Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Winn.
Hi Ryan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I went to college double majoring in Economics and Political Theory. Economics was a common major for athletes, and I played hockey and baseball at Bowdoin College as well.
However, right before leaving for college I started getting into theater and digital media classes at the boarding school I went to. I enjoyed it so much I decided to minor in theater as well. The only problem was I couldn’t be a part of any major productions as they conflicted with sports. So I tried to scratch my creative itch in another way. I began to vlog. I had no idea what I was doing. I was filming on an iPhone 8 and using the free version of Divinci Resolve to edit (most of the time my computer would crash or lag so badly that I was editing blind).
I kept at it and after a year I had amassed 216 subscribers. It wasn’t until TikTok came about that things began to take off. I did a couple of BTS videos with the hockey team, some celebration compilations, and began sharing stories about my life and family and it blew up. I focused a lot on being an influencer for a while. I even landed a manager and landed a lead acting role in an independent feature film called “What’s My Name Again?”
Acting and being in front of the camera is still something I want to do but it was through this journey that I realized the attention is only worth something if I can tell stories. It is only worth something if I have something to say. And to say something I have to be technically good enough to get the message across.
I moved to Nashville with $700 and I was selling power tools for Milwaukee at the Murfreesboro Home Depot. I lasted 3 months and realized my spirit was dying so I quit and decided to bet on myself. I bartended at the Germantown Jack Browns while I began to film some projects downtown to make some money. Then, I began to shop my following around to different companies explaining how I was able to build a 360,000-person following in about a year.
That got me to work running social media and editing for different small companies. I did it through working with a production company called Branded 78 and then eventually started my own company called Winning Productions USA. We currently film a variety of content from lifestyle apparel brands to nightlife to NFL athletes.
The goal still has not changed. Everyone has a story to tell and it is our job to create that message.
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?
It hasn’t been the smoothest. Taking a sales job for a power tool company was a stepping stone. Serving tables and bartending wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do. AND doing a lot of work for free. I cannot tell you how much free work we do just with the hopes of landing a job. To be honest we still do it today.
The other major obstacle and challenge is the financial side of running a business as an independent production company. All of the funding for new equipment and gear is coming directly from our paid gigs. I have never personally taken a cent out of the company. I have never paid myself. I recently just took on Patrick Maciel who is now working for Winning Productions FULL TIME.
I have my first full-time employee and hopefully, many more to come. Again, with that comes challenges. Maintaining a positive work environment. Allowing Patrick to have work work-life balance. Finding a good middle ground between colleagues, friends, and boss.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Right now, I would say we have a Niche in fast-paced storytelling. We work mostly in social media-oriented organic growth and consult on ways to generate a profile that is relatable for potential customers.
We like to think of our style as versatile. However, we have a distinct style of filming bars/restaurants that has performed quite well. The colors are dark and contrasty while utilizing bright neon lights. We edit at a fast pace and utilize things like hyperlapses and involved transitions. Even in these fast edits we still tell a story.
We are a small business and heavily support other small businesses. We would like to help small businesses with true beginnings navigate the crazy world of marketing which seems to change day by day. Marketing expenses, professional shoots, creative consulting, and social media management can all add up. We want to be able to take all of these components in-house for a company that is right for us. Take those aspects off of their hands so that whoever the owners are can focus on the product and we can focus on letting the world know about it.
As mentioned in your story section. The goal is to tell stories. I would love for that to one day be feature films, music videos, or shorts. I have no idea when that day will be. The next thing we are working on is growing this company so that it is sustainable enough to fund our projects. If not fund our own then really pick and choose what we would like to work on.
I don’t want to say too much but we are currently working on having a physical location as a headquarters involving multiple studios and value ads for potential members. Not only would this allow for us to work with small businesses more tightly but will hopefully open up an avenue to create a community of creatives.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Some books that have helped me are:
the Untethered Soul – Michael A Singer
The Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle
Greenlights – Matthew McConaughey
I tend to be helped by books leaning towards internal awareness and spiritual enlightenment. I think with the amount of technology that consumes us staying present is the hardest thing to do. Yet, it is the most important.
Pricing:
- Minimum for 1 video recap -$800
- Monthly package – 2 (2hour) shoots, 10 (30-second short form reels), 4(15 seconds) creative reels – $5,000
- Day rate – $2,000
Contact Info:
- Website: www.winningproductionsusa.com
- Instagram: @winningproductionsusa
