Today we’d like to introduce you to Cratin Sheffield.
Cratin, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have always loved movies. From the time I was a young kid, to today, I find myself enthralled by how editors can put together such powerful stories. When I was visiting Baylor University, I was originally signed up to be a Computer Science major, but I ended up taking a tour of the Digital Film/Media department and fell in love all over again.
After I graduated, I worked for the PBS affiliate in town, doing everything from editing commercials to directing and filming larger budget pieces for the university. Eventually, I found the true love of my life, my wife, Alison Sheffield, and we moved up to D/FW. It was here I jumped to a few production houses, but then ultimately ended up at an advertising company based out of Phoenix, Arizona. I moved up the ranks and finally ended up as a Creative Director with that agency for a number of years.
After some time, however, I got tired of playing the advertising game, and we decided we wanted to be able to make the videos we wanted to make and to tell the stories we wanted to tell. The idea of starting Sheffield Creative was one I was so afraid of because I liked the feeling of security of a normal job. Alison, however, knew we could do it and that this would be something worth going for, so she pushed until it became a reality. Here we are… 5 years later and thriving.
Oh, and I would hate not to mention that I also DJ for the absolute best event entertainment company in Texas, LeForce Entertainment!
Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t think there is a “smooth road” when you own your own company. The truth is that you have to learn to be able to keep on going with the potholes and the detours that arrive. We have lost huge clients and watched as our monthly profit was hit by 50%, but then within the week, gained another large client that brought us past where we were. Is owning your own company for everyone, most definitely not, but you only have one life, so why not make it interesting?
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Sheffield Creative is a small, boutique video production/post-production firm that specializes in motion graphics. We exist to create extraordinary content for our clients, whether it be someone looking to move product off a shelf, or hearts to donate towards a worthy cause. We strongly believe that every company/person/agency has a story that they need to tell.
We are most known for our excellent quality work, our quick turnaround time, and our ability to get stuff done within a budget. Our clients’ budgets stretch all over the map, so it is important for us to be able to take what they have and give them something that works. What sets us apart, is that we consistently over-deliver. We don’t want you to be happy with your production; we want you to be blown away by it.
Check out our work today at SheffieldCreative.com!
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
North Texas is an awesome location for our business. We are surrounded by businesses, non-profits, and people with stories to tell. The community of talented artists in this area is astounding. We have worked with a multitude of skilled photographers, videographers, and artists, and are always pleased with the level of work that this area generates. My advice for anyone starting out, especially as a post-production specialist, is to learn After Effects, and combine it with a knowledge of great design!
Contact Info:
- Address: 550 Reserve Street, Suite 250, Southlake, TX 76092
- Website: www.sheffieldcreative.com
- Email: cratin@sheffieldcreative.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheffieldcreativedfw/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SheffieldCreative/
Image Credit:
Tony Valadez, Kamila Picard
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