Late last year we shared the origin story of White Cloud Media Group as part of the Geekdom Stories Series, but a lot of footage didn't make it into the Final Cut due to length constraints. This post is a continuation of that interview between Geekdom's marketing manager, Jesse Cazares, and White Cloud's Adam Dusenbury and Elizabeth Reiser.
If you want to get to know our team, why we love producing videos, and why we are excited about the future of San Antonio, particularly downtown San Antonio, this post is for you.
Jesse C: What were you feeling in those first months after joining White Cloud?
Elizabeth: I understood the importance of stewarding relationships and the effectiveness of good storytelling, but I'd never worked at a startup, much less one that needed a reboot. It was an opportunity that I ultimately jumped into because I knew that with Adam's creative arm and my business acumen, we could do something special.
Jesse C: You joined White Cloud in February 2020 and then a month later, COVID hits. That must have been difficult. Can you tell us a little about what you were going through at that time?
Elizabeth: Covid affected everyone, especially small businesses. The first budget that gets scrapped is marketing, and we knew that. But video production is all face-to-face, and when the city went into lockdown and restrictions were placed on public gatherings, that was alarming for us. Not too long after the shutdown we had clients halt productions, and we even had a few clients close their doors permanently in the face of COVID. While we didn't know what the future held for White Cloud, we gravely predicted that if the shutdown went on for too long, we too would have to close our doors. And Covid wasn't just hard on us as a company, it was hard on me. While trying to build a business, I was also starting to build a family. With all of that uncertainty engulfing all around me, it was probably one of the most challenging times of my life.
Jesse C: Why did you choose to join a small creative startup?
Elizabeth: A childhood dream of mine had been to work in film, behind the scenes, doing production work. When I met Adam years ago and I had the opportunity to help him build a video production company, I felt I had to do it. I've always seen my career as a winding road, but at every curve, it always made sense to take that next turn. That's how I see White Cloud. It just made sense. My background is in marketing and fundraising, and throughout my career, I have been behind the camera asking questions and managing video productions as a marketing professional. So this wasn't exactly new territory, but being in this role and taking the leadership role I jumped into certainly was.
Jesse C: Why do you think White Cloud Media Group has been so successful in recent years?
Adam: We put extra effort into the quality of our productions because we know that our clients will be our advocates and cheerleaders in referring us to the next client. That's how we have grown at the steady pace that we have, and we are looking forward to the future because we have created a foundation of support here at Geekdom and here in San Antonio.
Jesse C: You all have worked with some big brands. What is one of your favorite clients or projects since creating WCMG?
Adam: One of the most memorable experiences I've ever had was working with the San Antonio Spurs media team and the Coyote. We went to Comanche Park to film a hype video for the Coyote for Star Wars Night. The Coyote was dressed as the Jedi, Obi-Wan with a light saber battling this green-screened opponent, and they asked me to fly a drone over the hillsides of Comanche Park to get these epic shots at night. It was awesome because they made me feel like I was a part of the team and enhanced the value of their production.
Jesse C: With San Antonio's projected growth over the next several years, where do you see WCMG evolving with its growth?
Elizabeth: This is a really interesting time to be a part of the San Antonio community. In some ways, I think San Antonio is rediscovering itself and redefining itself for the future. There are a lot of people, especially downtown and at Geekdom, who want to build up San Antonio. And we feel lucky to be a part of those conversations. There is a lot of potential in resource building with the companies coming downtown and investing in downtown and the surrounding areas to make San Antonio a city that you think of, on par with Chicago, Atlanta, LA, and New York. I think it's only a matter of time, and right now, we are on the ground floor and just excited to be a part of it.
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We make creating videos easy by becoming extensions of your production team and acting as your guide throughout the production process. If you are looking for a video production team to produce your next video, let's talk! Email info@whitecloudmg.com.