We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Paige Powell-Revis. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Paige below.
Hi Paige, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
My purpose was initially instilled in me by my parents and extended family. They taught me hospitality, unconditional love and how to treat others with kindness and respect. These qualities and ultimately my purpose was, and still is, led very much by my faith as a follower of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, I believe I am called to use my passions and skills to help others and reflect beauty in the world through visuals representing all walks of the human experience.
Over the last few years, I worked in very different corners of the entertainment industry, but whatever job that I am working at the time I am intentional about incorporating my purpose on a daily basis, even if that means just brightening a co-worker’s day.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I discovered my passion for creating with CG and animation while in college at film school. My major was focused on live-action production at the time, so transitioning my focus was mostly through independent studies. When I finally applied for internships and jobs in the animation industry, I found it difficult to transition, as most applications required 2 years of experience for entry-level positions. This sparked the idea of an in-between “learning studio” that can offer this experience to students and other professionals needing to refine their portfolios. The opportunity to launch and test this virtual learning studio was presented when most of the entertainment industry shut down in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Imhapie LLC was born!
At the time of starting Imhapie, I did not have any business experience. In fact, starting a business was not really on my radar until I discovered the need to solve a major roadblock for myself and others. This came with plenty of challenges, from lack of business experience, interpreting legal paperwork and securing finances. All business and production expenses thus far have been out-of-pocket, so I continue to work full-time as an artist during the day and dedicate part of my evening for producing and giving technical feedback for Imhapie projects. As a safe space to learn and test new passions, the same flexibility is extended to our students who have fluctuating workloads and changing schedules. As for finances, Imahpie Studios recently launched a Patreon to help cover some of our expenses and offer perks to creatives outside of our productions.
Almost immediately after establishing Imhapie, I was approached by Christian Haynes, a fellow animation enthusiast from film school. Together we decided that his idea for an animated series, Zack In Time, would be a good fit for launching Imhapie’s first production. Our cast and crew quickly grew to over 30 people that first year. Now, three years later, over 100 creatives have contributed to Zack In Time through Imhapie. Some of our volunteers even went on to accept internships or full-time positions with significant companies like Nickelodeon, SPA, Dreamworks and Lighthouse Studios.
Founding a volunteer-run virtual animation studio not only taught me the ins and outs of business ownership, but also game confidence in training and educating others and how to encourage them in the right ways. Throughout this venture, helping others achieve their dreams has been the most rewarding experience.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Determination, flexibility and balance have been integral in the growth of my work inside and outside of Imhapie. Anything worth having is never easy, so it is essential to be determined and follow through on your goals if you want to see them happen. If there is something that is preventing you from achieving that goal, you have to be flexible and proactive in coming up with a new solution to achieve that goal. This is where you might feel some strain and want to give up, instead, take a break. Give yourself grace, clear your head, take a walk, a nap, or call a friend. Do whatever you need to do to achieve a sense of balance in your life. Life will not always feel balanced per se, but the important thing is to avoid burnout towards your goals.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Yes, we are always looking for people to collaborate with! Imhapie Studios just launched a Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/ImhapieStudios where writers can submit content for consideration once per month. There is also an opportunity on that page for other creatives who want a resumè review, portfolio feedback or a 1-on-1 meeting to discuss how to achieve their goals. We are also very open to partnering with people who have backgrounds in business or finance to help grow our brands.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imhapie.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imhapie/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imhapie.official/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zack-in-time/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/zack_in_time
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@imhapie
- Other: https://www.patreon.com/ImhapieStudios
Image Credits
Shea Beck, Luke Scribner, Katie Barisic
