Being Media sponsors BizJam business conference
We’re grateful to Being Media, which is a major sponsor of BizJam this year. Thanks to Being Media, we’ll have web video of each workshop at the conference. Being Media is a video production & new media company, which produces corporate, non-profit, narrative and documentary projects in Seattle and internationally. I spoke with Being Media’s Basil Shadid, who is a supporting member of Biznik, to find out more.
Q: Briefly describe your company and what you do.
In a nutshell, being MEdia is a video production and new media company. I’m the Digital Media Director.
The longer answer is this: We make documentaries for non-profits and for festival or theatrical release. We also focus a lot of energy on creating online videos for businesses, individuals and non-profits. We do special event and corporate videography which includes things like weddings, commitment ceremonies, speeches and presentations. We also edit video, create DVDs, and help with online and off line distribution strategies.
When I say that we are a new media company, I mean that we help deliver content on new media platforms like mobile phones, the web and other electronic hand-held devices. We do some web application development, internet encoding and media- related web design projects.
Finally, we provide freelance crews for video & film projects. Through this, we’ve had the chance to work on some really amazing stuff. For example, I was part of the post- production team for the Academy-Award nominated documentary Iraq In Fragments.
Q: Have you always wanted to run your own business?
Absolutely. In fact, when I was 15, I started a record company to showcase local bands. Throughout the years, I’ve always had a small endeavor that has kept me busy and excited.
Q: How and when did the idea of your company come about?
Previous to being MEdia, I was working in various social service positions. I have a MA in Mental Health Counseling. While finishing my degree, I realized that this wasn’t what I wanted to do. I enjoyed learning ways to truly communicate with people, how to think critically, how to connect with my inner process and how to listen to others. Outside of that skill set, I couldn’t find a place within the social service industry that felt good for the long term. in Mental Health Counseling.
While assessing my own skills and interests, I kept coming back to two things: I wanted to tell people’s stories; and I loved media. It felt exciting to bridge the two.
Then, billie and I moved to Dripping Springs, Texas for a brief time. Things weren’t working out for us financially, and we needed an income generating source. That need pushed us to take the risk and start our own business.
We started in 2004 as a company that did VHS to DVD transfers. Since then, we expanded our abilities, expanded our services and reformulated our company as a values-driven, full service video production and new media company.
Through the last four years, being MEdia has grown tremendously.
Q: How many hours do you work a day on average?
It depends. Some days we work 4 to 6 hours a day. Other days it’s 8 to 10. Then, there are the long days, occasional all nighters and such that seem to define the small business owner.
Q: What was the last book you read?
Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Q: Who are your role models / mentors and why?
My mentors include story teller Utah Phillips, poet June Jordan, Thich Nhat Hanh and other people who have contributed something unique to our world. Also, my business/ life partner billie is a definite role model. She is a grounding force in keeping our business aligned with the values we’ve set forth.
Q: If you could give blog readers one piece of advice what would it be?
Hmmm. I guess it would be: Laugh often.
Q: Do you have any future expansion plans?
We’re definitely growing as a business. We are producing some original video content this year, including the pilot of a TV series. Everything else is business as usual.
