CREATOR INTERVIEW SERIES : JASON BOTKIN : PART 1
Some people were born to do very practical things like solve mathematical equations or to put out fires and enforce the law. And then there are the others, the right brained folk. This is an on-going series of interviews with people who have chosen to spend their lives creating.
JASON BOTKIN is the founder and Executive Producer of Streetgang Films, a premier music video production company that has produced work for celebrated artists ranging from Muse and Queens of the Stone Age to Jakob Dylan and Editors . He has been kind enough to take the time to discuss the business of making music promos with me as the first subject of the Creator Series.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background as a filmmaker and how you came to eventually open SGF?
Without going too far back I went to film school at Cal State Long Beach, with a concentration on directing. My senior film was in a few festivals including the Maryland Film Festival. Right after I graduated, I was offered the chance to partner with a good friend on a successful chain of Mexican restaurants in Seattle. It was just a two year commitment and I had some sizable student loans to take care of so I agreed to do it. I really enjoyed running my own business so when I returned to Los Angeles, I decided that I wanted to open up my own production company. I was attracted to the business model of commercial production - quick turnarounds on production, low office overhead and freelance labor. I got an office PA position with a commercial company named Cucoloris Films in Venice Beach. I quickly became head of production, working directly under stalwart executive producers, Linda Stewart and Bernie Wesson. After 4 years I moved out on my own and started Streetgang Films. Paul Minor was the first director, we both graduated from the same class at CSULB and had already done two videos together. It’s funny looking back at that time. I remember asking Paul just before we decided to quit our jobs if he wanted to do commercials or music videos, cut to…
How long has the company been around and what has changed since it’s inception?
The company started in 2003. The first few years were a wild ride for sure. Coming from a directing background I tended to EP more for the art and less for the business. We were eager to build the reels and to get noticed by commissioners. I don’t think we made our fees on a single job for the first year. I tried to keep my overhead low by doing all the office / accounting / vault work myself in my living room. We certainly had some rough spots, but somehow we always managed to squeak by. Eventually, it just started getting easier. I think production is really about longevity, it’s about being around long enough to prove to everyone that you’ve learned your lessons. We eventually passed a threshold a couple of years ago where the business was sustainable. Once I was able to secure the business financially it enabled me to find that balance as an executive producer between art & commerce. An EP from another company told me last year that my roster is known in the industry as a group of artists. As we were talking about money, he didn’t intend that as a compliment. I certainly could be rolling deeper but I’m proud that I’ve kept the doors open without the support of a commercial division while maintaining that kind brand identity.
How has the music video industry changed since you’ve been involved with it and where do you see it going?
Streetgang started in the salad days of music videos. I’ve never known the gilded age that everyone talks about. My whole business plan was about being a smaller, scrappier company that can survive in this type of environment. Admittedly, I have said a few times that things can’t get any worse, only to find that they most certainly can. However, I do think we’ve found a nice market niche. Most of my directors are influenced heavily by feature work so there is always an emphasis on production value regardless of the budget. I think there will always be a place for that type of work as there are artists that simply can’t be done on the cheap. I am learning however that there is more to life than lens flares. Keith Schofield is a director that is much more idea driven and I think he rounds out the roster nicely. Where do I see the industry going? It can’t get any worse than this, happy days are coming!
How has the internet changed the way music videos are made?
As far as I’m concerned, it hasn’t changed much of anything. Label briefs have always asked for conceptual ideas that create “water cooler moments” while making sure that their artist looks great. We’re still filmmakers in the end, it doesn’t matter if it’s on your TV, internet, phone or Sundance - it still has to be cool.