Broke Boyz From Fresno
Hey everyone it's Martin from the Broke Boyz From Fresno Podcast, my goal here is to entertain, inspire, and uplift our community. I'm all about keeping it real, sharing my daily struggles, and motivating others who might be going through the same. Join me as we navigates life’s challenges, supports one another, and builds a stronger, more connected community together.
Broke Boyz From Fresno
From Prophecy To Production: Fyrfilms On Creativity, Community, And Grit
We trace Fyrfilms’ path from a teen prophecy and a rough upbringing to directing city-defining visuals, leading media at Taco Truck Throwdown, and turning Fresno into a living storyboard. Along the way we break down gear myths, fair pay, and how anxiety becomes a tool for focus and momentum.
• putting Fresno in a new creative light
• chance meeting to directing Taco Truck Throwdown media
• vision, team-building, and executing under pressure
• origin story of Fyrfilms and the 28-year decision
• immigration, struggle, faith, and discipline
• practical systems for anxiety and workflow
• lighting over gear and the Fire Lab setup
• backstage lessons from working with Pitbull
• self-expectations, daily reps, and craft standards
• collaboration vs ego in Fresno’s creator scene
• fair rates and sustainability for videographers
• event safety, communication, and avoiding blame
Please check out Luis @Fyrfilms on Instagram and support local creators
Follow us @ brokeboyz_ff on Instagram and TikTok
Intro Music by Rockstar Turtle- Broke Boyz (999)
Christmas Intro Song by Nico
Welcome back, guys. So this is the second episode of the three-part series. So today we are here with the one, the only fire films.
SPEAKER_01:What is going on, guys?
SPEAKER_04:Dude, firefilms. I didn't think we'd actually make it to this scene. Like I didn't expect to actually interview this guy. Matter of fact, I've never actually met you, but I've always seen your content on Instagram. I think the biggest one that I saw was uh Hot Girl Halloween. When I saw that, I was like, bro, this dude's cooking. This is crazy.
SPEAKER_05:One of my favorites that I will say that I've seen was the cinematic uh New York trip that you were in the train station. That's my favorite.
SPEAKER_01:You know what's crazy? That's actually, uh, I would have to say, uh, I should have edited it better or done better with it, but that's my favorite video, bro. Yeah. Because like I every time that I watch it, it's like I go back into that. It was it was such a um uh learning experience for me, that that trip and such a fun experience that I I just uh every time that I watch that video, it brings me back to that moment, you know. It's really good, bro. You know, before we get started, I want to thank uh uh both of you guys for for first of all giving the platform for Fresno to be able to uh you know, people tell their their their truth and and to be uh a great platform uh here here in our great city. And thank you guys for thank you guys so much for having us, bro. I've you know, in in the short time that I've you know met you guys, uh you guys have been amazing, man. Like that that's exactly the the what I um uh exactly the people that should be pushing Fresno forward. So thank you guys a lot.
SPEAKER_05:Well it means a lot, and I will say that it it is an honor to have you on here, and it's uh it's a pleasure to have all you guys and and to talk and to network with you guys and and conversate and talk about ridiculous stories like to connect with you guys, it's a it's a next level, and it's my honor and my privilege to have you on, right?
SPEAKER_01:And thank you guys, and and it means a lot, it it really does. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_04:And also to speak on that, also like I think that showcasing Fresno, I think the visual aspect of it is important too. So thank you for you know going to these events and and being able to give people a visual representation of what they may have missed out on, or being like, hey, I was over at that event, that was crazy. Like I didn't, oh I'm on camera, look at this dude's video type. I think it means a lot to everyone to have a videographer uh such as you, where even though you're still learning, you're still capturing these beautiful moments and turning it into something that someone can remember for the rest of their lives. I think it's amazing, man. Thank you, thank you. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01:I felt like the the city definitely needed to be put under like a different light, like it needed something um uh you know and it needed in Fresno, we like to make fun of ourselves because we know how we are, right? We like to jump around, we like to, we're we're we're fun people, you know? Yeah, but I felt like the city always also needed like a um that that spotlight of of creativity and and love, you know, like okay, like what makes us special? Right I I felt like that's uh I tried my best to try to try to showcase that.
SPEAKER_04:Right. And you're doing a great job at it, man. I'm actually jealous because being a videographer, doing things with like cars and stuff like that, seeing your cinematography, I'm like, dude, this is sick. Like it inspires me to do better my editing skills and upgrade my equipment because after seeing the equipment that you had, I was like, bro, this is next level. I haven't worked around anybody who's been on that level, so it's just like it's a lot, man. I love the backpack.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you.
SPEAKER_04:The backpack is the backpack, yeah. I love the backpack.
SPEAKER_01:I love the backpack too coming from the the the cheapest$30,$40 Amazon bag, bro. That that's uh that backpack right there, yeah.
SPEAKER_05:Heck yeah. So I want to I want to dive into uh Firefilms before we dive into your story. I definitely want to ask you, like, Taco Throwdown. That was amazing. Like, how did that opportunity come to you guys?
SPEAKER_01:So it was uh a little bit by accident, but uh basically Mikey was um he had invited Derek, uh the the president from Chichancy uh onto the Grizzly Talk podcast. And uh I I remember thinking like uh he he asked me, he said like um you don't have to come if you don't have to, if you don't uh if you can't. Right. But um I was like, man, since it's at such a big podcast, I want to make sure that everything's right, you know? And obviously once I got there, um obviously when you're in a podcast and when when you're around such great energies, like like how we are today, yeah, uh you know, you're gonna have every conversation that's gonna be had. Yeah so obviously like we went deep into like uh well um like uh remembering last year's Taco Truck Throwdown, I practically edited most of it. Uh um and I asked them like who's running media this year. Yeah and they didn't have anybody, so that's where I stepped in and I was able to um obviously direct the the media team for this year to to be able to provide the the the taco truck throwdown recap for this year.
SPEAKER_05:Man, so how was that feeling?
SPEAKER_01:Amazing, amazing. I think that uh I'd done a lot of events, but this one for some reason it felt the most natural, it felt the most uh because I was able to um uh and we'll dive into things deeper, but um I always seen myself more as a director rather than a camera person. Right. And so for me to be able to put a vision out in real life was and then now being able to have the the technical ability to be able to say, like, okay, I want to put this together. How do how uh like this is I know what I need, I just gotta execute it. Yeah, uh it was it was incre an incredible feeling because it was like uh especially with Mia Mia, Mia May, shout out to her. Shout out to she um I had I had I had that in mind that that first intro. Yeah, I was like, how can uh how can I how can I make that happen? Hit up a few people, and she was kind of a little bit harder to get a hold of. So I was like, oh man, like typically I can get a hold of anybody in Fresno but what they call, you know? And with her, it's like I had to reach out to a few people, we made it happen. I got the car in, got her, shout out to Sam, uh shout out to Boss Life for they brought a uh a retro boom box that was from the actual 80s, how how we wanted.
SPEAKER_05:And and I saw that clip, man, and that that clip was amazing. Thank you, thank you. It was well done.
SPEAKER_01:And I felt like that that uh that sort of um that vision I had in my mind that I didn't want to let it go. And like I thought that it wasn't gonna be able to happen because it was on uh so uh such a shorter notice. But like thankfully everything got to be able to, you know, get together and be able to do that. And then uh the next thing after was getting the the media team together. And I went after the people that I thought could bring it to life, the and some of the best, you know. Shout out, shout out to all of them, you know. Because uh every one of them, they were they were down as soon as uh as soon as I as soon as I told them they they they were all super responsive and everybody wanted to do it. So I was I was really, really happy that like we got everybody in, you know?
SPEAKER_04:Heck yeah. I got a question. So what made you what was the first initial thought of like getting into videography? I know you said you initially wanted to be a director, but what made you start Firefilms?
SPEAKER_01:So that's a really important question because like you can get the short answer, you can get the long answer.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, let's go with the long one.
SPEAKER_01:The long one? Yeah, the very long one is um, so this is the the this is the the story that I that I've been wanting to tell for for a long time. So again, thank you guys for giving me the platform to do so. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_05:Everybody strap on. Oh god, put that C button on.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, but basically the the the real and true story is that um it goes all the way back to when I was 16. And um basically there's this special person that that told our family a lot of prophecies that actually became true. Right. And um around that time I was going through uh a really difficult time in life, you know. Like I mean, I always had really great moments and throughout all my life and um a lot of struggles, you know. Right. Uh I've I've always told people I have lived a very long life, you know, an experienced life. And when I was 16, I was already um kind of in a different mentality, you know? Right. And my uh me and my mom were just having a casual conversation, and she basically tells me um that this person I had told her uh that had already predicted some stuff that became true.
SPEAKER_04:Right.
SPEAKER_01:Uh I asked her, like, did she say anything about me? And she said, when you're 28, there's gonna be a decision that you make that's gonna make you into an important person.
SPEAKER_04:Right.
SPEAKER_01:And for some reason that always stuck with me. And I've always like throughout my life, I um, you know, I always thought about it like, you know, like man, like I I gotta work up to something. I gotta be I gotta um I know that I have that potential to to do something. Right. So I gotta put the work ethic behind it. And and so that's why I've always had the that work ethic, you know. Right. And and sure enough, like when I was 27, um, I felt like I was already accomplished. Right. I um, you know, uh just to give you a quick breakdown, like, you know, I I obviously I didn't have any real family support. So I really got it on my own, like uh like a you know, like true hustler, you know. And I was able to purchase uh, you know, real estate at a very um young age. Uh I always thought if I ever made it, I'm gonna buy uh a luxury car cash. And I I gotta I got a razor, which I have a funny funny story about that, um, how that went about. Um and you know, I did I lived uh a young man's dream. Yeah like everything that a man would want to do at a young age, I did. So I thought like maybe that's that's it, you know, like everything everything came true.
SPEAKER_04:Right.
SPEAKER_01:That that's that's good. So I I thought like I'm gonna make a video about that. Right. I'm gonna make a video about how the prophecy became true. And so I made the first I made the first video right before uh six months before I turned 28. And so that's the the evidence of of the of the prophecy becoming real because then once I once I got into that video uh and making that, I I really fell in love with the the the the the process of of creation and being able to bring something to life. And and so for me, uh at that moment I knew this is this is it. Right. This is this is what I meant to do. Right. Uh and from there it's just been uh a ride, a roller coaster. Right. And thanks to um thanks to uh especially the Great Top Podcast and Mikey and David Um and obviously other people that that that believed in me from when I I started what um showing that video to people, right? And I was like, hey, look, like I'm starting to get into video production. Um I didn't even start the page fire films when I made that video.
SPEAKER_04:Right, man. Right.
SPEAKER_01:Um and right before, right, right when it was done, uh I had created the page and I thought it was just gonna be like a creative hub for me to be able to um express myself artistically um and visually, you know, right and just just put out my um because I like as I told you guys before this, like I have uh I'm very of a um uh visual dream, a daydreaming person, you know. I I live a lot in my imagination and that's where my creativity comes from.
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_01:From being um uh in a lot a lot in that mind state, you know, just living out in my my own daydream. Uh and basically uh from from all the support, like I started showing people some of the stuff that I was doing, and everybody really pushed me to to make sure that that that that um you know to be like, hey, let's do this, hey, let's do that. And then um, because I again I wanted to be just a creative hub for me alone. Right. But people really were like, Leon, let's collab, let's do this, let's do that, and we just ran and we've been running since, you know.
SPEAKER_04:Man, so so everybody saw something in you that you may not have even seen in yourself. Like you you saw the creative hub, you're like, yo, I want to do this for myself, like I want to showcase my lifestyle, but then it ended up turning into something completely different. And I mean the outcome of it all is crazy. Because now you're showcasing yourself, but also some of the biggest figures in Fresno, some of the biggest figures across the country. Um and I think it's beautiful because who knew that you would get to a position of of creativity? Who knew you would get to a position of being like, I mean, yeah, I wanted to do it for myself, but here's what else I can do. And it kind of turns into something bigger than you could have imagined.
SPEAKER_05:Like you said, you're fulfilling the prophecy. Yeah, yeah. And it's big and it's incredible, and and you deserve every ounce of success because your content is absolutely next level. It is incredible. Um, and seeing the way that you are and seeing the person that you are, it's it's insane. So I want to get a little bit away from Firefilms right now, and I want to talk to more about your personal life. How was your upbringing?
SPEAKER_01:Uh so again, you can get the short version or get the long version. The long version is um uh I am not from this country. I'm actually, I was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and I like I lived out there for until I was um in first or second grade. And so, you know, throughout all my life, I've been um there's been uh um my life's always been multi-layered and complex. It's just never been like uh a stable thing, you know?
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_01:Um and basically um I came into this country around that age, and I had my first uphill battle was learning English and and being part of society. Um people don't really understand how how difficult that is for for a newcomer, you know? Right.
SPEAKER_05:Uh because it's it's it's hard, but USL learner and all.
SPEAKER_01:Like, I mean you would you would only think like um for most people you ask them about the elementary experience, it's pretty straightforward, right? Friends uh and all that. And for me it was like yeah, for me it was just a different experience, you know. But at the same time, I was um um, you know, I I was uh I always loved soccer. And I I I played for a traveling team for many, many years, and I had many great friends. Right. And I always grew up outside, man. I'm one of those last uh generations that actually got to experience living outside, even in Mexico. Like I remember uh being outside all the time, having friends outside, you know, and doing things outside. Uh and even growing up, uh around my elementary experience, I um I was living in in apartments. So man, we were we were doing the craziest things in apartments, you know. So uh if anybody that lives uh in that lifestyle, they know what I'm talking about, you know, like going to everybody's houses and several truth activities. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So shout out shout out to um all those friends that I had back in those days because they um they really made growing uh people would think that this that some of the struggle is like struggling or being that sort of life is is it's negative, but it uh it was uh such an amazing like life work for a kid, you know?
SPEAKER_05:Like yeah, and then when you're a kid, you don't really necessarily see it as like, oh I'm struggling. Right.
SPEAKER_01:We were fighting, we I remember playing cards uh to to get the last pizza, man. Like so that that you know what I mean? Like you go through stuff, stuff like that is funny. Or like I remember like one time we went on uh to the movie theater, and like since uh a lot of us didn't have um the funds to be able to do stuff like that, like I remember hopping on a Honda and it was like eight of us, right? Just stuff in that little car and just you know going out there and you know uh it makes it that much more fun, you know? Yeah, um, so beauty to the struggle, you know. Oh you know, and again, we're going back to my personal life. Well, growing up from that, and again, like the again, there's a lot of contrast, you know, because it there was just like things going on at home, uh you know, um from going to that to, you know, I am a runaway kid. Like I did run away from from uh living with my dad, um, you know, seeing a lot of like abuse at home, stuff stuff like that, you know. Uh again, trying to learn English and fitting fitting in with society too in high school being like kind of like the cool kid too, you know, because I that that was another one of my highs. Uh in high school, my first two years were I I didn't I didn't care about and oh another thing I didn't mention, I should have mentioned from the beginning was that my my parents uh since fourth grade, they always realize and I appreciate them for that a lot. They realized my potential and and the fact that I was responsible from that age, so they always let me do whatever I wanted without a consequence. They didn't care about where I was or whatever I had to do because they they they always knew like uh now he's good, you know, like wherever he's doing, uh we know that he'll tell the truth and that he's good, you know. Yeah, he's well off, he'll figure it out. Yeah, he'll figure it out. Uh and so obviously I had to go through my own trials and tribulations, and that comes with a lot of responsibilities, you know? Yeah. But I mean, throughout high school, again, I went through I went through, you know, being with a lot of women and and partying and having that good lifestyle to um that becoming a real a real problem because then I got into um drug abuse, uh learning how to maneuver that, anxiety, depression, and uh coming to re the realization that that uh um a lot of things were wrong with my life. And uh at a at at the age of 17, I was I'm just having that struggle of like, okay, well, this is an ab I'm coming close to an abyss and I gotta make it I have to do something to make it out because like uh life life is not like the way things were going or they were gonna crash. And once you crash, you crash the condition you can't go back. And so uh at 17 I I had made the decision that like I was gonna try everything that I could to make my life uh better. And I I went through uh a lot, you know, from you know, cutting off um uh people, um drugs, alcoholism, women, uh even family members to make sure that I succeeded in in anything that I had to do, you know. And uh I remember my senior year, it was like uh I asked the con the counselor, like, how can I graduate high school? And they were like, uh if I tell you you're not gonna do it. And I told her I will. And she believed in me and she said, Okay, I'm I'm gonna lay out the plan, but like, let's make it happen. And she did that for me and we made it happen. And right after that I got into college, went to technical school, and within within a year and a half my my whole life changed, you know? Yeah. And it was a a real tough process because I had to go through um uh obviously becoming a different person from what I was accustomed to. Uh and uh you know, I I isolating myself from er anything and everything. So that was that was hard. You know, it was really tough on my on my on my mentality, but and even on physically too, because like like I was telling you earlier, like uh I was working full time when I was going to high school and college. So I would go to work, sleep two, three hours. Go to school. And that shit would be like the thing for like the whole week weeks and went for on for more than a year. So you know, you don't come out the same as that.
SPEAKER_04:No.
SPEAKER_01:And then I went from obviously that to um um obviously once I got into my career my uh I was working since I was working the whole time, I was responsible for myself and I always thought like of uh mm I didn't believe in God when I was a teenager because of a lot of the stuff that I had seen, you know? Yeah uh but I found my way to God once I became once I had stability and I had um seen a little bit of the of the better in life because I I always thought like I can't I felt like I couldn't find the meaning to life. But then once I got my life on straight, I was like, man, I still I'm still missing something, and it was that purpose, that meaning, you know? And so coming closer to God is what got me there. And um I don't know where I was going with that. Um but basically um I always I always thought of God as perfection and truth, right? So I always try to follow that. So in my early career, I uh I followed God and I always thought of how can I become my best self in every shape, way, or form. So obviously, like following God, like I was able to to um learn how to do many different things and invest and put my life in in the proper things. So by the by the time I was 20, 21, I already had my whole my whole life set, you know, to where like I was able to buy property at a young age and um and and obviously like buy different cars and and not worry about money. Like, you know, like in fact like it became such a such a thing that it became I went through another stage of of partying when I was in my mid-20s, you know, and and being destructive, but in a in a in a in a way to get it out of me, you know, instead of like just doing it just because. And uh it it went pretty wild. But but at least I got it to where now it's like I could be comfortable being an uh like even now, like just being an old uh a boring man and you know, just uh just enjoying life a day at a time. And that that's uh kind of like yeah, just an overlook of of how everything's gone.
SPEAKER_05:Right. Man, yeah, it's hard, and I relate in it in a in a lot of aspects. There's a lot of stuff that I don't talk about that that I understand um in in a lot of ways of how it gets hard and how you have to navigate through life, and you going through all those things, it it gives you this mentality, this mindset of like you can't fucking break me. Yeah I am so uh driven and so eager to success that I'm gonna continue going. And it doesn't matter who's in the way, it doesn't matter what's in the way, I'm gonna figure it out, I'm gonna make it out because you already dealt with it. Like I when you talk about working and then going to school and then trying to figure that out, I know what that's like because it's so hard that you have to navigate through life and then you still have to do this, and you still have to present yourself and you still have to do X, Y, and Z. And then, you know, you need to you you find your purpose real fucking quick and you find your reason why you want to succeed. And you find it.
SPEAKER_01:I always tell people like, brother, the the worst already happened.
SPEAKER_05:Like, yeah, yeah, like what else is gonna happen? And that's uh it's amazing to have that mentality, bro. And uh a lot of people don't have that and they get that very later on. Um, so you know, it shows the amount of pressure and the amount of things that you've accomplished shows and it reflects in your work and your worth ethics.
SPEAKER_01:Well, thank you, thank you, thank you for that.
SPEAKER_04:I think it's even crazier because I feel like with uh growing up in an environment like that, giving up is so easy. Giving up and just throwing in a towel is so easy. But that's what sets you apart from the people that doubt themselves and doubt you and say, oh, you're you're not gonna amount to anything, or oh you you can't do that, it's not feasible. You prove them wrong without actually saying anything. Yeah, you prove yourself right, you know, your your inner child who probably didn't even anticipate seeing you be this way, you know, being all these accomplishments that you've achieved. I mean, what do you think your your younger self would say to you if they met you right now? Seeing all the accomplishments that you've made.
SPEAKER_01:I would have been like, that's not the same person. Like what like what what happened? Like uh my first question would would be like I I don't even know, man. Like, like, like if I if my younger self was to look at my old person, like I really want to give some thought into that. So I would say like tell me the worst and tell me the best.
SPEAKER_04:I mean honestly, I think it's uh I think it's uh a beauty because your younger self would be in shock would be in shock because it's always just like well always pictured you, I always pictured myself to be this when I grow up, but then it's just like you actually became it. It's like whoa, yeah. And sometimes it's something you couldn't have anticipated. Do you think that um do you think that your younger self would be more excited, or do you think they would be like more afraid of featured? Excited, excited. Super excited.
SPEAKER_01:Because I would have been like, okay, so it's not just in my thoughts, yeah. It's uh it's gonna become a reality. So a much better, uh, uh, much easier way to go about life because now I could, I could um, instead of um, I'd done a lot of worrying, uh had a lot of negative feelings in my life uh in internally. So I could avoid all of that. Instead of always worrying, worrying, worrying, I could have been more on okay, like who cares if uh if I think things might go bad, uh let's just focus on the goal and enjoying the the ride there instead of like if it's gonna go good or not.
SPEAKER_04:Right. Does that make sense that makes sense? Because even then at the same time, I still do that. Yeah, I still think about the negatives, I still think about okay, but well, like what if what if this doesn't work? What if that doesn't work? And I think it's a human uh instinct instinct, and it's natural to have those thoughts, but to be able to control it and to be able to kind of like psych yourself out of that mindset and just remember I gotta reach that goal by any means necessary. I think that's the best uh the best mentality you can have, honestly.
SPEAKER_01:I always tell people depression, really bad. Yes, uh, try your best to um find God or find a way um out of that. Right. Anxiety, as bad as it as it is, it's also very helpful because it's your mechanism to to alerting you that there's something going on. Right. And then maybe you have to follow that. And I've used it a lot in my favor, you know.
SPEAKER_04:Using anxiety as a tool to get up and go rather than it's being like a suffering ability. Yeah, I think that's that's actually a good perception I have.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, uh to this day. I'm like sometimes when I'm feeling anxious, I'm like, okay, like like I get mad at myself a lot because I'm like, uh, you have to deal with it right now. So I um if you go to my room, people make fun of me because I have a full table, probably bigger than that, full of papers. I write everything down that I'm everything that's in my head, or or anything that I have to do. Right. So, and then sometimes if I'm feeling anxious, like, okay, what do I have to do? I'm gonna write it all down. Uh categorize it and what needs to be, what's priority, what's not. Right. And and that's it. No more anxiety.
SPEAKER_04:I'm gonna be honest with you, bro. That is that's something I haven't heard of before, but I wish I did. Because I used to journal, like, believe it or not, I used to journal a lot. And I stopped. And I think a lot of it is the reason why I get so anxious now, and it's hard to shake that feeling because it's just like I don't have anything to pour it into. I don't have anything to write, I I don't write into my journal. I don't journal anything.
SPEAKER_01:After this, bro, uh well, let's talk about it, bro. And uh I'll help you with the with the guide of of how to maybe, you know, yeah, your your your how to say your life, you know. Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_04:And I think that's needed, bro, because uh I've lived the lifestyle of winging it. I've lived the lifestyle of okay, I don't know how I'm gonna make it happen, but I'm gonna make it happen.
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_04:And sometimes you can avoid making those mistakes by writing it out and being like, well, wait a minute, that doesn't make sense. It's missing something. To visually see it, it doesn't make sense sometimes. But in your head, it makes sense. I think that it's good to be able to notate things and write it down because it it's a it's a different kind of aid. Um sometimes even having a person to be able to explain those thoughts and goals to so that way you can take those further steps is so super important because then you know what steps are necessary to take, what steps are unnecessary to take, and how you can uh go the right route to reach your goals. So absolutely, I would appreciate that.
SPEAKER_01:No, not a problem. And I think it's super one of the most critical things that um I would say also has helped my business grow to where it's at now, doing exactly that. Right. Because now it's it sometimes I wake up in the morning and I'm very anxious about uh everything that has to be done. Right. And then but then again, I go into writing everything I have down, and I'm like, bro, you ain't really ain't got shit to do. Yeah, exactly. Like knock out the most important stuff, and then go from there. And then that, bro, that's been my my my my relief, you know? Heck yeah. And it's like you're just people a lot people need to realize that they're in their head a lot, and you need to get out of your head, and that's been my way. And that's that's been my uh my my little secret to you know helping myself. Yeah, I gotta do that. Because I'm uh like I said, like uh my um maybe I'm going in a different direction with this, but like that's where my creativity comes from, from from again being in my in that um daydream, imaginative state. Right. So for me to I can't sometimes I can't think technically, you know? Right. Even though what what's funny is that I actually um my career before this was being a technician. Uh so I'm very technical too, but like in my head, like I don't like being like that, you know. So like being able to write it down is much far more easier for me.
SPEAKER_04:Right, right, right. Yeah, I'm hoping one day I can actually get to that point. I actually grew up, I was a little bit of a writer, I was good at English, I loved poetry. So it's not hard for me to express my feelings and express um what I'm feeling at the time in writing. I think a lot of it is just organization. The kind of person I'm like, why am I gonna waste time on organizing? I'm gonna just do that shit right now and figure it out as I go. But there's always a different way to reach the same goal, and I think that's where that comes in. Just trying different things out.
SPEAKER_01:You and you'll learn quickly, like sometimes like I became with with my business, I became so um efficient that doing that actually became inefficient. So and then once I steer off, then I go back to it.
SPEAKER_04:Right, but right, it's a tool, yeah. Yes, dang, that's impressive, man.
unknown:Wow.
SPEAKER_01:I'm starting to wonder, like you guys were gonna go deep into.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, yeah, there's so much, there's so much, so many questions that I have right now, bro.
SPEAKER_01:Like, and then we could talk for probably an hour or two on every little thing, you know? Yeah, yeah. Because even with just yeah, just anything, you know.
SPEAKER_04:So, what my main thing is is what got you into the equipment that you got? What inspired you to get the setup that you have? Was it just deep research?
SPEAKER_01:Was it just no thought into it? Uh actually being completely honest, um, I just again I never thought of being a cameraman, so I had no association of what's good for video or or any of that. Like I really never. So, but so when we started the podcast, the first thing we realized is that um you need a video camera to do podcasts. You can't you um uh if you record uh the camera that I had um only would record up to 29 minutes because of the um the I don't know if you guys know why they do that. Do you guys know? No, so it's uh it's a legal thing. Basically, if if it if it goes over 30 minutes, it becomes a video camcorder. So they have to pay extra taxes for that. So that's why they make cameras to stop at a certain time. Right. So um basically uh Mikey got uh got the camera that I have. Uh and as an editor, I was like, uh well, I don't want uh we're gonna do two angles. I don't I didn't want it to look different, so I just got the same camera. And I've been I've been rocking with Sony since Sony. Yeah, I became a Sony guy, and then obviously uh this um I have many different setups. I'm always switching stuff around to make it interesting or to see what I like and what I don't like. Right. Um but definitely like um some of the like I want to get much better with the gimbal. Uh but it's been uh my gimbal's it sucks. I bought it used and I know don't buy nothing used, man. That thing's been a pain since the beginning. Um but I you know I I always switch my setups just to see what different results I get, and you know, I like handheld better.
SPEAKER_05:Right, right, right. I I like the the one that you have when you do when you're sitting at your desk and then you have the panel uh the portrait portrait uh visuals and you're talking about experiences and stuff like that. Oh, what type of camera is that?
SPEAKER_01:That's that one.
SPEAKER_05:It's that one, yeah. Oh, that's the time.
SPEAKER_01:Just the Sony.
SPEAKER_05:That's so cool. So you use that literally for everything then. Everything. That's so cool.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, a lot of people tell me that. They do they they they uh they like when I do those sort of uh yeah, because it looks different.
SPEAKER_05:I know that this one looks the quality looks great, but when you do that one, it's just like it's a different it's uh is it a different lens that you use?
SPEAKER_01:No, this is the secret to all video. It's uh lighting. Lighting, okay. Uh my my uh the call it I call it uh the fire lab. But it's my uh my my room. It's a 12 by 12 uh main my my my main bedroom and in in the house. I I turned that into my little uh my office, and uh obviously it's a controlled environment, so I can control the light any anyhow. So that's right. I could I could probably even use my iPhone and get the same result. It's just lighting.
SPEAKER_04:Wow. God, so cool. Dang. So my main question was is were you nervous walking into your first event filming with that? Because I I mean people see you with a big camera and they're just like, oh, this man means business.
SPEAKER_01:Like, what is I was nervous for the first 10 minutes, so I uh I'll be honest, I took uh it was Hoggir Halloween, the the one from last year. Right. Uh I took three shots, man, back to back to back, and I was like, all right, like I'm done.
SPEAKER_04:Listen up real quick and handle it. I'm not gonna lie, that's actually very impressive. When we went to Dog Days, I was like, even now, if you ask me to get a DJI and record, I'm still nervous. That anxiety is still there. And I think a lot of it is because I mean, yeah, you can edit it later on down the road, you can trim things out, but I think it's just the nervousness of being on camera, being afraid to mess up what you're gonna say, not filming it correctly, having to reshoot it, and the entire process alone is just very stressful. But I mean, going to a huge event like Hot Girl Halloween, you're getting those crazy shots. You you're recording some of the craziest angles and being allowed to be backstage and being up and close and personal with these artists. Like, you do you ever get overwhelmed doing that sometimes?
SPEAKER_01:I I used to, but now it's becoming uh uh more of a very uh of a natural thing. So I always get I always get nervous like as soon be right before it starts, but then as soon as it starts, it's like um it's like to me uh recording especially events is like uh like a performance every time. Every time it's like a performance, and um some people like it, some people don't. But I've been um I was in sports. So uh for me, I I I understand it's game time.
SPEAKER_05:It's game time.
SPEAKER_01:So it's just like on in. And and so when I go out and shoot, um again, like what I love about like I like I told you guys, I I never meant to be a camera person. I I never seen myself really doing that. Uh but I've learned to love it because um uh I mean I always loved the creative process, the editing and making video, but not so much the camera because at first I sucked with the camera, you know. So it was more of a tough experience than me than anything. But now I I learned to love it because I can live in that in that dream state uh when I'm shooting. Uh I could just let my imagination do what it wants. So sometimes when I'm when I'm recording, people will see me like looking around and just like like like they just walked in and they're like, what is he doing? And then I get a shot and they look at it and they're like, how the how the how did you see that? Like then like bro, it's just like I'm inspired by by what's the visuals of of life, not you know, right? You know, that's just or like when when I do like the MMA fights, same thing. It's like but we had like 12, 13 different videographers, and like we finally found the one that we needed, you know? Right and I was like, well, I mean, it's not really me, it's just like man, there's beautiful um gyms, there's there's people that do great things, so it's just I'm just showing it, you know?
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, yeah. Well, there's something in you obviously that is superior to those that are around you, and not to put anybody else around you down, but letting that creativity flow, letting letting your passion really flow within you and putting it out into videography and photography, like it shows. It shows when it's authentic and it shows when you're just hired to do a photo shoot, you're just hired to do a video shoot, the effort, the the hard work behind it all. So, I mean, it's clear to see. And if anybody watching this has not checked out Firefilms, please check him out on Instagram. He's got some of the best videography and photo uh photography out there on Instagram right now here in the Central Valley. Me personally, like I said, I'm very inspired by this guy.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, thank you, and cheers to that. I give you a picture right at the right time. Martin? Thank you guys. We're good, we're good.
SPEAKER_04:No, seriously, I think he's gonna be like, you're pressure. I got mine, I got mine, right straight. He's giving you a look like that.
SPEAKER_01:I might just I might just do like a taste test on this. I got one right here.
unknown:I'm not angry.
SPEAKER_04:I'm just I was gonna say, ain't no way I finished mine already. No, I got mine right here. Restray, we straight.
SPEAKER_01:Uh guys, any uh questions that you guys have for me?
SPEAKER_05:Yes. So my one of my questions was how was it like working with Pitbull?
SPEAKER_01:Oh, incredible. See, like there's a lot of uh mini side quests that we can go in together.
SPEAKER_05:Because like, man, that was that was big. Boots in the park. Like oh my god.
SPEAKER_01:Well, actually, I was working backstage as a um as an uh for artist relations, basically um helping out our artists with any uh with anything that they need, you know. Uh thanks to my to my friend Paige, shout out to her. Um, but but it was it was amazing to have that pivot experience because like I I didn't realize what was gonna happen that day. They don't really tell you anything, you know. But what what ended up happening was as soon as I got there, they were like, Hey, you have a something very important to do today, right? You're only your job is to be there at this time uh and make it back. Uh and these are your times, and that's the only thing we need you to do today. Right. Like for a good 12 hours, I only had like literally to drive somewhere and back, and that's it. Wow. Um, and I was like, cool, cool with me. Easy, easy, easy, good money. So sure enough, I go, I go to um, as soon as the time comes, I I get one of the one of the luxury SUVs. I drive to um to this um a signature uh airport, and I was like, man, who's pulling up in a uh in in an airport like that with private jets? And it has to be so important, it can't be just anybody. Right. And as soon as I walk into the into that airport, uh everybody in the in that office has those bald caps. And so I was like, Oh my god, it's Pitbull. Pippo Mr. Mr. Worldwide is gonna is gonna show up here and uh I'm gonna be the one that that's gonna pick 'em up and and Take them to boots in the park. And uh it was an an incredible experience. Everybody was like having such a great time. Uh and and it was like uh everything was like a movie because like uh we were just waiting on the on a private jet. Uh I mean um they're waiting for a private jet to come. And uh as soon as it was gonna land, they were like, they're gonna be here in exactly like 45 seconds. Uh and we all rushed outside and we were all ready. And as soon as his his jet pulled up, uh we we had to drive right next to the door of it. So that was weird driving to uh to uh to a jet. And so he got they all got down, he had a he had a whole team. Um and uh as soon as I saw him, I was like, hey, I hope uh that that your that your flight was good, and if you you guys, if you guys need anything, please let us let us let us know that way we could you know assist you with anything. And um everybody at the airport was waiting for him with a sign, and I got the picture of you know, uh he was the one that actually wanted to take a picture with them. It wasn't it wasn't the other way around, you know? And so I got to drive um uh them and his uncle, and me and his uncle had a uh a lot of a conversation. People was more like they um they were talking a lot about music and production, so they you know they're they're working all the time, right? Uh so with the but with his uncle uh they look almost alike, almost alike, and he was he was just a great guy. Like uh he would just tell me about how how crazy it is to be with an artist like that because like they I think they uh he said he gave me a crazy number, like they visited like 19 countries in like 22 days or something like that. Holy shit! Yeah, on their summer tour in Europe, and I was like, what the hell? Like, bro, like how do you guys you know yeah, how do you sleep?
SPEAKER_04:Just running off the plane, bro. Oh my god.
SPEAKER_01:And he was really genuine. He even gave me his number, and he was just really, really good people. Nice, and then obviously I got to drive them back. Uh, the only bad experience I would say is that they're super um critical with everything, so you can't even let a car pass you, or you can't go in a direction they don't want you to go without them tripping, man. Right, and so when it was time to take them back, I was like, I can't wait to get them the fuck off of the car.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, yeah. They're super critical, and the security behind it all is like very tense. I could only imagine that, bro.
SPEAKER_01:They they'll just they'll stop you and then they'll they'll ask you questions.
SPEAKER_04:They gotta make sure that his security is top priority, bro. It's Mr. Worldwide.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it's like Mr.
SPEAKER_04:President, get down, man. Mr.
SPEAKER_01:President, yeah. And then seeing them, uh seeing him perform after seeing him being a regular person, it's just wild, you know? Yeah. A lot of these artists actually that I met, even um, like a lot of them were really genuine good people, you know, and they just happen to do incredible things. Yeah, but a lot of them you'll find out that they're just people.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, and I think that's the biggest thing too.
SPEAKER_01:Like Stenergirl says, Shout out to Stena Girl. She she follows me on Instagram and uh she's texted me a few times, and she's uh really cool person, you know.
SPEAKER_04:That's so cool. I think it's it's such a thing that a lot of people don't realize, like maybe people who are in an industry to work alongside with artists, but they don't understand that these people can, these humble people are just humans that like you said, they just so happen to have a good talent to be able to sing well or be able to rap and things like that. And uh I think that people forget that a lot, and to remember, like, hey, like Vin Staples, for instance. I don't know how many times I've seen people trying to interview Vin Staples, like he's abnormal of a human, and he has to keep like realigning him and be like, bro, I'm gonna I'm a person like you too, you know what I'm saying? And uh I think that's pretty cool being able to experience a pit bull experience very close with him like that. That's that's only one lifetime opportunity. I couldn't even imagine getting 10 feet within that man. That's fucking crazy.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, dude, it was it was insane. So I'm you know, I was really excited, man. I was really excited.
SPEAKER_04:Is there anybody you would love to shoot for?
SPEAKER_01:Um I don't know. I wouldn't I I wouldn't, it's because one thing you learn quickly is that when you're shooting with top artists, yeah, there's a lot of responsibility and expectation. So if you're gonna shoot for someone, then it becomes more of like, well, then now there's a big expectation because you're shooting for that person. Right. So not really.
SPEAKER_04:I mean, with your quality of work, your expectation is definitely there. Don't undermine yourself, though. I think you could shoot for a lot of famous people.
SPEAKER_01:Well, the first expectation comes for me. So that's why that's why, and I apologize to a lot of people, but I'm I'm sometimes I'm kind of hard to work with because I'm rough around the edges because the the first expectation that comes is for me. Right. I I expect a lot from myself. So sometimes when people are um far short or or they don't have that same desire, um, you know, I'm I'm kind of like, you know, yeah, I'll make it be known. And it's sometimes it it um it causes friction, but um, but definitely um again, the first expectation is for myself. So I'm I'm I'm that hard on myself too. And I'm I'm my own biggest pain in the ass. Yeah, your biggest critic.
SPEAKER_04:And I think that's how you withhold quality, that's how you keep the quality there. Is if you're not hard on yourself about what you do, then how can you expect your your the outcome of your product to be up to par? I mean, it's the same thing with anything, it's your work ethic. If you go to work every single day just to slack off, well, the quality of your work is gonna show in it.
SPEAKER_01:And a lot of people ask me, like, how is it like like people can't believe sometimes that it's my first year? Uh and um and they ask me, like, how did how did you learn or how did you do that? Or like, uh, and I I tell them the answer that they don't want to hear. And it's like, I shoot and edit every day.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, and uh I hate I hate when you get those people. I've had people that are like that, and it's just like you tell them, like, hey, this is just do it, just shoot for the stars. Like, I didn't know what the fuck I'm doing, I don't, I'm still figuring it out. Yeah, and they don't like that. They're like, no, no, no, I want the whole like you want the cheat code the fact that it's like I can't give you that because I don't even have it. Yeah, I just know that this is what works for me, this is what I enjoy, right? And if you don't have that same mindset, then I don't know what to tell you.
SPEAKER_01:And one of the things I I love talking to creators uh like such as you guys is like you guys understand that perfectly because it's like you know what it takes to to be able to produce this, so it's like there's no work around there's there's no easy answer. It's just like if you if you want if you want you know certain stuff, it's there's just work involved, bro. Like there's nothing else, you know.
SPEAKER_04:You gotta take the time out, yeah. You gotta take the time out and do it, man. It's important because and again, the quality of your work. You put out bullshit, it's gonna show. If you put out half-assed work, it's gonna show. And I think that's the thing is that people sometimes don't put enough effort behind their passions and their creations to really reach their full um fulfillment, yeah, and they shy away from it thinking like, oh, it's just not meant for me. No, you just didn't put enough fire under your ass to really get the job done right. Exactly. You gotta make sure you know your why. Yeah, you gotta remember your why.
SPEAKER_05:Especially now, like in this generation, they want to.
SPEAKER_01:That's the um that was that's the short answer of where fire films came from. The short answer from where fire films came from is um the name fire was actually my own Instagram, fire, fire Louise. Uh and the fire came from always having that that fire fire and desire that that that that consume everything.
SPEAKER_04:Yes.
SPEAKER_01:Uh mentality, you know? Yes. So it's just not uh something that's um trivial, you know. It's it's something that's um uh you know, with me, there's surface and then there's uh we can go down to down to it, yeah, down that rabbit hole.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, absolutely. I I do have another question, is is how is it with other creators? Like you I know that there's some people, especially here in the Central Valley, that don't want to help out each other. Right. That don't do it. And there's sometimes that people they betray one one another.
SPEAKER_01:I I I uh really like that question because I I for my first year was the underdog year. Everybody loves seeing someone win or someone come up. Yeah, uh, and that's the the now the the rising issue now is that now that I made it, um people are starting to have a problem with it. Uh and it just it really sucks because like like thank you for mentioning that earlier, how you said like uh we have some influence and and for us no, you know, uh and we tried our hardest with the Gracie Talk podcast and and with people like us here uh to try to push away from from that hate or that that crab like mentality of of bringing people down or or or playing egos, you know. I don't I don't like I I I told many people I I I don't like working with egos because it's like I can't grow in that environment. I feel like uh, you know, like it's just a power play. That's more part of the reasons why I when I lost my job in March, I didn't want to go back to a job because it's like those people in that industry, it's a really good industry, but it's like those people in that industry is that's what it's all about. It's it's power plays, you know. And it's like I I I can't strive in that environment. That's not I'm I'm I'm a genuine person, so it's like I can only work with genuine people.
SPEAKER_03:Yes.
SPEAKER_01:And I I I I'm I'm not gonna settle for any any less, you know? Absolutely. Um so again, going back to that conversation, it's like yeah, the I feel like it there's a million people making their name off of um being about Fresno, but it's like then support Fresno, and I I I am Fresno. So how how are you gonna do that when you don't even want to talk to me? Right, exactly. Because and it's like I and I have never gave someone a reason not to. I've I've never stepped over people's toes, I've never done uh they can't tell you anything that I've done to to to disrespect people, you know. Exactly, yeah. And it's like and the only the the only reason why they don't want to maybe support is because they're like, oh man, maybe he might take over this, or or maybe or we don't want to give him too much of a light because we also want to shine, and it's like man, we can shine bigger together, man.
SPEAKER_05:Right, yeah, and I hate I hate when people are like that, the the mentality of like jealousy almost, yeah, almost envious. And uh, and I hate when people don't want to grow, they don't want to help out one another, and it's like, no, like I don't want to do that, no, I'm gonna do this, and then they they think you're gonna steal other people's ideas, you're gonna steal the shine, like you were just saying. Yeah, I I hate when people are like that because people don't see the bigger picture, people don't see like this is I'm pushing so much for this, but you want all this to yourself, right?
SPEAKER_01:And it's not that's not the way that we need to do things, and then it's like we that mentality has been integrated in this society uh in this local society for so long that people have to push out of the city to be able to grow, yeah. Um, which sucks because it's like why can't we build the those bridges to to to become make everything here much better to where people outside of Fresno want to come in, outside of the Central Valley want to come in to to do great things here. Yeah, why not?
SPEAKER_04:Like, you know, and that's been a conversation piece for a minute. Ever since we actually started doing the podcast, it's been that it's well, let's curate, let's make Fresno that hub spot of entertainment, the hub spot of you want to become something, you want to be someone, like this is it. This is it. Fresno's already more than half a million population. How are we not right the the the soil of you know progression? Uh places like LA, pay places like the Bay Area, I mean, they blow up because obviously the economy is better in those certain areas. People invest more into those areas.
SPEAKER_05:And people are willing to support locally more, right?
SPEAKER_04:And so it's it's sad that it has taken so long to do so, but it's amazing to see that the people that are doing it here right now are genuine and authentic and are willing to support one another without it being a money grab, without it being like a, oh, but remember, I'm on top of you type deal. It's more or less like a we're a community, let's support one another. Um, that's also a reason why we support Never Trusted. See the in and on the hat. Uh, because Never Trusted is one of those people. Never trusted has been about Fresno for Fresno. It's one of the uh many uh companies that were here curated in the city of Fresno for the people of Fresno. Um and it's just it's for the culture. It represents who we are as people. We're not just uh a small, a big little city that has nothing going on in it, and that's it. It's we are a big city that has a lot to offer, a lot of talent, uh a lot of um, a lot of diversity, yes, a lot of uh community that can bring each other together. But it just it all it takes is people like us to be able to bring that together uh and to turn this community into something big like the city of LA, the city like the barriers and stuff like that.
SPEAKER_01:Perfect you said, yeah, thank you.
SPEAKER_05:Absolutely. That's why I like I like even working with Nisha, Nisha, yeah. Thanks for us, know we're we're partnering up with her right now because we wanna we want people to be like like-minded like us of like showcasing the city and willing to be this uh this creative hub, like you guys are saying too, and culture that's gonna give you guys this hub as well. Right. Like we want, we want the we great minds think alike because we all want the same thing. Exactly. So it's like I know and I've said it from the beginning that one day that there was gonna be a a shift, an energy shift that you're gonna see more unity in the city. And I remember I told DJ this, I was just like, watch, one day we are gonna have this weird network of everybody somehow connected, everything somehow piling over. Right. Because I've always said I've always seen like Mr. Beast never left his town and look at him where he's at now. Right. I was like, that's incredible. I was like, I don't need to leave town to be that. I can be my own version, I can be myself, and I can still help everybody around us.
SPEAKER_04:You know what's even crazier about that is is Fresno is mentioned in some of the biggest film industries.
SPEAKER_05:Yes.
SPEAKER_04:I was watching Breaking Bad for the first time. I know I'm on a late train, don't shame me. They mentioned Fresno in one of the very few episodes. Enough. They mentioned Fresno in one of the very few episodes, and I was like, okay, there's one.
SPEAKER_01:There's actually videos of of of of compilations of of Fresno Fresno mentioning.
SPEAKER_04:And it's crazy because it's like people, I feel like people outside of Cali don't know where Fresno is.
SPEAKER_01:But I feel like everybody's curious about it.
SPEAKER_04:Yes. And so being at the foundation of something so great is incredible because imagine what happens in the future. Yeah. Imagine our kids and our kids' kids, like, oh, I'm from Fresno, and Fresno is some big hub spot. Maybe it's the new version of LA, maybe it's the new version of San Francisco or wherever. And now it's a hub spot of entertainment, it's a hub spot of creativity and cultivating culture. We were at the the foundation of it. Us taking the step to really showcase each other uh and different communities here in Fresno is what gave us the spotlight that we deserved. Absolutely. Um and I just I think it's incredible. I couldn't have asked to be in a better position, even though am I wrong for this?
SPEAKER_01:But I feel like uh in the last six months of 2024 and in the beginning of 2025, everybody that was involved in content creation, at least here, and doing you know, bigger things is it's what started that. Yeah. Because like like you said the other day, like now you start to see a lot of the offsprings of content creation in the valley, and you're starting to see everything just now, now it's everywhere. It's like it's spread like a Waffle, you know, where everybody's doing everything now.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, and it's uh like I like I brought it up. I I think I was talking to you last time about it, is like somehow, you know, you you you feel like you unlock a whole nother world. Yeah, because now there's so many platforms out here, there's so many podcasts now that are popping up here in Fresno, right? There's so many content creators that are big that we didn't know, and they are they are here in Fresno. Yes. It's it's weird. You get to this level and you unlock it.
SPEAKER_04:Right. And I do believe that's true. I think that in the ending of of 2024 and the beginning of 2025, I was starting to see so many more people doing content creation. I mean, whether it was inspired by those who were doing it back in 2024 or whether it was just something that people finally got it out of out of their comfort zone and said maybe you got to start something new.
SPEAKER_01:I I've always liked social media. So um I knew like of Positivity Strike, shout out to her. I'd done stuff with her, with Isaiah the comic. I knew some of those characters way before I started on social media because I always like social media. I always like the trendy stuff. I'm very good with bio stuff. Yes. Um, but I don't do bio stuff myself. Okay, yeah. So I want I I do more the creative and I don't care for virality, but but I I knew a lot about them, but I never seen really like anybody doing anybody else doing actual content, you know?
SPEAKER_04:Right, right. And I think that's where it comes out, where you like you said it it kind of unlocks something. I didn't realize that there was a lot of car content creators until I really started pushing my content in reels. And then I mean, whether I inspired people to do it or whether I just never knew people were into it like that, I think it's just beautiful to see the outcome of it is everybody as a community. Now I can outreach to him, be like, hey, let's collab, let's do some content here. Or if we ever needed to do content at a car show or anything like that, we can at least build as a community rather than it being just like competition. Yes. Um and that's one thing I really like about Fresno. Fresno is competitive, but it's a service level of comp competition. It's competitive if nothing is brought up. But once it's confronted or once it's like, hey, do you mind like collaborating? Like, is this something we can do to like try and work together? Then it's like, okay, yeah, let's come together, let's do something, and something beautiful comes out of that. I think that I feel like I appreciate that more than anything because that's what Fresno needed. It didn't need the territorial uh confrontation of like, oh nah, like I'm dominating, like, no, I don't want to work with you, X, Y, and Z. It should be more or less like a, okay, I see your portfolio, let's try and create curate something together. But even if you're doing something that I may not like, we can still create an image together that meets both, I guess you could say, requirements or reach both um uh satisfaction, right? Yeah, so I think it's amazing that as a community we are coming together to make things happen. Us coming together for the whole art hop situation after art hop had shut down, everybody was like, Well, what the hell?
SPEAKER_01:Like, and I'll take it one step further. It's like also um growing out of uh the kind of like uh what I call it, the teenager mentality is like we're not we're not kids, man. Like there's a problem, we should be able to talk about it at a minimum. You know, like oh there there has to be no egos, and again, that's something I'm dealing with now. It's just like egos is everything, egos is everything, and people just like don't even want to talk. They're just like, Oh, yeah, I just don't fuck with you because you're doing what you're doing.
SPEAKER_04:Because you're bigger than me, or I envy you, and that's the unsaid thing, too, is just don't be afraid to work with people that are maybe let's just say they got more numbers than you, or maybe let's just say the people got less numbers than you. Let's not worry about the numbers, let's worry about okay, well, what can they curate? What is it that they do? I've seen people that don't have many followers on TikTok and they're making crazy content. I'm like, yo, somebody needs to check this dude out. Like, this is crazy. Um, sometimes they don't have the supportive background that others do. You know, there's certain people that have supportive backgrounds where they've got their friends, their family, and X, Y, and Z sharing their content, but that person is really working their ass off, trying to make ends meet trying to really make something that just needs a little bit of a upkick, they don't have that supportive background. Be that for those people.
SPEAKER_01:Um one of the things that I've also hold kind of proudly is also being able to start pushing the market, um Even being influential towards our market. Yes. I paid videographers more than other people have paid videographers. And it's like, why am I the one that has to do that? Right. You know, like so I quickly realized that that was a problem where it's like, oh, well, a lot of people are not getting paid.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. That was the thing, is a lot of people are not getting paid. And that's another thing, too, is just monetary or monetizing what you do. Everybody wants money. Everybody wants to get paid for what they do. But people don't get paid for the quality of their work or the quality of their service, uh, which is something that I feel like we do need to work on. I think that it's more deserving of those who have spent the time in and out, day and out, just working and curating and perfecting what they do, they deserve to be paid out what their worth is. Regardless of people are like, oh, but I can do that too. Hey, listen, if you're not curating the same quality, we can't charge that.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:You know, I see a lot of that in the car scene. I see a lot of that in the um just in businesses. It's just like you can't charge top dollar for low quality work. That's just not fair.
SPEAKER_01:And then I mean, and it it all takes a um a conversation with between a good group of people to be able to make shifts like that and make uh especially when and since we're uh I mean we're we're probably saying on camera, but we're kind of pioneers of this space, you know, so it's like maybe we're we're maybe we need to set the the the found the foundation of content creation and how can we make a uh a proper living out of this, you know? Right, exactly. Because it's like uh one of the problems we had with the podcast was that well we have to deal with real life too, and if so we can't do this full time, yeah if um uh full time and a half, right? Yeah, and and and you know that sort of thing.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, hey, bells on the side of it. And I think a lot of it has to do with just content creation being oversaturated, but again, it's the separation of good quality and low quality. Not saying that some people just don't create good work, but at the same time the effort needs to be there. I do think that COVID made a big dent in that. I think COVID definitely like minimized the opportunity to um reach those monetary heights because of the fact that everybody was content doing content creation, and so think platforms like TikTok and Instagram had to be like, all right, we're not cashing everybody out, like we gotta and they ended up setting the the the um the totem pole, I feel like a little too high. You know what I'm saying? People who were trying to make a living doing uh content creation were kind of overlooked, like, oh well, if you're not already established with a hundred thousand followers or ten thousand followers, we're not looking at you. Yeah, um, and that's also a reason why a lot of people started falling off of it. It's hard to get that to that point. I've been doing content creation for three years now, two years now, and I just reached a thousand followers on TikTok. Is my content good? I'd say so. I can definitely improve, but I got people in my comments always talking about bro, this needs to blow up and stuff like that. But the platforms themselves have now limited content creators and people who are newly uh added onto the platform of being able to branch out and make those monetary heights. So it is a little harder. Um, it's a little sad because there's a lot of creators out there busting their ass, doing shit that I've never seen before. That I'm like, yo, this is crazy, but they don't get that benefit of the doubt, unfortunately.
SPEAKER_01:We're recording, yeah. It's recording. Um thank you so much for never uh trusted again for giving us uh a quick um shout out never trusted.
SPEAKER_05:If you guys haven't go ahead and get you guys his hats, they just dropped these hoodies that just came in literally right now. Beanies, socks, what you name it, even underwears. You could go ahead and check them out. Um so before we wrap this up, I do have one more question that I want to ask you. So we know about the controversy of what happened with Mario on stage. How does that whole thing affect what you guys do now?
SPEAKER_01:Uh basically, um I mean I'm not gonna get into a situation, you know, because we talked um there's been enough talk about it, but uh basically when you have um someone like a like a like a video person that has a problem on stage with uh with an artist in particular, um there's always gonna it's gonna bring light to uh especially videographers in space. Uh and you know, a lot of people ask questions. I mean I I talk to a lot of people who who do events and stuff like that, you know. And um, hold on, give me a second. Uh but basically um that situation brought up a question and a light on on videographers, you know, and it makes it just gives us more restrictions and and more of uh do we need like like it just brings that negative light onto it, you know? Right. Because now now people are trying to ask, well, oh man, like people before kind of didn't notice video people, they're just like, oh, they're just doing your thing, you know? They're just doing their job. Now it's like more of like uh you guys become more of a liability, yeah. Yeah, and then that's when um I mean at least the people that I talk to now that that that's it puts it in their head, like do we want to be a Fresno Fair where um where because kind of what the real people that organized events now they're looking at looking at it as like like what happened with the Fresno Fair is like an artist kicked off a video person off the stage. Are the artists even secure? Right, right. Because now it brings up that question like was it a security problem? Did somebody run up on stage? Like what happened? That's all people know. They don't know the but they don't know the actual story. Yeah, and then that's the question that people now will ask, you know. Yeah, so that that's how it it's an issue.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I get you, I get you.
SPEAKER_04:I do think that it like brings up the the conflict of interest of like, okay, well, who are we really prioritizing, the artist or the videographer? Because I mean, for the people who are hosting the venue, the videographer is supposed to help present, hey, and promote the artist, like, hey, this is what we have here at Fresno, this is what's going on at the fair, like, let's continue to do that.
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_04:Um, but I do think that it just comes down to a level an understanding of or between the venue spot, the videographers and the artists. Yeah. Make sure that there's communication on all sides. And I do think that during um you know the Fresno Fair that that was something that was discussed, but maybe it just didn't get across because of the fact that there may have been a last-minute approach from you know Mara coming on stage. Maybe there may have been like a communication between the team, but maybe it was in such a rush, like last minute of his arrival of okay, we're gonna get you on stage, just go and do what you gotta do. And maybe the message didn't get across.
SPEAKER_01:I always tell people like um if you have something great to show, you have to be able to show it. How people are gonna buy it without knowing about something. So that's where we come in.
SPEAKER_04:Exactly.
SPEAKER_01:But the problem that that arose was um the fact that um the person tried to blow it up intentionally. Yes. Well there's consequences behind blowing something like that up, which uh again now it brings out the questions of do we really need these guys to to uh to do stuff, you know? Right. And and again, like all of all business people, brand organizers, what they the question they asked themselves when they saw that was like, or and maybe even artists was like the artist that a huge event like that wasn't secured.
SPEAKER_05:Right.
SPEAKER_04:Uh like you know, it's like why not gonna be a good idea. Yeah, yeah. I do think that um going forward, I hope that there is things implemented that will help the artist and their team and the videographers uh to be able to at least collaborate again. I hope that it doesn't affect it negatively in a sense of like, oh, we're just not gonna start, you know, doing performances for bigger artists anymore. I hope that they give them the chance to, because they deserve that. And I think Fresno deserves that too, uh, being the hub of having again half a million in population or higher. Um they'll always have a successful event coming out here. But it's just a means of organization and making sure that it's communicated amongst everybody that the videographer is going to be on stage doing their thing.
SPEAKER_01:It's not, but it's not that big of an issue, to be honest. Exactly, you know, but it is um kind of like a negative light on on our industry, you know. Yeah, I think I think um we should flip that around and try to put light on on the on the better side of things, like not like the stuff that we do, you know?
SPEAKER_04:Exactly, exactly. I 100% agree.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and yeah, that's really all.
SPEAKER_05:Sweet. Well, I just want to say thank you, and I appreciate your time for for coming by and telling your story. And it's amazing, and what you guys are doing is beautiful, what you've been creating is beautiful. Don't stop, continue going. It's an honor and a privilege to see you do, and and your creative mind is just amazing, bro. So thank you.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you guys so much for for giving us the opportunity and and the platform to be able to um you know express our truth and and to have conversations, you know, to push the the the culture forward here in Fresno. So again, thank thank you guys for for your time and and for your for your efforts, you know, in putting this this great thing together.
SPEAKER_04:Of course, it takes two tango, couldn't have had it had it happen without you, man.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you, thank you guys, man. Thank you for everything. Good conversations, man. Yeah, you guys keep pushing, man. You guys are doing great things, and uh, you know, sky sky's the limit, man. You guys, you guys got it. Thank you, man.
SPEAKER_05:Likewise. Well, we love you guys. Take care. Much love. Peace. Peace.
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