WEBVTT
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welcome to why we work with your host
Brian V. As he speaks to people like
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you from all over the world as we
together dive deeper into our
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motivations, struggles, joys, seemingly
missteps, hopes, warnings and advice,
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which will be an encouragement to us
all to get up, get going and keep on
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working. Working is tough, but working
is good. Now here's your host to why we
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work. Brian V. I'm Brian V, and this is
why we work today. I have the great
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pleasure speaking with Maxfield, also
known as S B N three Soul brother
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Number three Max is a director
cinematographer. He's into sound. He
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has much talent. He's an influential
youtuber. But today I want to find out
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from Max, knowing that he wants to
direct his own feature film. What is he
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doing? What is the process to reach
that goal, to reach that dream and what
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he's actively doing each day to achieve
it? Join me today in my conversation
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with Maxfield Spn three. I'm Brian V,
and this is why we work today. I had
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the great pleasure speaking with
Maxfield a k a s B N three Good day.
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Find sir.
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How you doing? I'm doing doing well,
Max. Will you do his favor? And you and
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I were just speaking. You just
mentioned it. But tell us the industry
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that you're in and what you're up to
nowadays. And even though there's a
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covid going on, maybe what you would
normally be doing if this wasn't the
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case?
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Generally, what I do is I work in the
entertainment industry. Sometimes the
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video production industry I produce, uh,
commercials, infomercials,
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documentaries. Uh, just got my first
directed documentary distributed on
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Amazon Prime earlier this year or no
last year. Um, but then, uh, I sort of
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like half my income is my own self
produced works which have gotten a fan
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base of, you know, a few 1000 people.
Uh, I mean, yeah, it's sort of it's a
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lot of everything, but I just say
entertainment industry, because that's
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just like, nice blanket term. But, you
know, I do a bit of the creative end,
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and I also do a lot of the audio video
technical end as well, which, as I've
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sort of spoken with more and more
people who know that a V technical lend
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somebody who also writes and directs
that you know both of those together
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aren't super common. So I sort of fill
the niche where I take care of
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everything for a company or a client.
There's no doubt that you're talented
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and I'd like to get into that. But can
you bring us back Max to maybe what
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would have been your very first job
ever as a as a pre teen or teenager?
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Uh, first job ever. See, that's the
thing is that I started. I started
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super early. I started at 17 years old,
and so, you know, I didn't really I
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didn't grow up in a rough enough
situation where I had to, like, get a
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job as like a 16 year old. So I
immediately went into, uh, just
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immediately went into video production
and and just, you know, at first, like,
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you know, for the first year, kind of
not really taking it too seriously,
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uploading whenever I felt like it, you
know, trying to meet people emailing
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every now and then. But, uh, I mean, as
far in regards to to manual labor and
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stuff like that, because I started so
early and and I tried so hard so early
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because I didn't want a manual labor
job. I've never had one of those manual
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labor jobs in terms of wages,
McDonald's and all that, and within a
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couple years by, you know, and I was
only able to do that because I was a
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teenager with no responsibilities. You
know, I didn't, You know, 18 19 didn't
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have school or I did college for a
semester, and I dropped out because
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they were teaching me about video
production at all. So I had to find
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that education myself. And so I went
after all that, And, um but yeah, by my
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early, I would say by, like, maybe 20
or 21. So it took a couple of years for
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sure, but by 20 or 21. And also I had
the privilege of of not needing a job
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as well, and that's something a lot of
people don't mention. But by 20 or 21 I
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was probably making more than a job at
McDonald's would have gotten me, which,
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with a high school degree, that's all
you can really get nowadays. So, uh, I
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was like, Well, okay, I'm already doing
this. I didn't want to spend money on
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all that college because I was seeing
how expensive it was, even community
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college, how expensive it was in
comparison to what I was actually
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learning pertaining to what I wanted to
do in life. So, um so, yeah, that's
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sort of that's sort of how I started
off, and YouTube was a huge part of
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that. You mentioned the idea of not
having to work having the privilege not
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to work. But I think there's You may
agree or disagree, but the idea of
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having Children work at 12, whatever, I
mean the legal age. But some people do
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a lemonade stand or sell cards or do a
bunch of things. There's also some
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value in that, regardless of whether
you're able to do it or you need to do
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it or you don't need to do it, Would
you agree with that, like having kids
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start to work and understand that the
value of a dollar, what it you know,
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work ethic and all that comes with it?
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So actually, well, then, when you put
it that way, in that case, I guess I
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was working and doing other things as
early as maybe 14. Where a big way. I
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made money. Still not really working,
but a big way I made money was, uh and
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this was before video game collecting
was huge, you know, after, like, 2014,
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it kind of boomed, but, uh, you know,
Oh, 9, 2010. I would, uh I would go up
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to kids in school and, you know, like
the old Nintendo 60 four's and stuff
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like that, I go up to them and I'd be,
you know, and these kids, you know,
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they want money for pot or whatever. So
I go up to him and I'm like, Hey, uh,
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you got in 64 with all the games. I'll
give you 20 bucks for it. And there,
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you know, they would, like, try to,
like, you know, finance people like 25.
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I'm like, Okay, 25. And so they show up
with a duffel bag and 60 for 10 games.
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I flip that for $100 on eBay, and so
that's great. Like, that's what this is,
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right. That's what this is the idea of
what starts you, what gets you going.
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And some people think, Oh, my, my
professional career job. It wasn't
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until I was 25 that I started. No. What
was the thing that started you when you
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were a kid? And what really got your
juices flowing?
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Yeah, I mean, so it's weird. It's the
concept of Of I mean, how do I put it?
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The concept of, like, you said the
value of a dollar that was that wasn't
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still, uh, since maybe 11. Because, uh,
my dad would always show me he had a
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couple of basketball cards and baseball
cards, and he showed me and they were
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in the top loader. You know, the hard
plastic, Uh, and that's another thing I
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do are like, So, for instance, I got
one right here, like you see how the
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card is in the hard plastic there, so
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yeah, Penny sleeve. Yeah. And so, like,
this is probably, like, maybe 2000 and
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four. My dad showing me this, uh, and
and he was like, Oh, yeah, this is
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worth a lot of money, you know, because
I kept it, you know? And the reality is
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that it was it was a Michael Jordan
basic card, not a rookie, not auto. Not
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not anything so it was worth like a
dollar. But, you know, like you sort of
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get tricked into it. And then, you know,
as a kid, I guess the first like thing
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I went into in terms of money and
looking at price guides and all that
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was basketball cards. You get the
Beckett basketball magazine, uh, and
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then, like you know, you get into Ugo
and then all the money flip there. And
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so it was a lot of I mean, I'll be
honest. It was a lot of not manual
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labor. The only time I really got into
manual labor was when I realized I
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needed to light properly to make good
looking images. And then so you get
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into all the heavy equipment, the one k
tungsten, the you know, the stuff that
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you'd see on like a real cinema sets.
So it's It's weird. I, you know, I sort
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of was able to get. This is why it's
strange is like some people would would
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look at that as like a very, you know,
illustrious privileged lifestyle and
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all this and, you know, to an extent,
yeah, okay. But I had plenty of friends
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and I knew plenty of people growing up
who were 18 19. No job not doing
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anything but playing video games all
day. And they had the exact same time
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frame that I had to do what I set out
to do. So you know it. It could go a
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million different ways, but no, just
the concept of of not showing up not,
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you know, waking up hitting the alarm
clock at eight in the morning and you
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grow ogling every day to to work or
school or whatever. Like, I wanted to
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avoid that so much. I had crippling
insomnia, and I missed probably 70 days,
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one year of high school, and then the
next year it was like, you know,
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another 65 60. And so, like I saw, It's
not that I thought I was above a
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regular job, but I thought I couldn't
do it. I thought, like I didn't have
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the body do because, like, what job is
going to keep a guy who misses 60 days,
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they're gonna fire your ass, you know?
So I had to I had to make a living
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based around, you know? Okay, I'll work
a lot like I was I was willing to work
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a lot, but I couldn't control when I
would wake up or go to sleep because of
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that insomnia. And I couldn't have
access to sleeping pills too young for
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that. You know, now I can. But, uh, you
know, it's it's stuff like that, Um,
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where, you know, that's sort of how
life works. You know, little quirks in
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your life sort of put you in the path
you're on today. There's a I was
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reading something the other day, and
it's some sort of path that I think I
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appreciate the idea of just wondering
how the school system works, the value
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in it and what they've been doing
compared to what has been done years
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ago. And I was reading someone, and you
just mentioned the value in playing,
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which is obvious. But it's not always
obvious, say, in a classroom, and
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allowing kids to play and kids get so
busy. I live here in South Korea, where
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even my own Children tend to fall on
more of the work side of things, and it
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is in play because they have school.
Then they have after school academies,
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then they have homework and then it's
like, where do we squeeze in playtime
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as a kid? Is there some sort of thing
that you enjoy doing? Was it just video
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games as it, like, maybe say 7 to 12 or
something? Was there something that you
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played at a lot that you really enjoyed
something that you recall
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7 to 12? I mean, I was super into
basketball. Um, you know, because I was
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one of the taller kids. I'm 63 now, Um,
and so I went to a lot of camps, like,
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every summer. I went to a basketball
camp for like, about a month. Um, and
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so yeah. So basketball idolizing, you
know, You know Michael Jordan. I'm from
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D. C. So? So the guy in that icon is
Gilbert Arenas. And so that was you
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know, Washington, D C. Hasn't had a
sports star like that in 15 years. So
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that's why I haven't changed it. So
because, you know, and it was special
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about Gilbert Arenas is that he wasn't
drafted and forced to play there. He
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signed to us, you know? So it was like
that thing of like, wow, somebody
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actually chose to be in Washington d C
because that's where I'm from the D C
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Beltway area. And so and so it was. It
was one of those things where I guess
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that's where you initially learn about
work ethic and practice and stuff like
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that. Maybe where you see, you know,
the stories of Kobe Bryant? Uh and I
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thought the one silver lining of when
Kobe Bryant died in the plane or no,
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the helicopter accident was would you
know, the average person outside of a
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basketball fan would start looking into
this guy and how amazing he was And
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like the level of preparation that went
into everything he did. And
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unfortunately, that didn't really
happen. Uh, you know, people still, you
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know, like the average girl or the
average guy who likes video games? Oh,
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he was a good basketball player or
whatever, but, uh, you know, so and
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that's and I think that's what
separated me amongst other film people
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and art people and stuff like that is
that in the film and then the arts,
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they don't talk about, you know,
working back to back 14 hour nights up
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till four AM But in sports they talk
about that all the time they talk about,
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you know, grinding your body through
this stuff and working when sick and,
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you know, working, you know, regardless
of the condition. You know, you know a
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guy again like Kobe Bryant. This is a
guy who's who's having muscle spasms in
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his back, and that would cripple any
other person. And he goes out there to
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play because there's another good
player on the other team and he's like,
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Oh, it's gonna look really bad if I
don't, You know, And and these guys are
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partially psychotic. Uh, you know,
they're They're not like all the screws
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aren't there, but at the same time,
like that's sometimes being crazy is
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what enables you to be great, you know,
like and so one of my fascinations
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moving on it started with, you know,
you know, Kobe and Jordan and guys like
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that and then moved on to Penn and
Teller to um Oh, my God. To Tiger Woods
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to, uh, let's see who was another one.
Damn, this is gonna kill me. Michael
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Jackson. Oh, my God. Michael Jackson.
You know, uh, and moved on to these
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guys and you would see a lot of
similarities in the preparation they
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did in the creative divergence they had.
Um, but yeah, I'm not sure if that
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answers the question or just it does
where you play. No, no, no. It's not at
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all where you played and and your
motivation and basketball and seeing in
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these individuals their work ethic,
which isn't always at the forefront of
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people's minds when they think of that
particular craft. So when you started
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to get into audio and video, when did
you I know you went to college for Took
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a few credits When you realized that
wasn't for you, when did you realize
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this was for you and that you were
getting some traction? Was there You
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gotta pay day one day was that you got
to, like on a video. How did that
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transpire for you?
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So it's weird. Um, okay, so I mean, I
was trying to make because I saw
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YouTube and I saw that other people
were making short films and stuff like
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that. You know, guys like like make me
bad. 35 Like he's a throwback for
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anybody who was around back then, but
he was like, Oh, eight YouTube, you
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know, and and that's the kind of that's
the part of YouTube that I really
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romanticized. Uh, and so you would see
these guys make little comedy skits.
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And so when I was, like 13, that's when
I first got a YouTube summer of 2000
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and seven. I was, you know, I was
trying to make you know, a bunch of
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shorts with friends and stuff like that,
and so that was like the initial sort
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of okay, shooting, editing. You don't
care about exposure. You don't care
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about framing. You don't care about
what's this shot means you don't care
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about. Oh, is this script going to pay
off later? You're just literally just
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trying to be funny with a camera. And
so it's It's kind of you can make stuff
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very quick like that, and you know,
you're able to just get something out
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on weekend and it's all good. Um, and
then a couple years later, I kind of,
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you know, I kind of lost interest in it.
I would still play around, but I wasn't
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really doing as much as I did when I
was in middle school, and then, um and
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then one day I was in. I think it was a
marketing class senior year. So So this
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is what, like maybe three or four years
later, and they're like, Oh, everybody
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has to a movie trailer. And so, uh, you
know, like everyone else, you know,
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marketing is, like, kind of a big slack
off class, like nobody really cares.
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And so, uh, everyone's like, Oh, I
don't know. And there's something in me
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I was like, Okay, I'll do it because no
one else is gonna fucking do it. So the,
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uh so I I do it, we shoot it, I go home,
I take in the edit it because I had,
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like, real editing software because,
you know, back in middle school, So I
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take it edited every other kids thing
is trash. And I was the only person who
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actually showed up with, like,
something that really resemble the
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movie trailer. And so, you know, you
know, like, I didn't really care about
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17 like I was so disinterested in
everything you know, depression, all
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this and so I I specifically remember
the marketing teacher was like, He's
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like, Do you do videos like, is that
what you do like Is that what you want
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to do? Like for money? And I looked and
I said, I'll do anything for money, so,
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you know, and so they were like, Oh,
you shouldn't say that. But so, you
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know, So that's that's when I saw
What's that? But you mean they're
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saying you shouldn't say that, but But
seriously, I will
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do whatever, but But now
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So, uh, so, you know, I sort of took
that. And then, uh, it just got to a
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point where, you know, it's it's one of
those things where, uh, okay, every kid
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is just sort of brainwashed into
thinking. Oh, well, you need to go to
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college. And so I'm 18 now, And I'm
like, Okay, I guess I'll do the media
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degree. Like like I don't know. You
know, my dad didn't really care. Like
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what? He's just going to college. So So
I do that. And that mentality is
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screwing over so many kids today, at
least in America. And I don't know how
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Korea is, Um, but so Okay, so, uh, but
yeah. No, No. So let's see. Yeah. So
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I'm doing that, And, uh, that's sort of
how a transition uh, I remember there
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was there was a gap. Um, it was between
semesters. It was between the winter
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and spring semester. And, you know, it
was just after the spring semester, and
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I finished math, and I I got another C.
I had probably a 2.5 in college after
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three college credits. And, um, you
know, I and I wasn't gonna start again
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until, you know, September or whenever
the new semester started. So it's 2013.
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I'm like, Okay, I'm gonna really take
this YouTube thing seriously. And it
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was a little like, one day I just woke
up in bed like March 2013. I was like,
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I'm like, Dude, if I don't do something,
I'm going to turn into, like, one of
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these other losers I see on the
Internet all day. So you know, So I'm
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literally producing two shorts a week
every week. It's like 100 to 110 hours
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a week, not a single day off. Nothing.
And I'm just working for purpose. I'm
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just trying to see if I can get
something to happen because you come to
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that crossroads where it's like a lot
of people go through this thing. I
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think it's interesting a lot. Most
people have this thing where they're
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like, Oh, well, me and a year. We'll
figure it out. You know me. In 10 years,
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we'll figure it out, you know, And
people, they sort of, like, you know,
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stumble through life like that. Um, and,
you know, I made the decision that,
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like, 18.5 where I was like, I'm not
going to be the guy who just stumbles
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into it. I'm just gonna do it, and I'm
gonna I'm gonna try. And so but yeah, I
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probably produced man. I probably
produced, like, 60 videos, like, you
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know, written, edited, shot directed
videos in in a year. And, you know, the
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sub count went from, you know, maybe it
wasn't so big at first. It was It was,
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You know, the sub count was maybe 2000
subs, too. I don't know, like, 4000.
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That's it, you know, But which is big
for some, But in terms of making money
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off YouTube, that's nothing. And so But
I guess, like that's sort of the thing
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is like when you're really, really
trying at something, you know, And when
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I teach workshops on YouTube marketing,
what I tell people is it's not like, Oh,
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you do this, this and that it will
happen. You got to consistently produce
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for 2 to 3 years and you are guaranteed
to see some sort of movement. You are
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guaranteed to have routine following
and stuff like that. But a lot of
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people can't get over that hump. And
again, the only reason I was able to do
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that there's people with jobs, people
with responsibilities, people with
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families. The only reason. The only
reason I could do that. I was a kid
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with no responsibilities, and and I saw,
and I saw that I was able to do it. I
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didn't quit on it. I kept doing it. And
then by the time it was time to, you
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know, re enroll for some credits in
college was like, Screw that. I'm done
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And so and that was probably like, you
know, September, October after I
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produced maybe 30 videos and you know
so so that's sort of that's sort of how
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it goes. But but it's a risk. It's a
massive risk and, you know, for for a
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good like three years, there was such
anxiety over like, did I make the right
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decision? And after you get over that
hump where you start seeing some of the
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dollars rolling, you're like, Oh, thank
God I didn't go in debt for that. Thank
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God. You know, college or whatever. And
then I was also realizing, as I learned
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more and more, and I started taking
workshops where I started teaching
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workshops. Um, where college is, How do
I put it? Where college students,
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sometimes Yale graduates, Ivy league
graduates were showing up to learn
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about how to write a joke. How to, you
know, shoot. Uh, you know, this shot I
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would go over stuff like my professor
didn't talk about this at all. They
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just talked about missing son, and they
talked about all this shit that nobody
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cares about. Uh, if you're actually
trying to work on a film set on a film
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set, they want people. They want
electricians. They want people who can
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move heavy things. They want the guy
who can light. They want the guy who
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can, you know, uh, you know, accurately
focus the lens, you know, using the
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measurements and all that stuff. That's
what they want. They don't want Mr
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Creative. You know, that's and what I'm
what I'm alluding to are the blue
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collar jobs of cinema. Not the writer,
not the director, not the producer. The
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guy moving the light, the guy who knows
how to organize all that stuff. That's
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the majority of the jobs people are
looking for, uh, in cinema, but also,
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you know, but so I see that these these
kids showing up, they don't know, You
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know, like I'm teaching all these
things that Professor didn't teach. I
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did a video on a d r. And how that goes,
I'm getting I'm getting d end. Uh,
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universities are Arizona State
University. Uh, that was one specific,
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which is the highest attendance in the
entire country. They're playing my
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video in their media classes. So, you
know, and that was Thank you. So So.
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2017 2018. That's what I realized. Just
me doing whatever like me, like
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grinding by myself not, you know,
waiting for someone else's curriculum.
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I have you know, I have surpassed what
is required of a degree just on my own.
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But that happened because of constant
insecurity that happened because, you
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know, even now, like like are are you
like, Oh, you're an expert. I still I
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still don't think I'm an expert because
you always have to surround yourself
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with people way better than you, or
else you're never gonna get better. You
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know, that's kind of how it goes. Well,
I said this to you before we started.
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You speak so clearly and listening to
that the video that you just mentioned
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and any of your other ones you on there
you sound like a wise old man, right?
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Just bring in truth to people that is
applicable to this industry, right? And
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if people are not in the industry, you
may not be interested, but you may
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enjoy your movies, which you're funny,
right? You're writing this stuff as
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well. You you like, you have this
ability to write, to speak, to present,
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and obviously with your editing and all
that goes in behind the scenes, as as
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you mentioned about a basketball player
or singers or whatever. There's a lot
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of work that you put into it. So you
are and and for you to be What are you?
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26 20
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26 right to be 26. Like I said to you a
while ago, I'm an I was an idiot. I
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still am an idiot. But I was an idiot
at 26 for you to be thinking like I got
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to put in this time because I don't
have this responsibility. I don't have
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those things to do. And I'm going to do
this now while I can, right? Like there
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is a saying, I think, you know, put in
while the I don't know that it's not
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raining or whatever it is. What I say
is what I say is, uh if you don't do it
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now, it'll never happen.
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That's what I say and that works. I
like it right, and that's what you're
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doing. And so I commend you for what
you're doing. And so I heard you say
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that your
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your dream, your goal. You may not have
used dreamer goal, but your aspiration
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is to direct your own feature film.
Would that be accurate
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to an extent? And I do it here and
there little bits like I'm producing a
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video game right now. That's the length
of two feature films. Um, but it's
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still not, You know, it's not that
shooting, you know. It's not, you know,
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it's it's not what I want to do, which
is, you know, like the classic American
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film, like I want to make you know, I
want to make the next not even, like,
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not even like Citizen Kane. Like like
I'm not really into that stuff like I'm
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into, like Josie and the Pussycats that
came out in 2000 and one. I love that
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movie. You know, I like not another
teen movie like I like I like all this
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stuff that was on Comedy Central that
everyone said, Oh, yeah, it sucks. But
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me and my friends we watch and we're
like, dude, this great, you know, like,
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um and you know, like, you know, like
Kevin Smith movies and Spike Lee movies,
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you know, stuff like that, Like that.
Sort of the stuff I'm into. So, what
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does this look like for you? What does
this look like for you to be where you
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are now and and to be young to, you
know, you're you're exercising your
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working out on the side. You're doing
all that you need to do to gain that
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experience to gain the knowledge. You
say you're not an expert, but you're
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you're striving to be. What does that
process look like for you to get to the
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opportunity to direct your own feature
film? And what are you doing to attain
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that,
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uh, talking with an investor in
Singapore right now, I might get some
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good money to do animated pilot, um,
doing animations. Okay, because I sure
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as hell there's no way we can get the
money together to do a live action
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pilot, because I was just God, there's
too much money and too much organizing
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in hotels and all that, but, you know,
through doing that work, you know, it
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got my talents out there, And so you
would meet people who would meet you
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through the YouTube. One time I did an
animated pilot for someone that paid,
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you know, a couple $1000. They put it
up wherever they were trying to shop at
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the Netflix. Um, you know, But the
reality is is that, uh, every everybody
355
00:26:04.650 --> 00:26:08.600
needs a big break. Everybody needs a
lucky break, You know that? That's just
356
00:26:08.600 --> 00:26:13.810
kind of how it goes. And, uh, you're
you're waiting for that one right
357
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connection. You know, you have a
network of people. If one of them gets
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a TV deal, I know that they're going to
call me to do audio. I know that
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they're going to call me to write jokes.
They might call me to act, you know,
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And so that's a big thing. Like
creating this this tightly woven web of
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people. Um, you know, to see, you know,
Okay, if one of us take off, we're all
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gonna take off, and, you know, it's
sort of, but but yeah, I mean, the
363
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reality is is that unless unless
someone comes through and, you know,
364
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gives a blank cheque or someone comes
through and says, Hey, I spotted this
365
00:26:49.500 --> 00:26:54.480
and I want to put you on unless
somebody says that I I am never going
366
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to be the star. People think this work
ethic would lead to, um and that's
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that's the unfortunate reality. Um, and
so, like, I'm first generation
368
00:27:04.730 --> 00:27:08.100
entertainment. I don't I didn't have a
single connection in any of this when I
369
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started, and so, uh, you know, So
that's that's kind of the thing.
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Nepotism has only works for me. One
time. Uh, and that was doing an
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infomercial where I was underpaid, uh,
to go all the way up to New Hampshire
372
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to, uh, you know, do an infomercial for,
uh, and uncles geology company. But
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that's, you know, that that's that's
pretty much the only time nepotism
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really worked for me. And so, you know,
you kind of develop a thing against
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second generation entertainment people.
You know, You see, people talk about
376
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how talented Billy relishes or whoever,
and I'm like, Dude, like her whole
377
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family is in the music industry. I
could have easily done that. You know,
378
00:27:47.760 --> 00:27:51.860
I Dude, if you know, if if my dad was
Howard Stern, I would have been the
379
00:27:51.860 --> 00:27:55.210
next Howard Stern. You know, like
that's just that's just kind of how it
380
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goes. Um, and so but no, But you really
respect the first generation
381
00:28:00.230 --> 00:28:03.890
entertainment people. You really
respect Kevin Smith, who maxed out
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00:28:03.890 --> 00:28:07.040
three credit cards to get 27,000 to
produce his first feature. You know,
383
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I'm that game I mentioned earlier. I'm
probably, you know, 10 12,000 in the
384
00:28:10.660 --> 00:28:14.950
hole for that. And, uh, you know, I'm
I'm just trying to make it happen. But,
385
00:28:15.340 --> 00:28:17.660
you know, you gotta be. You gotta be
smart with money, you know, you can't.
386
00:28:17.660 --> 00:28:21.000
You can't waste it on, You know, a new
car. You can't waste it on. You know,
387
00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:24.350
anything there is a while. I mean, I
buy a lot of memorabilia and stuff like
388
00:28:24.350 --> 00:28:28.260
that, as you might have seen in some of
the videos. Um, but there was
389
00:28:29.540 --> 00:28:33.700
there was a three year stretch where I
barely spent any money. I didn't buy
390
00:28:33.700 --> 00:28:39.970
new clothes. I didn't buy anything for
leisure at all. Uh, and I didn't I
391
00:28:39.970 --> 00:28:43.250
didn't start, you know, spending
anything until I was making you know,
392
00:28:43.260 --> 00:28:49.820
you know, not well into the five
figures, Let's say and so, um, you know,
393
00:28:49.830 --> 00:28:52.890
but But that's just that's the
unfortunate thing that that everyone
394
00:28:52.890 --> 00:28:56.650
has to know. Going into it is that, you
know, your talent might lead to a
395
00:28:56.650 --> 00:28:59.930
connection, But you gotta understand
you're not gonna pop off like like a
396
00:28:59.930 --> 00:29:04.530
superstar. You're not gonna pop off
until the machine is behind you And a
397
00:29:04.530 --> 00:29:07.830
lot of your videos. You have things
that have personal meaning to you that
398
00:29:07.830 --> 00:29:11.640
other people would not really
understand unless they knew you better
399
00:29:11.650 --> 00:29:14.360
I see you have KFC chicken in there a
lot.
400
00:29:15.740 --> 00:29:21.980
Is this a personal faith? Is I saw it
with your your Fred and Bernie The
401
00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:27.630
bucket? Um, no. I mean, that was just
the thing. I mean, I prefer Popeye's
402
00:29:27.630 --> 00:29:32.560
more. I love Popeyes. Have you ever
tried Korean Chicken?
403
00:29:34.040 --> 00:29:38.990
Do you have that? Not in your area. I'm
sorry. Oh, no, no, no. Korean Fried
404
00:29:38.990 --> 00:29:43.820
Chicken chicken is delicious. Just so
you know, they do a hot sauce. It's
405
00:29:43.830 --> 00:29:44.360
delicious.
406
00:29:46.140 --> 00:29:51.460
I am a very lower middle class,
American raised sort of kid. My palate
407
00:29:51.470 --> 00:29:58.610
is very American. Uh, the only East
Asian food I can eat is Sarko Japan in
408
00:29:58.610 --> 00:30:05.030
the food court. That's all I can do.
I'm sorry. I know Korean chicken,
409
00:30:05.040 --> 00:30:09.190
Korean chicken. They kind of stole the
idea from North America. So it's not.
410
00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:14.040
It's not like Asian chicken. It's like
spicy, crispy. And I think it gives a
411
00:30:14.040 --> 00:30:18.960
good run for the money to any other
chicken play. In my personal opinion,
412
00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:26.370
do you have a script that you if
someone offers you one day, maybe maybe
413
00:30:26.370 --> 00:30:31.430
give a try? It's delicious. Believe me,
I've lived in Korea for 11 years. They
414
00:30:31.430 --> 00:30:36.050
have some pretty delicious food. Um,
but also some food that I stay away
415
00:30:36.060 --> 00:30:40.560
very far away from. But the chicken is
just It's a fried fried chicken would
416
00:30:40.570 --> 00:30:45.300
become spicy or soy sauce. Uh, do you
have a script that you that you have
417
00:30:45.300 --> 00:30:48.670
prepared and ready for an opportunity
for a feature film
418
00:30:50.840 --> 00:30:57.380
for a pilot? Yes, for a feature film?
No, uh, one of the dub feature thing
419
00:30:57.380 --> 00:31:02.490
that I made taste closed. So it's an
hour long. One of the one of the things
420
00:31:02.490 --> 00:31:06.400
I did when writing that was I avoided
because it was footage used from
421
00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:11.630
something else. But what I avoided, I
avoided any character referring to each
422
00:31:11.630 --> 00:31:17.970
other by name. And so I have all the
audio and all the writing done for a
423
00:31:17.970 --> 00:31:22.170
project. And so if somebody came along,
I could technically produced that the
424
00:31:22.170 --> 00:31:27.370
right way. I can produce that the right
way and have, uh, you know, completely
425
00:31:27.370 --> 00:31:30.260
free of copyright. You know, somebody
says, Oh, I'll put up, you know,
426
00:31:30.260 --> 00:31:35.060
250,000 to get this animated. That's
technically my first feature. Um, you
427
00:31:35.060 --> 00:31:37.990
know not, you know, legit like I can. I
can sell that to somebody I can
428
00:31:37.990 --> 00:31:43.500
distribute on Netflix. Um, I have to
pay for about 10 songs to be licensed
429
00:31:43.500 --> 00:31:48.430
to with that audio, but, uh, you know,
But then I have a pilot script. That's
430
00:31:48.430 --> 00:31:54.150
a that's a 22 minute thing, Sort of
like a gen z Seinfeld. Um, and so I got
431
00:31:54.150 --> 00:31:59.470
that registered by W G A for 25 bucks,
So I mean, yeah, so no one's let's hope
432
00:31:59.470 --> 00:32:03.190
nobody steals that when I pitch it
around. But, yeah, I know it's
433
00:32:03.190 --> 00:32:06.960
unfortunate. Like the only way people
will listen to a pitch meeting is if
434
00:32:06.960 --> 00:32:11.440
they're a fan of you or, you know, you
have a rich uncle, you know, but yeah.
435
00:32:12.040 --> 00:32:17.580
Speaking of work ethic, I think maybe
you can talk about maybe your
436
00:32:17.580 --> 00:32:21.640
methodology, the reason why you're
doing it. But I heard you're not. You
437
00:32:21.640 --> 00:32:26.000
have a good following for your YouTube
channel, but you're not making a
438
00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:30.270
significant amount of money in your
words. But you mentioned a moment ago
439
00:32:30.270 --> 00:32:35.130
half or something, but you're making
some money there, but that's not the
440
00:32:35.130 --> 00:32:40.010
sole purpose of why you're doing it.
But you're you put so much time into
441
00:32:40.010 --> 00:32:43.350
that. So what is your reasoning for
that?
442
00:32:46.340 --> 00:32:51.440
So that interview was a bit dated. It
was pre covid and pre release of the
443
00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:56.670
thing. The So what happened was is so
that that tastes close Feature that our
444
00:32:56.670 --> 00:33:01.560
long feature, it gets taken down for
copyright on YouTube. So, uh, it had to
445
00:33:01.560 --> 00:33:06.580
be put up on on a patreon. And, uh, and
at first, like a bunch of people came
446
00:33:06.580 --> 00:33:10.910
on. And now the patreon numbers
probably triple overnight. And so we
447
00:33:10.910 --> 00:33:15.090
get that and then, you know, from from,
you know, small amount, uh, you know,
448
00:33:15.090 --> 00:33:18.700
But it triples overnight, and now it's
now it's actually, like, you know,
449
00:33:18.710 --> 00:33:21.460
making a good chunk of money. It was
the highest numbers I had in the
450
00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:25.500
history of the PATREON then. So a
couple of months goes by. And then I
451
00:33:25.500 --> 00:33:28.890
was like, What if I made a trailer for
this? You know, because it's a feature,
452
00:33:28.890 --> 00:33:33.580
you know, because for the longest time,
I was so against making a trailer for
453
00:33:33.580 --> 00:33:36.400
for something for like, a short,
because it's it's corny. It's like just
454
00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:39.650
watch the short. You know, it's only,
you know, it's only eight times longer
455
00:33:39.650 --> 00:33:43.220
than the trailer But now I had an hour
long thing. So I was like, Okay, let's
456
00:33:43.220 --> 00:33:48.940
make a trailer for it And I put that
trailer out and what went from tripling.
457
00:33:48.950 --> 00:33:55.150
So it was tripled. Then it tripled
again. And now it's making, like, some
458
00:33:55.160 --> 00:33:59.580
passable money. And so So that's why I
said half now is because now it's
459
00:33:59.580 --> 00:34:04.230
changed the VHS tapes because because
we had two features were produced
460
00:34:04.230 --> 00:34:10.290
physical VHS tapes. Uh, and, uh,
initially, people would get those for
461
00:34:10.290 --> 00:34:14.090
30 bucks. Can you explain 30 bucks when
they would back? Can you explain your
462
00:34:14.090 --> 00:34:16.050
reasoning for the VHS tapes as well?
463
00:34:18.239 --> 00:34:22.600
Bootleg culture, VHS tapes? You know,
it's initially we did the VHS tape
464
00:34:22.600 --> 00:34:30.409
because, uh, we first did Pokemon, uh,
one of those movies, and initially, uh,
465
00:34:30.420 --> 00:34:34.739
we would we would take scenes of
Pokemon. We put in modern hip hop and
466
00:34:34.739 --> 00:34:39.750
modern R and B, and we had we knew a
guy who could who could convert things
467
00:34:39.760 --> 00:34:44.530
to VHS, get them recorded on VHS, put
it in a tape player and bring it back
468
00:34:44.530 --> 00:34:48.080
with all the coloration, and I first
did it with the credit sequence of the
469
00:34:48.080 --> 00:34:51.900
first Pokemon movie. We were like, This
is a vibe. We were like, Oh, my God,
470
00:34:51.900 --> 00:34:54.630
this is cool. Then I'm talking to a
couple people, and they're like, we
471
00:34:54.630 --> 00:34:58.580
should get some money together and do
the whole thing. And so So we did that.
472
00:34:58.580 --> 00:35:02.180
We got I mean, we only got, like, 1000
bucks together just to produce not, you
473
00:35:02.180 --> 00:35:06.560
know, nonprofit. Uh, but we said as an
incentive, So if you give this much,
474
00:35:06.570 --> 00:35:10.290
you'll get a VHS tape mail to you when
it's out. And so we produced VHS tape
475
00:35:10.290 --> 00:35:14.290
to the whole cover, and then we also
did that, you know, keeping tradition.
476
00:35:14.300 --> 00:35:17.720
We did that with the other one taste
clothes, which came out three years
477
00:35:17.720 --> 00:35:23.460
later. And so now on the second hand
market, Uh, because his clothes got so
478
00:35:23.460 --> 00:35:28.580
big, people initially got those for 30.
Uh, I was seeing people sell them for
479
00:35:28.590 --> 00:35:36.050
120 152 100. And so it became It became
this thing where it was for the longest
480
00:35:36.050 --> 00:35:39.800
time, I was so into collectibles I was
into, you know, Ugo and Christine
481
00:35:39.800 --> 00:35:43.090
Aguilera and Michael Jordan and all
this stuff and all this, So keep the
482
00:35:43.090 --> 00:35:47.390
condition good. And and now I'm making
the things where people are like, Oh,
483
00:35:47.390 --> 00:35:51.230
yeah, I gotta drop 200 on that. It's an
investment, you know? And so so that
484
00:35:51.230 --> 00:35:55.030
was really interesting people. People
wanted me to sign it. And it was a
485
00:35:55.030 --> 00:35:59.170
thing where it was like it was a thing
where it was like, how do I put it?
486
00:36:00.330 --> 00:36:04.110
I never practiced my signature as a kid.
You know, I I knew all these kids in
487
00:36:04.110 --> 00:36:06.610
school who would practice their
signature. And I'm like, you were a
488
00:36:06.610 --> 00:36:10.580
pretentious asshole. What are you doing?
Nobody wants that. And so I never did
489
00:36:10.580 --> 00:36:15.410
it. But now, uh, like my signature
looks hideous when I do so now, like I
490
00:36:15.410 --> 00:36:18.380
I have to start thinking about that.
And so it's It's weird how stuff like
491
00:36:18.380 --> 00:36:22.080
that comes full circle, but yeah, I had
to sign a couple. The sign ones are
492
00:36:22.080 --> 00:36:26.120
worth more obviously than the regular
ones. But now, like I had a couple of
493
00:36:26.120 --> 00:36:29.400
friends, and they're like, damn this,
You know, I paid 30. It was $100. This
494
00:36:29.400 --> 00:36:34.840
is this is the best return I ever got
on backing a project. You know, So, um
495
00:36:35.230 --> 00:36:40.710
yeah, that's what I liked. Well, no,
that's what I liked about what you said.
496
00:36:40.710 --> 00:36:45.160
And what was true for you is from
YouTube itself. You weren't making as
497
00:36:45.160 --> 00:36:51.530
much money as you were with your blue
collar job or working in the lights and
498
00:36:51.540 --> 00:36:55.520
editing and all the other work that you
were doing, which but you were still
499
00:36:55.520 --> 00:37:02.500
putting in the effort, which I thought
that was analogous to people who want
500
00:37:02.500 --> 00:37:05.900
to follow a dream, want to follow
something. They want to do something,
501
00:37:05.910 --> 00:37:10.810
and they might have to put in that time
and not get See that return right away.
502
00:37:10.820 --> 00:37:13.680
And for you, it seems like you're
getting your name out there. There was
503
00:37:13.690 --> 00:37:17.140
there was a purpose behind. It wasn't.
I'm not going to make money, and I'm
504
00:37:17.140 --> 00:37:21.050
happy with that. But you're getting
your product out there. But at the same
505
00:37:21.050 --> 00:37:25.830
time, you were getting exposure, and I
just the idea of people putting in that
506
00:37:25.830 --> 00:37:29.040
effort even though they may not see the
fruits of their labor right away.
507
00:37:31.230 --> 00:37:35.330
Yeah, that's a hump. A lot of people
can't get over creatively, and it's
508
00:37:35.330 --> 00:37:42.160
kind of sad. Uh, you know, it's you
know you have to work a lot of people.
509
00:37:42.160 --> 00:37:45.350
You've got to work for free and cheap
sometimes you know, especially for your
510
00:37:45.350 --> 00:37:49.520
own stuff. And, you know, people. I see
so many people just talk themselves out
511
00:37:49.520 --> 00:37:53.770
of it constantly, and it's just like,
Okay, well, I guess you don't want to
512
00:37:53.770 --> 00:37:57.920
do it then, Like, you know, it's not
like, Oh, we lost a great talent. It's
513
00:37:57.920 --> 00:38:01.090
like, No, like you gotta have If you're
gonna be a great talent, you've got to
514
00:38:01.090 --> 00:38:04.440
have that mentality of like, I'm gonna
work, you know? I'm going to work for
515
00:38:04.440 --> 00:38:08.150
it was a business day one for me. A lot
of people stumble into it. A lot of
516
00:38:08.150 --> 00:38:11.450
people just make something randomly. Oh,
it's a viral thing. You know, I had
517
00:38:11.450 --> 00:38:15.740
made so many hours of content before
stuff I was doing was getting clipped
518
00:38:15.740 --> 00:38:19.790
out, going viral, instagram, Facebook,
all that stuff. It was it was a multi
519
00:38:19.790 --> 00:38:24.690
year process. And, uh, you know, uh, 76
years had to trust the process where
520
00:38:24.690 --> 00:38:27.710
they're tanking and everything's going
horribly, and they're not winning, But
521
00:38:27.710 --> 00:38:31.310
they're trying to get those draft picks.
And now they're like a really good team
522
00:38:31.320 --> 00:38:34.330
because they trusted the process. Same
thing with this. You got to trust the
523
00:38:34.330 --> 00:38:38.150
process. You have to You have to be,
you know, working like it's the most
524
00:38:38.150 --> 00:38:42.030
important thing in the world. If you
want it to be the most important thing
525
00:38:42.030 --> 00:38:45.040
in the world, regardless of who's
watching, regardless of who's seeing it.
526
00:38:45.520 --> 00:38:50.780
And so that's the thing a lot of people
don't see. Um, you know, even people
527
00:38:50.780 --> 00:38:54.370
with production budgets, you run into
some lucky stuff like, I'll explain to
528
00:38:54.370 --> 00:38:57.690
other people who are trying to do music,
stuff or whatever I'm like. You gotta
529
00:38:57.690 --> 00:39:02.280
upload three mixtapes a year, dude.
Three, which is, you know, about maybe
530
00:39:02.280 --> 00:39:07.360
40 songs, even that, you know, I saw
there was a There was a There was a hip
531
00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:13.610
hop artist, uh, named XV, and he was
really big in the, you know, the late
532
00:39:13.610 --> 00:39:18.320
two thousands early 20 tens. He had a
project called 40 Days, 40 nights,
533
00:39:18.330 --> 00:39:24.180
where he uploaded to songs a day, every
day for 40 days. And so I saw that at,
534
00:39:24.180 --> 00:39:28.430
like, 18. I'm like, Well, damn, I got
to try to do something like that. And
535
00:39:28.430 --> 00:39:33.310
so, uh, you know it's stuff like that.
And, uh, but yeah. What? What is your
536
00:39:33.310 --> 00:39:40.050
Your hand in music? I went on sound
soundcloud, And, uh, some of that music
537
00:39:40.050 --> 00:39:43.890
is great. I mean, all that I heard was
great. What? What is your hand in that?
538
00:39:43.890 --> 00:39:45.330
Are you writing? You're producing?
539
00:39:47.920 --> 00:39:51.860
Uh, I mean, sometimes, you know, hip
hop. Gonna take some beets a couple of
540
00:39:51.860 --> 00:39:56.060
times. Some stuff I produce myself in
terms of just the instrumental. Some
541
00:39:56.060 --> 00:40:00.890
stuff a friend will show up. A lot of
it is pretty much sampling. Uh, it
542
00:40:00.890 --> 00:40:06.370
depends on the track, but but as far as
recording and writing and mixing doing
543
00:40:06.370 --> 00:40:08.440
the final mix and master, that's all me.
544
00:40:09.910 --> 00:40:14.250
You're multitalented. Do you have any
advice for people thinking of you
545
00:40:14.260 --> 00:40:20.340
buying games from kids for 2025 bucks
when you're in middle school or even
546
00:40:20.340 --> 00:40:24.360
changing your job? Right when you got a
little older, you're changing positions,
547
00:40:24.370 --> 00:40:27.500
doing different jobs. Do you have any
advice for people who are getting into
548
00:40:27.500 --> 00:40:30.940
work one way or another, their first
job or their second job?
549
00:40:34.210 --> 00:40:43.010
No, I mean what Sorry. I mean, it's
good word it Sorry. I know it's That's
550
00:40:43.010 --> 00:40:46.520
good. No, I don't have anybody. Go. Go
get a job if you want.
551
00:40:48.210 --> 00:40:54.920
I mean again. I mean, you know, there
are a lot of people again, I I need to
552
00:40:54.930 --> 00:41:02.040
reiterate this. It's not I didn't waste
my privilege. That's the way I look at
553
00:41:02.040 --> 00:41:05.990
it. It's not like I came from
absolutely nothing. And, oh, I pulled
554
00:41:05.990 --> 00:41:10.170
myself up by my bootstraps like I can't
that's that's not honest. Like I can't
555
00:41:10.170 --> 00:41:14.510
project this reality that like, Oh, I
was working two jobs and I did YouTube
556
00:41:14.510 --> 00:41:19.520
on the side. But, you know, I was awake,
you know? You know, 20 hours a day. I
557
00:41:19.520 --> 00:41:23.680
can't I don't want to sell anyone that
fantasy. You know? There are people
558
00:41:23.680 --> 00:41:27.530
where, you know, you know, they're
They're I don't know, they're in a
559
00:41:27.540 --> 00:41:31.080
poverty situation and they have to work
two jobs. Since they're 16, they have
560
00:41:31.080 --> 00:41:33.900
to drop out of high school. If
someone's in that situation, they
561
00:41:33.900 --> 00:41:38.830
probably can't do what I did, you know?
And so, uh, that's what I but at the
562
00:41:38.830 --> 00:41:43.200
same time, like I know so many rich
kids who, you know, just screw around
563
00:41:43.210 --> 00:41:46.760
all the time, you know, and then they
hit you up, like, you know, 10 years
564
00:41:46.760 --> 00:41:49.710
later, after high school. Oh, bro, How
did you do that? You know, And it's
565
00:41:49.710 --> 00:41:53.020
like like, Dude, you wasted your
privilege. Your parents had more money
566
00:41:53.020 --> 00:41:58.430
than mine, you know? And so that's kind
of the thing. Like like I saw and
567
00:41:58.430 --> 00:42:02.540
recognized the opportunity and the
privilege at a very young age. I
568
00:42:02.540 --> 00:42:06.220
recognize a lot of things at a very
young age. When I was when I was 14 or
569
00:42:06.220 --> 00:42:10.280
15, I realized I'm never going to see
any of these kids in high school again.
570
00:42:10.290 --> 00:42:14.210
I will. After graduation, I will never
see these kids. So all I did was screw
571
00:42:14.210 --> 00:42:18.230
with people for the last three years
high school because I knew it wouldn't
572
00:42:18.230 --> 00:42:22.290
matter. None of it would matter not it
still hasn't still hasn't come back to
573
00:42:22.290 --> 00:42:29.770
me. And so I was. I was always sort of,
uh, you know, like it's whatever. Like,
574
00:42:29.770 --> 00:42:32.660
you gotta you gotta see stuff before
everybody else does. Saying with the
575
00:42:32.660 --> 00:42:37.420
video game stuff, you know, I was doing
that in 2010, collecting video games
576
00:42:37.420 --> 00:42:41.400
and flipping them, you know, and 60 for
stuff that didn't become a concept
577
00:42:41.410 --> 00:42:47.190
until, you know, like a widespread
concept until maybe 2013. 14 once.
578
00:42:47.190 --> 00:42:52.290
Remember the nineties and all that
stuff started happening. You mentioned
579
00:42:52.290 --> 00:42:58.450
that you're not an expert, but what is
a skill that you are working on to help
580
00:42:58.450 --> 00:43:04.010
you become the director that you hope
to be? And also what sort of skill is
581
00:43:04.020 --> 00:43:07.660
absolutely necessary in the
entertainment industry that you've seen
582
00:43:07.660 --> 00:43:08.230
so far?
583
00:43:10.800 --> 00:43:18.180
There's a lot of skills necessary. Um,
uh, to rail off a couple. Um,
584
00:43:18.190 --> 00:43:24.270
communication is key adaptability. And
just like the the work ethic to block
585
00:43:24.270 --> 00:43:29.080
out pain and block out annoyance and
block out this and that, uh,
586
00:43:29.090 --> 00:43:34.550
persistence. One thing I heard was
emotional. Self empathy. That was
587
00:43:34.550 --> 00:43:38.780
another thing I heard in terms of. Even
if something isn't so good, you can't
588
00:43:38.780 --> 00:43:41.930
beat yourself. You have to have short
term memory loss of all the bad stuff.
589
00:43:42.400 --> 00:43:46.620
And you gotta keep going. Um, and then
But the thing is, what's unique about
590
00:43:46.620 --> 00:43:54.160
me is there are a lot of guys who are,
you know, writer director people. Uh,
591
00:43:54.170 --> 00:43:58.240
it's it's hard to find a writer
director guy who knows more about the
592
00:43:58.240 --> 00:44:02.390
technical end of cinema than me. And
that's sort of that's where I was able
593
00:44:02.390 --> 00:44:06.830
to separate myself and really, you know,
and be able to make high quality
594
00:44:06.830 --> 00:44:12.240
content and be able to teach others is
because I just wanted to learn all of
595
00:44:12.240 --> 00:44:15.280
filmmaking, like so you want to be a
director? You know, it's not just Oh,
596
00:44:15.280 --> 00:44:19.420
I'm gonna learn how to write and direct
and, like, think up scenes and all that.
597
00:44:19.790 --> 00:44:23.730
I learned every part of the process. So
another part is like never thinking
598
00:44:23.730 --> 00:44:27.120
you're above learning something. Never
thinking, you know. So I wanted to
599
00:44:27.120 --> 00:44:31.530
learn. How do they do Audio. I wanted
to learn. Um, what kind of lights are
600
00:44:31.530 --> 00:44:34.410
they using? Not even how do I light
something? What kind of lights are they
601
00:44:34.410 --> 00:44:38.000
using? That was impossible to figure
out, you know, five years ago, because
602
00:44:38.000 --> 00:44:42.080
there wasn't, like, a million YouTube
videos on it. You know how to, uh, not
603
00:44:42.080 --> 00:44:45.210
five years ago, I'd say more like seven
years ago. But like, you know, there
604
00:44:45.210 --> 00:44:48.470
was a million. I was trying to figure
out what light stands do they use?
605
00:44:48.470 --> 00:44:51.760
What's the real stuff? How do we get
overhead lights? What's the speed rail.
606
00:44:51.770 --> 00:44:56.810
What's, um, you know, you know what are
sandbags for Apple box? How do we get,
607
00:44:56.820 --> 00:44:59.940
you know, a camera angle low? How do
How do they get the camera to move so
608
00:44:59.940 --> 00:45:05.690
smoothly? How do they, uh, you know,
like, how do they make that like, right
609
00:45:05.690 --> 00:45:08.230
here? Someone might ask, How does he
get the light to look like that? You
610
00:45:08.230 --> 00:45:13.420
know, like, just just all this stuff.
And a lot of it is, uh, it's kind of
611
00:45:13.420 --> 00:45:18.680
like mock apprenticeship Where, um, I
got to knowing how to find the
612
00:45:18.680 --> 00:45:24.280
information yourself. I'd say that's
another big skill. Um, but in terms of
613
00:45:24.280 --> 00:45:27.300
what I'm trying to you figure out,
614
00:45:29.890 --> 00:45:36.690
I don't know, like, it's it's it's been
such a grind and you start, you know, a
615
00:45:36.690 --> 00:45:40.520
lot. So many people tell you you're
ready. You're ready over and over and
616
00:45:40.520 --> 00:45:43.980
over again, to the point where it's
like, you know, I know there's still a
617
00:45:43.980 --> 00:45:49.130
lot I don't know, but it's it's trying
to get up to that level. In 2016. All I
618
00:45:49.130 --> 00:45:53.560
knew how to do was maybe shoot with the
DSLR, use a couple of led lights, kind
619
00:45:53.560 --> 00:45:56.630
of, you know, kind of okay, kind of
lame. You know, it wasn't It wasn't so
620
00:45:56.630 --> 00:46:00.480
great. I didn't really know a lot about
coloring and stuff like that. And I hit
621
00:46:00.480 --> 00:46:03.450
a wall where I would try to hit up
people who were in film school. Hey, do
622
00:46:03.450 --> 00:46:06.960
you know this? They didn't know it. Uh,
you know what cameras are they using?
623
00:46:06.970 --> 00:46:10.640
You know, what is Hollywood? All this
stuff. And then I joined a
624
00:46:10.650 --> 00:46:16.160
cinematography for him that had people
who made movies I had actually heard of.
625
00:46:16.170 --> 00:46:20.190
Think about that. I think of how many
people say they're in film. Oh, the
626
00:46:20.190 --> 00:46:24.770
only thing you know. So But I was
encountering people who made movies
627
00:46:24.780 --> 00:46:30.010
that I had heard of that had a list
talent, you know? And so I had this new
628
00:46:30.020 --> 00:46:34.770
knowledge or restore or this new
resource of knowledge and the big thing
629
00:46:34.770 --> 00:46:38.440
that prevented a lot of people from
also pursuing that in my age group.
630
00:46:38.450 --> 00:46:43.020
Nobody wants to use a forum anymore. A
forum is old. School forum is lame. I
631
00:46:43.020 --> 00:46:46.790
want to watch a YouTube video. A lot of
the guys busy and working, don't have
632
00:46:46.790 --> 00:46:51.280
time to make YouTube videos. You gotta
go where it's convenient for them to
633
00:46:51.280 --> 00:46:55.600
express their thoughts and ideologies
and stuff like that. And then from 2016
634
00:46:55.600 --> 00:47:00.470
to 2018, that was a boom of knowledge
that that's where, like I, I learned
635
00:47:00.470 --> 00:47:05.010
more in that phase than any other part
of the point of time. And, uh, you know,
636
00:47:05.010 --> 00:47:09.060
you I would call up guys. I wanted to
learn about the Sony City Alta cameras,
637
00:47:09.060 --> 00:47:12.520
which were the cameras. They shot Spy
Kids and Star Wars, Episode two and
638
00:47:12.520 --> 00:47:17.720
Episode three and, uh, and some other
early 2000 films. And there was a guy
639
00:47:17.720 --> 00:47:22.640
in Latvia and I was like, Hey, you know,
you wanna can you get on Skype and and
640
00:47:22.640 --> 00:47:26.920
explain this to me and he's like, Okay,
and so you know, you talk to this guy
641
00:47:26.930 --> 00:47:30.980
and you really try to focus and you
know, he has maybe a thick accent, but
642
00:47:30.980 --> 00:47:34.420
he's really taking the time. So you're
really trying to learn. And that's kind
643
00:47:34.420 --> 00:47:38.590
of the problem is like a lot of people.
Lot of people say they want it. Lot of
644
00:47:38.590 --> 00:47:42.630
people say they want to do X, y and Z,
but your knowledge really shows how
645
00:47:42.630 --> 00:47:48.220
much you actually want it to me. Uh and
so it's, you know, And people are like,
646
00:47:48.220 --> 00:47:51.210
Oh, why are you so mean? People are
starting out blah, blah, blah. I'm like
647
00:47:51.210 --> 00:47:54.230
I'm seeing people who are doing this
longer than I have that don't know X, y
648
00:47:54.230 --> 00:47:58.880
and Z. So don't don't tell me I'm being
mean, you know, like it's it's just one
649
00:47:58.880 --> 00:48:04.080
of those things is that and I'm not
saying you seem like this is for you.
650
00:48:04.080 --> 00:48:08.030
But patience is a patience for you.
Something that you need to work on
651
00:48:08.030 --> 00:48:11.110
because you're young and people are
Even though people are telling you
652
00:48:11.110 --> 00:48:15.570
you're ready. But you're not given that
chance yet. Is patients one of those
653
00:48:15.570 --> 00:48:17.780
things that are kind of gnawing at you?
654
00:48:21.070 --> 00:48:27.400
Maybe I'm trying to. I guess the big
thing I'm trying to do is I'm trying
655
00:48:27.870 --> 00:48:32.640
two. Not I don't want to turn 30
without a single big credit to my name.
656
00:48:32.650 --> 00:48:37.580
I don't want to do that. And so not
only was success big, I wanted success.
657
00:48:37.580 --> 00:48:41.640
Young and I still want success Young. I
want to be a young, successful guy. I
658
00:48:41.640 --> 00:48:46.680
want to stand out in that way and, uh
because I thought about I don't know,
659
00:48:46.680 --> 00:48:49.910
like I like, I think about like LeBron
James and how he came out of. He came
660
00:48:49.910 --> 00:48:53.910
out of, uh, to the NBA in high school
when he's 18 years old. He's like
661
00:48:53.910 --> 00:48:56.940
getting triple doubles and all this
wild stuff, and he's like, immediately
662
00:48:56.940 --> 00:49:01.670
the biggest star ever. I saw that at 10,
and I was like, Wow, you know, I want
663
00:49:01.670 --> 00:49:05.280
to try to do something like that And so
but what I'm learning now is that you
664
00:49:05.280 --> 00:49:09.910
can't be a 20 year old entertainer
without a rich family member without
665
00:49:09.910 --> 00:49:13.570
someone in the industry already, you
know, kind of moving you along unless
666
00:49:13.570 --> 00:49:17.400
it's, you know, maybe unless it's maybe
hip hop or something like that, where
667
00:49:17.400 --> 00:49:20.760
you know, there's always people
scouting and so on and so forth. But,
668
00:49:20.770 --> 00:49:25.330
uh, even though there's a lot of
nepotism in hip hop, Uh, but, uh but
669
00:49:25.330 --> 00:49:25.580
yeah,
670
00:49:27.570 --> 00:49:33.660
you mentioned by 30 you know, having
your your name somewhere on a feature
671
00:49:33.660 --> 00:49:38.160
of some sort. What is your overarching
goal? What would you like? Would you
672
00:49:38.160 --> 00:49:43.170
like an Academy Award? Would you What?
What are you hoping for? I mean, the
673
00:49:43.170 --> 00:49:47.420
funny thing is, and I heard this set of
you. Is that your I've found it very
674
00:49:47.420 --> 00:49:52.970
difficult to find a picture of you let
alone to see you on video. Right. So it
675
00:49:52.970 --> 00:49:56.560
doesn't seem like you're looking for
the spotlight, But you also want the
676
00:49:56.560 --> 00:50:00.960
recognition like anyone else, for the
hard work they put in. So to say, you
677
00:50:00.960 --> 00:50:04.690
know, I want an award. I want to be up
there. So I don't think that's really
678
00:50:05.160 --> 00:50:09.710
your cup of tea. I think you're you're
wanting to do the work and for people
679
00:50:09.710 --> 00:50:13.390
to appreciate what you do. So do you
have an overarching goal? It might be a
680
00:50:13.390 --> 00:50:16.580
feature film, but it might be 10 of
them. It might be a whole series of
681
00:50:16.580 --> 00:50:16.890
things.
682
00:50:19.360 --> 00:50:22.960
It's, you know, at first it was
filmmaking. That's what I knew. I had a
683
00:50:22.960 --> 00:50:26.980
skill in. And, you know, I didn't do
what I loved. I did what I was good at,
684
00:50:27.460 --> 00:50:32.520
uh, you know, going all the way back to
that marketing class. And, you know, I
685
00:50:32.520 --> 00:50:35.960
don't really put my face out there.
Well, one, because, uh, no one else
686
00:50:35.960 --> 00:50:40.240
knows how to work the camera, so I'm
always behind it. So you know you can't
687
00:50:40.240 --> 00:50:44.230
really And I'm a perfectionist. I
always have to be in the viewfinder. I
688
00:50:44.230 --> 00:50:47.430
need to know what's happening at all
times. You know, like I'll make videos
689
00:50:47.430 --> 00:50:50.550
where I'm on camera for my friends and
the framing is kind of bad, but you
690
00:50:50.550 --> 00:50:55.670
know, that's not going out public. So
it's fine. Um, but in terms of, uh, I
691
00:50:55.670 --> 00:50:59.110
mean, it's It's not that I'm, like,
worried about you're the first person
692
00:50:59.110 --> 00:51:03.870
ever asked to show on camera You're the
first person asked Honestly, So So
693
00:51:03.880 --> 00:51:06.890
that's why I show it up, you know? And
so like
694
00:51:07.960 --> 00:51:13.790
No, it's OK. Blur my face out anyway.
So So there's that, um But what I would
695
00:51:13.790 --> 00:51:20.110
say is, let's see the overarching goal.
I mean, like, I don't This is another
696
00:51:20.110 --> 00:51:22.790
part of the reason I don't put my face
on camera. Don't take selfies and all
697
00:51:22.790 --> 00:51:25.950
that, like I have a very low sense of
vanity. Like, I don't think I'm just
698
00:51:25.950 --> 00:51:30.490
like, attractive guy. I think that
people should only you know, not to put
699
00:51:30.490 --> 00:51:34.120
a slide on anybody, but, like, I only
think people like you gotta be really
700
00:51:34.120 --> 00:51:37.690
photogenic to always put yourself on
camera. That's just me. I'm not trying
701
00:51:37.690 --> 00:51:42.430
to project that onto anyone else. Um,
you know, like so. So So you work. You
702
00:51:42.430 --> 00:51:45.950
know, you look like you work with a
couple models, and, uh, it's like, Yeah,
703
00:51:45.960 --> 00:51:49.040
well, that's your job. You're supposed
to be on camera. I'm not supposed to be
704
00:51:49.040 --> 00:51:54.150
on camera, you know, it's like that
separation. Um, but in terms of, you
705
00:51:54.150 --> 00:51:58.330
know, in terms of overarching goal, I
mean, like, I don't want to get
706
00:51:58.330 --> 00:52:03.970
recognized in the street for some
YouTube videos. That's just not, you
707
00:52:03.970 --> 00:52:07.700
know, that's that's not lame. It's like,
Oh, hey, you did this niche thing and
708
00:52:07.700 --> 00:52:10.380
everyone's around like, What the hell
is he talking about? You know, like
709
00:52:10.390 --> 00:52:13.730
like, if I'm gonna be, if I'm gonna
people are gonna come up to me. I
710
00:52:13.730 --> 00:52:20.370
wanted to be for something that's like,
actually oh, Netflix Oh, Fox. Oh, ABC.
711
00:52:20.370 --> 00:52:23.740
You know something for real? Not like,
you know, a dinky YouTube video with,
712
00:52:23.740 --> 00:52:28.750
like, 100,000 hits. You know, that's
that's whatever it may, um and so, but
713
00:52:28.750 --> 00:52:33.990
the overarching goal is pretty much
what I'm doing right now. But with with
714
00:52:33.990 --> 00:52:38.540
more money to play with, uh, and more
and more connections and and more, I
715
00:52:38.540 --> 00:52:44.180
guess. More recognition. Um, you know,
as time goes on, I realize how rare it
716
00:52:44.180 --> 00:52:50.060
is to be a multimedia artist and
actually get money doing it. Uh, you
717
00:52:50.060 --> 00:52:53.860
know, you know, not a youtuber, not Oh,
hey, I'm gonna vlog today. Hey, I'm
718
00:52:53.860 --> 00:52:59.870
gonna scream today. You know, like
legitimately like doing a craft and
719
00:52:59.870 --> 00:53:03.880
having a bunch of people on it and
doing a multifaceted craft, not a one
720
00:53:03.880 --> 00:53:10.200
trick pony. I'm. The more I see it, the
more I realize how hard that is. Um,
721
00:53:10.210 --> 00:53:13.360
you know, and it's always just come
naturally to me. I've always wanted to
722
00:53:13.360 --> 00:53:16.120
do everything but the reason why I put
so much stuff out there, I don't know
723
00:53:16.120 --> 00:53:20.170
what's going to pop off. And so it's
just, you know, think about Howard
724
00:53:20.170 --> 00:53:25.020
Stern. Howard Stern, uh, everything
that he was the king of all media,
725
00:53:25.030 --> 00:53:28.730
right? Like that was that was his
tagline. And he made a movie. It did
726
00:53:28.730 --> 00:53:32.770
Well, he did a book. It was the best
preordered book in history. Obviously,
727
00:53:32.770 --> 00:53:36.910
his radio show, he did a T V show that
everybody liked you know, King of all
728
00:53:36.910 --> 00:53:40.000
media. And so like like I I see that
it's like, Well, let's try to be the
729
00:53:40.000 --> 00:53:43.680
king of new media. Let's try to be
great on YouTube. Be great in video
730
00:53:43.680 --> 00:53:48.570
games. Be great in, you know,
podcasting be great in Twitter and all
731
00:53:48.570 --> 00:53:53.370
this stuff. And so that's sort of what
I, um how do I put it that that's sort
732
00:53:53.370 --> 00:53:59.200
of what I, uh, I look at their but yeah,
what you're striving for. But, I mean,
733
00:53:59.200 --> 00:54:03.280
it's it's admirable. I mean, it's not.
You don't want to be a one shot
734
00:54:03.280 --> 00:54:09.540
sensation. You want to be recognized,
and it's not for something frivolous.
735
00:54:09.550 --> 00:54:12.950
It's for the hard work that you're
obviously doing and what you will do in
736
00:54:12.950 --> 00:54:18.370
the future. Max. Is there anything
people may not understand about you, or
737
00:54:18.370 --> 00:54:22.780
or the entertainment industry in
particular, that if they understood
738
00:54:22.780 --> 00:54:26.570
this, they would have a better
appreciation of you and the work that
739
00:54:26.570 --> 00:54:28.760
you do? An entertainment,
740
00:54:32.340 --> 00:54:37.670
I would say, And it's not. I like how
you ordered that, because I would say
741
00:54:37.680 --> 00:54:41.310
whether it's me, you know, sometimes
people don't like, you know, the way
742
00:54:41.310 --> 00:54:45.620
that I go about things or the way that
I talk, whether it's me or whether it's
743
00:54:45.620 --> 00:54:49.240
Kanye West, whether it's Howard Stern,
whether it's like any, whether it's
744
00:54:49.240 --> 00:54:53.130
Michael Jackson, whether it's any big
entertainer like you got to understand
745
00:54:53.130 --> 00:54:59.590
that the guy who can go up on stage and
every have all the eyes on them and be
746
00:54:59.590 --> 00:55:02.910
able to constantly produce and stay in
their mindset and stay in their
747
00:55:02.910 --> 00:55:08.450
workflow and and be able to handle that.
You have to be different. You can't.
748
00:55:08.460 --> 00:55:11.210
You can't be like everybody else. You
cannot be like everybody. Michael
749
00:55:11.210 --> 00:55:15.810
Jackson definitely was like everybody
else. You know, you cannot be like
750
00:55:15.810 --> 00:55:19.620
everyone else and and that's, you know,
and some people appreciate that, but
751
00:55:19.620 --> 00:55:24.350
But most people do not. Most people
don't, you know, like that's that's
752
00:55:24.350 --> 00:55:28.810
what sort of annoys me and sort of I
get into little people say I'm very
753
00:55:28.810 --> 00:55:33.730
competitive for for no good reason with
certain things. But they're like, you
754
00:55:33.730 --> 00:55:38.010
know, you know, I'll say like like dude,
I work in entertainment like I'm kind
755
00:55:38.010 --> 00:55:41.620
of like this and some people roll their
eyes like, Oh yeah, and it's like, I
756
00:55:41.620 --> 00:55:45.300
mean, you could do that if I only had,
like, two viewers a video and nobody
757
00:55:45.300 --> 00:55:49.990
cared who the hell I was like Lot of
people care who I am, you know? And,
758
00:55:49.990 --> 00:55:52.370
you know, it wasn't like that when I
first started, and a lot of people
759
00:55:52.370 --> 00:55:56.510
can't see the light at the end of the
tunnel. And so it's just one of those
760
00:55:56.510 --> 00:56:00.690
things. Um, you've got to accept that
entertainers are going to be different
761
00:56:00.690 --> 00:56:04.430
And entertainers are, I should say,
successful entertainers, maybe somebody
762
00:56:04.430 --> 00:56:08.280
who's seen some success, seen some
money, some recognition. But
763
00:56:08.290 --> 00:56:12.510
entertainers got to be, uh, you know,
you gotta understand that they're wired
764
00:56:12.510 --> 00:56:18.740
differently. And there was another
thing with that Damn hold on. Sorry.
765
00:56:19.330 --> 00:56:24.780
Having a bad day? No, no, I'm dragging
you on to know it's as you think about
766
00:56:24.780 --> 00:56:29.640
it. Just it's right, right. Like even
an athlete has to be different people
767
00:56:29.650 --> 00:56:33.050
that are doing these particular
industries, no matter what job it is,
768
00:56:33.050 --> 00:56:35.770
right? If you're talking about the
garbage man, if you're talking about
769
00:56:35.780 --> 00:56:39.240
the president of the United States,
these people are doing these jobs are
770
00:56:39.240 --> 00:56:42.540
different than most other people
because most other people aren't doing
771
00:56:42.540 --> 00:56:46.530
those particular jobs, and it's no
different than it is for the
772
00:56:46.530 --> 00:56:47.540
entertainment industry.
773
00:56:49.730 --> 00:56:55.840
Uh, it might be a little different from
its like makeup of who that person is
774
00:56:55.840 --> 00:57:00.300
and what they're doing. But the
individual skills and talents, the
775
00:57:00.310 --> 00:57:06.350
personality, whatever goes in, only not
everyone can do this job or that job.
776
00:57:06.350 --> 00:57:10.940
It doesn't matter what job it is is.
There's different skill sets that don't
777
00:57:10.940 --> 00:57:14.130
match other peoples, and for other
people to understand it, you would have
778
00:57:14.130 --> 00:57:18.790
to have an appreciation that they are
suited for that particular job. The
779
00:57:18.800 --> 00:57:24.300
more you refine it and define it,
there's there's sharp contrast in with
780
00:57:24.300 --> 00:57:28.630
these different industries. But not
everyone can do these jobs. And for
781
00:57:28.630 --> 00:57:32.030
what you're doing, not everyone can do
what you can do. And to appreciate what
782
00:57:32.030 --> 00:57:37.230
you do is what you're asking because
you're there to entertain, to write.
783
00:57:37.230 --> 00:57:42.070
You look at athletes as well. It's your
there to entertain. It's like comedy.
784
00:57:42.070 --> 00:57:47.110
I've gained a great appreciation of
comedy because comedians are going up
785
00:57:47.110 --> 00:57:52.390
there to make you laugh. So try not to
be the fool in the back who is
786
00:57:52.390 --> 00:57:56.640
criticizing the guy who's up there.
He's laying everything out, a girl
787
00:57:56.640 --> 00:58:01.790
laying everything out there to
entertain you and putting hours and
788
00:58:01.800 --> 00:58:07.230
hours and years decades of work into
this particular act. So have an
789
00:58:07.230 --> 00:58:13.060
appreciation The just listen to the
show. That's no. Yeah, that's well, no,
790
00:58:13.060 --> 00:58:17.250
that's a big thing. Uh, in terms of,
you know, it's the let's see you do it
791
00:58:17.250 --> 00:58:20.290
mentality. It's like, Oh, you think I'm
so bad? Let's see you do it, you know?
792
00:58:20.290 --> 00:58:24.750
And that's something I've always gone
by The thing I just remembered, um,
793
00:58:24.760 --> 00:58:30.150
that I messed up last time is that the
reason why I made the differentiation
794
00:58:30.150 --> 00:58:34.470
between something like a garbage man
and an entertainer is there is such a
795
00:58:34.470 --> 00:58:39.800
low success rate for entertainment? And
so I'd say the big thing that people
796
00:58:39.800 --> 00:58:43.350
gotta understand when, when, like, you
know, an entertainer tweets about
797
00:58:43.350 --> 00:58:46.420
something, it's like, Oh, that's weird.
That's different, you know? Well,
798
00:58:46.420 --> 00:58:49.810
you're not considering numbers and
statistics and all this stuff, and it's
799
00:58:49.810 --> 00:58:54.520
like you got to think there was less
than a 1% chance that I would do this.
800
00:58:54.560 --> 00:58:59.780
So if you're that person who managed to
beat those odds, other statistics don't
801
00:58:59.790 --> 00:59:04.950
they mean less to you? You know what I
mean? And so, if you know, it's like,
802
00:59:04.950 --> 00:59:09.220
Oh, well, there's only a 20% chance
that a lot of people are telling me
803
00:59:09.230 --> 00:59:11.990
with the game I'm producing that
there's only a 20% chance that will
804
00:59:11.990 --> 00:59:15.540
take off less than a 5% chance. And I'm
like there was less than a 1% chance
805
00:59:15.540 --> 00:59:21.540
that that, you know 110,000 people
would would would look at what I do.
806
00:59:21.720 --> 00:59:25.220
You know, you think about you think
about Kanye West, where it's like, you
807
00:59:25.220 --> 00:59:28.950
know, 10 different record labels turned
him down. Then the first album he gets,
808
00:59:28.960 --> 00:59:32.320
it's a huge hit, and he's like a big
star now and, like, you know, four or
809
00:59:32.320 --> 00:59:37.770
five. And so you got to think like like
I don't when Kanye West goes off on on
810
00:59:37.770 --> 00:59:42.010
some things some wild Tansi in I don't
I don't blame him like Dude like
811
00:59:42.020 --> 00:59:47.040
everybody told this guy like or when he
has the bravado or the ego or whatever.
812
00:59:47.420 --> 00:59:50.770
Everybody told this guy who wouldn't be
anything. And you know, I can
813
00:59:50.770 --> 00:59:54.270
understand how somebody has this sort
of, you know, borderline god complex,
814
00:59:54.270 --> 00:59:57.950
because it's like, you know, people
told you for so long, it would be
815
00:59:57.950 --> 01:00:02.100
nothing. And then you show up, you
prove everybody wrong. And so now it's
816
01:00:02.100 --> 01:00:06.000
like, kind of you go through life like,
you know, fuck everybody. You know,
817
01:00:06.010 --> 01:00:08.440
it's one of those things.
818
01:00:10.510 --> 01:00:13.740
Did you see that the other day? Russell
Westbrook. When, uh,
819
01:00:14.810 --> 01:00:21.400
was it Adam Smith? Steve Steven. Steven
A. Smith commented on him, and he said,
820
01:00:21.410 --> 01:00:24.680
I'm not in it for the championships. Do
you know my life? You have no idea.
821
01:00:24.680 --> 01:00:28.830
That's why I stay quiet about them and
just stay in my lane and do my job
822
01:00:28.830 --> 01:00:30.140
because I know what I'm doing.
823
01:00:32.710 --> 01:00:37.730
No, absolutely. Um, I think part of it
got lost in translation a little bit
824
01:00:37.730 --> 01:00:41.650
between Steven and Russell Westbrook
because it's, uh, you know, he was
825
01:00:41.650 --> 01:00:45.060
strictly talking basketball. I feel
like Stephen a agrees with everything,
826
01:00:45.060 --> 01:00:48.350
Westbrook said. From the standpoint of
like, you know, these guys do need to
827
01:00:48.350 --> 01:00:51.560
be appreciated that they were able to
come. Some of them came from very rough
828
01:00:51.560 --> 01:00:56.140
neighborhoods, and they were able to
generate this multi generational wealth.
829
01:00:56.610 --> 01:01:00.930
And so uh so, yeah, that that
absolutely has to be acknowledged. I
830
01:01:00.930 --> 01:01:04.940
think about it more in terms of, you
know, not just athletes, but I think
831
01:01:04.940 --> 01:01:08.130
about it in terms of pop stars I think
about in terms of, like, you know,
832
01:01:08.140 --> 01:01:13.460
you're you're taking, you know, 17 year
old girls, and now they are the main
833
01:01:13.460 --> 01:01:17.670
breadwinner of their family, and they
do 20 million in one year and and and
834
01:01:17.670 --> 01:01:22.760
all this stuff and so appreciating that
in any facet, not just what you're into,
835
01:01:22.760 --> 01:01:25.640
You know what I mean? Like, I
appreciate it. If a game developer does
836
01:01:25.640 --> 01:01:30.450
that, I appreciate it. If a singer does
that, I appreciate it. You know, for
837
01:01:30.450 --> 01:01:32.710
anything. As long as you're not
scamming, people are doing anything
838
01:01:32.710 --> 01:01:36.830
like that. You know, I appreciate it on
all facets. If you were able to to be
839
01:01:36.830 --> 01:01:40.170
the guy to break the hump, You know,
first Generation, first Generation, I
840
01:01:40.170 --> 01:01:44.630
want to make that very clear. Uh, have
you are first generation person and you
841
01:01:44.630 --> 01:01:49.820
were able to do that? Yeah. I have a
couple more questions for you, Max. And
842
01:01:49.820 --> 01:01:54.070
this one in terms of adversity, you
mentioned that you had a pretty good
843
01:01:54.070 --> 01:01:59.470
growing up, but you you suffered from
sleep. Insomnia. Is there any adversity
844
01:01:59.470 --> 01:02:03.080
that you have faced that you use to
encourage you in your work. It might
845
01:02:03.080 --> 01:02:07.550
hinder you at times, but it motivates
you as well. And how would you motivate
846
01:02:07.560 --> 01:02:10.230
other people in the adversity that they
face
847
01:02:13.200 --> 01:02:22.000
are you can't. You can't use things
like you can't find excuses, I guess,
848
01:02:22.000 --> 01:02:26.910
like or if something bad happens to you,
you can't use it as an excuse. You've
849
01:02:26.910 --> 01:02:32.630
got to use it as some form of a fuel, I
guess, or criticism, you know. And
850
01:02:32.630 --> 01:02:36.200
that's a big thing. Like sports, too,
Like using You know, one time I saw a
851
01:02:36.200 --> 01:02:40.190
guy I don't know, they were like they
said, Oh, you should never pursue
852
01:02:40.190 --> 01:02:44.350
success out of spite That's just wrong.
And I'm like, literally Shaquille
853
01:02:44.350 --> 01:02:47.920
O'Neal, Russell Westbrook. All these
guys have always said that. They've
854
01:02:47.920 --> 01:02:51.270
always said, Oh, I'm gonna remember
this guy's name, That guy's name. Okay,
855
01:02:51.270 --> 01:02:54.200
let's prove all these people wrong, and
that was sort of like me, you know,
856
01:02:54.200 --> 01:02:56.880
like I can't tell you how many people
personally said to my face, This is
857
01:02:56.880 --> 01:03:00.240
gonna be nothing. You know I had an
aunt. Well, she's divorced now. She's
858
01:03:00.240 --> 01:03:03.910
not in the family anymore. She's not my
aunt fucker, but I remember we're in
859
01:03:03.910 --> 01:03:09.120
the car. She was She was a professor at
universities and all that. I don't know.
860
01:03:09.120 --> 01:03:12.940
She did some major that nobody cares
about. And so she stops me in the car,
861
01:03:12.940 --> 01:03:17.220
and she's like, Oh, hey, Max, I got a
great idea, Uh, you know, because she
862
01:03:17.220 --> 01:03:20.060
knew I was trying to do the video thing.
And it was, you know, it was I don't
863
01:03:20.060 --> 01:03:23.650
know. It was maybe a couple of months
into my YouTube tear, and she's like, I
864
01:03:23.650 --> 01:03:28.800
have a great what if you got a computer
science degree and you do the video
865
01:03:28.800 --> 01:03:31.640
thing for fun and I looked at her, I
said, I don't want to be a computer
866
01:03:31.640 --> 01:03:36.300
scientist. I'm not some nerds through
that, you know, It was you know, not
867
01:03:36.300 --> 01:03:39.890
not to say no. I think computer science
is important programming and all that.
868
01:03:39.890 --> 01:03:43.060
I think that's very important, but it
just wasn't for me. That's the point.
869
01:03:43.070 --> 01:03:43.730
And so
870
01:03:45.000 --> 01:03:49.410
you know, and so it's stuff like that,
Uh, the writing on the wall, they tell
871
01:03:49.410 --> 01:03:53.560
me, Oh, well, well, my family member Oh
my God. It was so many things that they
872
01:03:53.560 --> 01:03:57.130
would talk to some random producer.
That's the other thing colleges meaning
873
01:03:57.130 --> 01:04:04.220
has entirely evaporated from what it
was in 1981. Um, And so it's It's this
874
01:04:04.220 --> 01:04:08.360
thing where oh, well, I was talking to
this this producer, and this is gonna
875
01:04:08.360 --> 01:04:11.920
go back into the adversity thing you
said. But they'll be like, I was
876
01:04:11.920 --> 01:04:16.840
talking to this producer who produced
nothing you've ever heard of. And hey,
877
01:04:16.850 --> 01:04:20.300
um, she said that the four year
experience for a filmmaker is very
878
01:04:20.300 --> 01:04:24.460
important in college, and and, uh,
because it gives you it makes you well
879
01:04:24.460 --> 01:04:28.270
rounded, gives you life experience and
and all this stuff. And it's like, Dude,
880
01:04:28.270 --> 01:04:33.500
I saw like, I can't tell you how much
life experience you have, just like
881
01:04:33.790 --> 01:04:37.950
just watching a homeless guy smoked
crack that dude, that is like a world
882
01:04:37.950 --> 01:04:43.390
of what the hell is going on? You know,
you know, you know, a couple months ago
883
01:04:43.390 --> 01:04:46.620
I was on, I was on the New York City
subway and there was a homeless woman
884
01:04:46.620 --> 01:04:51.040
just pissing on the train. Dude, that
is more experience than any college
885
01:04:51.040 --> 01:04:56.490
will ever give you for real, like like
that that is it. And so you know the
886
01:04:56.490 --> 01:05:00.250
well rounded thing. Like I get it. I
get why they say it. Okay, you got to
887
01:05:00.250 --> 01:05:03.090
experience a lot of arts. You've got to
develop yourself and they think that
888
01:05:03.090 --> 01:05:06.350
college is going to curate that for you.
That's what she meant by that. That's
889
01:05:06.350 --> 01:05:09.880
what I know now. But I was able to
curate that for myself. Maybe other
890
01:05:09.880 --> 01:05:13.220
people aren't. And so the thing with
adversity, especially with comedy,
891
01:05:13.230 --> 01:05:17.680
because we were talking about comedy
earlier. Is that all the weird shit
892
01:05:17.680 --> 01:05:21.270
that happens to you? You know, that's
that's where a lot of your jokes trying
893
01:05:21.270 --> 01:05:25.570
to come from your brain has to be
broken. To be funny. You have to be.
894
01:05:25.580 --> 01:05:29.460
You have to be so like, mashed in the
head with awful experiences and wild
895
01:05:29.460 --> 01:05:33.440
things. Dude, the police showed up to
my house at least 10 times when I was
896
01:05:33.440 --> 01:05:38.410
growing up over some domestic dispute.
I saw so much crazy shit, you know? And
897
01:05:38.410 --> 01:05:42.780
so it was. I remember one time I was 12
years old down the street, the cold
898
01:05:42.780 --> 01:05:47.790
attack, playing with a friend and his
cousin shows up. He's like, Oh, yeah,
899
01:05:47.800 --> 01:05:52.250
my cousins in the N s 13. It's this guy,
like, covered in tattoos and, you know,
900
01:05:52.250 --> 01:05:55.420
like I'm like, 12 years old, like this
doughy 12 year old kid I'm like, Oh, I
901
01:05:55.420 --> 01:05:58.350
hope I don't do too well. He might get
mad at me and shoot me, you know, like
902
01:05:58.360 --> 01:06:03.420
like all this stuff, you know? And it
was, uh, like, I saw a lot of stuff
903
01:06:03.420 --> 01:06:07.580
growing up and a lot of people who try
to pursue the arts who came from, you
904
01:06:07.580 --> 01:06:10.910
know, middle class to upper middle
class neighborhood. They didn't see any
905
01:06:10.910 --> 01:06:16.790
wild stuff and and, you know, to your
point, with adversity, adversity, uh,
906
01:06:16.800 --> 01:06:20.380
seeing that wild stuff, let's say
that's the adversity. That's what
907
01:06:20.380 --> 01:06:23.660
really fuels you. You know, that's
what's going to, you know, make your
908
01:06:23.660 --> 01:06:29.920
creative juices work. Um, and so you
know, But that's that's just kinda
909
01:06:29.930 --> 01:06:32.490
don't use the mistakes I've seen. Like
like I don't
910
01:06:33.880 --> 01:06:38.710
Yeah, don't use it. Excuses, you know,
use it, use it as fuel. The reality is
911
01:06:38.710 --> 01:06:44.380
like, I can't think of a single funny
comedian who didn't have, uh, an insane
912
01:06:44.380 --> 01:06:49.160
weird, you know, left up childhood. I
can't think of one because I look at
913
01:06:49.170 --> 01:06:52.800
all these guys stories. It was
something strange. It was something
914
01:06:52.800 --> 01:06:56.830
where they're experiencing the world
different from other people, you know?
915
01:06:56.830 --> 01:07:00.020
You know, all this stuff, you know,
like I had a one time I put a poll on
916
01:07:00.020 --> 01:07:04.810
Twitter. That was when you were a kid.
Did Child Protective Services show up
917
01:07:04.810 --> 01:07:09.570
to your house? More than twice. 90% of
people said no. I was like, Damn, that
918
01:07:09.570 --> 01:07:14.410
happened, like, four times for me. What
the hell, you know. So it's it's all
919
01:07:14.410 --> 01:07:18.380
this stuff, But, you know, we're in
this. We're definitely in this Twitter
920
01:07:18.390 --> 01:07:23.180
instagram self psychology era where we
tell that we tell ourselves so if bad
921
01:07:23.180 --> 01:07:26.360
things happen to your childhood, you're
helpless. Oh, you're helpless, you
922
01:07:26.360 --> 01:07:30.160
can't do And it's like, Dude, that's so
soft especially, you know, not to get
923
01:07:30.160 --> 01:07:34.560
too racial, but like, you know, like
like you know, I talked to you know,
924
01:07:34.570 --> 01:07:37.630
I'll say like it is. I talked to a lot
of white kids from really nice
925
01:07:37.630 --> 01:07:41.210
neighborhoods, and these are the
saddest people I know. These are the
926
01:07:41.210 --> 01:07:46.310
saddest, most unambitious people that I
meet. You know, kids. I don't know how
927
01:07:46.320 --> 01:07:50.100
older generations are but like these
jeans ears and like Oh, well, well, I
928
01:07:50.100 --> 01:07:53.430
read. I read a post on Instagram that
said, because this happened to me. I
929
01:07:53.430 --> 01:07:57.060
have I have bpd and depression, blah,
blah, blah. And so I can, you know,
930
01:07:57.060 --> 01:08:03.150
it's like we were in this era for Jen's
ears of like self diagnosing your
931
01:08:03.150 --> 01:08:08.150
problems and and finding confirmation
bias for why you're a quitter. And and
932
01:08:08.150 --> 01:08:11.770
that's what I That's what I hate.
That's what I absolutely hate. And it's,
933
01:08:11.780 --> 01:08:16.649
you know, and that's what I say. Like I
have a diverse audience and and that's
934
01:08:16.649 --> 01:08:21.069
what you see, like when I, um you know,
when I go on a stream and I say I'm
935
01:08:21.069 --> 01:08:23.770
trying to be a millionaire, you know,
the white kids are like, Oh, that's
936
01:08:23.770 --> 01:08:27.640
weird. He's arrogant, He's this, and
the black and Mexican kids are like,
937
01:08:27.640 --> 01:08:33.640
Yeah, me too. So it's You start with
less, you pursue more, start with less,
938
01:08:33.640 --> 01:08:39.029
pursue more. So, um but yeah, that's
sort of how I've seen it broken down.
939
01:08:39.040 --> 01:08:42.470
Well, it's funny because I think a lot
of people would say that they're seeing
940
01:08:42.470 --> 01:08:48.710
that sort of occurrence with younger
people. But hearing you at 26 I think
941
01:08:48.710 --> 01:08:53.590
there's a There is a glimmer of hope
for our future knowing that not all
942
01:08:53.590 --> 01:08:58.290
kids are thinking like that. Not that
your kid at 26 but being young enough
943
01:08:58.290 --> 01:09:02.660
to realize and having your hand not too
far away from your teens and almost
944
01:09:02.660 --> 01:09:07.740
into your thirties. Knowing you have a
really good perspective on life is what
945
01:09:07.740 --> 01:09:08.290
I believe.
946
01:09:10.870 --> 01:09:15.660
Thank you. Therapist would disagree,
but you know, that's how you like. The
947
01:09:15.660 --> 01:09:21.130
other thing is that therapist. I mean I
mean, well, no see, it's interesting
948
01:09:21.140 --> 01:09:24.750
because a couple years ago I was
getting really into psychology and I
949
01:09:24.750 --> 01:09:29.109
was trying to talk to, not therapists,
psychologists, and I was trying to talk
950
01:09:29.109 --> 01:09:32.920
to them, You know, people that I knew
through university connections, and I
951
01:09:32.920 --> 01:09:36.609
would try to talk to them about
motivating other people. That's huge.
952
01:09:36.620 --> 01:09:38.960
You think about Michael Jordan? The
thing they said is he made everyone
953
01:09:38.960 --> 01:09:42.390
around them better. So I was trying to
learn is you know, it might seem a tad
954
01:09:42.390 --> 01:09:45.220
manipulative, but I was trying to see
how do I manage talent? How do I get
955
01:09:45.220 --> 01:09:48.729
people to do the right thing for them
and do the right thing for the greater
956
01:09:48.729 --> 01:09:53.620
good of the group, you know? And, uh
and you look into a lot of that, but on
957
01:09:53.630 --> 01:09:56.810
And so I would say, some theories.
Sometimes they confirm them. Sometimes
958
01:09:56.810 --> 01:10:01.040
they deny them. Like I talked to, you
know, professors to They're like, I
959
01:10:01.040 --> 01:10:04.700
don't talk out of my ass like I go to
people and talk and ask before I say
960
01:10:04.700 --> 01:10:10.360
things publicly And, uh, one time I
made a mistake before I got the
961
01:10:10.370 --> 01:10:14.240
psychologist connection. I just talked
to a therapist and I was like, Hey,
962
01:10:14.240 --> 01:10:17.920
I'll give you 50 bucks. I'll give you
50 bucks. Just don't talk to me like a
963
01:10:17.920 --> 01:10:21.370
patient. Just I have these questions
about how the human mind works. Talk to
964
01:10:21.370 --> 01:10:26.100
me immediately there in their playbook.
Oh, how does that make you feel? I'm
965
01:10:26.100 --> 01:10:31.620
like, I'm asking you, like, you know,
like like it's the whole thing where
966
01:10:31.620 --> 01:10:35.240
it's like it's like Dude, just like
Don't talk like And I knew what she was
967
01:10:35.240 --> 01:10:39.590
doing, you know? But 11 thing a guy
said to me was, remember, therapists
968
01:10:39.600 --> 01:10:44.070
aren't doctors, Therapists are not
scientists, so that was a big thing,
969
01:10:44.070 --> 01:10:47.610
but now, but now, this lady, uh, she
was trying to say, Oh, Oh, there's this
970
01:10:47.610 --> 01:10:52.560
this and this wrong with you. Uh, you
know, um, there was a We had a big
971
01:10:52.560 --> 01:10:58.260
disagreement on what makes a human
being matter. And she's like, Oh, so so
972
01:10:58.260 --> 01:11:02.210
you work so hard while I'm like, I work
hard because that's what you have to do.
973
01:11:02.220 --> 01:11:05.150
Like you have to work. We've been
working since the beginning of time,
974
01:11:05.160 --> 01:11:09.770
and and, like I say to her, I'm like
some some guy who, you know, just like,
975
01:11:09.770 --> 01:11:13.410
lives off his parents money, you know,
sits in a bed all day playing video
976
01:11:13.410 --> 01:11:16.710
games, consuming, consuming, consuming,
consuming, not doing anything, not
977
01:11:16.710 --> 01:11:21.030
impacting anyone else's life. Like I'm
sorry. Explain to me how he matters.
978
01:11:21.040 --> 01:11:25.180
Explain to me, you know, And so because
it's like I'm busting my ass here
979
01:11:25.190 --> 01:11:28.400
trying to do this. You're trying to
tell me that this guy is on the same
980
01:11:28.400 --> 01:11:31.290
level of me like sorry. Like, and
that's where the competitive sort of
981
01:11:31.300 --> 01:11:34.170
you know, thing comes out and a lot of
people consider that screwed up. But
982
01:11:34.170 --> 01:11:37.410
I'm just like like, dude, like I'm
busting my ass, and you're gonna tell
983
01:11:37.410 --> 01:11:40.640
me? Oh, yeah. He's just as good as you
know. Sorry like that. That's not how
984
01:11:40.640 --> 01:11:47.190
it works to me. Anyway. Um, and so,
yeah, I think as you will make a good
985
01:11:47.190 --> 01:11:51.360
director, because that's like a manager,
right? Is in my wrong and kind of
986
01:11:51.360 --> 01:11:55.080
understanding what a director does that
be similar to a business manager of
987
01:11:55.080 --> 01:11:55.580
source.
988
01:11:58.360 --> 01:12:03.240
So a manager. Okay, so and I tried
management. I I attempted management,
989
01:12:03.250 --> 01:12:06.290
but it was hard to find people because
they got them today. When you're a
990
01:12:06.290 --> 01:12:11.210
manager, you work for them. When you
were director, they work for you.
991
01:12:11.210 --> 01:12:15.700
That's kind of the core difference
there. And so, you know, when you're a
992
01:12:15.700 --> 01:12:19.200
director, they're only there for a
project for a manager. You're there for
993
01:12:19.200 --> 01:12:24.590
their whole career. And so I you know,
I could have all the great advice and
994
01:12:24.590 --> 01:12:27.190
all that, but not at the end of the day.
You know, there are similar skills.
995
01:12:27.190 --> 01:12:33.090
Absolutely. You'd be right. Um, but
sort of with the management thing. And
996
01:12:33.090 --> 01:12:36.160
again, that's that's why I said the
suburban kids, you know, you'd find,
997
01:12:36.170 --> 01:12:40.580
you know, you find a girl who gets
likes, and she's inconsistent and all
998
01:12:40.580 --> 01:12:44.860
this stuff. And I'm like, Dude, I could
I could get you to quit your day job in
999
01:12:44.870 --> 01:12:48.280
18 months. If you listen to everything
I say and you could you could be a
1000
01:12:48.280 --> 01:12:52.080
model or an actor or whatever. I know
that you have everything that you need.
1001
01:12:52.650 --> 01:12:56.080
Just just give me 18 months. But they
never do it because they have a safety
1002
01:12:56.080 --> 01:12:59.230
net. They had their parents. They have,
you know, they have, uh, you know,
1003
01:12:59.230 --> 01:13:01.910
boyfriends, letting them live rent free.
They have. You know, you know all this
1004
01:13:01.910 --> 01:13:07.760
stuff, and so sometimes, uh, sometimes
I will get in the way. A director is
1005
01:13:07.760 --> 01:13:08.870
kind of, uh,
1006
01:13:09.950 --> 01:13:13.360
being a director. It's more intense in
the moment. But once you're done,
1007
01:13:13.360 --> 01:13:16.730
you're done with the manager. It's less
intense in the moment, but it's just a
1008
01:13:16.730 --> 01:13:21.370
consistent sort of grind. Um, that's
sort of how I've seen it. And when it
1009
01:13:21.370 --> 01:13:25.200
comes to a manager, you have to
convince, you know, you have to
1010
01:13:25.200 --> 01:13:28.630
convince what's in their best interest
for a director. You're just trying to
1011
01:13:28.630 --> 01:13:31.670
get the shot done. You know, you're
just trying to get the project done so
1012
01:13:31.670 --> 01:13:36.900
it's I could talk about it more in
detail if you like. Well, it's what I
1013
01:13:36.900 --> 01:13:40.610
like about what you're saying that you
do is you're trying to help people be
1014
01:13:40.610 --> 01:13:44.980
the best that they can be and so that
they and it's not. You don't feel
1015
01:13:45.450 --> 01:13:48.210
threatened by that. You don't feel like
they're trying to take over your
1016
01:13:48.210 --> 01:13:51.170
position. You're trying to help them
strive where they are.
1017
01:13:53.050 --> 01:13:58.970
Uh, it's because I know they will take
over my position. Um, it's sort of, you
1018
01:13:58.970 --> 01:14:01.900
know, like some people would say, Oh,
that's very, very arrogant All this
1019
01:14:01.900 --> 01:14:08.790
stuff. But it's just, Look, I've met.
I've met thousands of people all trying
1020
01:14:08.790 --> 01:14:13.530
to, you know, do this, do that,
whatever. And it gets to a point where
1021
01:14:13.540 --> 01:14:18.390
okay, I am different, Okay? There is
something that sets me apart, and you
1022
01:14:18.390 --> 01:14:22.150
know, a lot of people, a lot of people
are really scared to verbalize it to
1023
01:14:22.150 --> 01:14:26.290
themselves because they were afraid of
the criticism that comes with that. I
1024
01:14:26.300 --> 01:14:31.840
don't really care because, you know, if
I know that I'm busting my ass, that's
1025
01:14:31.840 --> 01:14:35.690
all that matters. If I know that I'm
working as hard as I possibly could.
1026
01:14:35.700 --> 01:14:41.540
That's all that matters. And so, uh,
you know, it becomes a thing. Where and
1027
01:14:41.540 --> 01:14:46.860
again, like I'm not. It's It's really
hard to find multi talented people,
1028
01:14:46.860 --> 01:14:50.020
like when I'm hiring people like I
don't know how to program. It's really
1029
01:14:50.020 --> 01:14:54.970
hard to find a programmer who's just,
you know, it has problem solving
1030
01:14:54.970 --> 01:14:59.230
ability and will consistently show up.
That's really hard to find. It's really
1031
01:14:59.230 --> 01:15:03.230
hard to find an artist who can do a
certain art style and can show up for a
1032
01:15:03.230 --> 01:15:07.680
decent amount of money and and bang out
100 drawings. You know, like stuff like
1033
01:15:07.680 --> 01:15:13.440
this like, and so and so what? I You
know, I do. I do sound design. I do. I
1034
01:15:13.440 --> 01:15:16.950
do writing. I do. You know, all this
stuff that, you know, sort of gives me
1035
01:15:16.950 --> 01:15:20.160
a footing where if I'm doing enough
jobs, I can just pretty much say, Okay,
1036
01:15:20.160 --> 01:15:25.930
I'm the director, too. I just don't
meet people that can do multiple things,
1037
01:15:25.930 --> 01:15:29.790
and it's It's like a thing. Where and
you know the big thing is, oh, well,
1038
01:15:29.790 --> 01:15:33.330
why are some people more successful
than you? Because they have connections,
1039
01:15:33.560 --> 01:15:38.470
and so would you say one of those
things. Would you say that those people
1040
01:15:38.470 --> 01:15:42.560
don't exist or those people exist? But
they're not willing to put in that work
1041
01:15:42.570 --> 01:15:46.820
at all. They they have those raw
talents. They have those skills they
1042
01:15:46.820 --> 01:15:50.680
can program they can draw, but they're
not willing to sit down. I was watching
1043
01:15:50.680 --> 01:15:54.980
a drawing video yesterday with my son
and then the guys, just just draw, keep
1044
01:15:54.980 --> 01:15:59.070
drawing, keep doodling, keep doing. You
got to keep doing it. And these people
1045
01:15:59.070 --> 01:16:03.110
are just not willing to put that work.
And you know what? I appreciate what
1046
01:16:03.110 --> 01:16:07.150
you about you is the work ethic that
you have. I think that's the core of
1047
01:16:07.150 --> 01:16:12.440
what what drives you is your
willingness to work. And not all people
1048
01:16:12.440 --> 01:16:19.530
have that. Most people don't have the
level. Some people do it for survival.
1049
01:16:19.540 --> 01:16:23.590
Some people will work to survive, but
they don't have that level to succeed
1050
01:16:23.590 --> 01:16:24.850
and to excel.
1051
01:16:27.230 --> 01:16:30.910
A lot of people don't have, I guess,
sort like entrepreneurial mindsets, I
1052
01:16:30.910 --> 01:16:35.220
guess where where a lot of people don't
like that, it's all on them. It's all
1053
01:16:35.220 --> 01:16:40.280
on their shoulders. People, you know,
people really shy away from that and
1054
01:16:40.290 --> 01:16:44.860
you know, it's people are too afraid of
criticism in the moment, especially if
1055
01:16:44.860 --> 01:16:48.130
they have friends with big followings
where they're making good stuff. You
1056
01:16:48.130 --> 01:16:51.440
know, they don't want to try to. To
your question on, Do those people not
1057
01:16:51.440 --> 01:16:58.410
exist? I mean, those people exist.
Those I like I said, Those people are
1058
01:16:58.420 --> 01:17:03.660
Howard Stern. Those people are Kanye
West. Those people are our Jamie Foxx.
1059
01:17:03.660 --> 01:17:08.890
Those people are, um you know, Penn and
Teller like that's those people, are we?
1060
01:17:08.890 --> 01:17:13.970
We see these people all the time. Um,
and and are there other people who are
1061
01:17:13.970 --> 01:17:17.300
multi talented? Really good That
haven't been discovered yet? Yes,
1062
01:17:17.300 --> 01:17:21.600
Absolutely. I'm just not running into
them. I'm not saying that I know the
1063
01:17:21.600 --> 01:17:28.750
world, but in my network of people, I
haven't ran into that yet. Um, you know,
1064
01:17:28.760 --> 01:17:33.580
to say that that I am I am the greatest
talent ever. You know, like, again, I I
1065
01:17:33.580 --> 01:17:37.040
think there are plenty of people who
are more talent. We're not getting
1066
01:17:37.040 --> 01:17:40.920
another Michael Jackson for another 150
years. I guarantee you, I am not the
1067
01:17:40.920 --> 01:17:44.460
next Michael Jackson, you know, You
know, and again, he was multi talented,
1068
01:17:44.460 --> 01:17:47.860
but like you take out dancing and maybe
it's it's sound design or something
1069
01:17:47.860 --> 01:17:54.200
like that, you know? And so it's, uh I
wasn't insanely talented like I The
1070
01:17:54.200 --> 01:17:59.390
only thing that I showed any talent for
was, you know, I could be funny. I
1071
01:17:59.390 --> 01:18:03.860
could keep her room going for, like, 30
minutes. And I, you know, I could sort
1072
01:18:03.860 --> 01:18:07.950
of, like, I knew how to, you know, edit
and, you know, direct the scene. Those
1073
01:18:07.950 --> 01:18:11.310
are the only two skills that I had
going for me when I when I came out of
1074
01:18:11.310 --> 01:18:15.640
high school, I had no idea about audio.
I had no idea about direction I had. No,
1075
01:18:15.640 --> 01:18:19.860
I didn't really have a big idea on
acting. Um, I didn't know anything
1076
01:18:19.860 --> 01:18:24.680
about lighting. I didn't know about
cinematography or lenses or how how
1077
01:18:24.680 --> 01:18:29.190
lenses work or aperture or shutter
speed. I didn't I didn't know any of
1078
01:18:29.190 --> 01:18:32.490
this. Like you could. You could name
something that you saw. And I tell you
1079
01:18:32.490 --> 01:18:38.790
when I started picking that up, um, you
know, it's the majority of what I do.
1080
01:18:38.790 --> 01:18:43.300
What people follow me for was not stuff
that I knew out of the gate. So, you
1081
01:18:43.300 --> 01:18:47.260
know, in terms of in terms of latent
talent and what brought that out. The
1082
01:18:47.260 --> 01:18:52.740
work brought that out. I'm against.
Yeah, the grind. Absolutely. And so
1083
01:18:52.740 --> 01:18:58.420
it's It's repetition. The biggest key
to success is the ability and desire to
1084
01:18:58.420 --> 01:19:05.420
practice. And so, God, you know, like I
I had I did some stat. I was counting
1085
01:19:05.420 --> 01:19:08.680
through my videos of of sound design
and putting effects and mixing and
1086
01:19:08.680 --> 01:19:15.930
stuff like that. And it took me 100 and
three shorts to finally have a level of
1087
01:19:15.930 --> 01:19:20.150
sound design that one would consider,
like professional, like Hollywood,
1088
01:19:20.150 --> 01:19:26.380
standard professional. And so, you know,
I don't do like I don't meet a lot of
1089
01:19:26.380 --> 01:19:31.710
people who make 100 and three shorts
with variety. I can't I can't meet
1090
01:19:31.710 --> 01:19:35.190
those people, you know, not to say that
there's other people again, like like
1091
01:19:35.190 --> 01:19:38.650
I'm not. I'm not the richest guy I know.
I'm not the guy making all the money. I
1092
01:19:38.650 --> 01:19:42.920
know like there's people with more
followers than me, of course. Um, but
1093
01:19:42.930 --> 01:19:48.430
it's sort of I don't know, like like I
just really have the desire. Um, but,
1094
01:19:48.430 --> 01:19:52.340
you know, sometimes we're also seeing
generationally like people don't like
1095
01:19:52.340 --> 01:19:55.330
the guy who works really hard. A lot of
people find that intimidating and they
1096
01:19:55.330 --> 01:20:00.470
don't want to hire that guy. I'm sure
I've missed out on, you know, jobs here
1097
01:20:00.470 --> 01:20:04.730
and there where people were too afraid
of, of working with a guy who's like,
1098
01:20:04.730 --> 01:20:08.240
I'll take over you know, I have no
problem doing that. And so a lot of
1099
01:20:08.240 --> 01:20:12.470
people feel, you know, I I guess a lot
of people feel challenged in that sense
1100
01:20:12.470 --> 01:20:15.860
or they feel awkward and all this stuff.
And that's just not the Hollywood that
1101
01:20:15.860 --> 01:20:20.050
I witnessed growing up where you're
afraid to. That's another big thing.
1102
01:20:20.050 --> 01:20:23.240
People are so afraid to work with
strangers. People are so people feel
1103
01:20:23.240 --> 01:20:26.850
like they have to be friends to work
with people. What is that? You know,
1104
01:20:26.850 --> 01:20:33.870
it's so many times, like like I hit up
so many people. I I didn't know it all.
1105
01:20:33.880 --> 01:20:38.570
I hit a guy who produced for Missy
Elliott, you know, a couple years ago,
1106
01:20:38.580 --> 01:20:43.230
and, uh, to score a piece of my game,
and I worked with him and I didn't know
1107
01:20:43.230 --> 01:20:47.270
him at all. But now I do and you know,
is it awkward to work with people the
1108
01:20:47.270 --> 01:20:49.910
first time when you don't know him?
Yeah, sure, But you know, that's what
1109
01:20:49.910 --> 01:20:54.160
separates, uh, what separates the men
from the boys? Let's say, Have you
1110
01:20:54.170 --> 01:20:56.540
tried LinkedIn? Are you on LinkedIn?
1111
01:20:58.210 --> 01:20:58.720
No,
1112
01:20:59.950 --> 01:21:05.580
it's not really it's. It's not a bad
place. It's a good place to make
1113
01:21:05.580 --> 01:21:11.920
connect, I'll tell you you could easily
as as as you Maxfield making connection
1114
01:21:11.920 --> 01:21:16.700
as a cinnamon photographer director.
It's a place you'll see. So I mean, it
1115
01:21:16.700 --> 01:21:20.420
doesn't take any effort, right? You
just put your thing up there and check
1116
01:21:20.420 --> 01:21:24.240
it out and make connections because
I've met some pretty interesting people
1117
01:21:24.240 --> 01:21:28.380
that way, and connections do come that
way. It's It's a free resource, and you
1118
01:21:28.380 --> 01:21:31.930
don't have to pay for it. You can get
the premium package and stuff, but it
1119
01:21:31.940 --> 01:21:33.440
it's a way. It's another way,
1120
01:21:35.910 --> 01:21:40.210
right? I mean, I I haven't run into a
situation usually like when a client
1121
01:21:40.220 --> 01:21:43.690
wants me like I got Zoom because of a
client, like three years ago. Usually
1122
01:21:43.690 --> 01:21:47.520
when a client tells me, Okay, get this.
That's how I usually get into something.
1123
01:21:47.530 --> 01:21:52.130
It was the same with Facebook. It was
the same with with a lot of stuff, but
1124
01:21:52.610 --> 01:21:55.860
but yeah, I mean I mean, I'm sure I'm
not counting it out, but it's just, you
1125
01:21:55.860 --> 01:22:01.060
know, I've tried a multitude of
platforms for work, and it's just the
1126
01:22:01.060 --> 01:22:06.700
YouTube staff is what brings in all the
traffic. It's what brings in all the
1127
01:22:06.700 --> 01:22:10.510
people to me. And so So it's like when
you have one thing that works, you know,
1128
01:22:10.510 --> 01:22:14.220
you're you're less interested in trying
the things that might work. I like what
1129
01:22:14.220 --> 01:22:17.120
you said. It's we'll just go ahead.
1130
01:22:19.200 --> 01:22:23.800
No, go ahead. Sorry the what you said.
And I think it's universe for any job.
1131
01:22:23.800 --> 01:22:26.230
And you tried a 103 times
1132
01:22:27.500 --> 01:22:30.530
right before you made something that
you thought was professional. And if
1133
01:22:30.530 --> 01:22:34.990
you take that for any sort of job, if
you're willing to do something 100
1134
01:22:34.990 --> 01:22:39.050
times before, you're going to get it
right, you know, throwing out a resume
1135
01:22:39.160 --> 01:22:43.630
100 times. Most people won't do that. I
know people that throw one or two and
1136
01:22:43.630 --> 01:22:48.370
think, Oh, this is the end of it. I get
rejected, I'm done. Try 100. I mean,
1137
01:22:48.370 --> 01:22:52.740
try 1000. I'd like to even know how
many videos you've made because all of
1138
01:22:52.740 --> 01:22:57.570
these are steps towards you
accomplishing your goal, right? So
1139
01:22:57.570 --> 01:23:03.550
they're all they're all steps. How many
I've written. Probably 500 scripts,
1140
01:23:03.560 --> 01:23:09.090
right? 500 scripts? Probably. Um, you
know, And that was another thing. Like
1141
01:23:09.100 --> 01:23:12.790
Like it's annoying when people think
they're working hard, but they're not.
1142
01:23:12.790 --> 01:23:17.090
That pisses me off so much when I'm
like I'm like, Oh, yeah, he's a good
1143
01:23:17.090 --> 01:23:21.670
writer. He writes a lot about how many
scripts is your right here. 33 You
1144
01:23:21.670 --> 01:23:28.790
gotta be kidding me. I write three in a
week like Well, you know, And so, uh,
1145
01:23:28.800 --> 01:23:33.560
you. But But that's the thing, like you
get annoyed when people give you
1146
01:23:33.560 --> 01:23:36.770
similar. When people give someone else
again, it's a competitive thing. It's
1147
01:23:36.770 --> 01:23:42.260
It's a sports raised thing. You get
annoyed when when people who you know
1148
01:23:42.260 --> 01:23:47.140
are not putting in even a quarter of
the work are getting equal or higher
1149
01:23:47.140 --> 01:23:51.000
recognition. That that you know, that's
what I don't like. Like if there's
1150
01:23:51.000 --> 01:23:54.920
somebody working just as hard and
getting more recognition, okay, that's
1151
01:23:54.930 --> 01:23:58.670
that's connections. That's the luck of
the draw. That's fine, but when it's I
1152
01:23:58.670 --> 01:24:03.510
mean, it's still connections you know,
for the other thing, but it's a you
1153
01:24:03.510 --> 01:24:08.210
know, it's it's one of those things in
terms of, uh but yeah, I mean, I mean
1154
01:24:08.210 --> 01:24:11.660
making shorts. And And here's another
thing about so let's say that number is
1155
01:24:11.720 --> 01:24:18.610
100 right of sound design mix
whatever's. So that number is 100 after
1156
01:24:18.610 --> 01:24:23.650
20. In the moment. I think this is
professional, and that gets into that
1157
01:24:23.650 --> 01:24:27.280
self empathy. You always have to think
that you are doing your best shit.
1158
01:24:27.290 --> 01:24:33.500
Always. You always have to believe that.
And so it's, um you know, and so but
1159
01:24:33.500 --> 01:24:38.660
but again with the knowledge I know now
I look back and, uh but yeah, at about
1160
01:24:38.720 --> 01:24:41.920
100 which was and I hit 100. Maybe
1161
01:24:42.990 --> 01:24:47.030
maybe, like three years ago. Now that's
when I started noticing. Okay, Like
1162
01:24:47.040 --> 01:24:51.650
like this is I found my standards. I
have found what I do. I have compared
1163
01:24:51.650 --> 01:24:56.390
it with Hollywood features. This is
this is this is where I sit. And that's
1164
01:24:56.390 --> 01:25:01.020
another thing. Like people, people. I
was always holding myself to the
1165
01:25:01.020 --> 01:25:04.590
standard of Hollywood movies that I
grew up watching. That's what I help
1166
01:25:04.590 --> 01:25:07.750
myself to the standard of and a lot of
people would hold herself to. Oh, I
1167
01:25:07.750 --> 01:25:12.750
just want to be okay. You know, our, uh,
was aimed for the stars laying on the
1168
01:25:12.750 --> 01:25:17.640
clouds. That's sort of saying I guess
that's the kind of philosophy, but you
1169
01:25:17.640 --> 01:25:22.050
know, it is what it is, Max. How can
people reach you? How can they get in
1170
01:25:22.050 --> 01:25:24.920
touch with you besides linked in?
Obviously,
1171
01:25:26.890 --> 01:25:33.480
uh, let's see. Uh SP on three on
Twitter Spn three on Twitter Spn three
1172
01:25:33.480 --> 01:25:36.300
on YouTube The end of that. Come on,
Instagram.
1173
01:25:37.790 --> 01:25:39.410
What s B n three?
1174
01:25:41.990 --> 01:25:47.800
Uh, it was I had a channel called There
was a Pete Rock song called Soul
1175
01:25:47.800 --> 01:25:52.760
Brother Number one. And so I got banned
twice for copyright stuff. So it ended
1176
01:25:52.760 --> 01:25:55.950
up being sober. The number three and I
was like, Well, that's a mouthful. So
1177
01:25:55.950 --> 01:26:00.690
it became Spn three. Uh, and and And
now people can actually find me through
1178
01:26:00.690 --> 01:26:07.420
Google that that wasn't happening four
years ago. So, um but yeah, no. So 244
1179
01:26:07.420 --> 01:26:13.370
characters a lot easier to remember
than than 15, but yeah, One final
1180
01:26:13.370 --> 01:26:14.210
question, Max.
1181
01:26:16.080 --> 01:26:18.090
Yeah? Why do you work
1182
01:26:21.680 --> 01:26:24.200
to get rich? Yeah,
1183
01:26:25.980 --> 01:26:30.630
I don't doubt that you will be. I mean,
you have the work ethic, you're young
1184
01:26:30.640 --> 01:26:37.640
and you have You have whatever it seems
to take to do what is necessary to to
1185
01:26:37.640 --> 01:26:41.920
achieve those dreams and and those
goals however you want to put it. But
1186
01:26:41.930 --> 01:26:47.000
with the work that you put in just to
watch your videos to know, you know, a
1187
01:26:47.000 --> 01:26:51.030
little bit behind the scenes of what
you're actually putting in, there's no
1188
01:26:51.030 --> 01:26:57.690
doubt that you can do that. Maxfield S
b n three Director Cinematographer
1189
01:26:57.700 --> 01:27:02.220
Youtuber soon to be director of a
feature film near you I appreciate your
1190
01:27:02.220 --> 01:27:07.200
time and I appreciate the work that you
do. Thank you. Hopefully an agent sees
1191
01:27:07.200 --> 01:27:12.210
the same way. Thank you for listening
to this episode of why we work with
1192
01:27:12.220 --> 01:27:18.800
Brian V. Be sure to subscribe, follow
and share with others so they too can
1193
01:27:18.800 --> 01:27:25.750
be encouraged in their work. I hope
that you have yourself a productive yet
1194
01:27:25.750 --> 01:27:28.900
joyful day in your work.
1
00:00:02.040 --> 00:00:07.510
welcome to why we work with your host
Brian V. As he speaks to people like
2
00:00:07.510 --> 00:00:12.140
you from all over the world as we
together dive deeper into our
3
00:00:12.140 --> 00:00:21.440
motivations, struggles, joys, seemingly
missteps, hopes, warnings and advice,
4
00:00:21.450 --> 00:00:27.420
which will be an encouragement to us
all to get up, get going and keep on
5
00:00:27.420 --> 00:00:36.720
working. Working is tough, but working
is good. Now here's your host to why we
6
00:00:36.720 --> 00:00:43.010
work. Brian V. I'm Brian V, and this is
why we work today. I have the great
7
00:00:43.010 --> 00:00:49.110
pleasure speaking with Maxfield, also
known as S B N three Soul brother
8
00:00:49.110 --> 00:00:54.380
Number three Max is a director
cinematographer. He's into sound. He
9
00:00:54.380 --> 00:00:58.970
has much talent. He's an influential
youtuber. But today I want to find out
10
00:00:58.970 --> 00:01:05.209
from Max, knowing that he wants to
direct his own feature film. What is he
11
00:01:05.209 --> 00:01:10.630
doing? What is the process to reach
that goal, to reach that dream and what
12
00:01:10.630 --> 00:01:15.700
he's actively doing each day to achieve
it? Join me today in my conversation
13
00:01:15.700 --> 00:01:23.230
with Maxfield Spn three. I'm Brian V,
and this is why we work today. I had
14
00:01:23.230 --> 00:01:28.770
the great pleasure speaking with
Maxfield a k a s B N three Good day.
15
00:01:28.770 --> 00:01:29.360
Find sir.
16
00:01:31.340 --> 00:01:36.690
How you doing? I'm doing doing well,
Max. Will you do his favor? And you and
17
00:01:36.690 --> 00:01:39.570
I were just speaking. You just
mentioned it. But tell us the industry
18
00:01:39.570 --> 00:01:43.360
that you're in and what you're up to
nowadays. And even though there's a
19
00:01:43.360 --> 00:01:47.650
covid going on, maybe what you would
normally be doing if this wasn't the
20
00:01:47.650 --> 00:01:48.050
case?
21
00:01:50.440 --> 00:01:54.260
Generally, what I do is I work in the
entertainment industry. Sometimes the
22
00:01:54.260 --> 00:01:58.580
video production industry I produce, uh,
commercials, infomercials,
23
00:01:58.580 --> 00:02:03.550
documentaries. Uh, just got my first
directed documentary distributed on
24
00:02:03.550 --> 00:02:10.470
Amazon Prime earlier this year or no
last year. Um, but then, uh, I sort of
25
00:02:10.470 --> 00:02:14.680
like half my income is my own self
produced works which have gotten a fan
26
00:02:14.680 --> 00:02:21.340
base of, you know, a few 1000 people.
Uh, I mean, yeah, it's sort of it's a
27
00:02:21.340 --> 00:02:24.090
lot of everything, but I just say
entertainment industry, because that's
28
00:02:24.090 --> 00:02:28.700
just like, nice blanket term. But, you
know, I do a bit of the creative end,
29
00:02:28.700 --> 00:02:34.370
and I also do a lot of the audio video
technical end as well, which, as I've
30
00:02:34.370 --> 00:02:39.160
sort of spoken with more and more
people who know that a V technical lend
31
00:02:39.640 --> 00:02:43.410
somebody who also writes and directs
that you know both of those together
32
00:02:43.410 --> 00:02:47.000
aren't super common. So I sort of fill
the niche where I take care of
33
00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:50.850
everything for a company or a client.
There's no doubt that you're talented
34
00:02:50.850 --> 00:02:55.510
and I'd like to get into that. But can
you bring us back Max to maybe what
35
00:02:55.510 --> 00:03:00.560
would have been your very first job
ever as a as a pre teen or teenager?
36
00:03:03.440 --> 00:03:07.150
Uh, first job ever. See, that's the
thing is that I started. I started
37
00:03:07.150 --> 00:03:11.840
super early. I started at 17 years old,
and so, you know, I didn't really I
38
00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:14.700
didn't grow up in a rough enough
situation where I had to, like, get a
39
00:03:14.700 --> 00:03:21.060
job as like a 16 year old. So I
immediately went into, uh, just
40
00:03:21.060 --> 00:03:25.130
immediately went into video production
and and just, you know, at first, like,
41
00:03:25.130 --> 00:03:28.360
you know, for the first year, kind of
not really taking it too seriously,
42
00:03:28.360 --> 00:03:31.630
uploading whenever I felt like it, you
know, trying to meet people emailing
43
00:03:31.630 --> 00:03:36.940
every now and then. But, uh, I mean, as
far in regards to to manual labor and
44
00:03:36.940 --> 00:03:42.600
stuff like that, because I started so
early and and I tried so hard so early
45
00:03:42.610 --> 00:03:46.720
because I didn't want a manual labor
job. I've never had one of those manual
46
00:03:46.720 --> 00:03:50.440
labor jobs in terms of wages,
McDonald's and all that, and within a
47
00:03:50.440 --> 00:03:55.040
couple years by, you know, and I was
only able to do that because I was a
48
00:03:55.040 --> 00:03:59.620
teenager with no responsibilities. You
know, I didn't, You know, 18 19 didn't
49
00:03:59.620 --> 00:04:02.740
have school or I did college for a
semester, and I dropped out because
50
00:04:02.740 --> 00:04:06.340
they were teaching me about video
production at all. So I had to find
51
00:04:06.340 --> 00:04:12.370
that education myself. And so I went
after all that, And, um but yeah, by my
52
00:04:12.380 --> 00:04:18.029
early, I would say by, like, maybe 20
or 21. So it took a couple of years for
53
00:04:18.029 --> 00:04:22.750
sure, but by 20 or 21. And also I had
the privilege of of not needing a job
54
00:04:22.750 --> 00:04:27.260
as well, and that's something a lot of
people don't mention. But by 20 or 21 I
55
00:04:27.260 --> 00:04:32.480
was probably making more than a job at
McDonald's would have gotten me, which,
56
00:04:32.490 --> 00:04:37.730
with a high school degree, that's all
you can really get nowadays. So, uh, I
57
00:04:37.730 --> 00:04:41.390
was like, Well, okay, I'm already doing
this. I didn't want to spend money on
58
00:04:41.390 --> 00:04:43.970
all that college because I was seeing
how expensive it was, even community
59
00:04:43.970 --> 00:04:47.210
college, how expensive it was in
comparison to what I was actually
60
00:04:47.210 --> 00:04:51.280
learning pertaining to what I wanted to
do in life. So, um so, yeah, that's
61
00:04:51.280 --> 00:04:54.060
sort of that's sort of how I started
off, and YouTube was a huge part of
62
00:04:54.060 --> 00:04:59.130
that. You mentioned the idea of not
having to work having the privilege not
63
00:04:59.130 --> 00:05:03.360
to work. But I think there's You may
agree or disagree, but the idea of
64
00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:08.200
having Children work at 12, whatever, I
mean the legal age. But some people do
65
00:05:08.200 --> 00:05:12.520
a lemonade stand or sell cards or do a
bunch of things. There's also some
66
00:05:12.520 --> 00:05:16.660
value in that, regardless of whether
you're able to do it or you need to do
67
00:05:16.660 --> 00:05:19.820
it or you don't need to do it, Would
you agree with that, like having kids
68
00:05:19.820 --> 00:05:23.670
start to work and understand that the
value of a dollar, what it you know,
69
00:05:23.670 --> 00:05:25.860
work ethic and all that comes with it?
70
00:05:28.040 --> 00:05:32.330
So actually, well, then, when you put
it that way, in that case, I guess I
71
00:05:32.330 --> 00:05:38.150
was working and doing other things as
early as maybe 14. Where a big way. I
72
00:05:38.150 --> 00:05:43.320
made money. Still not really working,
but a big way I made money was, uh and
73
00:05:43.320 --> 00:05:47.550
this was before video game collecting
was huge, you know, after, like, 2014,
74
00:05:47.550 --> 00:05:54.070
it kind of boomed, but, uh, you know,
Oh, 9, 2010. I would, uh I would go up
75
00:05:54.070 --> 00:05:57.710
to kids in school and, you know, like
the old Nintendo 60 four's and stuff
76
00:05:57.710 --> 00:06:01.220
like that, I go up to them and I'd be,
you know, and these kids, you know,
77
00:06:01.220 --> 00:06:04.820
they want money for pot or whatever. So
I go up to him and I'm like, Hey, uh,
78
00:06:04.830 --> 00:06:08.070
you got in 64 with all the games. I'll
give you 20 bucks for it. And there,
79
00:06:08.080 --> 00:06:11.290
you know, they would, like, try to,
like, you know, finance people like 25.
80
00:06:11.290 --> 00:06:15.200
I'm like, Okay, 25. And so they show up
with a duffel bag and 60 for 10 games.
81
00:06:15.200 --> 00:06:20.240
I flip that for $100 on eBay, and so
that's great. Like, that's what this is,
82
00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:24.950
right. That's what this is the idea of
what starts you, what gets you going.
83
00:06:24.950 --> 00:06:28.490
And some people think, Oh, my, my
professional career job. It wasn't
84
00:06:28.490 --> 00:06:32.900
until I was 25 that I started. No. What
was the thing that started you when you
85
00:06:32.900 --> 00:06:35.660
were a kid? And what really got your
juices flowing?
86
00:06:37.940 --> 00:06:44.540
Yeah, I mean, so it's weird. It's the
concept of Of I mean, how do I put it?
87
00:06:44.550 --> 00:06:48.440
The concept of, like, you said the
value of a dollar that was that wasn't
88
00:06:48.440 --> 00:06:54.750
still, uh, since maybe 11. Because, uh,
my dad would always show me he had a
89
00:06:54.760 --> 00:06:57.350
couple of basketball cards and baseball
cards, and he showed me and they were
90
00:06:57.350 --> 00:07:00.790
in the top loader. You know, the hard
plastic, Uh, and that's another thing I
91
00:07:00.790 --> 00:07:03.950
do are like, So, for instance, I got
one right here, like you see how the
92
00:07:03.950 --> 00:07:08.760
card is in the hard plastic there, so
93
00:07:10.040 --> 00:07:14.660
yeah, Penny sleeve. Yeah. And so, like,
this is probably, like, maybe 2000 and
94
00:07:14.660 --> 00:07:18.730
four. My dad showing me this, uh, and
and he was like, Oh, yeah, this is
95
00:07:18.730 --> 00:07:23.010
worth a lot of money, you know, because
I kept it, you know? And the reality is
96
00:07:23.010 --> 00:07:27.360
that it was it was a Michael Jordan
basic card, not a rookie, not auto. Not
97
00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:32.070
not anything so it was worth like a
dollar. But, you know, like you sort of
98
00:07:32.070 --> 00:07:35.740
get tricked into it. And then, you know,
as a kid, I guess the first like thing
99
00:07:35.740 --> 00:07:38.850
I went into in terms of money and
looking at price guides and all that
100
00:07:38.860 --> 00:07:43.220
was basketball cards. You get the
Beckett basketball magazine, uh, and
101
00:07:43.220 --> 00:07:47.620
then, like you know, you get into Ugo
and then all the money flip there. And
102
00:07:47.620 --> 00:07:51.820
so it was a lot of I mean, I'll be
honest. It was a lot of not manual
103
00:07:51.820 --> 00:07:55.750
labor. The only time I really got into
manual labor was when I realized I
104
00:07:55.750 --> 00:07:59.650
needed to light properly to make good
looking images. And then so you get
105
00:07:59.650 --> 00:08:03.810
into all the heavy equipment, the one k
tungsten, the you know, the stuff that
106
00:08:03.810 --> 00:08:09.210
you'd see on like a real cinema sets.
So it's It's weird. I, you know, I sort
107
00:08:09.210 --> 00:08:13.330
of was able to get. This is why it's
strange is like some people would would
108
00:08:13.330 --> 00:08:17.090
look at that as like a very, you know,
illustrious privileged lifestyle and
109
00:08:17.090 --> 00:08:21.920
all this and, you know, to an extent,
yeah, okay. But I had plenty of friends
110
00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:26.050
and I knew plenty of people growing up
who were 18 19. No job not doing
111
00:08:26.050 --> 00:08:30.600
anything but playing video games all
day. And they had the exact same time
112
00:08:30.600 --> 00:08:38.200
frame that I had to do what I set out
to do. So you know it. It could go a
113
00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:42.840
million different ways, but no, just
the concept of of not showing up not,
114
00:08:42.850 --> 00:08:46.440
you know, waking up hitting the alarm
clock at eight in the morning and you
115
00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:49.850
grow ogling every day to to work or
school or whatever. Like, I wanted to
116
00:08:49.850 --> 00:08:55.070
avoid that so much. I had crippling
insomnia, and I missed probably 70 days,
117
00:08:55.070 --> 00:08:58.710
one year of high school, and then the
next year it was like, you know,
118
00:08:58.710 --> 00:09:05.090
another 65 60. And so, like I saw, It's
not that I thought I was above a
119
00:09:05.090 --> 00:09:09.990
regular job, but I thought I couldn't
do it. I thought, like I didn't have
120
00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:13.750
the body do because, like, what job is
going to keep a guy who misses 60 days,
121
00:09:13.750 --> 00:09:19.380
they're gonna fire your ass, you know?
So I had to I had to make a living
122
00:09:19.380 --> 00:09:24.760
based around, you know? Okay, I'll work
a lot like I was I was willing to work
123
00:09:24.760 --> 00:09:29.430
a lot, but I couldn't control when I
would wake up or go to sleep because of
124
00:09:29.430 --> 00:09:32.950
that insomnia. And I couldn't have
access to sleeping pills too young for
125
00:09:32.950 --> 00:09:39.150
that. You know, now I can. But, uh, you
know, it's it's stuff like that, Um,
126
00:09:39.940 --> 00:09:42.930
where, you know, that's sort of how
life works. You know, little quirks in
127
00:09:42.930 --> 00:09:46.560
your life sort of put you in the path
you're on today. There's a I was
128
00:09:46.560 --> 00:09:50.200
reading something the other day, and
it's some sort of path that I think I
129
00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:54.250
appreciate the idea of just wondering
how the school system works, the value
130
00:09:54.250 --> 00:09:57.600
in it and what they've been doing
compared to what has been done years
131
00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:02.230
ago. And I was reading someone, and you
just mentioned the value in playing,
132
00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:06.090
which is obvious. But it's not always
obvious, say, in a classroom, and
133
00:10:06.090 --> 00:10:10.170
allowing kids to play and kids get so
busy. I live here in South Korea, where
134
00:10:10.180 --> 00:10:14.490
even my own Children tend to fall on
more of the work side of things, and it
135
00:10:14.490 --> 00:10:18.200
is in play because they have school.
Then they have after school academies,
136
00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:21.700
then they have homework and then it's
like, where do we squeeze in playtime
137
00:10:21.710 --> 00:10:25.480
as a kid? Is there some sort of thing
that you enjoy doing? Was it just video
138
00:10:25.480 --> 00:10:30.750
games as it, like, maybe say 7 to 12 or
something? Was there something that you
139
00:10:30.750 --> 00:10:33.760
played at a lot that you really enjoyed
something that you recall
140
00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:40.280
7 to 12? I mean, I was super into
basketball. Um, you know, because I was
141
00:10:40.280 --> 00:10:45.560
one of the taller kids. I'm 63 now, Um,
and so I went to a lot of camps, like,
142
00:10:45.560 --> 00:10:49.400
every summer. I went to a basketball
camp for like, about a month. Um, and
143
00:10:49.400 --> 00:10:53.550
so yeah. So basketball idolizing, you
know, You know Michael Jordan. I'm from
144
00:10:53.550 --> 00:10:58.340
D. C. So? So the guy in that icon is
Gilbert Arenas. And so that was you
145
00:10:58.340 --> 00:11:02.810
know, Washington, D C. Hasn't had a
sports star like that in 15 years. So
146
00:11:02.810 --> 00:11:07.610
that's why I haven't changed it. So
because, you know, and it was special
147
00:11:07.610 --> 00:11:11.940
about Gilbert Arenas is that he wasn't
drafted and forced to play there. He
148
00:11:11.940 --> 00:11:15.680
signed to us, you know? So it was like
that thing of like, wow, somebody
149
00:11:15.680 --> 00:11:18.920
actually chose to be in Washington d C
because that's where I'm from the D C
150
00:11:18.920 --> 00:11:24.710
Beltway area. And so and so it was. It
was one of those things where I guess
151
00:11:24.710 --> 00:11:28.770
that's where you initially learn about
work ethic and practice and stuff like
152
00:11:28.770 --> 00:11:33.920
that. Maybe where you see, you know,
the stories of Kobe Bryant? Uh and I
153
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thought the one silver lining of when
Kobe Bryant died in the plane or no,
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the helicopter accident was would you
know, the average person outside of a
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basketball fan would start looking into
this guy and how amazing he was And
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like the level of preparation that went
into everything he did. And
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unfortunately, that didn't really
happen. Uh, you know, people still, you
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know, like the average girl or the
average guy who likes video games? Oh,
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he was a good basketball player or
whatever, but, uh, you know, so and
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that's and I think that's what
separated me amongst other film people
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and art people and stuff like that is
that in the film and then the arts,
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they don't talk about, you know,
working back to back 14 hour nights up
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till four AM But in sports they talk
about that all the time they talk about,
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you know, grinding your body through
this stuff and working when sick and,
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you know, working, you know, regardless
of the condition. You know, you know a
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guy again like Kobe Bryant. This is a
guy who's who's having muscle spasms in
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his back, and that would cripple any
other person. And he goes out there to
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play because there's another good
player on the other team and he's like,
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Oh, it's gonna look really bad if I
don't, You know, And and these guys are
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partially psychotic. Uh, you know,
they're They're not like all the screws
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aren't there, but at the same time,
like that's sometimes being crazy is
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what enables you to be great, you know,
like and so one of my fascinations
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moving on it started with, you know,
you know, Kobe and Jordan and guys like
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that and then moved on to Penn and
Teller to um Oh, my God. To Tiger Woods
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to, uh, let's see who was another one.
Damn, this is gonna kill me. Michael
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Jackson. Oh, my God. Michael Jackson.
You know, uh, and moved on to these
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guys and you would see a lot of
similarities in the preparation they
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did in the creative divergence they had.
Um, but yeah, I'm not sure if that
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answers the question or just it does
where you play. No, no, no. It's not at
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all where you played and and your
motivation and basketball and seeing in
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these individuals their work ethic,
which isn't always at the forefront of
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people's minds when they think of that
particular craft. So when you started
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to get into audio and video, when did
you I know you went to college for Took
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a few credits When you realized that
wasn't for you, when did you realize
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this was for you and that you were
getting some traction? Was there You
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gotta pay day one day was that you got
to, like on a video. How did that
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transpire for you?
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So it's weird. Um, okay, so I mean, I
was trying to make because I saw
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YouTube and I saw that other people
were making short films and stuff like
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that. You know, guys like like make me
bad. 35 Like he's a throwback for
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anybody who was around back then, but
he was like, Oh, eight YouTube, you
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know, and and that's the kind of that's
the part of YouTube that I really
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romanticized. Uh, and so you would see
these guys make little comedy skits.
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And so when I was, like 13, that's when
I first got a YouTube summer of 2000
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and seven. I was, you know, I was
trying to make you know, a bunch of
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shorts with friends and stuff like that,
and so that was like the initial sort
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of okay, shooting, editing. You don't
care about exposure. You don't care
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about framing. You don't care about
what's this shot means you don't care
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about. Oh, is this script going to pay
off later? You're just literally just
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trying to be funny with a camera. And
so it's It's kind of you can make stuff
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very quick like that, and you know,
you're able to just get something out
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on weekend and it's all good. Um, and
then a couple years later, I kind of,
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you know, I kind of lost interest in it.
I would still play around, but I wasn't
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really doing as much as I did when I
was in middle school, and then, um and
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then one day I was in. I think it was a
marketing class senior year. So So this
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is what, like maybe three or four years
later, and they're like, Oh, everybody
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has to a movie trailer. And so, uh, you
know, like everyone else, you know,
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marketing is, like, kind of a big slack
off class, like nobody really cares.
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And so, uh, everyone's like, Oh, I
don't know. And there's something in me
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I was like, Okay, I'll do it because no
one else is gonna fucking do it. So the,
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uh so I I do it, we shoot it, I go home,
I take in the edit it because I had,
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like, real editing software because,
you know, back in middle school, So I
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take it edited every other kids thing
is trash. And I was the only person who
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actually showed up with, like,
something that really resemble the
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movie trailer. And so, you know, you
know, like, I didn't really care about
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17 like I was so disinterested in
everything you know, depression, all
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this and so I I specifically remember
the marketing teacher was like, He's
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like, Do you do videos like, is that
what you do like Is that what you want
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to do? Like for money? And I looked and
I said, I'll do anything for money, so,
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you know, and so they were like, Oh,
you shouldn't say that. But so, you
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know, So that's that's when I saw
What's that? But you mean they're
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saying you shouldn't say that, but But
seriously, I will
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do whatever, but But now
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So, uh, so, you know, I sort of took
that. And then, uh, it just got to a
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point where, you know, it's it's one of
those things where, uh, okay, every kid
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is just sort of brainwashed into
thinking. Oh, well, you need to go to
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college. And so I'm 18 now, And I'm
like, Okay, I guess I'll do the media
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degree. Like like I don't know. You
know, my dad didn't really care. Like
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what? He's just going to college. So So
I do that. And that mentality is
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screwing over so many kids today, at
least in America. And I don't know how
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Korea is, Um, but so Okay, so, uh, but
yeah. No, No. So let's see. Yeah. So
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I'm doing that, And, uh, that's sort of
how a transition uh, I remember there
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was there was a gap. Um, it was between
semesters. It was between the winter
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and spring semester. And, you know, it
was just after the spring semester, and
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I finished math, and I I got another C.
I had probably a 2.5 in college after
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three college credits. And, um, you
know, I and I wasn't gonna start again
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until, you know, September or whenever
the new semester started. So it's 2013.
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I'm like, Okay, I'm gonna really take
this YouTube thing seriously. And it
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was a little like, one day I just woke
up in bed like March 2013. I was like,
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I'm like, Dude, if I don't do something,
I'm going to turn into, like, one of
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these other losers I see on the
Internet all day. So you know, So I'm
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literally producing two shorts a week
every week. It's like 100 to 110 hours
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a week, not a single day off. Nothing.
And I'm just working for purpose. I'm
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just trying to see if I can get
something to happen because you come to
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that crossroads where it's like a lot
of people go through this thing. I
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think it's interesting a lot. Most
people have this thing where they're
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like, Oh, well, me and a year. We'll
figure it out. You know me. In 10 years,
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we'll figure it out, you know, And
people, they sort of, like, you know,
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stumble through life like that. Um, and,
you know, I made the decision that,
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like, 18.5 where I was like, I'm not
going to be the guy who just stumbles
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into it. I'm just gonna do it, and I'm
gonna I'm gonna try. And so but yeah, I
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probably produced man. I probably
produced, like, 60 videos, like, you
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know, written, edited, shot directed
videos in in a year. And, you know, the
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sub count went from, you know, maybe it
wasn't so big at first. It was It was,
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You know, the sub count was maybe 2000
subs, too. I don't know, like, 4000.
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That's it, you know, But which is big
for some, But in terms of making money
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off YouTube, that's nothing. And so But
I guess, like that's sort of the thing
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is like when you're really, really
trying at something, you know, And when
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I teach workshops on YouTube marketing,
what I tell people is it's not like, Oh,
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you do this, this and that it will
happen. You got to consistently produce
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for 2 to 3 years and you are guaranteed
to see some sort of movement. You are
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guaranteed to have routine following
and stuff like that. But a lot of
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people can't get over that hump. And
again, the only reason I was able to do
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that there's people with jobs, people
with responsibilities, people with
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families. The only reason. The only
reason I could do that. I was a kid
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with no responsibilities, and and I saw,
and I saw that I was able to do it. I
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didn't quit on it. I kept doing it. And
then by the time it was time to, you
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know, re enroll for some credits in
college was like, Screw that. I'm done
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And so and that was probably like, you
know, September, October after I
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produced maybe 30 videos and you know
so so that's sort of that's sort of how
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it goes. But but it's a risk. It's a
massive risk and, you know, for for a
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good like three years, there was such
anxiety over like, did I make the right
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decision? And after you get over that
hump where you start seeing some of the
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dollars rolling, you're like, Oh, thank
God I didn't go in debt for that. Thank
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God. You know, college or whatever. And
then I was also realizing, as I learned
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more and more, and I started taking
workshops where I started teaching
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workshops. Um, where college is, How do
I put it? Where college students,
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sometimes Yale graduates, Ivy league
graduates were showing up to learn
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about how to write a joke. How to, you
know, shoot. Uh, you know, this shot I
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would go over stuff like my professor
didn't talk about this at all. They
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just talked about missing son, and they
talked about all this shit that nobody
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cares about. Uh, if you're actually
trying to work on a film set on a film
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set, they want people. They want
electricians. They want people who can
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move heavy things. They want the guy
who can light. They want the guy who
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can, you know, uh, you know, accurately
focus the lens, you know, using the
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measurements and all that stuff. That's
what they want. They don't want Mr
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Creative. You know, that's and what I'm
what I'm alluding to are the blue
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collar jobs of cinema. Not the writer,
not the director, not the producer. The
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guy moving the light, the guy who knows
how to organize all that stuff. That's
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the majority of the jobs people are
looking for, uh, in cinema, but also,
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you know, but so I see that these these
kids showing up, they don't know, You
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know, like I'm teaching all these
things that Professor didn't teach. I
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did a video on a d r. And how that goes,
I'm getting I'm getting d end. Uh,
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universities are Arizona State
University. Uh, that was one specific,
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which is the highest attendance in the
entire country. They're playing my
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video in their media classes. So, you
know, and that was Thank you. So So.
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2017 2018. That's what I realized. Just
me doing whatever like me, like
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grinding by myself not, you know,
waiting for someone else's curriculum.
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I have you know, I have surpassed what
is required of a degree just on my own.
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But that happened because of constant
insecurity that happened because, you
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know, even now, like like are are you
like, Oh, you're an expert. I still I
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still don't think I'm an expert because
you always have to surround yourself
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with people way better than you, or
else you're never gonna get better. You
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know, that's kind of how it goes. Well,
I said this to you before we started.
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You speak so clearly and listening to
that the video that you just mentioned
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and any of your other ones you on there
you sound like a wise old man, right?
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Just bring in truth to people that is
applicable to this industry, right? And
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if people are not in the industry, you
may not be interested, but you may
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enjoy your movies, which you're funny,
right? You're writing this stuff as
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well. You you like, you have this
ability to write, to speak, to present,
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and obviously with your editing and all
that goes in behind the scenes, as as
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you mentioned about a basketball player
or singers or whatever. There's a lot
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of work that you put into it. So you
are and and for you to be What are you?
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26 20
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00:23:10.940 --> 00:23:17.270
26 right to be 26. Like I said to you a
while ago, I'm an I was an idiot. I
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still am an idiot. But I was an idiot
at 26 for you to be thinking like I got
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to put in this time because I don't
have this responsibility. I don't have
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those things to do. And I'm going to do
this now while I can, right? Like there
319
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is a saying, I think, you know, put in
while the I don't know that it's not
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raining or whatever it is. What I say
is what I say is, uh if you don't do it
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now, it'll never happen.
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That's what I say and that works. I
like it right, and that's what you're
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doing. And so I commend you for what
you're doing. And so I heard you say
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that your
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your dream, your goal. You may not have
used dreamer goal, but your aspiration
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is to direct your own feature film.
Would that be accurate
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to an extent? And I do it here and
there little bits like I'm producing a
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video game right now. That's the length
of two feature films. Um, but it's
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still not, You know, it's not that
shooting, you know. It's not, you know,
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it's it's not what I want to do, which
is, you know, like the classic American
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film, like I want to make you know, I
want to make the next not even, like,
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not even like Citizen Kane. Like like
I'm not really into that stuff like I'm
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into, like Josie and the Pussycats that
came out in 2000 and one. I love that
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00:24:34.950 --> 00:24:39.120
movie. You know, I like not another
teen movie like I like I like all this
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stuff that was on Comedy Central that
everyone said, Oh, yeah, it sucks. But
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me and my friends we watch and we're
like, dude, this great, you know, like,
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um and you know, like, you know, like
Kevin Smith movies and Spike Lee movies,
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you know, stuff like that, Like that.
Sort of the stuff I'm into. So, what
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does this look like for you? What does
this look like for you to be where you
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are now and and to be young to, you
know, you're you're exercising your
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working out on the side. You're doing
all that you need to do to gain that
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experience to gain the knowledge. You
say you're not an expert, but you're
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you're striving to be. What does that
process look like for you to get to the
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opportunity to direct your own feature
film? And what are you doing to attain
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that,
346
00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:29.540
uh, talking with an investor in
Singapore right now, I might get some
347
00:25:29.540 --> 00:25:35.180
good money to do animated pilot, um,
doing animations. Okay, because I sure
348
00:25:35.180 --> 00:25:38.430
as hell there's no way we can get the
money together to do a live action
349
00:25:38.430 --> 00:25:41.640
pilot, because I was just God, there's
too much money and too much organizing
350
00:25:41.640 --> 00:25:47.650
in hotels and all that, but, you know,
through doing that work, you know, it
351
00:25:47.650 --> 00:25:50.500
got my talents out there, And so you
would meet people who would meet you
352
00:25:50.500 --> 00:25:53.770
through the YouTube. One time I did an
animated pilot for someone that paid,
353
00:25:54.140 --> 00:25:57.890
you know, a couple $1000. They put it
up wherever they were trying to shop at
354
00:25:57.890 --> 00:26:04.650
the Netflix. Um, you know, But the
reality is is that, uh, every everybody
355
00:26:04.650 --> 00:26:08.600
needs a big break. Everybody needs a
lucky break, You know that? That's just
356
00:26:08.600 --> 00:26:13.810
kind of how it goes. And, uh, you're
you're waiting for that one right
357
00:26:13.810 --> 00:26:18.080
connection. You know, you have a
network of people. If one of them gets
358
00:26:18.090 --> 00:26:21.810
a TV deal, I know that they're going to
call me to do audio. I know that
359
00:26:21.810 --> 00:26:24.500
they're going to call me to write jokes.
They might call me to act, you know,
360
00:26:24.500 --> 00:26:29.130
And so that's a big thing. Like
creating this this tightly woven web of
361
00:26:29.130 --> 00:26:34.860
people. Um, you know, to see, you know,
Okay, if one of us take off, we're all
362
00:26:34.860 --> 00:26:39.580
gonna take off, and, you know, it's
sort of, but but yeah, I mean, the
363
00:26:39.580 --> 00:26:45.320
reality is is that unless unless
someone comes through and, you know,
364
00:26:45.330 --> 00:26:49.500
gives a blank cheque or someone comes
through and says, Hey, I spotted this
365
00:26:49.500 --> 00:26:54.480
and I want to put you on unless
somebody says that I I am never going
366
00:26:54.480 --> 00:27:01.530
to be the star. People think this work
ethic would lead to, um and that's
367
00:27:01.530 --> 00:27:04.730
that's the unfortunate reality. Um, and
so, like, I'm first generation
368
00:27:04.730 --> 00:27:08.100
entertainment. I don't I didn't have a
single connection in any of this when I
369
00:27:08.100 --> 00:27:12.290
started, and so, uh, you know, So
that's that's kind of the thing.
370
00:27:12.300 --> 00:27:17.310
Nepotism has only works for me. One
time. Uh, and that was doing an
371
00:27:17.310 --> 00:27:22.120
infomercial where I was underpaid, uh,
to go all the way up to New Hampshire
372
00:27:22.130 --> 00:27:28.660
to, uh, you know, do an infomercial for,
uh, and uncles geology company. But
373
00:27:28.660 --> 00:27:32.190
that's, you know, that that's that's
pretty much the only time nepotism
374
00:27:32.190 --> 00:27:36.800
really worked for me. And so, you know,
you kind of develop a thing against
375
00:27:36.810 --> 00:27:40.300
second generation entertainment people.
You know, You see, people talk about
376
00:27:40.300 --> 00:27:44.420
how talented Billy relishes or whoever,
and I'm like, Dude, like her whole
377
00:27:44.420 --> 00:27:47.760
family is in the music industry. I
could have easily done that. You know,
378
00:27:47.760 --> 00:27:51.860
I Dude, if you know, if if my dad was
Howard Stern, I would have been the
379
00:27:51.860 --> 00:27:55.210
next Howard Stern. You know, like
that's just that's just kind of how it
380
00:27:55.210 --> 00:28:00.230
goes. Um, and so but no, But you really
respect the first generation
381
00:28:00.230 --> 00:28:03.890
entertainment people. You really
respect Kevin Smith, who maxed out
382
00:28:03.890 --> 00:28:07.040
three credit cards to get 27,000 to
produce his first feature. You know,
383
00:28:07.040 --> 00:28:10.660
I'm that game I mentioned earlier. I'm
probably, you know, 10 12,000 in the
384
00:28:10.660 --> 00:28:14.950
hole for that. And, uh, you know, I'm
I'm just trying to make it happen. But,
385
00:28:15.340 --> 00:28:17.660
you know, you gotta be. You gotta be
smart with money, you know, you can't.
386
00:28:17.660 --> 00:28:21.000
You can't waste it on, You know, a new
car. You can't waste it on. You know,
387
00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:24.350
anything there is a while. I mean, I
buy a lot of memorabilia and stuff like
388
00:28:24.350 --> 00:28:28.260
that, as you might have seen in some of
the videos. Um, but there was
389
00:28:29.540 --> 00:28:33.700
there was a three year stretch where I
barely spent any money. I didn't buy
390
00:28:33.700 --> 00:28:39.970
new clothes. I didn't buy anything for
leisure at all. Uh, and I didn't I
391
00:28:39.970 --> 00:28:43.250
didn't start, you know, spending
anything until I was making you know,
392
00:28:43.260 --> 00:28:49.820
you know, not well into the five
figures, Let's say and so, um, you know,
393
00:28:49.830 --> 00:28:52.890
but But that's just that's the
unfortunate thing that that everyone
394
00:28:52.890 --> 00:28:56.650
has to know. Going into it is that, you
know, your talent might lead to a
395
00:28:56.650 --> 00:28:59.930
connection, But you gotta understand
you're not gonna pop off like like a
396
00:28:59.930 --> 00:29:04.530
superstar. You're not gonna pop off
until the machine is behind you And a
397
00:29:04.530 --> 00:29:07.830
lot of your videos. You have things
that have personal meaning to you that
398
00:29:07.830 --> 00:29:11.640
other people would not really
understand unless they knew you better
399
00:29:11.650 --> 00:29:14.360
I see you have KFC chicken in there a
lot.
400
00:29:15.740 --> 00:29:21.980
Is this a personal faith? Is I saw it
with your your Fred and Bernie The
401
00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:27.630
bucket? Um, no. I mean, that was just
the thing. I mean, I prefer Popeye's
402
00:29:27.630 --> 00:29:32.560
more. I love Popeyes. Have you ever
tried Korean Chicken?
403
00:29:34.040 --> 00:29:38.990
Do you have that? Not in your area. I'm
sorry. Oh, no, no, no. Korean Fried
404
00:29:38.990 --> 00:29:43.820
Chicken chicken is delicious. Just so
you know, they do a hot sauce. It's
405
00:29:43.830 --> 00:29:44.360
delicious.
406
00:29:46.140 --> 00:29:51.460
I am a very lower middle class,
American raised sort of kid. My palate
407
00:29:51.470 --> 00:29:58.610
is very American. Uh, the only East
Asian food I can eat is Sarko Japan in
408
00:29:58.610 --> 00:30:05.030
the food court. That's all I can do.
I'm sorry. I know Korean chicken,
409
00:30:05.040 --> 00:30:09.190
Korean chicken. They kind of stole the
idea from North America. So it's not.
410
00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:14.040
It's not like Asian chicken. It's like
spicy, crispy. And I think it gives a
411
00:30:14.040 --> 00:30:18.960
good run for the money to any other
chicken play. In my personal opinion,
412
00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:26.370
do you have a script that you if
someone offers you one day, maybe maybe
413
00:30:26.370 --> 00:30:31.430
give a try? It's delicious. Believe me,
I've lived in Korea for 11 years. They
414
00:30:31.430 --> 00:30:36.050
have some pretty delicious food. Um,
but also some food that I stay away
415
00:30:36.060 --> 00:30:40.560
very far away from. But the chicken is
just It's a fried fried chicken would
416
00:30:40.570 --> 00:30:45.300
become spicy or soy sauce. Uh, do you
have a script that you that you have
417
00:30:45.300 --> 00:30:48.670
prepared and ready for an opportunity
for a feature film
418
00:30:50.840 --> 00:30:57.380
for a pilot? Yes, for a feature film?
No, uh, one of the dub feature thing
419
00:30:57.380 --> 00:31:02.490
that I made taste closed. So it's an
hour long. One of the one of the things
420
00:31:02.490 --> 00:31:06.400
I did when writing that was I avoided
because it was footage used from
421
00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:11.630
something else. But what I avoided, I
avoided any character referring to each
422
00:31:11.630 --> 00:31:17.970
other by name. And so I have all the
audio and all the writing done for a
423
00:31:17.970 --> 00:31:22.170
project. And so if somebody came along,
I could technically produced that the
424
00:31:22.170 --> 00:31:27.370
right way. I can produce that the right
way and have, uh, you know, completely
425
00:31:27.370 --> 00:31:30.260
free of copyright. You know, somebody
says, Oh, I'll put up, you know,
426
00:31:30.260 --> 00:31:35.060
250,000 to get this animated. That's
technically my first feature. Um, you
427
00:31:35.060 --> 00:31:37.990
know not, you know, legit like I can. I
can sell that to somebody I can
428
00:31:37.990 --> 00:31:43.500
distribute on Netflix. Um, I have to
pay for about 10 songs to be licensed
429
00:31:43.500 --> 00:31:48.430
to with that audio, but, uh, you know,
But then I have a pilot script. That's
430
00:31:48.430 --> 00:31:54.150
a that's a 22 minute thing, Sort of
like a gen z Seinfeld. Um, and so I got
431
00:31:54.150 --> 00:31:59.470
that registered by W G A for 25 bucks,
So I mean, yeah, so no one's let's hope
432
00:31:59.470 --> 00:32:03.190
nobody steals that when I pitch it
around. But, yeah, I know it's
433
00:32:03.190 --> 00:32:06.960
unfortunate. Like the only way people
will listen to a pitch meeting is if
434
00:32:06.960 --> 00:32:11.440
they're a fan of you or, you know, you
have a rich uncle, you know, but yeah.
435
00:32:12.040 --> 00:32:17.580
Speaking of work ethic, I think maybe
you can talk about maybe your
436
00:32:17.580 --> 00:32:21.640
methodology, the reason why you're
doing it. But I heard you're not. You
437
00:32:21.640 --> 00:32:26.000
have a good following for your YouTube
channel, but you're not making a
438
00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:30.270
significant amount of money in your
words. But you mentioned a moment ago
439
00:32:30.270 --> 00:32:35.130
half or something, but you're making
some money there, but that's not the
440
00:32:35.130 --> 00:32:40.010
sole purpose of why you're doing it.
But you're you put so much time into
441
00:32:40.010 --> 00:32:43.350
that. So what is your reasoning for
that?
442
00:32:46.340 --> 00:32:51.440
So that interview was a bit dated. It
was pre covid and pre release of the
443
00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:56.670
thing. The So what happened was is so
that that tastes close Feature that our
444
00:32:56.670 --> 00:33:01.560
long feature, it gets taken down for
copyright on YouTube. So, uh, it had to
445
00:33:01.560 --> 00:33:06.580
be put up on on a patreon. And, uh, and
at first, like a bunch of people came
446
00:33:06.580 --> 00:33:10.910
on. And now the patreon numbers
probably triple overnight. And so we
447
00:33:10.910 --> 00:33:15.090
get that and then, you know, from from,
you know, small amount, uh, you know,
448
00:33:15.090 --> 00:33:18.700
But it triples overnight, and now it's
now it's actually, like, you know,
449
00:33:18.710 --> 00:33:21.460
making a good chunk of money. It was
the highest numbers I had in the
450
00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:25.500
history of the PATREON then. So a
couple of months goes by. And then I
451
00:33:25.500 --> 00:33:28.890
was like, What if I made a trailer for
this? You know, because it's a feature,
452
00:33:28.890 --> 00:33:33.580
you know, because for the longest time,
I was so against making a trailer for
453
00:33:33.580 --> 00:33:36.400
for something for like, a short,
because it's it's corny. It's like just
454
00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:39.650
watch the short. You know, it's only,
you know, it's only eight times longer
455
00:33:39.650 --> 00:33:43.220
than the trailer But now I had an hour
long thing. So I was like, Okay, let's
456
00:33:43.220 --> 00:33:48.940
make a trailer for it And I put that
trailer out and what went from tripling.
457
00:33:48.950 --> 00:33:55.150
So it was tripled. Then it tripled
again. And now it's making, like, some
458
00:33:55.160 --> 00:33:59.580
passable money. And so So that's why I
said half now is because now it's
459
00:33:59.580 --> 00:34:04.230
changed the VHS tapes because because
we had two features were produced
460
00:34:04.230 --> 00:34:10.290
physical VHS tapes. Uh, and, uh,
initially, people would get those for
461
00:34:10.290 --> 00:34:14.090
30 bucks. Can you explain 30 bucks when
they would back? Can you explain your
462
00:34:14.090 --> 00:34:16.050
reasoning for the VHS tapes as well?
463
00:34:18.239 --> 00:34:22.600
Bootleg culture, VHS tapes? You know,
it's initially we did the VHS tape
464
00:34:22.600 --> 00:34:30.409
because, uh, we first did Pokemon, uh,
one of those movies, and initially, uh,
465
00:34:30.420 --> 00:34:34.739
we would we would take scenes of
Pokemon. We put in modern hip hop and
466
00:34:34.739 --> 00:34:39.750
modern R and B, and we had we knew a
guy who could who could convert things
467
00:34:39.760 --> 00:34:44.530
to VHS, get them recorded on VHS, put
it in a tape player and bring it back
468
00:34:44.530 --> 00:34:48.080
with all the coloration, and I first
did it with the credit sequence of the
469
00:34:48.080 --> 00:34:51.900
first Pokemon movie. We were like, This
is a vibe. We were like, Oh, my God,
470
00:34:51.900 --> 00:34:54.630
this is cool. Then I'm talking to a
couple people, and they're like, we
471
00:34:54.630 --> 00:34:58.580
should get some money together and do
the whole thing. And so So we did that.
472
00:34:58.580 --> 00:35:02.180
We got I mean, we only got, like, 1000
bucks together just to produce not, you
473
00:35:02.180 --> 00:35:06.560
know, nonprofit. Uh, but we said as an
incentive, So if you give this much,
474
00:35:06.570 --> 00:35:10.290
you'll get a VHS tape mail to you when
it's out. And so we produced VHS tape
475
00:35:10.290 --> 00:35:14.290
to the whole cover, and then we also
did that, you know, keeping tradition.
476
00:35:14.300 --> 00:35:17.720
We did that with the other one taste
clothes, which came out three years
477
00:35:17.720 --> 00:35:23.460
later. And so now on the second hand
market, Uh, because his clothes got so
478
00:35:23.460 --> 00:35:28.580
big, people initially got those for 30.
Uh, I was seeing people sell them for
479
00:35:28.590 --> 00:35:36.050
120 152 100. And so it became It became
this thing where it was for the longest
480
00:35:36.050 --> 00:35:39.800
time, I was so into collectibles I was
into, you know, Ugo and Christine
481
00:35:39.800 --> 00:35:43.090
Aguilera and Michael Jordan and all
this stuff and all this, So keep the
482
00:35:43.090 --> 00:35:47.390
condition good. And and now I'm making
the things where people are like, Oh,
483
00:35:47.390 --> 00:35:51.230
yeah, I gotta drop 200 on that. It's an
investment, you know? And so so that
484
00:35:51.230 --> 00:35:55.030
was really interesting people. People
wanted me to sign it. And it was a
485
00:35:55.030 --> 00:35:59.170
thing where it was like it was a thing
where it was like, how do I put it?
486
00:36:00.330 --> 00:36:04.110
I never practiced my signature as a kid.
You know, I I knew all these kids in
487
00:36:04.110 --> 00:36:06.610
school who would practice their
signature. And I'm like, you were a
488
00:36:06.610 --> 00:36:10.580
pretentious asshole. What are you doing?
Nobody wants that. And so I never did
489
00:36:10.580 --> 00:36:15.410
it. But now, uh, like my signature
looks hideous when I do so now, like I
490
00:36:15.410 --> 00:36:18.380
I have to start thinking about that.
And so it's It's weird how stuff like
491
00:36:18.380 --> 00:36:22.080
that comes full circle, but yeah, I had
to sign a couple. The sign ones are
492
00:36:22.080 --> 00:36:26.120
worth more obviously than the regular
ones. But now, like I had a couple of
493
00:36:26.120 --> 00:36:29.400
friends, and they're like, damn this,
You know, I paid 30. It was $100. This
494
00:36:29.400 --> 00:36:34.840
is this is the best return I ever got
on backing a project. You know, So, um
495
00:36:35.230 --> 00:36:40.710
yeah, that's what I liked. Well, no,
that's what I liked about what you said.
496
00:36:40.710 --> 00:36:45.160
And what was true for you is from
YouTube itself. You weren't making as
497
00:36:45.160 --> 00:36:51.530
much money as you were with your blue
collar job or working in the lights and
498
00:36:51.540 --> 00:36:55.520
editing and all the other work that you
were doing, which but you were still
499
00:36:55.520 --> 00:37:02.500
putting in the effort, which I thought
that was analogous to people who want
500
00:37:02.500 --> 00:37:05.900
to follow a dream, want to follow
something. They want to do something,
501
00:37:05.910 --> 00:37:10.810
and they might have to put in that time
and not get See that return right away.
502
00:37:10.820 --> 00:37:13.680
And for you, it seems like you're
getting your name out there. There was
503
00:37:13.690 --> 00:37:17.140
there was a purpose behind. It wasn't.
I'm not going to make money, and I'm
504
00:37:17.140 --> 00:37:21.050
happy with that. But you're getting
your product out there. But at the same
505
00:37:21.050 --> 00:37:25.830
time, you were getting exposure, and I
just the idea of people putting in that
506
00:37:25.830 --> 00:37:29.040
effort even though they may not see the
fruits of their labor right away.
507
00:37:31.230 --> 00:37:35.330
Yeah, that's a hump. A lot of people
can't get over creatively, and it's
508
00:37:35.330 --> 00:37:42.160
kind of sad. Uh, you know, it's you
know you have to work a lot of people.
509
00:37:42.160 --> 00:37:45.350
You've got to work for free and cheap
sometimes you know, especially for your
510
00:37:45.350 --> 00:37:49.520
own stuff. And, you know, people. I see
so many people just talk themselves out
511
00:37:49.520 --> 00:37:53.770
of it constantly, and it's just like,
Okay, well, I guess you don't want to
512
00:37:53.770 --> 00:37:57.920
do it then, Like, you know, it's not
like, Oh, we lost a great talent. It's
513
00:37:57.920 --> 00:38:01.090
like, No, like you gotta have If you're
gonna be a great talent, you've got to
514
00:38:01.090 --> 00:38:04.440
have that mentality of like, I'm gonna
work, you know? I'm going to work for
515
00:38:04.440 --> 00:38:08.150
it was a business day one for me. A lot
of people stumble into it. A lot of
516
00:38:08.150 --> 00:38:11.450
people just make something randomly. Oh,
it's a viral thing. You know, I had
517
00:38:11.450 --> 00:38:15.740
made so many hours of content before
stuff I was doing was getting clipped
518
00:38:15.740 --> 00:38:19.790
out, going viral, instagram, Facebook,
all that stuff. It was it was a multi
519
00:38:19.790 --> 00:38:24.690
year process. And, uh, you know, uh, 76
years had to trust the process where
520
00:38:24.690 --> 00:38:27.710
they're tanking and everything's going
horribly, and they're not winning, But
521
00:38:27.710 --> 00:38:31.310
they're trying to get those draft picks.
And now they're like a really good team
522
00:38:31.320 --> 00:38:34.330
because they trusted the process. Same
thing with this. You got to trust the
523
00:38:34.330 --> 00:38:38.150
process. You have to You have to be,
you know, working like it's the most
524
00:38:38.150 --> 00:38:42.030
important thing in the world. If you
want it to be the most important thing
525
00:38:42.030 --> 00:38:45.040
in the world, regardless of who's
watching, regardless of who's seeing it.
526
00:38:45.520 --> 00:38:50.780
And so that's the thing a lot of people
don't see. Um, you know, even people
527
00:38:50.780 --> 00:38:54.370
with production budgets, you run into
some lucky stuff like, I'll explain to
528
00:38:54.370 --> 00:38:57.690
other people who are trying to do music,
stuff or whatever I'm like. You gotta
529
00:38:57.690 --> 00:39:02.280
upload three mixtapes a year, dude.
Three, which is, you know, about maybe
530
00:39:02.280 --> 00:39:07.360
40 songs, even that, you know, I saw
there was a There was a There was a hip
531
00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:13.610
hop artist, uh, named XV, and he was
really big in the, you know, the late
532
00:39:13.610 --> 00:39:18.320
two thousands early 20 tens. He had a
project called 40 Days, 40 nights,
533
00:39:18.330 --> 00:39:24.180
where he uploaded to songs a day, every
day for 40 days. And so I saw that at,
534
00:39:24.180 --> 00:39:28.430
like, 18. I'm like, Well, damn, I got
to try to do something like that. And
535
00:39:28.430 --> 00:39:33.310
so, uh, you know it's stuff like that.
And, uh, but yeah. What? What is your
536
00:39:33.310 --> 00:39:40.050
Your hand in music? I went on sound
soundcloud, And, uh, some of that music
537
00:39:40.050 --> 00:39:43.890
is great. I mean, all that I heard was
great. What? What is your hand in that?
538
00:39:43.890 --> 00:39:45.330
Are you writing? You're producing?
539
00:39:47.920 --> 00:39:51.860
Uh, I mean, sometimes, you know, hip
hop. Gonna take some beets a couple of
540
00:39:51.860 --> 00:39:56.060
times. Some stuff I produce myself in
terms of just the instrumental. Some
541
00:39:56.060 --> 00:40:00.890
stuff a friend will show up. A lot of
it is pretty much sampling. Uh, it
542
00:40:00.890 --> 00:40:06.370
depends on the track, but but as far as
recording and writing and mixing doing
543
00:40:06.370 --> 00:40:08.440
the final mix and master, that's all me.
544
00:40:09.910 --> 00:40:14.250
You're multitalented. Do you have any
advice for people thinking of you
545
00:40:14.260 --> 00:40:20.340
buying games from kids for 2025 bucks
when you're in middle school or even
546
00:40:20.340 --> 00:40:24.360
changing your job? Right when you got a
little older, you're changing positions,
547
00:40:24.370 --> 00:40:27.500
doing different jobs. Do you have any
advice for people who are getting into
548
00:40:27.500 --> 00:40:30.940
work one way or another, their first
job or their second job?
549
00:40:34.210 --> 00:40:43.010
No, I mean what Sorry. I mean, it's
good word it Sorry. I know it's That's
550
00:40:43.010 --> 00:40:46.520
good. No, I don't have anybody. Go. Go
get a job if you want.
551
00:40:48.210 --> 00:40:54.920
I mean again. I mean, you know, there
are a lot of people again, I I need to
552
00:40:54.930 --> 00:41:02.040
reiterate this. It's not I didn't waste
my privilege. That's the way I look at
553
00:41:02.040 --> 00:41:05.990
it. It's not like I came from
absolutely nothing. And, oh, I pulled
554
00:41:05.990 --> 00:41:10.170
myself up by my bootstraps like I can't
that's that's not honest. Like I can't
555
00:41:10.170 --> 00:41:14.510
project this reality that like, Oh, I
was working two jobs and I did YouTube
556
00:41:14.510 --> 00:41:19.520
on the side. But, you know, I was awake,
you know? You know, 20 hours a day. I
557
00:41:19.520 --> 00:41:23.680
can't I don't want to sell anyone that
fantasy. You know? There are people
558
00:41:23.680 --> 00:41:27.530
where, you know, you know, they're
They're I don't know, they're in a
559
00:41:27.540 --> 00:41:31.080
poverty situation and they have to work
two jobs. Since they're 16, they have
560
00:41:31.080 --> 00:41:33.900
to drop out of high school. If
someone's in that situation, they
561
00:41:33.900 --> 00:41:38.830
probably can't do what I did, you know?
And so, uh, that's what I but at the
562
00:41:38.830 --> 00:41:43.200
same time, like I know so many rich
kids who, you know, just screw around
563
00:41:43.210 --> 00:41:46.760
all the time, you know, and then they
hit you up, like, you know, 10 years
564
00:41:46.760 --> 00:41:49.710
later, after high school. Oh, bro, How
did you do that? You know, And it's
565
00:41:49.710 --> 00:41:53.020
like like, Dude, you wasted your
privilege. Your parents had more money
566
00:41:53.020 --> 00:41:58.430
than mine, you know? And so that's kind
of the thing. Like like I saw and
567
00:41:58.430 --> 00:42:02.540
recognized the opportunity and the
privilege at a very young age. I
568
00:42:02.540 --> 00:42:06.220
recognize a lot of things at a very
young age. When I was when I was 14 or
569
00:42:06.220 --> 00:42:10.280
15, I realized I'm never going to see
any of these kids in high school again.
570
00:42:10.290 --> 00:42:14.210
I will. After graduation, I will never
see these kids. So all I did was screw
571
00:42:14.210 --> 00:42:18.230
with people for the last three years
high school because I knew it wouldn't
572
00:42:18.230 --> 00:42:22.290
matter. None of it would matter not it
still hasn't still hasn't come back to
573
00:42:22.290 --> 00:42:29.770
me. And so I was. I was always sort of,
uh, you know, like it's whatever. Like,
574
00:42:29.770 --> 00:42:32.660
you gotta you gotta see stuff before
everybody else does. Saying with the
575
00:42:32.660 --> 00:42:37.420
video game stuff, you know, I was doing
that in 2010, collecting video games
576
00:42:37.420 --> 00:42:41.400
and flipping them, you know, and 60 for
stuff that didn't become a concept
577
00:42:41.410 --> 00:42:47.190
until, you know, like a widespread
concept until maybe 2013. 14 once.
578
00:42:47.190 --> 00:42:52.290
Remember the nineties and all that
stuff started happening. You mentioned
579
00:42:52.290 --> 00:42:58.450
that you're not an expert, but what is
a skill that you are working on to help
580
00:42:58.450 --> 00:43:04.010
you become the director that you hope
to be? And also what sort of skill is
581
00:43:04.020 --> 00:43:07.660
absolutely necessary in the
entertainment industry that you've seen
582
00:43:07.660 --> 00:43:08.230
so far?
583
00:43:10.800 --> 00:43:18.180
There's a lot of skills necessary. Um,
uh, to rail off a couple. Um,
584
00:43:18.190 --> 00:43:24.270
communication is key adaptability. And
just like the the work ethic to block
585
00:43:24.270 --> 00:43:29.080
out pain and block out annoyance and
block out this and that, uh,
586
00:43:29.090 --> 00:43:34.550
persistence. One thing I heard was
emotional. Self empathy. That was
587
00:43:34.550 --> 00:43:38.780
another thing I heard in terms of. Even
if something isn't so good, you can't
588
00:43:38.780 --> 00:43:41.930
beat yourself. You have to have short
term memory loss of all the bad stuff.
589
00:43:42.400 --> 00:43:46.620
And you gotta keep going. Um, and then
But the thing is, what's unique about
590
00:43:46.620 --> 00:43:54.160
me is there are a lot of guys who are,
you know, writer director people. Uh,
591
00:43:54.170 --> 00:43:58.240
it's it's hard to find a writer
director guy who knows more about the
592
00:43:58.240 --> 00:44:02.390
technical end of cinema than me. And
that's sort of that's where I was able
593
00:44:02.390 --> 00:44:06.830
to separate myself and really, you know,
and be able to make high quality
594
00:44:06.830 --> 00:44:12.240
content and be able to teach others is
because I just wanted to learn all of
595
00:44:12.240 --> 00:44:15.280
filmmaking, like so you want to be a
director? You know, it's not just Oh,
596
00:44:15.280 --> 00:44:19.420
I'm gonna learn how to write and direct
and, like, think up scenes and all that.
597
00:44:19.790 --> 00:44:23.730
I learned every part of the process. So
another part is like never thinking
598
00:44:23.730 --> 00:44:27.120
you're above learning something. Never
thinking, you know. So I wanted to
599
00:44:27.120 --> 00:44:31.530
learn. How do they do Audio. I wanted
to learn. Um, what kind of lights are
600
00:44:31.530 --> 00:44:34.410
they using? Not even how do I light
something? What kind of lights are they
601
00:44:34.410 --> 00:44:38.000
using? That was impossible to figure
out, you know, five years ago, because
602
00:44:38.000 --> 00:44:42.080
there wasn't, like, a million YouTube
videos on it. You know how to, uh, not
603
00:44:42.080 --> 00:44:45.210
five years ago, I'd say more like seven
years ago. But like, you know, there
604
00:44:45.210 --> 00:44:48.470
was a million. I was trying to figure
out what light stands do they use?
605
00:44:48.470 --> 00:44:51.760
What's the real stuff? How do we get
overhead lights? What's the speed rail.
606
00:44:51.770 --> 00:44:56.810
What's, um, you know, you know what are
sandbags for Apple box? How do we get,
607
00:44:56.820 --> 00:44:59.940
you know, a camera angle low? How do
How do they get the camera to move so
608
00:44:59.940 --> 00:45:05.690
smoothly? How do they, uh, you know,
like, how do they make that like, right
609
00:45:05.690 --> 00:45:08.230
here? Someone might ask, How does he
get the light to look like that? You
610
00:45:08.230 --> 00:45:13.420
know, like, just just all this stuff.
And a lot of it is, uh, it's kind of
611
00:45:13.420 --> 00:45:18.680
like mock apprenticeship Where, um, I
got to knowing how to find the
612
00:45:18.680 --> 00:45:24.280
information yourself. I'd say that's
another big skill. Um, but in terms of
613
00:45:24.280 --> 00:45:27.300
what I'm trying to you figure out,
614
00:45:29.890 --> 00:45:36.690
I don't know, like, it's it's it's been
such a grind and you start, you know, a
615
00:45:36.690 --> 00:45:40.520
lot. So many people tell you you're
ready. You're ready over and over and
616
00:45:40.520 --> 00:45:43.980
over again, to the point where it's
like, you know, I know there's still a
617
00:45:43.980 --> 00:45:49.130
lot I don't know, but it's it's trying
to get up to that level. In 2016. All I
618
00:45:49.130 --> 00:45:53.560
knew how to do was maybe shoot with the
DSLR, use a couple of led lights, kind
619
00:45:53.560 --> 00:45:56.630
of, you know, kind of okay, kind of
lame. You know, it wasn't It wasn't so
620
00:45:56.630 --> 00:46:00.480
great. I didn't really know a lot about
coloring and stuff like that. And I hit
621
00:46:00.480 --> 00:46:03.450
a wall where I would try to hit up
people who were in film school. Hey, do
622
00:46:03.450 --> 00:46:06.960
you know this? They didn't know it. Uh,
you know what cameras are they using?
623
00:46:06.970 --> 00:46:10.640
You know, what is Hollywood? All this
stuff. And then I joined a
624
00:46:10.650 --> 00:46:16.160
cinematography for him that had people
who made movies I had actually heard of.
625
00:46:16.170 --> 00:46:20.190
Think about that. I think of how many
people say they're in film. Oh, the
626
00:46:20.190 --> 00:46:24.770
only thing you know. So But I was
encountering people who made movies
627
00:46:24.780 --> 00:46:30.010
that I had heard of that had a list
talent, you know? And so I had this new
628
00:46:30.020 --> 00:46:34.770
knowledge or restore or this new
resource of knowledge and the big thing
629
00:46:34.770 --> 00:46:38.440
that prevented a lot of people from
also pursuing that in my age group.
630
00:46:38.450 --> 00:46:43.020
Nobody wants to use a forum anymore. A
forum is old. School forum is lame. I
631
00:46:43.020 --> 00:46:46.790
want to watch a YouTube video. A lot of
the guys busy and working, don't have
632
00:46:46.790 --> 00:46:51.280
time to make YouTube videos. You gotta
go where it's convenient for them to
633
00:46:51.280 --> 00:46:55.600
express their thoughts and ideologies
and stuff like that. And then from 2016
634
00:46:55.600 --> 00:47:00.470
to 2018, that was a boom of knowledge
that that's where, like I, I learned
635
00:47:00.470 --> 00:47:05.010
more in that phase than any other part
of the point of time. And, uh, you know,
636
00:47:05.010 --> 00:47:09.060
you I would call up guys. I wanted to
learn about the Sony City Alta cameras,
637
00:47:09.060 --> 00:47:12.520
which were the cameras. They shot Spy
Kids and Star Wars, Episode two and
638
00:47:12.520 --> 00:47:17.720
Episode three and, uh, and some other
early 2000 films. And there was a guy
639
00:47:17.720 --> 00:47:22.640
in Latvia and I was like, Hey, you know,
you wanna can you get on Skype and and
640
00:47:22.640 --> 00:47:26.920
explain this to me and he's like, Okay,
and so you know, you talk to this guy
641
00:47:26.930 --> 00:47:30.980
and you really try to focus and you
know, he has maybe a thick accent, but
642
00:47:30.980 --> 00:47:34.420
he's really taking the time. So you're
really trying to learn. And that's kind
643
00:47:34.420 --> 00:47:38.590
of the problem is like a lot of people.
Lot of people say they want it. Lot of
644
00:47:38.590 --> 00:47:42.630
people say they want to do X, y and Z,
but your knowledge really shows how
645
00:47:42.630 --> 00:47:48.220
much you actually want it to me. Uh and
so it's, you know, And people are like,
646
00:47:48.220 --> 00:47:51.210
Oh, why are you so mean? People are
starting out blah, blah, blah. I'm like
647
00:47:51.210 --> 00:47:54.230
I'm seeing people who are doing this
longer than I have that don't know X, y
648
00:47:54.230 --> 00:47:58.880
and Z. So don't don't tell me I'm being
mean, you know, like it's it's just one
649
00:47:58.880 --> 00:48:04.080
of those things is that and I'm not
saying you seem like this is for you.
650
00:48:04.080 --> 00:48:08.030
But patience is a patience for you.
Something that you need to work on
651
00:48:08.030 --> 00:48:11.110
because you're young and people are
Even though people are telling you
652
00:48:11.110 --> 00:48:15.570
you're ready. But you're not given that
chance yet. Is patients one of those
653
00:48:15.570 --> 00:48:17.780
things that are kind of gnawing at you?
654
00:48:21.070 --> 00:48:27.400
Maybe I'm trying to. I guess the big
thing I'm trying to do is I'm trying
655
00:48:27.870 --> 00:48:32.640
two. Not I don't want to turn 30
without a single big credit to my name.
656
00:48:32.650 --> 00:48:37.580
I don't want to do that. And so not
only was success big, I wanted success.
657
00:48:37.580 --> 00:48:41.640
Young and I still want success Young. I
want to be a young, successful guy. I
658
00:48:41.640 --> 00:48:46.680
want to stand out in that way and, uh
because I thought about I don't know,
659
00:48:46.680 --> 00:48:49.910
like I like, I think about like LeBron
James and how he came out of. He came
660
00:48:49.910 --> 00:48:53.910
out of, uh, to the NBA in high school
when he's 18 years old. He's like
661
00:48:53.910 --> 00:48:56.940
getting triple doubles and all this
wild stuff, and he's like, immediately
662
00:48:56.940 --> 00:49:01.670
the biggest star ever. I saw that at 10,
and I was like, Wow, you know, I want
663
00:49:01.670 --> 00:49:05.280
to try to do something like that And so
but what I'm learning now is that you
664
00:49:05.280 --> 00:49:09.910
can't be a 20 year old entertainer
without a rich family member without
665
00:49:09.910 --> 00:49:13.570
someone in the industry already, you
know, kind of moving you along unless
666
00:49:13.570 --> 00:49:17.400
it's, you know, maybe unless it's maybe
hip hop or something like that, where
667
00:49:17.400 --> 00:49:20.760
you know, there's always people
scouting and so on and so forth. But,
668
00:49:20.770 --> 00:49:25.330
uh, even though there's a lot of
nepotism in hip hop, Uh, but, uh but
669
00:49:25.330 --> 00:49:25.580
yeah,
670
00:49:27.570 --> 00:49:33.660
you mentioned by 30 you know, having
your your name somewhere on a feature
671
00:49:33.660 --> 00:49:38.160
of some sort. What is your overarching
goal? What would you like? Would you
672
00:49:38.160 --> 00:49:43.170
like an Academy Award? Would you What?
What are you hoping for? I mean, the
673
00:49:43.170 --> 00:49:47.420
funny thing is, and I heard this set of
you. Is that your I've found it very
674
00:49:47.420 --> 00:49:52.970
difficult to find a picture of you let
alone to see you on video. Right. So it
675
00:49:52.970 --> 00:49:56.560
doesn't seem like you're looking for
the spotlight, But you also want the
676
00:49:56.560 --> 00:50:00.960
recognition like anyone else, for the
hard work they put in. So to say, you
677
00:50:00.960 --> 00:50:04.690
know, I want an award. I want to be up
there. So I don't think that's really
678
00:50:05.160 --> 00:50:09.710
your cup of tea. I think you're you're
wanting to do the work and for people
679
00:50:09.710 --> 00:50:13.390
to appreciate what you do. So do you
have an overarching goal? It might be a
680
00:50:13.390 --> 00:50:16.580
feature film, but it might be 10 of
them. It might be a whole series of
681
00:50:16.580 --> 00:50:16.890
things.
682
00:50:19.360 --> 00:50:22.960
It's, you know, at first it was
filmmaking. That's what I knew. I had a
683
00:50:22.960 --> 00:50:26.980
skill in. And, you know, I didn't do
what I loved. I did what I was good at,
684
00:50:27.460 --> 00:50:32.520
uh, you know, going all the way back to
that marketing class. And, you know, I
685
00:50:32.520 --> 00:50:35.960
don't really put my face out there.
Well, one, because, uh, no one else
686
00:50:35.960 --> 00:50:40.240
knows how to work the camera, so I'm
always behind it. So you know you can't
687
00:50:40.240 --> 00:50:44.230
really And I'm a perfectionist. I
always have to be in the viewfinder. I
688
00:50:44.230 --> 00:50:47.430
need to know what's happening at all
times. You know, like I'll make videos
689
00:50:47.430 --> 00:50:50.550
where I'm on camera for my friends and
the framing is kind of bad, but you
690
00:50:50.550 --> 00:50:55.670
know, that's not going out public. So
it's fine. Um, but in terms of, uh, I
691
00:50:55.670 --> 00:50:59.110
mean, it's It's not that I'm, like,
worried about you're the first person
692
00:50:59.110 --> 00:51:03.870
ever asked to show on camera You're the
first person asked Honestly, So So
693
00:51:03.880 --> 00:51:06.890
that's why I show it up, you know? And
so like
694
00:51:07.960 --> 00:51:13.790
No, it's OK. Blur my face out anyway.
So So there's that, um But what I would
695
00:51:13.790 --> 00:51:20.110
say is, let's see the overarching goal.
I mean, like, I don't This is another
696
00:51:20.110 --> 00:51:22.790
part of the reason I don't put my face
on camera. Don't take selfies and all
697
00:51:22.790 --> 00:51:25.950
that, like I have a very low sense of
vanity. Like, I don't think I'm just
698
00:51:25.950 --> 00:51:30.490
like, attractive guy. I think that
people should only you know, not to put
699
00:51:30.490 --> 00:51:34.120
a slide on anybody, but, like, I only
think people like you gotta be really
700
00:51:34.120 --> 00:51:37.690
photogenic to always put yourself on
camera. That's just me. I'm not trying
701
00:51:37.690 --> 00:51:42.430
to project that onto anyone else. Um,
you know, like so. So So you work. You
702
00:51:42.430 --> 00:51:45.950
know, you look like you work with a
couple models, and, uh, it's like, Yeah,
703
00:51:45.960 --> 00:51:49.040
well, that's your job. You're supposed
to be on camera. I'm not supposed to be
704
00:51:49.040 --> 00:51:54.150
on camera, you know, it's like that
separation. Um, but in terms of, you
705
00:51:54.150 --> 00:51:58.330
know, in terms of overarching goal, I
mean, like, I don't want to get
706
00:51:58.330 --> 00:52:03.970
recognized in the street for some
YouTube videos. That's just not, you
707
00:52:03.970 --> 00:52:07.700
know, that's that's not lame. It's like,
Oh, hey, you did this niche thing and
708
00:52:07.700 --> 00:52:10.380
everyone's around like, What the hell
is he talking about? You know, like
709
00:52:10.390 --> 00:52:13.730
like, if I'm gonna be, if I'm gonna
people are gonna come up to me. I
710
00:52:13.730 --> 00:52:20.370
wanted to be for something that's like,
actually oh, Netflix Oh, Fox. Oh, ABC.
711
00:52:20.370 --> 00:52:23.740
You know something for real? Not like,
you know, a dinky YouTube video with,
712
00:52:23.740 --> 00:52:28.750
like, 100,000 hits. You know, that's
that's whatever it may, um and so, but
713
00:52:28.750 --> 00:52:33.990
the overarching goal is pretty much
what I'm doing right now. But with with
714
00:52:33.990 --> 00:52:38.540
more money to play with, uh, and more
and more connections and and more, I
715
00:52:38.540 --> 00:52:44.180
guess. More recognition. Um, you know,
as time goes on, I realize how rare it
716
00:52:44.180 --> 00:52:50.060
is to be a multimedia artist and
actually get money doing it. Uh, you
717
00:52:50.060 --> 00:52:53.860
know, you know, not a youtuber, not Oh,
hey, I'm gonna vlog today. Hey, I'm
718
00:52:53.860 --> 00:52:59.870
gonna scream today. You know, like
legitimately like doing a craft and
719
00:52:59.870 --> 00:53:03.880
having a bunch of people on it and
doing a multifaceted craft, not a one
720
00:53:03.880 --> 00:53:10.200
trick pony. I'm. The more I see it, the
more I realize how hard that is. Um,
721
00:53:10.210 --> 00:53:13.360
you know, and it's always just come
naturally to me. I've always wanted to
722
00:53:13.360 --> 00:53:16.120
do everything but the reason why I put
so much stuff out there, I don't know
723
00:53:16.120 --> 00:53:20.170
what's going to pop off. And so it's
just, you know, think about Howard
724
00:53:20.170 --> 00:53:25.020
Stern. Howard Stern, uh, everything
that he was the king of all media,
725
00:53:25.030 --> 00:53:28.730
right? Like that was that was his
tagline. And he made a movie. It did
726
00:53:28.730 --> 00:53:32.770
Well, he did a book. It was the best
preordered book in history. Obviously,
727
00:53:32.770 --> 00:53:36.910
his radio show, he did a T V show that
everybody liked you know, King of all
728
00:53:36.910 --> 00:53:40.000
media. And so like like I I see that
it's like, Well, let's try to be the
729
00:53:40.000 --> 00:53:43.680
king of new media. Let's try to be
great on YouTube. Be great in video
730
00:53:43.680 --> 00:53:48.570
games. Be great in, you know,
podcasting be great in Twitter and all
731
00:53:48.570 --> 00:53:53.370
this stuff. And so that's sort of what
I, um how do I put it that that's sort
732
00:53:53.370 --> 00:53:59.200
of what I, uh, I look at their but yeah,
what you're striving for. But, I mean,
733
00:53:59.200 --> 00:54:03.280
it's it's admirable. I mean, it's not.
You don't want to be a one shot
734
00:54:03.280 --> 00:54:09.540
sensation. You want to be recognized,
and it's not for something frivolous.
735
00:54:09.550 --> 00:54:12.950
It's for the hard work that you're
obviously doing and what you will do in
736
00:54:12.950 --> 00:54:18.370
the future. Max. Is there anything
people may not understand about you, or
737
00:54:18.370 --> 00:54:22.780
or the entertainment industry in
particular, that if they understood
738
00:54:22.780 --> 00:54:26.570
this, they would have a better
appreciation of you and the work that
739
00:54:26.570 --> 00:54:28.760
you do? An entertainment,
740
00:54:32.340 --> 00:54:37.670
I would say, And it's not. I like how
you ordered that, because I would say
741
00:54:37.680 --> 00:54:41.310
whether it's me, you know, sometimes
people don't like, you know, the way
742
00:54:41.310 --> 00:54:45.620
that I go about things or the way that
I talk, whether it's me or whether it's
743
00:54:45.620 --> 00:54:49.240
Kanye West, whether it's Howard Stern,
whether it's like any, whether it's
744
00:54:49.240 --> 00:54:53.130
Michael Jackson, whether it's any big
entertainer like you got to understand
745
00:54:53.130 --> 00:54:59.590
that the guy who can go up on stage and
every have all the eyes on them and be
746
00:54:59.590 --> 00:55:02.910
able to constantly produce and stay in
their mindset and stay in their
747
00:55:02.910 --> 00:55:08.450
workflow and and be able to handle that.
You have to be different. You can't.
748
00:55:08.460 --> 00:55:11.210
You can't be like everybody else. You
cannot be like everybody. Michael
749
00:55:11.210 --> 00:55:15.810
Jackson definitely was like everybody
else. You know, you cannot be like
750
00:55:15.810 --> 00:55:19.620
everyone else and and that's, you know,
and some people appreciate that, but
751
00:55:19.620 --> 00:55:24.350
But most people do not. Most people
don't, you know, like that's that's
752
00:55:24.350 --> 00:55:28.810
what sort of annoys me and sort of I
get into little people say I'm very
753
00:55:28.810 --> 00:55:33.730
competitive for for no good reason with
certain things. But they're like, you
754
00:55:33.730 --> 00:55:38.010
know, you know, I'll say like like dude,
I work in entertainment like I'm kind
755
00:55:38.010 --> 00:55:41.620
of like this and some people roll their
eyes like, Oh yeah, and it's like, I
756
00:55:41.620 --> 00:55:45.300
mean, you could do that if I only had,
like, two viewers a video and nobody
757
00:55:45.300 --> 00:55:49.990
cared who the hell I was like Lot of
people care who I am, you know? And,
758
00:55:49.990 --> 00:55:52.370
you know, it wasn't like that when I
first started, and a lot of people
759
00:55:52.370 --> 00:55:56.510
can't see the light at the end of the
tunnel. And so it's just one of those
760
00:55:56.510 --> 00:56:00.690
things. Um, you've got to accept that
entertainers are going to be different
761
00:56:00.690 --> 00:56:04.430
And entertainers are, I should say,
successful entertainers, maybe somebody
762
00:56:04.430 --> 00:56:08.280
who's seen some success, seen some
money, some recognition. But
763
00:56:08.290 --> 00:56:12.510
entertainers got to be, uh, you know,
you gotta understand that they're wired
764
00:56:12.510 --> 00:56:18.740
differently. And there was another
thing with that Damn hold on. Sorry.
765
00:56:19.330 --> 00:56:24.780
Having a bad day? No, no, I'm dragging
you on to know it's as you think about
766
00:56:24.780 --> 00:56:29.640
it. Just it's right, right. Like even
an athlete has to be different people
767
00:56:29.650 --> 00:56:33.050
that are doing these particular
industries, no matter what job it is,
768
00:56:33.050 --> 00:56:35.770
right? If you're talking about the
garbage man, if you're talking about
769
00:56:35.780 --> 00:56:39.240
the president of the United States,
these people are doing these jobs are
770
00:56:39.240 --> 00:56:42.540
different than most other people
because most other people aren't doing
771
00:56:42.540 --> 00:56:46.530
those particular jobs, and it's no
different than it is for the
772
00:56:46.530 --> 00:56:47.540
entertainment industry.
773
00:56:49.730 --> 00:56:55.840
Uh, it might be a little different from
its like makeup of who that person is
774
00:56:55.840 --> 00:57:00.300
and what they're doing. But the
individual skills and talents, the
775
00:57:00.310 --> 00:57:06.350
personality, whatever goes in, only not
everyone can do this job or that job.
776
00:57:06.350 --> 00:57:10.940
It doesn't matter what job it is is.
There's different skill sets that don't
777
00:57:10.940 --> 00:57:14.130
match other peoples, and for other
people to understand it, you would have
778
00:57:14.130 --> 00:57:18.790
to have an appreciation that they are
suited for that particular job. The
779
00:57:18.800 --> 00:57:24.300
more you refine it and define it,
there's there's sharp contrast in with
780
00:57:24.300 --> 00:57:28.630
these different industries. But not
everyone can do these jobs. And for
781
00:57:28.630 --> 00:57:32.030
what you're doing, not everyone can do
what you can do. And to appreciate what
782
00:57:32.030 --> 00:57:37.230
you do is what you're asking because
you're there to entertain, to write.
783
00:57:37.230 --> 00:57:42.070
You look at athletes as well. It's your
there to entertain. It's like comedy.
784
00:57:42.070 --> 00:57:47.110
I've gained a great appreciation of
comedy because comedians are going up
785
00:57:47.110 --> 00:57:52.390
there to make you laugh. So try not to
be the fool in the back who is
786
00:57:52.390 --> 00:57:56.640
criticizing the guy who's up there.
He's laying everything out, a girl
787
00:57:56.640 --> 00:58:01.790
laying everything out there to
entertain you and putting hours and
788
00:58:01.800 --> 00:58:07.230
hours and years decades of work into
this particular act. So have an
789
00:58:07.230 --> 00:58:13.060
appreciation The just listen to the
show. That's no. Yeah, that's well, no,
790
00:58:13.060 --> 00:58:17.250
that's a big thing. Uh, in terms of,
you know, it's the let's see you do it
791
00:58:17.250 --> 00:58:20.290
mentality. It's like, Oh, you think I'm
so bad? Let's see you do it, you know?
792
00:58:20.290 --> 00:58:24.750
And that's something I've always gone
by The thing I just remembered, um,
793
00:58:24.760 --> 00:58:30.150
that I messed up last time is that the
reason why I made the differentiation
794
00:58:30.150 --> 00:58:34.470
between something like a garbage man
and an entertainer is there is such a
795
00:58:34.470 --> 00:58:39.800
low success rate for entertainment? And
so I'd say the big thing that people
796
00:58:39.800 --> 00:58:43.350
gotta understand when, when, like, you
know, an entertainer tweets about
797
00:58:43.350 --> 00:58:46.420
something, it's like, Oh, that's weird.
That's different, you know? Well,
798
00:58:46.420 --> 00:58:49.810
you're not considering numbers and
statistics and all this stuff, and it's
799
00:58:49.810 --> 00:58:54.520
like you got to think there was less
than a 1% chance that I would do this.
800
00:58:54.560 --> 00:58:59.780
So if you're that person who managed to
beat those odds, other statistics don't
801
00:58:59.790 --> 00:59:04.950
they mean less to you? You know what I
mean? And so, if you know, it's like,
802
00:59:04.950 --> 00:59:09.220
Oh, well, there's only a 20% chance
that a lot of people are telling me
803
00:59:09.230 --> 00:59:11.990
with the game I'm producing that
there's only a 20% chance that will
804
00:59:11.990 --> 00:59:15.540
take off less than a 5% chance. And I'm
like there was less than a 1% chance
805
00:59:15.540 --> 00:59:21.540
that that, you know 110,000 people
would would would look at what I do.
806
00:59:21.720 --> 00:59:25.220
You know, you think about you think
about Kanye West, where it's like, you
807
00:59:25.220 --> 00:59:28.950
know, 10 different record labels turned
him down. Then the first album he gets,
808
00:59:28.960 --> 00:59:32.320
it's a huge hit, and he's like a big
star now and, like, you know, four or
809
00:59:32.320 --> 00:59:37.770
five. And so you got to think like like
I don't when Kanye West goes off on on
810
00:59:37.770 --> 00:59:42.010
some things some wild Tansi in I don't
I don't blame him like Dude like
811
00:59:42.020 --> 00:59:47.040
everybody told this guy like or when he
has the bravado or the ego or whatever.
812
00:59:47.420 --> 00:59:50.770
Everybody told this guy who wouldn't be
anything. And you know, I can
813
00:59:50.770 --> 00:59:54.270
understand how somebody has this sort
of, you know, borderline god complex,
814
00:59:54.270 --> 00:59:57.950
because it's like, you know, people
told you for so long, it would be
815
00:59:57.950 --> 01:00:02.100
nothing. And then you show up, you
prove everybody wrong. And so now it's
816
01:00:02.100 --> 01:00:06.000
like, kind of you go through life like,
you know, fuck everybody. You know,
817
01:00:06.010 --> 01:00:08.440
it's one of those things.
818
01:00:10.510 --> 01:00:13.740
Did you see that the other day? Russell
Westbrook. When, uh,
819
01:00:14.810 --> 01:00:21.400
was it Adam Smith? Steve Steven. Steven
A. Smith commented on him, and he said,
820
01:00:21.410 --> 01:00:24.680
I'm not in it for the championships. Do
you know my life? You have no idea.
821
01:00:24.680 --> 01:00:28.830
That's why I stay quiet about them and
just stay in my lane and do my job
822
01:00:28.830 --> 01:00:30.140
because I know what I'm doing.
823
01:00:32.710 --> 01:00:37.730
No, absolutely. Um, I think part of it
got lost in translation a little bit
824
01:00:37.730 --> 01:00:41.650
between Steven and Russell Westbrook
because it's, uh, you know, he was
825
01:00:41.650 --> 01:00:45.060
strictly talking basketball. I feel
like Stephen a agrees with everything,
826
01:00:45.060 --> 01:00:48.350
Westbrook said. From the standpoint of
like, you know, these guys do need to
827
01:00:48.350 --> 01:00:51.560
be appreciated that they were able to
come. Some of them came from very rough
828
01:00:51.560 --> 01:00:56.140
neighborhoods, and they were able to
generate this multi generational wealth.
829
01:00:56.610 --> 01:01:00.930
And so uh so, yeah, that that
absolutely has to be acknowledged. I
830
01:01:00.930 --> 01:01:04.940
think about it more in terms of, you
know, not just athletes, but I think
831
01:01:04.940 --> 01:01:08.130
about it in terms of pop stars I think
about in terms of, like, you know,
832
01:01:08.140 --> 01:01:13.460
you're you're taking, you know, 17 year
old girls, and now they are the main
833
01:01:13.460 --> 01:01:17.670
breadwinner of their family, and they
do 20 million in one year and and and
834
01:01:17.670 --> 01:01:22.760
all this stuff and so appreciating that
in any facet, not just what you're into,
835
01:01:22.760 --> 01:01:25.640
You know what I mean? Like, I
appreciate it. If a game developer does
836
01:01:25.640 --> 01:01:30.450
that, I appreciate it. If a singer does
that, I appreciate it. You know, for
837
01:01:30.450 --> 01:01:32.710
anything. As long as you're not
scamming, people are doing anything
838
01:01:32.710 --> 01:01:36.830
like that. You know, I appreciate it on
all facets. If you were able to to be
839
01:01:36.830 --> 01:01:40.170
the guy to break the hump, You know,
first Generation, first Generation, I
840
01:01:40.170 --> 01:01:44.630
want to make that very clear. Uh, have
you are first generation person and you
841
01:01:44.630 --> 01:01:49.820
were able to do that? Yeah. I have a
couple more questions for you, Max. And
842
01:01:49.820 --> 01:01:54.070
this one in terms of adversity, you
mentioned that you had a pretty good
843
01:01:54.070 --> 01:01:59.470
growing up, but you you suffered from
sleep. Insomnia. Is there any adversity
844
01:01:59.470 --> 01:02:03.080
that you have faced that you use to
encourage you in your work. It might
845
01:02:03.080 --> 01:02:07.550
hinder you at times, but it motivates
you as well. And how would you motivate
846
01:02:07.560 --> 01:02:10.230
other people in the adversity that they
face
847
01:02:13.200 --> 01:02:22.000
are you can't. You can't use things
like you can't find excuses, I guess,
848
01:02:22.000 --> 01:02:26.910
like or if something bad happens to you,
you can't use it as an excuse. You've
849
01:02:26.910 --> 01:02:32.630
got to use it as some form of a fuel, I
guess, or criticism, you know. And
850
01:02:32.630 --> 01:02:36.200
that's a big thing. Like sports, too,
Like using You know, one time I saw a
851
01:02:36.200 --> 01:02:40.190
guy I don't know, they were like they
said, Oh, you should never pursue
852
01:02:40.190 --> 01:02:44.350
success out of spite That's just wrong.
And I'm like, literally Shaquille
853
01:02:44.350 --> 01:02:47.920
O'Neal, Russell Westbrook. All these
guys have always said that. They've
854
01:02:47.920 --> 01:02:51.270
always said, Oh, I'm gonna remember
this guy's name, That guy's name. Okay,
855
01:02:51.270 --> 01:02:54.200
let's prove all these people wrong, and
that was sort of like me, you know,
856
01:02:54.200 --> 01:02:56.880
like I can't tell you how many people
personally said to my face, This is
857
01:02:56.880 --> 01:03:00.240
gonna be nothing. You know I had an
aunt. Well, she's divorced now. She's
858
01:03:00.240 --> 01:03:03.910
not in the family anymore. She's not my
aunt fucker, but I remember we're in
859
01:03:03.910 --> 01:03:09.120
the car. She was She was a professor at
universities and all that. I don't know.
860
01:03:09.120 --> 01:03:12.940
She did some major that nobody cares
about. And so she stops me in the car,
861
01:03:12.940 --> 01:03:17.220
and she's like, Oh, hey, Max, I got a
great idea, Uh, you know, because she
862
01:03:17.220 --> 01:03:20.060
knew I was trying to do the video thing.
And it was, you know, it was I don't
863
01:03:20.060 --> 01:03:23.650
know. It was maybe a couple of months
into my YouTube tear, and she's like, I
864
01:03:23.650 --> 01:03:28.800
have a great what if you got a computer
science degree and you do the video
865
01:03:28.800 --> 01:03:31.640
thing for fun and I looked at her, I
said, I don't want to be a computer
866
01:03:31.640 --> 01:03:36.300
scientist. I'm not some nerds through
that, you know, It was you know, not
867
01:03:36.300 --> 01:03:39.890
not to say no. I think computer science
is important programming and all that.
868
01:03:39.890 --> 01:03:43.060
I think that's very important, but it
just wasn't for me. That's the point.
869
01:03:43.070 --> 01:03:43.730
And so
870
01:03:45.000 --> 01:03:49.410
you know, and so it's stuff like that,
Uh, the writing on the wall, they tell
871
01:03:49.410 --> 01:03:53.560
me, Oh, well, well, my family member Oh
my God. It was so many things that they
872
01:03:53.560 --> 01:03:57.130
would talk to some random producer.
That's the other thing colleges meaning
873
01:03:57.130 --> 01:04:04.220
has entirely evaporated from what it
was in 1981. Um, And so it's It's this
874
01:04:04.220 --> 01:04:08.360
thing where oh, well, I was talking to
this this producer, and this is gonna
875
01:04:08.360 --> 01:04:11.920
go back into the adversity thing you
said. But they'll be like, I was
876
01:04:11.920 --> 01:04:16.840
talking to this producer who produced
nothing you've ever heard of. And hey,
877
01:04:16.850 --> 01:04:20.300
um, she said that the four year
experience for a filmmaker is very
878
01:04:20.300 --> 01:04:24.460
important in college, and and, uh,
because it gives you it makes you well
879
01:04:24.460 --> 01:04:28.270
rounded, gives you life experience and
and all this stuff. And it's like, Dude,
880
01:04:28.270 --> 01:04:33.500
I saw like, I can't tell you how much
life experience you have, just like
881
01:04:33.790 --> 01:04:37.950
just watching a homeless guy smoked
crack that dude, that is like a world
882
01:04:37.950 --> 01:04:43.390
of what the hell is going on? You know,
you know, you know, a couple months ago
883
01:04:43.390 --> 01:04:46.620
I was on, I was on the New York City
subway and there was a homeless woman
884
01:04:46.620 --> 01:04:51.040
just pissing on the train. Dude, that
is more experience than any college
885
01:04:51.040 --> 01:04:56.490
will ever give you for real, like like
that that is it. And so you know the
886
01:04:56.490 --> 01:05:00.250
well rounded thing. Like I get it. I
get why they say it. Okay, you got to
887
01:05:00.250 --> 01:05:03.090
experience a lot of arts. You've got to
develop yourself and they think that
888
01:05:03.090 --> 01:05:06.350
college is going to curate that for you.
That's what she meant by that. That's
889
01:05:06.350 --> 01:05:09.880
what I know now. But I was able to
curate that for myself. Maybe other
890
01:05:09.880 --> 01:05:13.220
people aren't. And so the thing with
adversity, especially with comedy,
891
01:05:13.230 --> 01:05:17.680
because we were talking about comedy
earlier. Is that all the weird shit
892
01:05:17.680 --> 01:05:21.270
that happens to you? You know, that's
that's where a lot of your jokes trying
893
01:05:21.270 --> 01:05:25.570
to come from your brain has to be
broken. To be funny. You have to be.
894
01:05:25.580 --> 01:05:29.460
You have to be so like, mashed in the
head with awful experiences and wild
895
01:05:29.460 --> 01:05:33.440
things. Dude, the police showed up to
my house at least 10 times when I was
896
01:05:33.440 --> 01:05:38.410
growing up over some domestic dispute.
I saw so much crazy shit, you know? And
897
01:05:38.410 --> 01:05:42.780
so it was. I remember one time I was 12
years old down the street, the cold
898
01:05:42.780 --> 01:05:47.790
attack, playing with a friend and his
cousin shows up. He's like, Oh, yeah,
899
01:05:47.800 --> 01:05:52.250
my cousins in the N s 13. It's this guy,
like, covered in tattoos and, you know,
900
01:05:52.250 --> 01:05:55.420
like I'm like, 12 years old, like this
doughy 12 year old kid I'm like, Oh, I
901
01:05:55.420 --> 01:05:58.350
hope I don't do too well. He might get
mad at me and shoot me, you know, like
902
01:05:58.360 --> 01:06:03.420
like all this stuff, you know? And it
was, uh, like, I saw a lot of stuff
903
01:06:03.420 --> 01:06:07.580
growing up and a lot of people who try
to pursue the arts who came from, you
904
01:06:07.580 --> 01:06:10.910
know, middle class to upper middle
class neighborhood. They didn't see any
905
01:06:10.910 --> 01:06:16.790
wild stuff and and, you know, to your
point, with adversity, adversity, uh,
906
01:06:16.800 --> 01:06:20.380
seeing that wild stuff, let's say
that's the adversity. That's what
907
01:06:20.380 --> 01:06:23.660
really fuels you. You know, that's
what's going to, you know, make your
908
01:06:23.660 --> 01:06:29.920
creative juices work. Um, and so you
know, But that's that's just kinda
909
01:06:29.930 --> 01:06:32.490
don't use the mistakes I've seen. Like
like I don't
910
01:06:33.880 --> 01:06:38.710
Yeah, don't use it. Excuses, you know,
use it, use it as fuel. The reality is
911
01:06:38.710 --> 01:06:44.380
like, I can't think of a single funny
comedian who didn't have, uh, an insane
912
01:06:44.380 --> 01:06:49.160
weird, you know, left up childhood. I
can't think of one because I look at
913
01:06:49.170 --> 01:06:52.800
all these guys stories. It was
something strange. It was something
914
01:06:52.800 --> 01:06:56.830
where they're experiencing the world
different from other people, you know?
915
01:06:56.830 --> 01:07:00.020
You know, all this stuff, you know,
like I had a one time I put a poll on
916
01:07:00.020 --> 01:07:04.810
Twitter. That was when you were a kid.
Did Child Protective Services show up
917
01:07:04.810 --> 01:07:09.570
to your house? More than twice. 90% of
people said no. I was like, Damn, that
918
01:07:09.570 --> 01:07:14.410
happened, like, four times for me. What
the hell, you know. So it's it's all
919
01:07:14.410 --> 01:07:18.380
this stuff, But, you know, we're in
this. We're definitely in this Twitter
920
01:07:18.390 --> 01:07:23.180
instagram self psychology era where we
tell that we tell ourselves so if bad
921
01:07:23.180 --> 01:07:26.360
things happen to your childhood, you're
helpless. Oh, you're helpless, you
922
01:07:26.360 --> 01:07:30.160
can't do And it's like, Dude, that's so
soft especially, you know, not to get
923
01:07:30.160 --> 01:07:34.560
too racial, but like, you know, like
like you know, I talked to you know,
924
01:07:34.570 --> 01:07:37.630
I'll say like it is. I talked to a lot
of white kids from really nice
925
01:07:37.630 --> 01:07:41.210
neighborhoods, and these are the
saddest people I know. These are the
926
01:07:41.210 --> 01:07:46.310
saddest, most unambitious people that I
meet. You know, kids. I don't know how
927
01:07:46.320 --> 01:07:50.100
older generations are but like these
jeans ears and like Oh, well, well, I
928
01:07:50.100 --> 01:07:53.430
read. I read a post on Instagram that
said, because this happened to me. I
929
01:07:53.430 --> 01:07:57.060
have I have bpd and depression, blah,
blah, blah. And so I can, you know,
930
01:07:57.060 --> 01:08:03.150
it's like we were in this era for Jen's
ears of like self diagnosing your
931
01:08:03.150 --> 01:08:08.150
problems and and finding confirmation
bias for why you're a quitter. And and
932
01:08:08.150 --> 01:08:11.770
that's what I That's what I hate.
That's what I absolutely hate. And it's,
933
01:08:11.780 --> 01:08:16.649
you know, and that's what I say. Like I
have a diverse audience and and that's
934
01:08:16.649 --> 01:08:21.069
what you see, like when I, um you know,
when I go on a stream and I say I'm
935
01:08:21.069 --> 01:08:23.770
trying to be a millionaire, you know,
the white kids are like, Oh, that's
936
01:08:23.770 --> 01:08:27.640
weird. He's arrogant, He's this, and
the black and Mexican kids are like,
937
01:08:27.640 --> 01:08:33.640
Yeah, me too. So it's You start with
less, you pursue more, start with less,
938
01:08:33.640 --> 01:08:39.029
pursue more. So, um but yeah, that's
sort of how I've seen it broken down.
939
01:08:39.040 --> 01:08:42.470
Well, it's funny because I think a lot
of people would say that they're seeing
940
01:08:42.470 --> 01:08:48.710
that sort of occurrence with younger
people. But hearing you at 26 I think
941
01:08:48.710 --> 01:08:53.590
there's a There is a glimmer of hope
for our future knowing that not all
942
01:08:53.590 --> 01:08:58.290
kids are thinking like that. Not that
your kid at 26 but being young enough
943
01:08:58.290 --> 01:09:02.660
to realize and having your hand not too
far away from your teens and almost
944
01:09:02.660 --> 01:09:07.740
into your thirties. Knowing you have a
really good perspective on life is what
945
01:09:07.740 --> 01:09:08.290
I believe.
946
01:09:10.870 --> 01:09:15.660
Thank you. Therapist would disagree,
but you know, that's how you like. The
947
01:09:15.660 --> 01:09:21.130
other thing is that therapist. I mean I
mean, well, no see, it's interesting
948
01:09:21.140 --> 01:09:24.750
because a couple years ago I was
getting really into psychology and I
949
01:09:24.750 --> 01:09:29.109
was trying to talk to, not therapists,
psychologists, and I was trying to talk
950
01:09:29.109 --> 01:09:32.920
to them, You know, people that I knew
through university connections, and I
951
01:09:32.920 --> 01:09:36.609
would try to talk to them about
motivating other people. That's huge.
952
01:09:36.620 --> 01:09:38.960
You think about Michael Jordan? The
thing they said is he made everyone
953
01:09:38.960 --> 01:09:42.390
around them better. So I was trying to
learn is you know, it might seem a tad
954
01:09:42.390 --> 01:09:45.220
manipulative, but I was trying to see
how do I manage talent? How do I get
955
01:09:45.220 --> 01:09:48.729
people to do the right thing for them
and do the right thing for the greater
956
01:09:48.729 --> 01:09:53.620
good of the group, you know? And, uh
and you look into a lot of that, but on
957
01:09:53.630 --> 01:09:56.810
And so I would say, some theories.
Sometimes they confirm them. Sometimes
958
01:09:56.810 --> 01:10:01.040
they deny them. Like I talked to, you
know, professors to They're like, I
959
01:10:01.040 --> 01:10:04.700
don't talk out of my ass like I go to
people and talk and ask before I say
960
01:10:04.700 --> 01:10:10.360
things publicly And, uh, one time I
made a mistake before I got the
961
01:10:10.370 --> 01:10:14.240
psychologist connection. I just talked
to a therapist and I was like, Hey,
962
01:10:14.240 --> 01:10:17.920
I'll give you 50 bucks. I'll give you
50 bucks. Just don't talk to me like a
963
01:10:17.920 --> 01:10:21.370
patient. Just I have these questions
about how the human mind works. Talk to
964
01:10:21.370 --> 01:10:26.100
me immediately there in their playbook.
Oh, how does that make you feel? I'm
965
01:10:26.100 --> 01:10:31.620
like, I'm asking you, like, you know,
like like it's the whole thing where
966
01:10:31.620 --> 01:10:35.240
it's like it's like Dude, just like
Don't talk like And I knew what she was
967
01:10:35.240 --> 01:10:39.590
doing, you know? But 11 thing a guy
said to me was, remember, therapists
968
01:10:39.600 --> 01:10:44.070
aren't doctors, Therapists are not
scientists, so that was a big thing,
969
01:10:44.070 --> 01:10:47.610
but now, but now, this lady, uh, she
was trying to say, Oh, Oh, there's this
970
01:10:47.610 --> 01:10:52.560
this and this wrong with you. Uh, you
know, um, there was a We had a big
971
01:10:52.560 --> 01:10:58.260
disagreement on what makes a human
being matter. And she's like, Oh, so so
972
01:10:58.260 --> 01:11:02.210
you work so hard while I'm like, I work
hard because that's what you have to do.
973
01:11:02.220 --> 01:11:05.150
Like you have to work. We've been
working since the beginning of time,
974
01:11:05.160 --> 01:11:09.770
and and, like I say to her, I'm like
some some guy who, you know, just like,
975
01:11:09.770 --> 01:11:13.410
lives off his parents money, you know,
sits in a bed all day playing video
976
01:11:13.410 --> 01:11:16.710
games, consuming, consuming, consuming,
consuming, not doing anything, not
977
01:11:16.710 --> 01:11:21.030
impacting anyone else's life. Like I'm
sorry. Explain to me how he matters.
978
01:11:21.040 --> 01:11:25.180
Explain to me, you know, And so because
it's like I'm busting my ass here
979
01:11:25.190 --> 01:11:28.400
trying to do this. You're trying to
tell me that this guy is on the same
980
01:11:28.400 --> 01:11:31.290
level of me like sorry. Like, and
that's where the competitive sort of
981
01:11:31.300 --> 01:11:34.170
you know, thing comes out and a lot of
people consider that screwed up. But
982
01:11:34.170 --> 01:11:37.410
I'm just like like, dude, like I'm
busting my ass, and you're gonna tell
983
01:11:37.410 --> 01:11:40.640
me? Oh, yeah. He's just as good as you
know. Sorry like that. That's not how
984
01:11:40.640 --> 01:11:47.190
it works to me. Anyway. Um, and so,
yeah, I think as you will make a good
985
01:11:47.190 --> 01:11:51.360
director, because that's like a manager,
right? Is in my wrong and kind of
986
01:11:51.360 --> 01:11:55.080
understanding what a director does that
be similar to a business manager of
987
01:11:55.080 --> 01:11:55.580
source.
988
01:11:58.360 --> 01:12:03.240
So a manager. Okay, so and I tried
management. I I attempted management,
989
01:12:03.250 --> 01:12:06.290
but it was hard to find people because
they got them today. When you're a
990
01:12:06.290 --> 01:12:11.210
manager, you work for them. When you
were director, they work for you.
991
01:12:11.210 --> 01:12:15.700
That's kind of the core difference
there. And so, you know, when you're a
992
01:12:15.700 --> 01:12:19.200
director, they're only there for a
project for a manager. You're there for
993
01:12:19.200 --> 01:12:24.590
their whole career. And so I you know,
I could have all the great advice and
994
01:12:24.590 --> 01:12:27.190
all that, but not at the end of the day.
You know, there are similar skills.
995
01:12:27.190 --> 01:12:33.090
Absolutely. You'd be right. Um, but
sort of with the management thing. And
996
01:12:33.090 --> 01:12:36.160
again, that's that's why I said the
suburban kids, you know, you'd find,
997
01:12:36.170 --> 01:12:40.580
you know, you find a girl who gets
likes, and she's inconsistent and all
998
01:12:40.580 --> 01:12:44.860
this stuff. And I'm like, Dude, I could
I could get you to quit your day job in
999
01:12:44.870 --> 01:12:48.280
18 months. If you listen to everything
I say and you could you could be a
1000
01:12:48.280 --> 01:12:52.080
model or an actor or whatever. I know
that you have everything that you need.
1001
01:12:52.650 --> 01:12:56.080
Just just give me 18 months. But they
never do it because they have a safety
1002
01:12:56.080 --> 01:12:59.230
net. They had their parents. They have,
you know, they have, uh, you know,
1003
01:12:59.230 --> 01:13:01.910
boyfriends, letting them live rent free.
They have. You know, you know all this
1004
01:13:01.910 --> 01:13:07.760
stuff, and so sometimes, uh, sometimes
I will get in the way. A director is
1005
01:13:07.760 --> 01:13:08.870
kind of, uh,
1006
01:13:09.950 --> 01:13:13.360
being a director. It's more intense in
the moment. But once you're done,
1007
01:13:13.360 --> 01:13:16.730
you're done with the manager. It's less
intense in the moment, but it's just a
1008
01:13:16.730 --> 01:13:21.370
consistent sort of grind. Um, that's
sort of how I've seen it. And when it
1009
01:13:21.370 --> 01:13:25.200
comes to a manager, you have to
convince, you know, you have to
1010
01:13:25.200 --> 01:13:28.630
convince what's in their best interest
for a director. You're just trying to
1011
01:13:28.630 --> 01:13:31.670
get the shot done. You know, you're
just trying to get the project done so
1012
01:13:31.670 --> 01:13:36.900
it's I could talk about it more in
detail if you like. Well, it's what I
1013
01:13:36.900 --> 01:13:40.610
like about what you're saying that you
do is you're trying to help people be
1014
01:13:40.610 --> 01:13:44.980
the best that they can be and so that
they and it's not. You don't feel
1015
01:13:45.450 --> 01:13:48.210
threatened by that. You don't feel like
they're trying to take over your
1016
01:13:48.210 --> 01:13:51.170
position. You're trying to help them
strive where they are.
1017
01:13:53.050 --> 01:13:58.970
Uh, it's because I know they will take
over my position. Um, it's sort of, you
1018
01:13:58.970 --> 01:14:01.900
know, like some people would say, Oh,
that's very, very arrogant All this
1019
01:14:01.900 --> 01:14:08.790
stuff. But it's just, Look, I've met.
I've met thousands of people all trying
1020
01:14:08.790 --> 01:14:13.530
to, you know, do this, do that,
whatever. And it gets to a point where
1021
01:14:13.540 --> 01:14:18.390
okay, I am different, Okay? There is
something that sets me apart, and you
1022
01:14:18.390 --> 01:14:22.150
know, a lot of people, a lot of people
are really scared to verbalize it to
1023
01:14:22.150 --> 01:14:26.290
themselves because they were afraid of
the criticism that comes with that. I
1024
01:14:26.300 --> 01:14:31.840
don't really care because, you know, if
I know that I'm busting my ass, that's
1025
01:14:31.840 --> 01:14:35.690
all that matters. If I know that I'm
working as hard as I possibly could.
1026
01:14:35.700 --> 01:14:41.540
That's all that matters. And so, uh,
you know, it becomes a thing. Where and
1027
01:14:41.540 --> 01:14:46.860
again, like I'm not. It's It's really
hard to find multi talented people,
1028
01:14:46.860 --> 01:14:50.020
like when I'm hiring people like I
don't know how to program. It's really
1029
01:14:50.020 --> 01:14:54.970
hard to find a programmer who's just,
you know, it has problem solving
1030
01:14:54.970 --> 01:14:59.230
ability and will consistently show up.
That's really hard to find. It's really
1031
01:14:59.230 --> 01:15:03.230
hard to find an artist who can do a
certain art style and can show up for a
1032
01:15:03.230 --> 01:15:07.680
decent amount of money and and bang out
100 drawings. You know, like stuff like
1033
01:15:07.680 --> 01:15:13.440
this like, and so and so what? I You
know, I do. I do sound design. I do. I
1034
01:15:13.440 --> 01:15:16.950
do writing. I do. You know, all this
stuff that, you know, sort of gives me
1035
01:15:16.950 --> 01:15:20.160
a footing where if I'm doing enough
jobs, I can just pretty much say, Okay,
1036
01:15:20.160 --> 01:15:25.930
I'm the director, too. I just don't
meet people that can do multiple things,
1037
01:15:25.930 --> 01:15:29.790
and it's It's like a thing. Where and
you know the big thing is, oh, well,
1038
01:15:29.790 --> 01:15:33.330
why are some people more successful
than you? Because they have connections,
1039
01:15:33.560 --> 01:15:38.470
and so would you say one of those
things. Would you say that those people
1040
01:15:38.470 --> 01:15:42.560
don't exist or those people exist? But
they're not willing to put in that work
1041
01:15:42.570 --> 01:15:46.820
at all. They they have those raw
talents. They have those skills they
1042
01:15:46.820 --> 01:15:50.680
can program they can draw, but they're
not willing to sit down. I was watching
1043
01:15:50.680 --> 01:15:54.980
a drawing video yesterday with my son
and then the guys, just just draw, keep
1044
01:15:54.980 --> 01:15:59.070
drawing, keep doodling, keep doing. You
got to keep doing it. And these people
1045
01:15:59.070 --> 01:16:03.110
are just not willing to put that work.
And you know what? I appreciate what
1046
01:16:03.110 --> 01:16:07.150
you about you is the work ethic that
you have. I think that's the core of
1047
01:16:07.150 --> 01:16:12.440
what what drives you is your
willingness to work. And not all people
1048
01:16:12.440 --> 01:16:19.530
have that. Most people don't have the
level. Some people do it for survival.
1049
01:16:19.540 --> 01:16:23.590
Some people will work to survive, but
they don't have that level to succeed
1050
01:16:23.590 --> 01:16:24.850
and to excel.
1051
01:16:27.230 --> 01:16:30.910
A lot of people don't have, I guess,
sort like entrepreneurial mindsets, I
1052
01:16:30.910 --> 01:16:35.220
guess where where a lot of people don't
like that, it's all on them. It's all
1053
01:16:35.220 --> 01:16:40.280
on their shoulders. People, you know,
people really shy away from that and
1054
01:16:40.290 --> 01:16:44.860
you know, it's people are too afraid of
criticism in the moment, especially if
1055
01:16:44.860 --> 01:16:48.130
they have friends with big followings
where they're making good stuff. You
1056
01:16:48.130 --> 01:16:51.440
know, they don't want to try to. To
your question on, Do those people not
1057
01:16:51.440 --> 01:16:58.410
exist? I mean, those people exist.
Those I like I said, Those people are
1058
01:16:58.420 --> 01:17:03.660
Howard Stern. Those people are Kanye
West. Those people are our Jamie Foxx.
1059
01:17:03.660 --> 01:17:08.890
Those people are, um you know, Penn and
Teller like that's those people, are we?
1060
01:17:08.890 --> 01:17:13.970
We see these people all the time. Um,
and and are there other people who are
1061
01:17:13.970 --> 01:17:17.300
multi talented? Really good That
haven't been discovered yet? Yes,
1062
01:17:17.300 --> 01:17:21.600
Absolutely. I'm just not running into
them. I'm not saying that I know the
1063
01:17:21.600 --> 01:17:28.750
world, but in my network of people, I
haven't ran into that yet. Um, you know,
1064
01:17:28.760 --> 01:17:33.580
to say that that I am I am the greatest
talent ever. You know, like, again, I I
1065
01:17:33.580 --> 01:17:37.040
think there are plenty of people who
are more talent. We're not getting
1066
01:17:37.040 --> 01:17:40.920
another Michael Jackson for another 150
years. I guarantee you, I am not the
1067
01:17:40.920 --> 01:17:44.460
next Michael Jackson, you know, You
know, and again, he was multi talented,
1068
01:17:44.460 --> 01:17:47.860
but like you take out dancing and maybe
it's it's sound design or something
1069
01:17:47.860 --> 01:17:54.200
like that, you know? And so it's, uh I
wasn't insanely talented like I The
1070
01:17:54.200 --> 01:17:59.390
only thing that I showed any talent for
was, you know, I could be funny. I
1071
01:17:59.390 --> 01:18:03.860
could keep her room going for, like, 30
minutes. And I, you know, I could sort
1072
01:18:03.860 --> 01:18:07.950
of, like, I knew how to, you know, edit
and, you know, direct the scene. Those
1073
01:18:07.950 --> 01:18:11.310
are the only two skills that I had
going for me when I when I came out of
1074
01:18:11.310 --> 01:18:15.640
high school, I had no idea about audio.
I had no idea about direction I had. No,
1075
01:18:15.640 --> 01:18:19.860
I didn't really have a big idea on
acting. Um, I didn't know anything
1076
01:18:19.860 --> 01:18:24.680
about lighting. I didn't know about
cinematography or lenses or how how
1077
01:18:24.680 --> 01:18:29.190
lenses work or aperture or shutter
speed. I didn't I didn't know any of
1078
01:18:29.190 --> 01:18:32.490
this. Like you could. You could name
something that you saw. And I tell you
1079
01:18:32.490 --> 01:18:38.790
when I started picking that up, um, you
know, it's the majority of what I do.
1080
01:18:38.790 --> 01:18:43.300
What people follow me for was not stuff
that I knew out of the gate. So, you
1081
01:18:43.300 --> 01:18:47.260
know, in terms of in terms of latent
talent and what brought that out. The
1082
01:18:47.260 --> 01:18:52.740
work brought that out. I'm against.
Yeah, the grind. Absolutely. And so
1083
01:18:52.740 --> 01:18:58.420
it's It's repetition. The biggest key
to success is the ability and desire to
1084
01:18:58.420 --> 01:19:05.420
practice. And so, God, you know, like I
I had I did some stat. I was counting
1085
01:19:05.420 --> 01:19:08.680
through my videos of of sound design
and putting effects and mixing and
1086
01:19:08.680 --> 01:19:15.930
stuff like that. And it took me 100 and
three shorts to finally have a level of
1087
01:19:15.930 --> 01:19:20.150
sound design that one would consider,
like professional, like Hollywood,
1088
01:19:20.150 --> 01:19:26.380
standard professional. And so, you know,
I don't do like I don't meet a lot of
1089
01:19:26.380 --> 01:19:31.710
people who make 100 and three shorts
with variety. I can't I can't meet
1090
01:19:31.710 --> 01:19:35.190
those people, you know, not to say that
there's other people again, like like
1091
01:19:35.190 --> 01:19:38.650
I'm not. I'm not the richest guy I know.
I'm not the guy making all the money. I
1092
01:19:38.650 --> 01:19:42.920
know like there's people with more
followers than me, of course. Um, but
1093
01:19:42.930 --> 01:19:48.430
it's sort of I don't know, like like I
just really have the desire. Um, but,
1094
01:19:48.430 --> 01:19:52.340
you know, sometimes we're also seeing
generationally like people don't like
1095
01:19:52.340 --> 01:19:55.330
the guy who works really hard. A lot of
people find that intimidating and they
1096
01:19:55.330 --> 01:20:00.470
don't want to hire that guy. I'm sure
I've missed out on, you know, jobs here
1097
01:20:00.470 --> 01:20:04.730
and there where people were too afraid
of, of working with a guy who's like,
1098
01:20:04.730 --> 01:20:08.240
I'll take over you know, I have no
problem doing that. And so a lot of
1099
01:20:08.240 --> 01:20:12.470
people feel, you know, I I guess a lot
of people feel challenged in that sense
1100
01:20:12.470 --> 01:20:15.860
or they feel awkward and all this stuff.
And that's just not the Hollywood that
1101
01:20:15.860 --> 01:20:20.050
I witnessed growing up where you're
afraid to. That's another big thing.
1102
01:20:20.050 --> 01:20:23.240
People are so afraid to work with
strangers. People are so people feel
1103
01:20:23.240 --> 01:20:26.850
like they have to be friends to work
with people. What is that? You know,
1104
01:20:26.850 --> 01:20:33.870
it's so many times, like like I hit up
so many people. I I didn't know it all.
1105
01:20:33.880 --> 01:20:38.570
I hit a guy who produced for Missy
Elliott, you know, a couple years ago,
1106
01:20:38.580 --> 01:20:43.230
and, uh, to score a piece of my game,
and I worked with him and I didn't know
1107
01:20:43.230 --> 01:20:47.270
him at all. But now I do and you know,
is it awkward to work with people the
1108
01:20:47.270 --> 01:20:49.910
first time when you don't know him?
Yeah, sure, But you know, that's what
1109
01:20:49.910 --> 01:20:54.160
separates, uh, what separates the men
from the boys? Let's say, Have you
1110
01:20:54.170 --> 01:20:56.540
tried LinkedIn? Are you on LinkedIn?
1111
01:20:58.210 --> 01:20:58.720
No,
1112
01:20:59.950 --> 01:21:05.580
it's not really it's. It's not a bad
place. It's a good place to make
1113
01:21:05.580 --> 01:21:11.920
connect, I'll tell you you could easily
as as as you Maxfield making connection
1114
01:21:11.920 --> 01:21:16.700
as a cinnamon photographer director.
It's a place you'll see. So I mean, it
1115
01:21:16.700 --> 01:21:20.420
doesn't take any effort, right? You
just put your thing up there and check
1116
01:21:20.420 --> 01:21:24.240
it out and make connections because
I've met some pretty interesting people
1117
01:21:24.240 --> 01:21:28.380
that way, and connections do come that
way. It's It's a free resource, and you
1118
01:21:28.380 --> 01:21:31.930
don't have to pay for it. You can get
the premium package and stuff, but it
1119
01:21:31.940 --> 01:21:33.440
it's a way. It's another way,
1120
01:21:35.910 --> 01:21:40.210
right? I mean, I I haven't run into a
situation usually like when a client
1121
01:21:40.220 --> 01:21:43.690
wants me like I got Zoom because of a
client, like three years ago. Usually
1122
01:21:43.690 --> 01:21:47.520
when a client tells me, Okay, get this.
That's how I usually get into something.
1123
01:21:47.530 --> 01:21:52.130
It was the same with Facebook. It was
the same with with a lot of stuff, but
1124
01:21:52.610 --> 01:21:55.860
but yeah, I mean I mean, I'm sure I'm
not counting it out, but it's just, you
1125
01:21:55.860 --> 01:22:01.060
know, I've tried a multitude of
platforms for work, and it's just the
1126
01:22:01.060 --> 01:22:06.700
YouTube staff is what brings in all the
traffic. It's what brings in all the
1127
01:22:06.700 --> 01:22:10.510
people to me. And so So it's like when
you have one thing that works, you know,
1128
01:22:10.510 --> 01:22:14.220
you're you're less interested in trying
the things that might work. I like what
1129
01:22:14.220 --> 01:22:17.120
you said. It's we'll just go ahead.
1130
01:22:19.200 --> 01:22:23.800
No, go ahead. Sorry the what you said.
And I think it's universe for any job.
1131
01:22:23.800 --> 01:22:26.230
And you tried a 103 times
1132
01:22:27.500 --> 01:22:30.530
right before you made something that
you thought was professional. And if
1133
01:22:30.530 --> 01:22:34.990
you take that for any sort of job, if
you're willing to do something 100
1134
01:22:34.990 --> 01:22:39.050
times before, you're going to get it
right, you know, throwing out a resume
1135
01:22:39.160 --> 01:22:43.630
100 times. Most people won't do that. I
know people that throw one or two and
1136
01:22:43.630 --> 01:22:48.370
think, Oh, this is the end of it. I get
rejected, I'm done. Try 100. I mean,
1137
01:22:48.370 --> 01:22:52.740
try 1000. I'd like to even know how
many videos you've made because all of
1138
01:22:52.740 --> 01:22:57.570
these are steps towards you
accomplishing your goal, right? So
1139
01:22:57.570 --> 01:23:03.550
they're all they're all steps. How many
I've written. Probably 500 scripts,
1140
01:23:03.560 --> 01:23:09.090
right? 500 scripts? Probably. Um, you
know, And that was another thing. Like
1141
01:23:09.100 --> 01:23:12.790
Like it's annoying when people think
they're working hard, but they're not.
1142
01:23:12.790 --> 01:23:17.090
That pisses me off so much when I'm
like I'm like, Oh, yeah, he's a good
1143
01:23:17.090 --> 01:23:21.670
writer. He writes a lot about how many
scripts is your right here. 33 You
1144
01:23:21.670 --> 01:23:28.790
gotta be kidding me. I write three in a
week like Well, you know, And so, uh,
1145
01:23:28.800 --> 01:23:33.560
you. But But that's the thing, like you
get annoyed when people give you
1146
01:23:33.560 --> 01:23:36.770
similar. When people give someone else
again, it's a competitive thing. It's
1147
01:23:36.770 --> 01:23:42.260
It's a sports raised thing. You get
annoyed when when people who you know
1148
01:23:42.260 --> 01:23:47.140
are not putting in even a quarter of
the work are getting equal or higher
1149
01:23:47.140 --> 01:23:51.000
recognition. That that you know, that's
what I don't like. Like if there's
1150
01:23:51.000 --> 01:23:54.920
somebody working just as hard and
getting more recognition, okay, that's
1151
01:23:54.930 --> 01:23:58.670
that's connections. That's the luck of
the draw. That's fine, but when it's I
1152
01:23:58.670 --> 01:24:03.510
mean, it's still connections you know,
for the other thing, but it's a you
1153
01:24:03.510 --> 01:24:08.210
know, it's it's one of those things in
terms of, uh but yeah, I mean, I mean
1154
01:24:08.210 --> 01:24:11.660
making shorts. And And here's another
thing about so let's say that number is
1155
01:24:11.720 --> 01:24:18.610
100 right of sound design mix
whatever's. So that number is 100 after
1156
01:24:18.610 --> 01:24:23.650
20. In the moment. I think this is
professional, and that gets into that
1157
01:24:23.650 --> 01:24:27.280
self empathy. You always have to think
that you are doing your best shit.
1158
01:24:27.290 --> 01:24:33.500
Always. You always have to believe that.
And so it's, um you know, and so but
1159
01:24:33.500 --> 01:24:38.660
but again with the knowledge I know now
I look back and, uh but yeah, at about
1160
01:24:38.720 --> 01:24:41.920
100 which was and I hit 100. Maybe
1161
01:24:42.990 --> 01:24:47.030
maybe, like three years ago. Now that's
when I started noticing. Okay, Like
1162
01:24:47.040 --> 01:24:51.650
like this is I found my standards. I
have found what I do. I have compared
1163
01:24:51.650 --> 01:24:56.390
it with Hollywood features. This is
this is this is where I sit. And that's
1164
01:24:56.390 --> 01:25:01.020
another thing. Like people, people. I
was always holding myself to the
1165
01:25:01.020 --> 01:25:04.590
standard of Hollywood movies that I
grew up watching. That's what I help
1166
01:25:04.590 --> 01:25:07.750
myself to the standard of and a lot of
people would hold herself to. Oh, I
1167
01:25:07.750 --> 01:25:12.750
just want to be okay. You know, our, uh,
was aimed for the stars laying on the
1168
01:25:12.750 --> 01:25:17.640
clouds. That's sort of saying I guess
that's the kind of philosophy, but you
1169
01:25:17.640 --> 01:25:22.050
know, it is what it is, Max. How can
people reach you? How can they get in
1170
01:25:22.050 --> 01:25:24.920
touch with you besides linked in?
Obviously,
1171
01:25:26.890 --> 01:25:33.480
uh, let's see. Uh SP on three on
Twitter Spn three on Twitter Spn three
1172
01:25:33.480 --> 01:25:36.300
on YouTube The end of that. Come on,
Instagram.
1173
01:25:37.790 --> 01:25:39.410
What s B n three?
1174
01:25:41.990 --> 01:25:47.800
Uh, it was I had a channel called There
was a Pete Rock song called Soul
1175
01:25:47.800 --> 01:25:52.760
Brother Number one. And so I got banned
twice for copyright stuff. So it ended
1176
01:25:52.760 --> 01:25:55.950
up being sober. The number three and I
was like, Well, that's a mouthful. So
1177
01:25:55.950 --> 01:26:00.690
it became Spn three. Uh, and and And
now people can actually find me through
1178
01:26:00.690 --> 01:26:07.420
Google that that wasn't happening four
years ago. So, um but yeah, no. So 244
1179
01:26:07.420 --> 01:26:13.370
characters a lot easier to remember
than than 15, but yeah, One final
1180
01:26:13.370 --> 01:26:14.210
question, Max.
1181
01:26:16.080 --> 01:26:18.090
Yeah? Why do you work
1182
01:26:21.680 --> 01:26:24.200
to get rich? Yeah,
1183
01:26:25.980 --> 01:26:30.630
I don't doubt that you will be. I mean,
you have the work ethic, you're young
1184
01:26:30.640 --> 01:26:37.640
and you have You have whatever it seems
to take to do what is necessary to to
1185
01:26:37.640 --> 01:26:41.920
achieve those dreams and and those
goals however you want to put it. But
1186
01:26:41.930 --> 01:26:47.000
with the work that you put in just to
watch your videos to know, you know, a
1187
01:26:47.000 --> 01:26:51.030
little bit behind the scenes of what
you're actually putting in, there's no
1188
01:26:51.030 --> 01:26:57.690
doubt that you can do that. Maxfield S
b n three Director Cinematographer
1189
01:26:57.700 --> 01:27:02.220
Youtuber soon to be director of a
feature film near you I appreciate your
1190
01:27:02.220 --> 01:27:07.200
time and I appreciate the work that you
do. Thank you. Hopefully an agent sees
1191
01:27:07.200 --> 01:27:12.210
the same way. Thank you for listening
to this episode of why we work with
1192
01:27:12.220 --> 01:27:18.800
Brian V. Be sure to subscribe, follow
and share with others so they too can
1193
01:27:18.800 --> 01:27:25.750
be encouraged in their work. I hope
that you have yourself a productive yet
1194
01:27:25.750 --> 01:27:28.900
joyful day in your work.
