How to ACTUALLY Work with Big Brands (as a Solo Videographer) ft. Evan Tanaka
· 1 h 23 min
Episode How to ACTUALLY Work with Big Brands (as a Solo Videographer) ft. Evan Tanaka
Get 30% OFF your first 3 months of beehiiv with our code "505POD30" http://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=brayden-figueroa-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=brayden-figueroa&utm_term=dedicated-podcast-1&stripe_campaign_code=505POD30 What’s up Rock Nation! Today we’re joined by Evan Tanaka, director, DP, and founder of Naka Studios, a production company working with brands like Panda Express, Google, Marvel, Bud Light, and more. In this episode, we get into what actually separates the videographers who level up from the ones who stay stuck, why relationships and trust matter more than gear or talent, how Evan went from one-man-band creator to running a studio with bigger crews and bigger productions, the unspoken rules of working with brands and agencies, how to build trust before you ever step on set, when to speak up creatively versus when to bite your tongue, why renegotiating your rate during a shoot can ruin a relationship, how social media became one of the best investments in his business, and the real playbook for turning small opportunities into long-term brand relationships. Check out Evan here: https://www.instagram.com/evan_naka/ 00:00 – Intro 01:08 – One-Handed Crack 02:00 – Welcome Evan Tanaka 02:15 – Going From One-Man Band to Bigger Productions 04:43 – How to Build Trust With Clients 06:08 – Building Trust Before You Get on Set 07:20 – Adding Creative Ideas Without Overstepping 09:00 – When to Speak Up vs. Bite Your Tongue 11:53 – Beehiiv Sponsor 12:54 – How Evan Built His Relationship With Panda Express 18:30 – How to Light Food and Beverage 21:56 – Positioning Yourself Around a Specific Niche 24:38 – What Evan Learned From Bigger Commercial Sets 26:15 – Building a Team You Can Trust 28:56 – How Crew Members Can Get Hired by Production Companies 29:46 – Why Making People’s Lives Easier Gets You Rehired 32:18 – Why Renegotiating Rates During a Shoot Is a Bad Move 33:21 – What Evan Learned From Getting an MBA 36:48 – Why Social Media Was Evan’s Best Business Investment 38:47 – Building Margins and Actually Making Money 41:26 – How to Add Value Without Overcomplicating the Budget 43:19 – Giving Brands More Content Without More Work 45:43 – Shooting 16:9 vs. Vertical for Social 48:12 – Gear Investments That Were Worth It 50:25 – Why the FX6 Wasn’t Evan’s Best Investment 52:00 – Why Evan’s Studio Was One of His Best Investments 53:56 – Thinking About the Next 10 Years of Your Career 55:12 – Growing Into a Bigger “Fishbowl” 56:40 – How AI Could Impact Food and Product Production 58:58 – Which Creative Niches Are Safe From AI 1:01:47 – How AI Could Change Location-Based Shoots 1:03:15 – Why Real Photography Still Matters 1:06:46 – How Licensing Works With Bigger Brands 1:09:32 – When to Get an Agent or Manager 1:11:35 – Why Evan Doesn’t Do Outbound Anymore 1:12:01 – The Right Way to Build Relationships 1:14:36 – Why “Can I Pick Your Brain?” Usually Doesn’t Work 1:17:39 – The Shoot That Made Evan Realize He Had Leveled Up 1:19:47 – Going From Shooter to Director 1:20:08 – Why You Need to Build the Body of Work for the Role You Want 1:21:56 – Stop Taking Jobs for the Role You Don’t Want 1:22:59 – Wrapping the Episode With Evan If you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on. DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!) Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/
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Transcript
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