26;25;21 - 00;26;42;04
Unknown
Once taxes came because I was saving so much. And yeah, I was still spending, but it was too much that I was earning that I still like, you know what? I should have gave it to my friend. So the following year I'm not there anymore. Like if I'm there, it's because, like, I have nobody and I'm like the laser sword, but I try not to be the but that was the goal.

00;26;42;04 - 00;26;57;24
Unknown
But you didn't think it wasn't actually like helping and like career wise in other aspects? No. It was just kind of like, yeah, I was meeting directors. I was like linking with them, but they never, like, really. I didn't see an increase as far as, like what? You know, I met probably like three people max out of that whole year.

00;26;57;24 - 00;27;09;13
Unknown
I was like, oh yeah, that could say, like I worked with them. Yeah. But the majority would just come and shoot. I don't like to really like talk to more Buck, more of like, I guess respecting the time, sir. But at the end I try to like, talk a little bit, but, you know, just it never really worked.

00;27;09;13 - 00;27;26;02
Unknown
So I was like, in a way, like, of course taxes came and I was like, yeah, I need to let this go. Yeah, yeah. So that's when I walked away. Okay. Yeah. So you have a good amount of just like friends kind of site wrapping and stuff for you now. Yeah, we have four. It just sucks now because now when I'm shooting, I need them.

00;27;26;04 - 00;27;41;23
Unknown
yeah. So I'm in that dilemma. I'm like in that problem where like, okay, who who else can I hire? But it sucks because you guys know, it's like there's no time. It's kind of like when it gets booked. Yeah, yeah. So who's really gonna get the space or the time? You know it to be someone that goes to school or someone that just makes sense for them?

00;27;41;28 - 00;27;57;01
Unknown
Yeah, I guess, but yeah, that's like the only downfall with this. Like hiring people and how to handle that. Like staffing a tricky one because you can't, like, just go up to people, be like, hey, I got a job for you, but not really. Suddenly it's like sometimes, yeah, yeah. Like you'll be at the at the back end because like my girl, she's takes care of it.

00;27;57;01 - 00;28;14;02
Unknown
But if I'm on a shoot then it's available. But it's like, you know, it's not every time. Yeah. I mean, we make it work because a lot of the people that we bring on also like freelancers who are like either doing it like crap or gaffers or actors and stuff aren't really working every day, and they're just they're also on a freelance, like schedule.

00;28;14;02 - 00;28;33;12
Unknown
So when they would there is bookings and they can like come in. It's just kind of like if they're free or not. but yeah, it's definitely hard to find people that have a flexible enough schedule to handle. That's the hard part. Yeah, it's a lot to juggle too, because like just everyone's schedules and whatnot, especially when you have multiple studios because you have how many locations you have now.

00;28;33;15 - 00;28;50;22
Unknown
is it like technically only two? Yeah. Yeah, technically two is like, yeah, basically. So you have two shoots happening at the same time and that. But it's one building though, right? It's one building, but completely separate. But yeah, the strip club and the other one, that one's just taking one. Yeah. Basically all wrapped them one. So that one will just have one of anything.

00;28;50;22 - 00;29;11;12
Unknown
But the other one is like they could both operate. Yeah. And how often are you shooting your own stuff there. So I have like I have like a gold mine. And right now I'm trying to do like every two weeks to shoot like a for eight, ten hour day and just bust out content like that. Oh, so I'm trying to like a five days a week post.

00;29;11;12 - 00;29;27;25
Unknown
So I'm trying to utilize like every two weeks personal content or two weeks personal content. And then the next week's spec. That's. Yeah. And I'm just trying to keep it going. That's like a self goal of mine. I try to discipline myself. Yeah yeah. To get that going I mean so what's the kind of the ultimate goal with doing that.

00;29;27;25 - 00;29;46;02
Unknown
Like are you trying to do commercials and stuff too. Like if by doing the spec ads and stuff or. no. Yeah for sure. For sure. Like to like get jobs in that area, like showcase. Like I can do it. You know, I'm still learning. Like I'm like, man, I really want to get like I'm it's worked. I've gotten a few jobs already, like in the restaurants.

00;29;46;04 - 00;30;09;07
Unknown
So it's been working. But just overall like experience other areas like understand lighting like because everything's different, you know, like softer lighting or I mean, there's just so many different ways, understanding the business side of that because you got to charge like the budgets there. Yeah. Right. So it's like, how do you charge. Right. Like I'm used to like most of my music video budget is like just for production is like 2000 like total budget is like five.

00;30;09;15 - 00;30;24;16
Unknown
Yeah. It's not much I can work with that. Right in the these commercials is like 5000 for production. Yeah. And it's not even like hard work. So it's like a whole different thing. I'm like my charging like too much like this is. But I have people telling me like, no, like that's kind of you're actually trying to sell.

00;30;24;20 - 00;30;42;04
Unknown
Yeah. I'm like, okay. Like I don't know this market. So I mean, realistically, I would just want to be like a content creator because I got into filmmaking really to have fun. Yeah, I'm not really savvy in the business side of that. I just love that. I love doing that. So I'm never going to be good on the business side.

00;30;42;06 - 00;30;55;28
Unknown
I choose more of like, that's a good opportunity or not even that. Maybe like it's a good idea. I want to be part of that visual, but it's not really like money wise. I don't really put that in effect. And that's where it holds me back. So I realize that's like where Peer Space came in. I was like, this is more business.

00;30;56;00 - 00;31;17;26
Unknown
Yeah, okay, cool. I can separate that. But filmmaking is fun. So I think that's why I'm a bad business person on that side. I just love it too much and I let that get in the way. I mean, I don't think that's a bad way of like, I don't know, I've been kind of just like thinking like, as long as you kind of follow, I don't know, I'm big like like follow your instincts kind of guy.

00;31;17;27 - 00;31;35;12
Unknown
You know, I feel like I'm not great. I mean, I don't know, I guess I can say I'm not good at business since we've, like, built this out and we've been doing pretty successful, like, business stuff. But I feel like, I mean, I feel like our, like, accounting isn't great, you know, like, just like very like DIY, like I saw him fed my taxes this year.

00;31;35;13 - 00;31;57;08
Unknown
I pretty bad, but I don't know, like, it's just as long as you're following, like, what you think is like, I don't know, I just like stuff that that I'm. I'm passionate about, stuff that I have fun doing and stuff that I just like, like, instinctively feel is like good or like beneficial for me. I'll just that's what I'll do.

00;31;57;12 - 00;32;15;17
Unknown
Yeah. I guess, and that's kind of how I've like directed most of like my career and even with a lot of the stuff is in the backs and stuff, even though we're not like the best, like, like actual, like official business kind of things, I guess. Yeah. I feel like we just me kind of happen. We just just kind of.

00;32;15;18 - 00;32;30;25
Unknown
It's like a very DIY attitude, I think. But yeah. Yeah. How works sometimes are just like, fuck it. Like, let's go out like this space. I don't know, we just kind of looked at it and like, we're just like, we have a small ball. Like, it'd be cool if we get a couple cars in front of and Josh kind of knows some stuff about virtual production.

00;32;30;25 - 00;32;52;21
Unknown
Yeah, we got all this without even, like, diving it. Like we never even tested it once. Like, Josh was like, I think I can make it work. And like, we really got, like, we, we like at least the building. We bought the LED wall. And it wasn't until the day before our grand opening we figure out how to actually, like, do the virtual production for it, and then we're like, fuck, we got we did.

00;32;52;21 - 00;33;06;20
Unknown
But it was at that point where, like we had we fucking spent all this money. We have to fucking do. Yeah. You know. Yeah. This crazy. That's probably like the worst anxiety I had. Like the first week we got the studio. I mean, I didn't even have anxiety. I had horrible anxiety, but it's like, bug, why do we do it?

00;33;06;21 - 00;33;22;07
Unknown
Like we spend all this money, but then. No, it's definitely been it's been crazy. Like, even just like when we got to meet Jamie Fox and all that shit, that shit was like that was like, that was a crazy movie. It just felt like surreal. Like once everything was like, even just after the first party, like when everything came together.

00;33;22;07 - 00;33;38;26
Unknown
So. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You guys put a lot of money into this. The crazy part. That's the scary part, right? It's always like, financially, like, are you doing the right thing? Like, you know, you can lose it all right away. Like that's the biggest fear. Yeah. But the part of it too is just like, are you going to regret not doing that?

00;33;39;01 - 00;33;55;23
Unknown
You know what I mean? And I feel like that's what, like, even, like recently, like we were talking and then that's why we're doing this podcast again. And like at the same time throughout today, we had like a whole team. We were filming content on the other side. We're starting like a YouTube series and we're reinvesting money into that.

00;33;55;23 - 00;34;18;23
Unknown
So, yeah, I don't know, just certain times, like we feel like it's time to reinvest in just kind of like, you know, put money back into the business and like, you know, give back at the same time. Yeah. Hey, real quick. Didn't know if you knew this, but Cineplex actually has three studio locations in Los Angeles. If you're a filmmaker photographer and you're looking for a studio space, look no further.

00;34;18;23 - 00;34;38;28
Unknown
Cineplex is here. We have one location in South L.A. that has multiple music video sets as a small LED wall where the entire vintage house in East Hollywood, we have a large LED wall studio in North Hollywood as well, with tons of standing sets. You can check out the studios at Cineplex Studios, dot com, or check us out on Instagram at Cineplex Studios.

00;34;38;28 - 00;35;00;07
Unknown
Enjoy the rest of the episode. That's good. That's all. I've been seeing you doing the YouTube as well. Talk a little bit about that. And what what are your goals with YouTube? With YouTube? it's it's kind of sucks because, like, it doesn't do good, but I feel like it's a missing piece in the, in the community as far as, like, like the lighting and all that's already been done.

00;35;00;08 - 00;35;16;26
Unknown
It's a people that do it all the time. That's I'm always going to do that. But like financially, I talk to a lot of creatives around the the people I meet or just talk to their are lost. Every time I talk about business side, they're lost. They're just creating. But then financially, taxes like, I'm not the best at taxes, but I learned a lot.

00;35;16;29 - 00;35;32;21
Unknown
Like I had to learn it because I messed up a lot. You know, I had to pay a lot. So I had to figure this out account and all these things. And I feel like there's so much value that I can give to these, you know, creatives like, they don't understand. It's not just taking your money. You also got to self invest in yourself.

00;35;32;23 - 00;35;50;16
Unknown
Whether you know that be just like shooting your own content and putting three grand into Model Studio or whatever the case may be. and it helps your business, I guess, right off. Right. So you can take the claim less at the end of the year. So it's just trying to figure out that system and I did a lot of it without really knowing that I was doing the right thing.

00;35;50;16 - 00;36;09;06
Unknown
Like, I, like the first studio. Right. I think that one on me like 100 grand profit. Yeah. I threw all that into a second studio before, I guess December hit or whatever. I didn't know what I was doing, and then and then and then the tax was like, oh, you don't have to pay nothing or nothing like, oh, you would have kept that.

00;36;09;09 - 00;36;22;28
Unknown
I'm like, were you talking about like, I didn't know. so then like the following year for the school, the school wasn't supposed to happen. That one was more of like my, my accountant. Like, she hit me up. She said, hey, you have 30 grand in your bank now, right? I was like, why? She's like, you gonna pay that in taxes?

00;36;23;00 - 00;36;39;04
Unknown
What are you talking about? Then I was like, no, spend it. Let me go get a studio. Yeah. And that one was more of a write off in same time, self invested. I was like, that's another studio for me personally. Like that one. I was thinking, maybe have a YouTube studio, podcast, please. Like, just be my own space.

00;36;39;07 - 00;36;53;13
Unknown
maybe make a set or two. Yeah, but, have a location for me on the side. And, of course, it didn't go that way. I just like, you know what? Let me just do the other. Well and let me just make it up here. Space thing. But that one was later to fight the taxes. But at the same time, I was looking, but not really.

00;36;53;20 - 00;37;05;03
Unknown
If it was like, put a little fire on. Yeah, that was like, no, there's no way, like I'm not paying that. Like, well, what are you talking about? Like, you know, I was of course I spent some money too. So I'm like, I'm not really like going to pay maybe the 30, but yeah, I'm gonna pay a lot.

00;37;05;03 - 00;37;21;10
Unknown
And I'm like, I can't have that. I'm not. I wasn't financially disciplined like the first three years into it. Yeah, I had to kind of learn. And you know how my dad being like a smart person, like it's just a hard worker, but he's always like. He's like, he just saw me taxes. You don't play with them. You you pay them and you just take care of that.

00;37;21;10 - 00;37;38;07
Unknown
And because like the IRS will come for you, you know? So I was like, okay, so lesson learned. So but so is that something you do actively every year now like this next year going to are you going to build another studio at this number that's, you know, wait, it's hard. Like, I don't know if I'm done.

00;37;38;07 - 00;38;06;22
Unknown
Like, I think I it's just I would love to invest with someone else. you know, that it's tiring, like it's me. And. Yeah, my girl helps me, but it's like we're one, right? It's one income. So it's like, it's very tiring to have to do it constantly. My money, kind of post videos on my on my YouTube posting next week, but like, I was like, I just bought a house six months ago or eight months ago, almost lost it, almost lost the, the cars, the everything I own.

00;38;06;27 - 00;38;24;00
Unknown
I lost because the investment I did with subway. So it was like the house and then the subway. So you're talking about like, dude, I put 20% on the house. Then I put, the subway. It came out of nowhere like that studio is. The owner was like, hey, I have a space. And, I was like, really do like, you got a house and, like.

00;38;24;00 - 00;38;37;20
Unknown
But I know it's like it's bugging me in my back of my head, like, you have to do it. I wasn't going to with my girls. Like, I'm going to hear you complain that you didn't do it. You better do it. I'm like, but financially, like, you know, and I just kind of wrote it down. I was like, yeah, this is my budget.

00;38;37;20 - 00;38;51;21
Unknown
And sure enough, we went way past that and I went broke and I didn't have, like nothing, my bank account. I was like, do your. I was just like scared. I started looking at Home Depot channel playing. I was like, I have, I used to work at Home Depot. Yeah, let me work overnight. Like, let me figure this out.

00;38;51;21 - 00;39;08;22
Unknown
Like, dude, it was scary and like, I wasn't getting booked either on my job. So like, it was a major hit. Like. And I'm the type of person, like, I like to have six months in advance. Like to protect myself. You just never know. Rainy days. So that was like a moment like. Yeah, like everything flipped. But dude, that was like the scariest.

00;39;08;25 - 00;39;25;21
Unknown
I didn't spend no money. I was in what now? A couple noodles. Like, I was literally like, dude, I was being very disciplined. I was like, do like. It's not like I blew my money on stupid things, but investment advice, like, yeah, you overextended yourself like the house wasn't. I didn't want to get it. It was like, because it's just take your money.

00;39;25;21 - 00;39;39;09
Unknown
There's there's not money coming in from it. Right? So I didn't want to get that, but it was more of like it was a self investment in the fact that I can have, like, those three big ass rooms. And I was like, okay, YouTube studio the own could be like a mini product studio set for me, a big yard.

00;39;39;09 - 00;39;53;15
Unknown
Maybe one day I can convert into pure space. I don't know, maybe I'll move out of there and rent it out. That was like my whole mindset, but it was. It's not really like it doesn't have any potentials, like just a good little place. Good area. Yeah. But yeah, it was like I was mad at the same time.

00;39;53;16 - 00;40;07;09
Unknown
Like, why don't I put my money in this? Like, this is, it's taking money from me every month. You know, I was kind of mad, but, you know, my dad did tell me. He's like, yeah, but if you want to sell it tomorrow, you get your money back. That 20% you just gave, you get it back. I was like, you're right.

00;40;07;12 - 00;40;19;02
Unknown
So it wasn't actually bad. It's kind of just sitting there and accumulating, you know, with equity and all that. So I was like, yeah, actually you're smart. So nice in a way that kind of made me feel good. I was like, you're right. Because I was told I should just kept running. I was like, dude, all that down payment stay with me.

00;40;19;04 - 00;40;34;03
Unknown
And I'm not in this hole that I'm in. You know, he didn't know how deep I was. But if you would have known him, like, what were you thinking? You know, like, but I just I like to I trust myself, like, if I gotta put the work in, I would put the work in. Yeah, yeah, whatever it takes my resolve within the end.

00;40;34;03 - 00;40;49;06
Unknown
Like. No, you know, you don't regret any. No, no I don't. It's just it was just like scary. Of course. You know, like I tell everyone, like, every time I try to open up a studio once, like the the. Okay, we're gonna get the papers, we're going to send it to you and email emails to sign it. I started questioning life.

00;40;49;06 - 00;41;02;02
Unknown
I'm like, yeah, babe, should I do it? Like, are you sure you want to look over it? Like, I get scared, bro? Like, I guess as much as you see, I might be doing all these things every time it's about to happen, I question life. I'm like, am I doing the right thing? Am I doing the right thing?

00;41;02;02 - 00;41;28;10
Unknown
You know, I hear a lot of stories where like, one bad one can like, change, like, you know, mess everything up. So that's the biggest fear. Yeah. Yeah, it's it's never fun. I think it's a, I think it's a natural thing to have that fear at the same time. But I also think it's a healthy thing at the same time, because if you don't have that and you're just going in blindly and not second guessing yourself or just, you know, really analyzing it from every standpoint and like really weighing the pros and cons of what you're doing.

00;41;28;10 - 00;41;49;04
Unknown
You know, I feel like if you're not doing that like it was, I remember it, it, it also does feel good, like bouncing back from that at the same time because like, we took on some debt when we opened the studio, we didn't realize how much we would actually have to. What's it called? remodel. So we opened like two credit cards with like zero Apr, maxed that.

00;41;49;05 - 00;42;04;27
Unknown
We maxed them out. It's like the first time we've ever. But it was like, yeah, I was like, oh, yeah, we did, we did a loan through our Shopify to our savings. Yeah. It was, it was crazy. We went all in and like, it was scary because we were just I knew it was gonna work and it was going to work.

00;42;04;27 - 00;42;23;09
Unknown
But the crazy, it was crazy how it worked in the way it did because we didn't have the video wall. We were banking on getting the video wall built up. Like in the first week. We got this place, we painted all this black and we're like, okay, like we're gonna, have the cheapest big ass video wall for 150 bucks an hour.

00;42;23;09 - 00;42;42;01
Unknown
It's going to go crazy, right? We couldn't have the video. We didn't have the video wall up and working for like 2 or 3 months, probably longer that. Yeah, I went we got the lease in like February. We didn't open it. We didn't actually. Yeah. We couldn't actually use it until like May or. Yeah. Yeah. Well you guys still pay monthly.

00;42;42;03 - 00;43;00;15
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah. We're still paying rent. Yeah. So what we did is we knocked out the vintage side and honestly, the vintage side got so poppin because actually it's funny because they got popular because of a room that already existed here that we didn't even renovate. We didn't. We just threw a mattress in it. And it has like this just ugly wood paneling.

00;43;00;15 - 00;43;17;28
Unknown
You've probably seen it I think I seen it, yeah, yeah. And it just got both like crazy. And that honestly, I think it almost covered rent like the first month and just that vintage side. And then so we did the motel and then while the video wall was being, not being built, we didn't know that. Yeah. So we were able to it wasn't.

00;43;18;01 - 00;43;35;05
Unknown
Yeah. Just for the audience that we were able to do the Tokyo side. So like our psych, our Alan, he was able to help us build the Tokyo side. He just had a kid, but he lives close by, so his wife let him come build Tokyo. So long did this place, did it take for it, like, to finally be open to.

00;43;35;06 - 00;43;50;06
Unknown
I mean, yeah, it was from February to, June is when we opened it, like, even the other side, wasn't it? Was that one done at least before. And now we have. We just had like we probably had part of we had Tokyo done and we had maybe like, I don't know, four rooms on that side. Yeah. But that's in June.

00;43;50;09 - 00;44;08;24
Unknown
You said in June. Yeah. And then the video finally got built in like May, after we got all the power start, we figured out how much power we needed, and we had to actually install a new transformer. All this crazy stuff that we didn't anticipate. And then everything kind of, like, settled by. Yeah, by June we could open, but like, a half the rooms on the other side were just empty rooms.

00;44;08;27 - 00;44;28;20
Unknown
And then after we kind of got, Yeah, people say booking us and building sets in some of these empty rooms, and then we, like someone did, it was like sleeping with sirens, like band. music video. Did, like a club with a stage in one of our rooms or, like, let's just do that. And people are doing that anyways, like, they're coming in with their own set dressing and building their own thing.

00;44;28;20 - 00;44;45;07
Unknown
So then we kind of just eventually bar. Yeah. Now eventually built all this, all that. Yeah. finished all the rooms, but it took a while. Yeah, yeah. It's crazy. I try to get it done in a month. That's good. Yeah, I mean, I mean, this is ideally huge. So we kind of. Yeah, I don't think that's possible.

00;44;45;07 - 00;45;01;17
Unknown
But we did the we did a couple vintage sets in a month. But yeah this was like like the motel one we did ourselves and we just put like got some wallpaper painted it, half of it green and then through some. The other one pretty popular though too. We did that one ourselves and yeah, yeah, yeah. You started building that chimney too.

00;45;01;17 - 00;45;30;08
Unknown
Those. I built the chimney and that is hella kind of bad. They got some like, like brick, like fake brick from, like, Home Depot and just, like, just started doing all the work, but, yeah, just crazy moments. yeah, it was fun. Stressful. But you guys also like, when you guys open, are you guys here for hours or, like, because of when we normally when I open up, when I get a studio where they're like 16, 18 hours, like I to all my people, like the three people that I have, get ready.

00;45;30;09 - 00;45;44;18
Unknown
We're eight, 16 or 18 hours. We're going to be here. We're going to. Yeah, I'm feeding everybody, but we won't be here. We're not done. And it's crazy. Yeah, that's that's why I try to get it done in two weeks. I'm like, we're not sleeping. Like I tried getting other people for the subway. and I was like, when do you want it done?

00;45;44;18 - 00;45;58;25
Unknown
I was like, two weeks ago. Like what? You mean two weeks? Two weeks? They're like, no, can we get a month? I'm like, no, because you're gonna try. Remember? I was like, no, I know I can get done in two weeks. So then it was funny. Like, then I kind of knew how to build from building my studio, but he didn't.

00;45;58;25 - 00;46;14;17
Unknown
So then the nine year old kid came in. He was like, easy. He's like, so what have I finished earlier? I was like, you finished earlier? You get paid the same, so it's even better for you. He's like sales and his little 19 kids just going there doing all these things. I'm like, I even told was like, you got to step up your game, brother.

00;46;14;19 - 00;46;27;16
Unknown
This little 90 year old kid, I'm he his energy he taught me because like do you don't find people really like that our how we can as much so when I saw this little kid, I was like nine, ten years old. This was working like. Like if I had a gun behind his head, like, keep working you. I was like, do.

00;46;27;16 - 00;46;45;09
Unknown
This guy is just like. And I told him I was like, do you tell me, like, I need to step in my game like, keep that energy because that's and that that hunger because it's going to take him for. Yeah. You don't find people like that. Like that's I'm very big on like people that work hard. So when I found that, I was like, dude, if I have somehow some job for you, best believe I'm going to get you.

00;46;45;11 - 00;46;59;09
Unknown
I need that energy. Like it's contagious. Yeah. So, like, that's like a close collaborator with, you know, like this. Yeah. Like anything, like, even when the owner need something done, like, right away, I give him his number and, like, you know, I try to look out for him. I was like, dude, you did so much for me. Like, bro, like, I, you know, I even give him like an extra.

00;46;59;09 - 00;47;19;18
Unknown
I was like, bro, you finished it. And you kept working. You never had it like you worked. So like, if it was your place, I was like, so I give him an extra bonus on top of that, like, bro, like, that's just like, thank you. Because now you allow me to basically, I always tell people, if you give me an opportunity to make money fast or give myself an opportunity to make money fast, I'm, I'm going to like I'm going to appreciate that a lot.

00;47;19;22 - 00;47;32;23
Unknown
Yeah. Someone put money in your pocket. Extra. I'm not going to say that, but I always have it in my back. I was like, who's who's hungry? Yeah. And the ones that are hungry are going to give it. And I was look at this because it's rewarding. You know, it makes them feel like, oh, you know, he's a good guy and he's taking care of me.

00;47;32;24 - 00;47;51;07
Unknown
So I try to make sure I don't burn bridges with those people because they're they're valuable. Yeah, yeah. You don't find too many people that work. I feel like we kind of find Josh like that. He's, like, probably one of our hardest working guys. You see a lot of, just. Yeah, just everything that we've been. Just. The whole empire started with the digital assets.

00;47;51;07 - 00;48;12;10
Unknown
He was Andy's roommate. And then. Okay, when I first was, like, the roommate, there's my roommate, and, like, yeah, he's doing, like, 2D animation stuff. We started having, like, hiring him to do, like Pax and stuff for our website, but now he, like, run, like, runs the studio, essentially, and does all the Unreal Engine stuff.

00;48;12;10 - 00;48;32;18
Unknown
So. Yeah. Yeah, he came in handy. He's crazy. Yeah, yeah, but. Yeah. What what do you, What should we be on the lookout for? What do you have coming up? yeah. And then anything you want to plug and if there's anything I would do, I do, like, I just live day to day. Like, the only thing for sure is, like, I'm just going to be busting content.

00;48;32;25 - 00;48;50;22
Unknown
Yeah. And it's more of like the grim Instagram YouTube. Like, it's just I never went all in on them. Even if they're not, I got to stop because I've done so many videos. I never got put out like, they're on and you go, no, I was showing my YouTube. There's like like 20 videos I never got uploading, just schedule because it was like I was hard on myself, like, no, this ain't good enough.

00;48;50;22 - 00;49;04;26
Unknown
This ain't good enough. And like, it hurt me, obviously. Like, and then like, just before, you know, you just start posting and then, like, you start getting booked. But it was excuses I was making. I was like, dude, I went all in on these studios and look what how they turned out. Yeah, I went all in on everything I've done.

00;49;04;27 - 00;49;21;00
Unknown
The only things I have in is social media and YouTube. Every time I want to do it after like three posts, I'm just. I disappear like I'm gone. I'm like, like, you know, it's hard to keep up with it. Like it's actually when you get no views, like, you know, you kind of like it bums you sometimes like, I like YouTube, I definitely don't look at the views.

00;49;21;00 - 00;49;35;23
Unknown
I don't care what it gets. I'm like, dude, I'm just posting because I want to. The goal with it is and it worked out. Actually, YouTube was always a platform for me to post because I'm an introvert person. Like a lot of people say, it's hard to. I'm like, no, I really don't like going out or talking to people.

00;49;35;23 - 00;50;00;12
Unknown
So. So I did that to get creators to reach out to me. And I had met a lot of people when they came to LA. They hired me for gaffer and like that was the go to meet creators because I'm not going out to places to meet creators, right. Like I don't go out and network. So my best way is like when I'm at home, let me make some content and how I, you know, people come or people live in LA and I get to meet them like, that's like the best way because I'm not the best.

00;50;00;12 - 00;50;20;15
Unknown
I like just going to people and talking to them and building relationships. I'm I suck at that. I'm very like quiet. I'm like, hey, how's it going? And that's it. Like, you know, I try to like, disrespect people signs and whatnot. Okay. But so how much content are you going to be posting every day then once you start doing this, or is it five days a week, one YouTube video a week and that's for.

00;50;20;15 - 00;50;35;28
Unknown
Yeah, yeah, it's six months. and it's just like it's just a big goal that I have. Like, if I can do that, I'll see where it takes me out to that. and yeah, maybe, maybe a studio, maybe now, like, it's. I don't see it anytime soon just because, like, what I do, it's a lot of work, but I had to spend.

00;50;35;28 - 00;50;56;15
Unknown
But yeah, I just we'll see where where it goes as of now. Yeah. This is like my only goal is like, just post content and just have fun doing it. Like taking you back to the old days. It's not always about work. So yeah. And reinvest in myself. Yeah. Sick. Awesome. Yeah. People follow you on Instagram and check out your YouTube.

00;50;56;15 - 00;51;19;10
Unknown
Right. It's the main places people should find you. Yeah, yeah, yeah I'll, we'll link it all down in the show notes for show sick. before we wrap, you have advice for anyone who any creatives may be trying to get their own space or anything. Last words of advice. Don't do it for the money. Do it for the love of money comes when you do something you love.

00;51;19;11 - 00;51;30;23
Unknown
Like if you chase the money, what happens? Things go wrong, you get frustrated. But if you love it, you're going to put the work in. You're not going to stop. You're going to keep doing it. You're not going to let money stop you or get you mad, right? You just going to be doing it and it's going to come.

00;51;30;25 - 00;51;47;00
Unknown
So don't don't ever do it for the money I have, the most successful people I've met had done it from passion and love. Not for, oh, I want to get the money. Like I always tell people I hate the word do it. with Chase the bag. So, like, do not just do what you love. I've been doing what I love and it just came.

00;51;47;08 - 00;53;11;04
Unknown
It wasn't like I went for it. You know that's never been the goal. So that's what I'll to Aquarius do it for the love five six.