We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Austin Boylen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Austin below.
Hi Austin, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
They say that if you enjoy what you are doing, you will never work a day in your life. From my own personal life experiences – I couldn’t find that statement to be more true.
I grew up on a pig and grain farm in West Central Illinois, so working hard has always been a significant part of my life. My dad and his two brothers raised and farmed 600 pigs on their operation just down the road from our family’s house. They also farmed hundreds of acres of corn, soybeans, and wheat. So, to briefly summarize… let’s just say there was no shortage of work to be found. And I must mention that if you so happen to be born the child of a livestock and grain farmer, you are without a doubt expected to help.
Driving large and expensive combines and tractors from field to field before I could legally obtain a driver’s license was considered normal. Waking up early to feed the livestock, going to school, and then coming back out to feed them before finally going home to finish homework in the evening was a daily routine. Working hard was all we ever did because that was all we knew.
I quickly realized it was an amazing lifestyle to experience in my youth, there was so much underlying importance to what we were doing. Yes, the farming itself was a grind but in a nutshell, we were feeding the world! And in my mind that was always a good feeling and a reason to want to work hard. Through daily observation, it was noticeable that my dad and uncles took great pride in their farming and mission. I looked up to those dedicated men that pushed and guided me to become the person I am today. I think that idea of taking pride in your work was appealing to me as a kid because of their influence. The concept of working hard began to further consume me as I grew older, eventually leading up to me having 3 jobs while I was in high school.
The work ethic I display now in my professional video production career is due to the way I was shaped and influenced in my youth. I passionately love video production, so working hard for my clients comes easy.
I think it could be boiled down to this: When you are enjoying what you do and taking pride in it – the hard work just comes naturally.
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?
In my video production career, I am a business owner and freelancer. Allow me to break down what that exactly means below.
Video Production Business:
I run a video production company called… well it’s just my name really – “Austin Boylen Cinematography”. I always tell my clients that I don’t offer them services, I offer them solutions. Because that is precisely what you can achieve with the power of video – solutions to problems. What I find fascinating about video is the power that it has to convey a feeling, an idea, a message… really anything imaginable. There’s no other medium that exists in the world today that’s more powerful and effective than video. I find that concept beyond appealing – the idea that with some basic visuals and audio (if they are constructed together in the appropriate way) – can evolve into something that could be potentially life-changing. My constant goal as a creative director is to utilize the power of this amazing medium with the knowledge that I have around it to help bring dynamic solutions to the world. There’s nothing better than working with businesses or individuals and helping them achieve their goals with strategic video development. As an entrepreneur and business owner myself, I find helping other businesses/individuals succeed to be extremely fulfilling and inspiring.
Freelancer (Film & TV):
As a freelance Cinematographer and Camera Operator, I get the opportunities to work on different productions ranging from colossal to micro in scale. I’ve worked for and alongside notable clients like Garth Brooks, Al Gore, Carrie Underwood, Scott Hamilton, Tim McGraw, REO Speedwagon, Taylor Swift, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and so many more! I have also worked for many different notable media companies. Some of the likes include NBC, CNN, DISCOVERY, TLC, HGTV, FOX, EXTRA TV, OWN, USA, CMT, and CBS to name a few. One of my favorite aspects about the freelancing side of things is that you get to work with new crew members and you get to work in new places all of the time. No two jobs are ever the same when you’re freelancing. You have to come in (sometimes not knowing details) and seamlessly make it work with whatever cards might be on the table. It’s almost like you’re showing up blind on some productions. That idea might sound a little scary to you, and don’t get me wrong it was scary for me at first, but I think I’m just getting used to it now. I crave the challenge of bringing my skills and expertise to someone else’s production and contributing to its success – especially in a unified effort with like-minded and creative people.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
When I look back on what elements of skills, qualities, and knowledge that I believe made me successful in my field, it would have to come down to these three main points:
Show Up
Work Hard
Do Good Work
Show up: Make the effort and just show up. Make face. Whether it’s for a job interview, a local business mixer, coffee with a new colleague, etc. Just show up. What good is it to not go, honestly what’s the worst thing that can happen if you do show up? I believe not showing up is
always more detrimental to your future. The missed opportunities could be the worst thing that ever happened to you!
Work Hard: Alright, so you showed up. You took the job you were nervous about, but you got it! Now get your butt to work, start working very hard. Show people that you care about their projects and their outcomes. Your efforts with be noticed and appreciated, even if at first it may not feel that way. Just work hard because it looks good too.
Do Good Work: And finally, do good work. Okay so you showed up, and you’re working hard – now make sure that the actual work you are doing is of good quality. Really go the extra mile to prove that you are a dedicated individual by performing well in your field. Constantly study up, always be learning and advancing – anything that moves the needle forward in terms of it making your work better.
If followed diligently, these 3 points of focus will make you irreplaceable in your field. And who wouldn’t want that?
Now let me give you a bonus tip – Consistency is key. Stay at it, always keep going.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
Here is the thing about my ideal client/clients – they could literally be anyone! Maybe you (yes you the reader) are my next client? If you think about the power of video, really anyone on planet Earth can benefit from its magical capabilities. Kind of cool and exciting right? I like to think so.
Maybe you’ve just launched a new product and it needs to be showcased to the world. Is there an important event coming up that needs to be documented? So you just opened up a new Winery – let’s show off that gorgeous facility with a welcome video! Or maybe you’ve just hired some new employees that could benefit from some training media? – Let’s make their first day on the job easier with explainer graphics and visuals in a video – As mentioned above the capabilities and benefits of video as a medium are endless.
Law Firms, Healthcare Clinics, Singers/Songwriters, Manufacturing Facilities, Campaigns, Products, Entrepreneurs… the list goes on and on. These are just a few specific examples of the types of clients I help day in and day out. If you think you could benefit from the power of video, reach out today, and let’s begin a dialogue. Allow me to bring you solutions with video production!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.austinboylen.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austin.boylen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustinBoylenCinematography/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/austin-boylen-cinematography-nash?trk=public_profile_topcard-current-company
