Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew JC.
Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today. You can include as little or as much detail as you’d like.
I started in film when I left the comfort of the corporate world in 2003. Shortly after I was featured on the hit FOX TV show Paradise Hotel that aired on Monday & Wednesday night at 8 pm and really broke me into the world of TV and how music was applied. Music has always been my way into the film world and from that moment I was hooked on Music Supervision and composing music for TV and films.
I started my first company, Small Guy Music LLC, in 2004 and within 2 years I was humbled to win Two Lone Star Emmys for the use of music in the Dallas Mavericks Commercials on TV and our overall catalog of original music featured on TV the following year. At that moment I realized I wanted to be more into the entertainment world than just music, and I went behind the camera as a Director and Writer.
In my spare time, I started what would become my Military non-profit charity Operation Rock The Troops, and completed Seven World Tours to 15 countries, over 40 military bases, and performed over 1,000 shows with my band the JC AllStars. During this time, I filmed our adventure and released our first documentary movie titled “Operation Rock The Troops” which was picked up by Vision Films Distribution and featured on Comcast reaching 33 million homes.
In 2016 I meet Randall Reed, who shares my vision of creating inspirational documentaries, TV Shows, and Films. Together we produced and filmed the 2 Time Lone Star Emmy Nominated movie for Military Documentary and Writing “Light Up To Live” which focused on finding non-drug related solutions for veterans suffering from TBI/PTS.
Since the release of our first documentary in 2017, Randall Reed, Jodie Morris and I partnered and created RedLux Productions. Randall chose the word Lux, which means light, as his vision was always to bring light and hope to people. I came to the table with the word red, which embodies my passion and drive to tell stories through film.
Currently, I am the President of RedLux Productions, which is a film production and full-service advertising company, with a core team of 7 creative minds. In the first year, we have started, and even completed production, on over 10 original Feature Films, Documentaries and TV Shows that will debut in late 2018 through 2019.
Original programs include our empowering documentary being filmed in Alaska for in June 2018 called “Operation Torrent,” following veteran Josh Collins putting his life on the line in the Race To Alaska. Another program is Pop Up Kitchen Show, a new twist on a cooking show that brings the culture and personality of cities across America to life, featuring Chef John Tesar from Top Chef on Bravo. Lost Treasure of Everest is a daring adventure to climb Mt Everest and reveal a lost truth that will shock the world.
Set Life is a new animated series that takes you on the set of a film production company and makes fun of the industry, the people they film and the crazy real stories that happen on set. I get to wake up every morning and do exactly what I was born to do with a team of people that live to be creative and inspire through stories that bring vision to reality. I am exactly where I am supposed to be and blessed to be surrounded by such amazing loyal and dedicated creative souls.
Great, 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?
Nothing in life is smooth, and nothing in the entertainment world comes easy. I always tell people there is no such thing as overnight success, and after 16 years, I still stick by that comment when it comes to the unpredictable world of movies and music. My Grandfather always told me that the secret to success is that you need one fan to make it.
That one fan he referred to, is yourself. When struggles hit, and they always will in the forms of contract differences, working with different personalities, and having funding fall out last minute, you have to be able to know yourself and that you can create solutions on the fly and adapt. I learned quickly you have to be able to live in the uncomfortable, comfortably.
Please tell us about RedLux Productions.
RedLux Productions is an award-winning full-service Advertising and Film Production House. We specialize in taking our client’s vision to reality, whether you are a multi-million dollar company looking to connect emotionally with your audience through innovative advertising.
A new business owner desiring to capture more clients on a through social media, a low-budget independent filmmaker needing development and creative collaboration through to a network desiring high-quality, high-budget content to keep your avid audience entertained in the TV and Film World!
As a company, we are most proud of our culture, the personality of RedLux Productions, and how every team member adds their unique DNA to our entity. Your attention is our oxygen and our people are our backbone.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from my childhood is when I built my first guitar (and I use that term loosely) out of some wood in my Dad’s workshop. I remember stealing a work tie from my dad’s closet for the guitar strap and using fishing line as the strings on the guitar. Ironically, he was more upset about the loss of fishing line than the loss of his work tie. I bought my first chord book to learn how to play my “guitar”.
At the time I had never played guitar, and I didn’t want to wait for another second to learn. I remember being so determined to play that I would rock out with the fake guitar in front of my bedroom mirror and visualize where I ended up today. Looking back on this moment, I realize that my favorite childhood memory was the vision that would become my reality.
Contact Info:
- Address: 16200 Addison Rd. Addison, Texas 75001
- Website: www.redluxproductions.com; www.operationrockthetroops.org
- Phone: 972.345.5694
- Email: matthewjc@redluxproductions.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/redluxprod
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/redluxproductions; www.facebook.com/operationrockthetroops
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/redluxprod
- Yelp: www.facebook.com/operationtorrent
- Other: www.vimeo.com/redluxproductions
Image Credit:
Skylar Rain, Ian Sharar
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