Today we’d like to introduce you to Dez Alvarado.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve been involved in TV and media production in some form or another since I graduated college. Before that actually, I always found myself behind a camera or nerding out to electronics.
I officially began my career as an editor for a small production company in New York that specialized in weddings, events and local commercials. It was a rough start and to this day I still have a ton of respect for videographers, photographers and people who work in that industry. I still think that there’s no better way to cut your teeth in production than doing weddings. If you can pull off great photos or a good video at a wedding… you can do anything.
After September 11th, business came to a screeching halt and I began temping at random businesses all over Manhattan. For a year I worked a real-life version of the Office and was moved into a storage room to file papers at an investment firm. If you ever need motivation to make big changes in your life, I highly recommend temping at a large investment firm where nobody knows you exist. While in that storage room, I applied to grad schools as a means of escape. I decided to attend the University of Miami and study broadcast journalism. From there I got an internship at the local NBC affiliate working with the investigative news team. We covered things like the plight of sea turtle egg poaching, con artists, and various stories on the environment and climate change. Around this time, the network launched a variety talk show hosted by a well-known (and somewhat despised) local news anchor named Rick Sanchez. It was a bizarre show but a great time. I still believe there is no better way to learn live TV production than working on an understaffed local talk show hosted by Rick Sanchez.
About a year into the show, Rick was picked up by CNN to host another program in New York. Coincidentally, I ended at CNN in New York at the same time but producing an entertainment news show called the Biz. The Biz aired on CNN’s doomed sister network CNNfn. That fn stood for Finance. But it was an fn great experience as well. I worked alongside one of my oldest friends co-producing a half-hour live daily show. It was another understaffed show. There were three of us and a host who assembled the show every day.
CNNfn went under within that year but the Biz was reincarnated on HLN- another CNN network. It was called Showbiz Tonight. For the next 6 years I worked on a variety of programs at CNN and its sister networks.
About 10 years ago I made my escape for California. A place I always dreamed of living. I chose LA because I had a production background, work connections, friends and family. I freelanced on several shows and eventually began collecting clients who I would work with regularly. A couple years ago I began to research shooting with drones. With the help of my uncle (a pilot and savvy designer), I created Sky & City Aerial Media. I obtained a license from the FAA to be able to legally shoot commercial projects with a drone. I have a great network of talented cinematographers and producers who partner with me on aerial shoots. In particular Mareesa Stertz, Noah Tucker and Ian Kalmbaugh- who are excited as I am to apply drone tech to shoots. Today I am also a senior producer for Charter Communications where I have been able to provide aerial media services.
Has it been a smooth road?
There are always challenges. There continue to be challenges. But what keeps me going is the confidence that I’m good at what I do and that good work will eventually get recognized. Luckily, I have a passion for anything to do with video and photography. Putting cameras up in the sky is just icing on the cake. In short, I find this stuff cool.
I’ve had a lot of hard, thankless jobs. I won’t go through the list, but suffice it to say… sometimes you need to do what you like doing and hope that one day you can make a living at it.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Sky & City Aerial Media story. Tell us more about the business.
Sky & City is an aerial media company. What that means is we put cameras in the sky. We are capable of shooting high resolution media from high places. This includes high altitude by plane, and lower, harder to access locations by state-of-the-art drones.
What sets us apart is our background in production. I am an experienced editor as well as a producer and videographer with close to 20 years’ experience. We are capable of making cutting edge, high quality productions from the ground up (literally). We also are FAA cleared and licensed for commercial operation- which many people don’t realize you need to do any commercial shoots from the sky.
What I’m most proud of is having educated myself on so much to get this company running. Shooting with drones in particular is a rapidly changing field. There’s a lot more that goes into it than people realize. I’m proud that I’ve managed to stay at the cutting edge of this field. I’m also proud of a lot of the footage we’ve captured and having been able to provide this service to grateful clients.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The most common metaphor used when describing shooting with drones is that of the Wild West. This is brand new territory with a lot of promises ahead. The technology is improving so quickly that the FAA can barely keep up regulating the use of drones. Everyone is on their toes and innovators are chomping at the bit. The public is also a little wary of these flying devices- and understandably so. No one likes a drone buzzing in front of their sunset. Shooting with drones is quickly becoming safer, easier and cheaper. The creative minds out there will always find ways to take advantage of these advances. I intend to be right there. And who knows, maybe I find a niche in some future type of drone tech.
Contact Info:
- Address: 12653 Osborne Street
Pacoima CA 91331 - Website: www.sky-and-city.com
- Phone: 818-897-0596
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @skyandcity
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/skyandcitylimits
- Twitter: @skyandcity
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sky-and-city-drone-media-los-angeles
Image Credit:
Mareesa Stertz for profile photo
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