By Chris Downs
“Stay small. Think big.” is a phrase that has long been a mantra of mine. As the owner of Tube, a 21-year-old independent post studio located in the Old Fourth Ward in Atlanta, I have witnessed the ebb and flow of the local film and video production scene firsthand. And while 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic shook the industry a bit, we here at Tube navigated this tough time and made it through to the other side.
I’d like to share some tips on how we’ve not only survived but expanded over two decades as a post house, and how we navigated COVID.
Chris Downs at the Good Morning America studios in New York City editing the Heisman Trophy ceremony.
Diversify Your Client Base
Tube has had success by working on projects from all types of clients. Think beyond your industry niche and aim to work with more than one industry. Don’t be complacent in just one sector — challenge yourself to take on clients with different needs and in different fields. At Tube, we do as much direct-to-company marketing work as we do broadcast and promo work for networks like Discovery.
Streamline Your Processes = Efficiency
We use cloud-based services that make working with team members in various locations seamless, allowing the workflow to remain uninterrupted. Establish custom templates and workflows in your creative suites to allow for a more efficient lifecycle. For us, every project starts with a job number and a templated folder structure where assets are organized.
Build Strong Relationships With Your Creative Network
Develop a list of trusted contractors and freelancers that can maintain the same level of quality as your team for your clients. At Tube, we maintain our core team and staff up as needed based on the project needs or production schedule.
Be Brand Ambassadors for Your Clients
This is hugely important. A reputation for making your clients look good will always lead to better job retention. We have become known for our ability to take on our client’s voice, and that is invaluable in our industry. Our primary goal is, of course, to produce the best possible product, but a very close second is to make our clients look good. It is the ultimate job security.
Stay Current
This field is one where only the strong survive. Keeping up on current design trends as well as emerging software and hardware can put you ahead of your competitors. The post industry is ever-changing, so don’t get left behind.
Ultimately, being adaptable to a changing market and establishing yourself as a high-quality creative will land you in the right hands in this field. Our three-person team at Tube is a perfect example of this model: Stay small. Think big.
Atlanta-based Tube is a post boutique specializing in creative editorial, broadcast design, motion graphics and sound.
