Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawn Neill.
Hi Shawn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in the 80s and 90s, my father was an actor and entertainer. Both of my parents had modeling experience as well, so we were never a camera-shy family. This got me interested in visual media right off the bat. My mother would sew my sister and I costumes and we would dance and sing and come up with our own silly characters to play. By 8, I was drawing and painting regularly, along with creating my own radio shows with my TalkBoy.
It wasn’t until middle school that I was given my very own video camera that used mini dv tapes – dad’s over-the-shoulder RCA was still a beast to carry. Neighborhood friends and I would document anything we found interesting and piece together a story via in-camera editing. We were documentarians in the making.
In high school, I learned how to develop my own film and became heavily involved in the broadcast journalism program and community theater. I went on to the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2006, where I studied and received a BFA in Film and Television.
After graduation in 2010, I moved to Los Angeles where I worked for Sony Pictures Entertainment in various post-production roles including studio quality control, as well as an editor position on The Amazing Spider-Man (2012). After some uncertainty in my chosen career path, I decided to return to Dallas in 2014 to focus on what I really wanted for myself. It was then that I began the certification process to teach multiple subjects including high school broadcast, journalism, film, theatre, and art at all levels. This would eventually lead me to open my own photo/video business in 2021.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
After landing the Hollywood dream job, I soon realized out how much I did not vibe with the industry itself. At the time, I felt surrounded by people who either wanted fame, money, or power. Although there were many I met who were genuine, creative, and supportive, the amount of those I felt I could not trust due to one reason or another was unfortunately greater.
Another sizable challenge I experienced was during my teaching years. While I was teaching subjects I was passionate about and had amazing students who genuinely wanted to be in my classes, I was teaching 4-5 different subjects per year while the majority of educators are only expected to teach 1-2 subjects. I was physically and emotionally drained. Then, Covid-19 happened.
In Texas, many districts (mine included) were instructed to go back into the classrooms for in-person teaching far sooner than others. I was also one of the few educators who was put in the position of having to teach both in-person and online simultaneously. The expectations and mental stress became overwhelming and unmanageable. The overall experience left me feeling taken advantage of in the workplace.
Due to the massive amounts time and effort I had put into pursuing each of these career paths, the decisions I made in the end were significant mental challenges for me. I had desperately wanted to work these positions and had put in years of work to make them a reality. I knew deep down that if I wanted to work in accord with my personal code of ethics that I had to take the initiative and become my own boss. The pandemic turned out to be just the kick in the pants I needed to finally do it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My experiences as a video editor and educator have also allowed me to develop a slightly different approach to client sessions. Though my business focuses on photography and video production, my focus has always been visual media as a whole. I come from a fine arts background, so I love when I can apply this in a session where the client is looking for something outside of a traditional approach. Art direction here can include location scouting for and/or building a dynamic backdrop, the addition of clothing items, props, makeup, and suggesting certain posing positions to enhance my client’s overall look, or framing the composition with a more cinematic or imaginative style in mind.
While my business specializes in portraits and events, I also love shooting fine art photography for interior design teams, as well as on my own time for fun. Images I am generally drawn to shoot on the hobby side include new topography, travel, and/or street photography.
Throughout my career ups and downs, I have been proud of my ambition and determination to remain steadfast in my authenticity; even if that has meant coming to terms with leaving my hard work behind. The knowledge I have gained through my experiences has been invaluable, and I truly would not be who I am today without it.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
(Please see the “Obstacles/Challenges” section)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.reallygoodphotovideo.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/reallygoodphotovideo
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/reallygoodphotovideo
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-c-neill-02575722/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@reallygoodphotovideo
- Other: www.instagram.com/shawncneill
Image Credits
Shawn Neill, Rafael Hernandez, Kaity Opelka
