Meet Maurice Salmin

 

We were lucky to catch up with Maurice Salmin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Maurice, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

“I want to work with movies” is probably a parent’s worst nightmare… hearing that from their child hahaha. Least in the 90s when I told my single parent mom those words. The evolution from that moment until now, a co-owner of my own downtown Los Angeles based Motion Picture Advertisement company “REBEL” was a journey.

From my mom buying me my first Digital 8 camera, figuring out how to edit short films on Adobe Premiere, to playing drums in a band around the world with a Power Ranger (yes, the black ranger that was in the show/movies during the 90s) to eventually editing movie trailers. Perhaps even before “movies” I thought I wanted to be an actor. Then from realizing if you directed your own projects, you can cast yourself as an actor. Then from banging on drums in front of an audience worldwide, all these experiences landed myself to where I am today. And my journey isn’t over.

Purpose? I believe what I was actually saying as a child was “I want to work in the entertainment industry.” How did I know it? Sometimes there just isn’t a full way to explain how our weird, crazy, amazing, and wild universe works.

It was a feeling inside. That I was lucky enough to feel a “calling” to step towards a direction.

Every human’s experience is different. There are many factors I’m sure that contribute to finding one’s purpose.

But what I’m sure of is that there is an unseen “calling” for each person. And how we “hear” it, or takes steps towards it, can be multiple different experiences. Which can all lead to a simple and complex question: “Does everything happen for a reason?”

I believe so…

As a child, I realized one day I did not have a father. It was decided that he’ll have no part with me from my birth. I wondered in bed, “I wish my father stayed; perhaps my life would be better!” However, I’m not sure how I was able to comprehend this at a young age. I understood that IF my wish became a reality, I wouldn’t be the MIND thinking at that moment, I would become something else. I liked what I was; therefore my conclusion in my mind out to the universe was “I’m thankful my father left me. I like what I am, and I wouldn’t change anything”.

This understanding has applied to all my life. The good, the bad, the boring, it is all part of each one’s story. It makes you YOU right now. Even reading, you are who you are because of everything you have experienced. I like and you should like what you are, and if you don’t then this experience right now is what can help you aim to what you are MEANT to become. Have no regrets, anything/everything can be a lesson if you allow it. AIM HIGH. Imagine a world, where everyone thought everything they did “mattered” (because it does) and aimed high, perhaps our world would become something MORE.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

A true Los Angeles native, my name is Maurice Salmin and I was born May 4th, 1984 (yes, I’ve heard “May the 4th be with me” many times in my life). I’ve been proudly living in downtown Los Angeles for now 12+ years. My mother is Filipina (1 of 7 siblings) with a splash of Japanese/Chinese. I’ve never met my biological father, who is Iranian. Currently 40 years old, I’m truly lucky to be a co-owner of which I believe is the first Motion Picture Advertisement company in downtown Los Angeles for a very long time (perhaps ever). With two amazing partners, Benedict Coulter and Van Maximillian Carlson, “REBEL” is nearly three years old.

We recently won all seven nominations (for work on Fast X, Super Mario Brothers Movie, GDT’s Pinocchio, and my Dad The Bounty Hunter on Netflix) for the Clios Entertainment awards show last November, and also have won three Golden Trailer Awards for our work on Barbie, Wonka, and Dune: Part 2.

My main focus as an editor is cutting pieces for projects that convince the world to watch these projects.

But I also direct any motion picture projects, including music and product videos. And I had a little taste of some commercial work. My most notable commercial was a “rocker” saying “Wow” for Doritos Cool Ranch taco for Taco Bell hahaha. And like previously mentioned, I will play drums whenever an opportunity arises.

Valentine: I grew up with an uncle who bred show-quality red-nose pitbulls and was around dogs, rottweilers, etc. my whole life. So I LOVE dogs, even more so Wolves. I wanted a wolf or a half-wolf, but the universe provided me with a Siberian Husky. She was born on Valentine’s Day. SIDENOTE: I met my ex-wife on Valentine’s Day at a singles event party in downtown. We became official the following Valentine’s Day. I got Valentine three months later. Five years later, I proposed to my ex in Paris on Valentine’s Day. So Valentine’s Day was a very special day crafted by my own choice (I didn’t want to forget special dates…). We’re divorced now (still friends) so now Valentine’s Day is simply my dog “Valentine”‘s birthday. She is a very special spirit animal, and I take her nearly everywhere with me (yes, even Prague). She is set-trained and has been in a dog food commercial, google commercial, YG music video, and more.

Wardrobe: About some years back in my downtown experience, I’ve been drawn to the color black, somewhat homeless looking, comfortable, weird, unique clothing. I only wear black, and it has been this way ever since… hahaha

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

How did I get here, being in this industry for eight years now? Three occupations: Drummer, Barista, and Video Editor

Living all over the San Fernando Valley, I went to different schools there and ended up at Cal State University of Northridge. I graduated with a BA in Film/Multimedia. After I graduated I went full time with my previous band of 10+ years. Lucky to be able to perform shows as a DRUMMER in most of the US and around the world (including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, UK, Mexico, etc. and Canada… Do they count? jk)

How? I met a Power Ranger, yes a Power Ranger who was the 2nd Black Power Ranger who was in the successful movies and series in the 90s. Johnny Yong Bosch also did English VO for Japanese Anime and video games. Together with being a power ranger, he was very popular at comic conventions worldwide.

I was very lucky, as our band hobby (I’m a drummer) slowly became a career. When a convention heard he was in a band for example, our first show was in Miami, FL. They flew us out there and with JYB as our frontman, we soon grew a cult following in the Comiccon circuits. Keep in mind this was before Marvel impacted the nerd culture, growing conventions even more.
During my drumming adventures from the end of high school into when I left the band, we were shooting and editing music/short band videos, etc. I didn’t realize this work would later have job titles “Social Media Manager” and “Content Creator” like they do today.

Once I turned 30 years of age however, I realized the money was great sometimes, not so great at times. Consistency was needed as I was embarrassed of needing to borrow money from my mom at times to help pay for rent in downtown Los Angeles. The universe nudged me to search for another path. I became a barista at the life-changing community building “ilcaffè” during my transition out from the band. I realized I hilariously became the movie script stereo-type barista character… “a barista who is in a band… etc.”

BUT as a BARISTA, I met a neighbor in my building while talking to customers as baristas tend to do. She was a producer in the hidden world of “movie trailers.” I was always interested and loved trailers, so I stalked her and begged her for advice on how to get into that world. Eventually, she convinced her boss to meet me. I was hired as a PA. I then edited on my own time working on projects, and my cuts were good enough to send and were “finishing”. Meaning they were winning and getting released out to the world.

Due to that I became an EDITOR. It was at that shop “The Refinery” where I met Benedict and Max. I left the Refinery for a brief attempt through a friend to become a “long form” editor (advertisement is “short form”), it didn’t work out. By fate, Benedict and Max approached me and they were starting the AV department at “Statement Advertising” and asked if I wanted to join. I took the leap, and it was there where I got awards and finished with big projects “The Batman” – Teaser, “Godzilla: King of Monsters” – Final Trailer, “Birds of Prey” – Teaser, etc.

Then after some time, Benedict and Max approached me again and wanted to start their own shop. So seven years (at the time, now eight years) after being a PA, I became a co-owner of my own company “REBEL” with those two wonderful life-changing partners.

My advice for those early in their journey… when called towards something, put in the time to “master” the ability or craft.

Music is hard. I like to say my previous band was “90’s rock, ten years too late”. Perhaps if we were in the age of CDs, we may have been signed and had a higher level career.

I am one to “never give up.”

Knowing what I know now, I wish others to learn that putting in the time to master something, is never a failure, trying for an amount of time, and making a “pivot” is not a failure. Long as you are stepping forward towards your “calling.”

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

Yes like I mentioned earlier, my journey is not over.

In my previous company, I was a senior editor working in Motion Picture Advertisement. There are plenty of people who stay at that level and raise families and have wonderful lives. I was was one of few that was lucky to have an opportunity to become an owner and start your own company. There’s nothing wrong with any level, let me be clear. Each path for every person is different.

But that unseen “calling” that I felt as a child “I want to work in the entertainment industry” is the same as another thought that I did not share with my mom: “I will create something, based off my life?” It was a question to myself, I don’t know where it came from. But I knew that it was something I had to do?

I’ve been trying to figure out what that meant as I grew up with all my different experiences. REBEL currently uses short form creativity that helps “convince” the world audience to watch a project. I want to create my own project to share with the world.

The challenge I face now is the time/work that goes behind actually getting a project released to the world wide audience.

Managing time as a Co-Owner/Editor and sometimes performing at shows with DJ friends (yes I cant stop) are time consuming. Yet, I must and will follow the call to create my life-long passion project.

I’ve recently finished the first draft of my pilot episode for my series (only took 40 years of trauma The current working title is: “The Fourth.”

I’m aiming high… the perfect outcome would be a development deal with Christopher Nolan’s production company SYNCOPY, having Christopher Nolan attach his name to my project, and eventually the world get’s to see my crazy mind project released streaming on MAX… hahaha

On the other end, I’m perfectly fine creating the show independently and releasing it online through whatever means, long as I had my creative control and vision. Even if one person just watches it and questions their own reality… I’m good.

“The Fourth” is my life-long passion project. It is something I must try, and will create. I look forward to sharing this vision in my mind with the world.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Red photos – Mazi Smazi – IG @mazismaziphoto |
Infinity laser photo w/ Valentine – Tomo Saito – IG @tomosaito |
Performance photo w/ Karel Havlicek– Karel Kantor – IG @karelkantor |
Sofa photo w/ Valentine – Jesse Kojima – IG @jessekojima |
Clio Awards photo – IG @clioawards |

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