Rising Stars: Meet Demario Liggons

Today we’d like to introduce you to Demario Liggons.

Hi Demario, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Coming out of high school (2004), I was already DJing in high school, then I was an extra in a student short film where I played the villain’s, right-hand man. At the wrap of shooting, I met the editors and linked up with them and watched them step by step when they were editing, and slowly taught myself through the process.

By the end of the production, I was the lead editor of the short film. Everything I have achieved I was self-taught through the University of YouTube, From DJing, Graphics Arts, Broadcasting, and Video Production. Most of these fields are tech-heavy nowadays, so staying a student of the crafts is a must everything is always changing and improving.

Anytime you do Video Production it’s like the gumbo of media, You will need to know a little bit about graphics, then about audio and animation, etc. So what I am saying is knowing about a bunch of ingredients that go into this gumbo is a must. So why not branch out your business if you already know so much about diff things?

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I started at Columbia, I was literally one of the only people in the town doing video production. I pulled clients from Gallatin, South Kentucky, Nashville, and Murfreesboro. That is Where South 65 Films came from, My clients had to travel south to get the business. At the time, there weren’t many of us.

After about 6 years of that, there was a boom of people starting to do production, I welcomed it but soon found out it came with a lot of unethical practices and snakes and stuff.

So adjusting myself from teaching and welcoming standpoint to a more reserved approach. The industry was also being priced incorrectly, with a lot of undercutting and fair-weather photographers and videographers.

The industry as a whole took a hit, with people shooting two music videos for $500.00 dollars and such. It was a time to bare through. It went from a career to a hobby-based thing because it was over-saturated.

No from this rose a large number of people realized what all went into making a decent production or photo shoot so after a few years of high stepping through that period most of these people had started selling their equipment and taking different avenues and such.

Things are getting back to normal for all of us now.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Studio 65/South 65 Films, We are a production/marketing company. We do everything from film, marketing materials, photography, DJ, broadcasting, and podcasting. I am confident we are a one-stop-shop for small businesses and artists’ needs.

We are currently producing shows for Motorcycle Entertainment Television Season 1 of OGs on Chrome, sign up and check it out! I have 20 years of experience and really am in one of the best positions in my career. I have a team now and all the tools to really make magic happen and it’s been a long time coming. We currently have a short film we have started circulating through the country “Man of Worth.”

It was a concept film by Aholu Pillow and a nod to the late Kevin Samuels. When DVDs were booming I had the chance to put 10+ documentaries under my belt. Since the digital age, those have slowed down. As a personal project, we have our own show on most platforms “The WhoDat Podcast” Where we interview people who have different walks of life and answer the popular question ” Who Dat?”

We are currently working on building our own App and Streaming Platform to house the movies we have written that are about to go into production. It will house the shows we produce, for clients, that are interested in participating. 2022 – 2023 will be a big year for us.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Don’t be afraid to take that leap into whatever your dreams may be. You will take hits and bumps and failures but these are all lessons for the next move you make.

These things can’t be avoided and are par for the course. Also, always make sure you leave room for growth, This business is always changing and you have to be able to change and adapt to it. It’s not going to happen overnight either, and don’t be afraid to seclude yourself to give yourself time to learn and research.

If you have to find out from someone else about something a lot of times it’s too late to capitalize on the opportunity.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.studio65media.com
• Instagram: @South65films
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/South65Studio
• Twitter: @TheWhoDatPodcast
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/south65films
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/TheWhoDatPodcast

Image Credits
Samantha Lepage of Studio 65 and Brandon Sprowl of Lost In Da Trap