Conversations with Garrett Brock

Today we’d like to introduce you to Garrett Brock.

Hi Garrett, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started One Machine in 2016, which sounds more official than it really was. At the time, it was just me trying to figure out how to turn a camera into a career. I grew up in the Sacramento area, and around 2010 in high school I started an art club. Which was really just an excuse to spend more time making things instead of doing anything else I probably should’ve been doing, like passing my classes.

Around that same time, I started shooting music videos for artists in my hometown and high school on a Canon XH-A1, definitely not cutting-edge, but it worked. This was right when YouTube and social media were starting to reshape media, and a lot of us realized there was a new path forming. Music videos were having a bit of a comeback, and there was just enough opportunity to get in early and start building. No real plan, just making as much as possible and seeing where it went.

Eventually it led me into the music world, something I had wanted for a long time. One of my bucket list goals early on was touring with an artist. After working a few photo gigs, I remember mentioning that to a producer, and sometime later they connected me with someone looking for a photographer for a tour. That opportunity pulled me deeper into the industry, touring in a van, fixing flat tires on the side of the road (not my job, but if the van doesn’t move, nobody’s getting paid), and working my way into bigger projects. You learn quickly there’s no separation between roles, you just do whatever needs to get done.

At some point, I realized I wasn’t just shooting. I was organizing everything. Crew, locations, schedules, budgets…all the parts people don’t necessarily want to deal with, but are the only reason anything actually happens. That’s when I started leaning into producing.

Early on, I also worked as a PA and in Grip & Electric, helping with lighting, gear, and all the behind the scenes work that actually keeps a production functioning while everyone else talks about the shot. That experience gave me a real appreciation for what production actually is. It’s not glamorous, it’s physical, technical, and long hours. But it gives you perspective. If you understand what every department is dealing with, you’re a lot better at managing expectations and not asking for impossible things five minutes before wrap.

Along the way, I built relationships with labels, managers, and artists like Big Sean, YG, Tinashe, blackbear, and Wiz Khalifa producing shoots, album artwork, and whatever else needed to be made. That experience teaches you quickly that having a “great idea” doesn’t mean much if you can’t execute it.

Early on, I thought I wanted to be a director. That’s kind of the default. But over time, it became clear that wasn’t where I was strongest. The industry has a way of correcting you if you’re paying attention. For me, that meant stepping into producing and eventually executive producing, where I could build the system behind the work instead of just focusing on one piece of it.

Around 2019, things started scaling. Bigger projects, bigger teams, bigger budgets. Less about doing everything myself, more about putting the right people in place and making sure the whole thing runs without falling apart.

A big part of how I approach it now is culture. Production can easily turn into client versus crew, which is usually when things go wrong. I run it as one team everyone respected, taken care of, and works in a safe, professional environment where people can actually do their job properly.

Since then, I’ve executive produced across music, commercial, and brand, working with both emerging artists and established teams like Mariah Carey, including producing the photography for her latest album. Moments like that are surreal sometimes, especially when I think back to being a kid shooting videos in my hometown with no real roadmap for any of this!

We’ve also worked with brands like Nike, Bratz, Sperry, PLEASURES, and Drought, including activations tied to films like Minions. Across everything, the videos we’ve produced have reached over 1 billion views, which is still hard for me to fully process sometimes. But honestly, one of the things I’m most proud of is building long-term relationships and a team people genuinely enjoy working with.

More recently, we’ve been supporting brands more and more, while also paying attention to new tools like AI. The demand for content is higher than ever, and AI, when used properly, isn’t about replacing creatives it’s about doing more. It allows teams to move faster and expand output, but the core still comes down to people, taste, and execution.

At this point, One Machine is less about trying to “make it” and more about building something that actually works, a system that can handle real projects, real pressure, and still deliver at a high level without everything turning into chaos.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Early on, I thought I wanted to be a director. That’s kind of the default. But over time, it became clear that wasn’t where I was strongest. The industry has a way of correcting you if you’re paying attention. For me, that meant stepping into producing and eventually executive producing, where I could build the system behind the work instead of just focusing on one piece of it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve executive produced across music, commercial, and brand, working with both emerging artists and established teams like Mariah Carey, including producing the photography for her latest album. Moments like that are surreal sometimes, especially when I think back to being a kid shooting videos in my hometown with no real roadmap for any of this!

We’ve also worked with brands like Nike, Bratz, Sperry, PLEASURES, and Drought, including activations tied to films like Minions. Across everything, the videos we’ve produced have reached over 1 billion views, which is still hard for me to fully process sometimes. But honestly, one of the things I’m most proud of is building long-term relationships and a team people genuinely enjoy working with.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Our videos have reached over 1 Billion views

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.onemachinemedia.com
• Instagram: @onemachine
• Facebook: @onemachine