Guts Media Year One
Sometime last March, I got a lump sum of money from the community college I went to, and although they call every week asking for it back, I have no qualms about how I spent that money.
Guts Media was a finite idea in my brain then, but it has become an infinite reality to myself and presumably others.
On March 21st, 2023, I became a business owner at 18. I naively thought I was making enough money to start my LLC, and while I had been right in hindsight, I don’t think I would have done it that way. To challenge other hobbyists in my field, what is business if not a risk? In May, I left school and had an amicable ( I think ) falling out at my restaurant job. In truth, I miss the environment occasionally and wish them well, but for the sake of my career- I’m relieved I no longer work there. Instead, I sought proper stability at one of America’s best restaurants, Chick-fil-A, for the second time. Without going too in-depth, I was probably a bit too metal for Chick at this point in my restaurant career and checked out, banking on deposits from my first and second shoot to keep my car. Thank you, guys.
These Two Shoots were memorable. They were within a month of each other, and it is just now that I’m thinking about the stark differences between them. For one shoot, my mission was to showcase articles of clothing bought from thrift stores and sold for profit, while for the other shoot, my mission was to showcase the vision of a musician’s debut.
While this was happening, I was withdrawing from Community College, and In May, the Pidgeon Coupe ( my 2014 Kia Soul ) was totaled after a quaint evening visit to their grandparent’s house. This was a tough time for both of us. Driving my partner's car and high tensions at the original restaurant ultimately led them to go through a job switch. My partner and I worked at different restaurants, which made it easier on the transportation, but by this time, I had enough saved to start looking at cars, and she already lined up a temp corporate job. By August, I bought myself another silver vehicle, an unnamed 2014 Nissan Murano, and left another restaurant and another- So I tried my hand at the corporate too. It was not the move as a young buck who only knew how to pour a beer and serve tables; sitting on my ass was not for me. So, in November, I dove into Guts Media head first, mildly regretting some of the mistakes I made along the way. Despite the bad, though, we moved forward. A wedding and two back-to-back Eagle Scout ceremonies had already been booked, and while that may not have been much, it was definitely what I needed to get the ball rolling. I do miss the Pidgeon Coup, But I think the Murano suits this Javan a bit better.
“ Do You Want to Work in TV, “ my friend and neighbor, an audio engineer named Jackson, asked. I replied yes, and something clicked for me. The investment Jackson had spent four years growing had started to take root and pay off. While the Imaginary Projects era of my life was taking place, the actual podcast was in his basement. If I'm being honest, I genuinely owe my start to this man believing in my vision. At this point, it hadn’t even been decided if I were the one they would hire; I was just excited to have my name make its way out to LA legitimately. He told me I needed to stay humble and prove that I wanted the job; his reputation was on the line here. I braved that responsibility, and sure enough, I was introduced to the line producer via iMessage text about driving a cargo van.
Top Virginia of Commerce and local business meetings are a great place to start networking; even if you attend one event, you may come out with your next retained client, or that was my experience, even if it may have turned out to be a Ponzi scheme- the money was good, and my bills were paid. Truthfully, the guy who brought me in understood I wasn’t in it for the long haul but knew he had something worth teaching someone. So I learned and got my little money to take videos, manage social media accounts, and witness the most Andrew Tate-filled timelines seen to man. When the time came, photographer Javan turned into green production assistant Javan, finally realizing the dream of making a movie one day.
Walking into the crew meet and greet was one of the most nerve-wracking things I’ve ever done. Pursuing my way as a 19-year-old into the lobby, meeting professionals in the same industry I aspire to enter truly. The second youngest on the crew was 26, and they were the AC, assistant to the Camera Operator, and Director of Photography, while the oldest, I believe, was the showrunner herself. As one of two Production Assistants, I drove the cargo van and got it stuck up hills of snow several times, while the other PA was more involved in the actual set of the shoot. Prepared areas where we filmed and handled other tasks for the production team, and together, we handled film releases for people who may have been caught on camera. I’ll probably write about the experience in a little while, but I’m hanging on to that feeling just a bit longer for now.
The weeks after the production were the wildest for me. I was growing in the journey of my career. Guts Media was a refreshing take for many of those who listened to my ramblings on the subject, and somehow, God made it possible for Guts Media to move from Still photography to including Video Production in its repertoire. I received an email in February inquiring about commercial video work for a local daycare. At this point, I had built a small network of professionals- Jackson as Audio, Tom as DP, and Madison as editor, whom I met during the production, so the means had been there. Still, it was up to me to finally say yes and wear the hat of the executive producer. Though It wasn’t just me who had to change hats, Tom and Jackson both took vital roles in managing the assets of this project. Tom had become a director, while Jackson became Tom’s AC. I shouldn’t beat myself up for this, but I recommend never giving the client creative control, especially if you have hired a team of seasoned professionals. Let the pros do their job and be amazed by what you, as a client, have consumed. After the production, I became overwhelmed and delved back into the artistic part of my job, photographing musicians.
After a few days of planning a trip to Richmond, my friend Kaylee introduced me to their friend Maya, who also happened to be a photographer. Our trip was planned around a state swim meet they were photographing; however, I had honestly been camera out and wanted to take pictures as a hobbyist, not a professional. This Richmond trip was my vacation. I skated and met some old and new friends. Old friends were folks that I knew from back home, Winchester and the new ones were folks who went to Shenandoah University but settled in Richmond to pursue music. While Kaylee and Maya had been out at the swim meet, my time was spent hanging out with Owen playing Smash, and it just so happened that these moments led me to my next gig.
As I got home, I got a notification from Corey, Owen’s roommate, and bassist for Parsley, the band. “ Yo wyd Feb 24th, “the message read, and I replied, “ I don’t have anything planned yet. “ Little did I know I would have two weeks’ worth of work waiting for me in Richmond. Parsley, The Bends, The Phases, and Scan Slow have all been photographed by me, allowing illicit emotions to be present in my photography and my spirits.
As we’re now in March, I’ve been able to take a step back and enjoy the blessings of what I’ve made possible. Instead of starting with one, I’ve booked two weddings this year—one as the lead photographer and the other as the Lead Videographer. I’m now working on contracts for this Year’s Apple Blossom Festival. I’m excited to be here, but the real work has yet to be done.
Javan Butler
Year One Fin.