Today we’d like to introduce you to Candace Cooper
Hi Candace, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My first job out of college was as a field editor for an equestrian magazine. This is where I really caught the bug for photography & it was also an excellent opportunity to develop some basic storytelling skills. I was lucky enough to travel extensively across the U.S. & internationally for the first 15 years of my career & it was always horses that opened the doors to those opportunities.
I moved to Fort Worth in 2011 & at that time was just doing freelance editorial photography & graphic design. By nature of the media landscape, clients started asking for video & motion graphics, so I decided I better figure it out. I usually tell people I ran up to the top floor & jumped off the roof without knowing how to operate my parachute when I started video production. Over the last 14 years my business has evolved to nearly 90% commercial film production & I’m really proud to work with clients like the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, Texas Health & Goodwill Industries.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Owning your own business is always a wild ride, but it’s the best investment I’ve ever made in myself. All of my production skills have been self-taught & “on the job training” so to speak. That certainly makes for some speed bumps & hard lessons right out of the gate. I graduated with degree in Agricultural Communications from Oklahoma State University, which is essentially a mass communications degree within the field of agriculture. I remember my adviser telling our class one day that we’ll come out of the program a jack of all trades. I think about that a lot. She was so right. It took me a couple of years to land on my passion, but when I found it, I dove in & never looked back.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am the Producer & Creative Director for my business, Westsider Media. Westsider is a script-to-screen production company. We specialize in brand films, commercial content & short documentaries.
I am extremely proud of the work we’ve done with the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo in the last 11 years. They have given me some incredible opportunities to grow along with them as they’ve continued to expand their media presence & rodeo production in Dickies Arena. Having the opportunity & the creative license to re-imagine the sport of rodeo through the lens of a primetime sport has been such an incredible experience.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Take any opportunity you can to get on set & just absorb the process. It is a wonderful education by osmosis.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.westsidermedia.com
- Instagram: @candacencooper
