Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin E. Wood.
Hi Kevin E., so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My interest in video production, content creation, and the overall creative process was sparked when I was very young. I remember fondly that my grandparents were the ones who had piqued my interest in videography. Ever since I can remember they would be the ones to have an old film video camera capturing A LOT of my childhood memories. From special events like birthdays, Christmases, and other holidays to taking me for my first ice cream or playing with ants on the sidewalk… today there’s about 2,000 hours of footage capturing my youth!
At the time, I didn’t pay much attention to the technicalities of it all BUT I enjoyed watching the video playback on the flip screen and always thought it was so cool!
Further into my young adult years in high school, I was able to get involved in more of the technical side of content creation and experimenting with various computer programs in my school’s Computer Video Production Program. This was when my eyes really opened up to the world of digital video content and I found my creative knack for self-expression and the possibility of actually turning this into a career!
Eventually, after years of making low-budget films with my high school’s stock of Nikon D3200’s I decided to take my base knowledge and expand that through earning a Dual Bachelor’s Degree in Film & New Media Production / Business Admin & Marketing at The College of Saint Rose. This was where I found my passion, drive, and diving headfirst into some of the best experiences I could have asked for.
To keep it brief my college experience was what opened a lot of doors and opportunities for me. On top of the fact that I am an extreme social butterfly and live off of the energy and experiences of meeting/connecting with new people. Most of my time at school was not spent in school at all. I spent most of my time working in roles as a video brand ambassador, production assistant, the occasional coffee runner, etc. This helped me soon realized this was NOT what I wanted to do within this industry!
So, I shifted my focus to roles for which I was completely unqualified, and with a little help from LinkedIn and serendipity, I landed interviews. There were countless hours of editing while on Greyhound buses and sleeping overnight in my office chair when commuting to NYC weekly. This struggle and discipline helped me early in my college career working for companies like MCP Presents, AntiGravity Entertainment, a few European-based cosmetic and dermatology companies like SmartAging Swiss, tech startups, and others!
After earning my bachelor’s in three years and the knowledge from seven intense internships, I decided to make the move to Los Angeles with nothing but two suitcases, my camera equipment, and friend’s couches to sleep on for the short term.
Fast forward to about six months after moving to LA, I reconnected with a friend of mine, RJ Tolson, whom I met while living in London. We hit it off and he provided a lot of insight for me and how to be able to start my own business, scale, and have the flexibility of working for myself. Eventually, this is where CapriTaurus Media (formerly CapriTaurus Studios) came into play as we decided to found the company together in 2018….
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Three years ago, I was a man with a goal and a plan to achieve it. If I could have seen myself today, I’d be shocked to learn where I’ve landed. Hard work, talent, connections, and some luck got me through the professional challenges I’ve faced. But, I’ve learned that professional growth and personal growth often go hand-in-hand.
Rejection is a common obstacle I’ve encountered, and the root of this rejection was founded in my story as a gay man. I’ve fought against antiquated cultural norms while trying to find my place. Loving myself, accepting myself, and in turn, having the emotional fortitude to love others has been a point of personal growth that has opened doors for me professionally, too.
You see, being confident in one’s self-worth weakens the blow of professional rejection. Living and working without that fear has been a huge personal achievement, making most obstacles conquerable. Especially when it helps you to recognize your strongest support systems whether it be among friends, family, co-workers, or like-minded people. For me, this support definitely came from my family and those I now surround myself with on a regular basis and it has made all the difference.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Since 2018, CapriTaurus Media has grown into something I never could have imagined! Currently, my time and energy is spent on operations and partnership development. Occasionally, I’ll hop on various projects and work with our project managers to get back into my favorite roles as Creative Director.
Our main bread and butter services and what we are known for are centered around our white glove service for commercial/corporate clients looking for video production services completed through their entirety. The clients we work with are within the commercial, tech, and branded content space but we serve other industries as well and a wide array of clients of any shape and size … or as we say – across the Zodiac!
These clients range from mom and pop businesses, individual creators and artists, nonprofits, and companies like Compass, UBTech Robotics, Girl Scouts of America, Medallia, EXP, RuPaul’s Drag Con, Origin Protocol, and others.
Since relaunching due to Covid-19 what sets us apart is that we’ve been able to completely update and redefine our internal operations, enhance our customer service experience, and grow our services provided by partnering with over 20+ creatives and agencies across the country each having their own creative specialties.
At CapriTaurus Media, our main motto is that we work with clients in “Mapping their project across the Zodiac”. What we mean by this is that our team, core values, and entire creative process are suited for ANY client and their needs. Not only do we boast a wide variety of success across numerous industries and media BUT we thrive on differences in diversity, messaging, and helping those who inquire about our services grow beyond what they thought was possible in the digital age!
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Some of the most important lessons (and their core principles) I have learned along my journey and that are still evolving every day as I venture into new opportunities include perspective, self-worth, and passion. These three have been major players in the development of not only myself but business opportunities and building lasting relationships along the way.
Throughout everything perspective and mindset has been something that I constantly need to remind myself to be more self-aware of having this life skill. This was not only to make the slow or hard times much easier but greatly humbles you and provides so much insight when things are also going well!
For me, I have always struggled with valuing self-worth. Growing up, I’ve always been told to work hard and things will pan out the way they are meant to be. Over the years, I have learned although there is merit in this statement …. It is far from the only thing that matters when having a good life is the base level of most people I know. I believe that partnering with this sense of self-worth and working with clever diligence are key factors in what sets anyone apart from the crowd. No matter if you’re a business owner, artist, creative, working professional, etc. this is something that not only props up self-esteem and confidence but can be the difference between thriving in your work and just going through the motions.
The fire behind it all comes down to passion… and I have had many jobs that inspired no passion, where the mediocre and mundane were celebrated. This only made those jobs more excruciatingly boring and dismal in hindsight. As I mention, I was always told growing up to work hard, find a stable job for an employer, earn a decent salary, save your income and you’ll be set when you’re older. I’m sure many people hear that on repeat throughout their entire lives – and for many, it works just fine. BUT being fine in life is not something that I find much excitement or desire in doing.
I found my passion for creative arts at an early age and ever since then the passion for the work I do has never faded. It may have led me through some challenging times that would’ve been missed with security and stability BUT what’s the fun and opportunity for growth in that?
If it sounds corny then you may know what I’m about to say. My life lesson learned is to follow your heart when it comes to your passions, follow your mind when it comes to your plan of attack, and listen to the wisdom of how the world works, to have things fall into place.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.capritaurusmedia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capritaurusmedia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapriTaurusMedia
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CapriTaurus_
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5D2nDgcYJwPhcG5Gp36aKg
- Other: https://vimeo.com/capritaurusmedia
Image Credits:
– Jeremiah Barnes – Freedom & Fashion – CapriTaurus Media – LAFW – Lilly Cadoch – Ethan Goodrich
