Today we’d like to introduce you to Alan Smith.
Hi Alan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my professional film and photography career in the field of international public health. My brother, Jonathan Smith, is an infectious disease epidemiologist and he and I made several docu-style short films on the topics of Tuberculosis and HIV. Most of our efforts were in Sub-Saharan Africa, at the heart of the TB and HIV epidemics. We also have written and filmed narrative short films based on pressing public health issues in Malaysia, Argentina, East Africa, and the United States, among others. After seeing how universal storytelling is and how powerful it can be, I was hooked. I started Creative Cabin Studios in Atlanta, GA, in 2014 simply because I wanted to keep telling stories of the people working and living around me. We have been able to bring our storytelling approach to many nonprofits, businesses, and health organizations throughout the United States.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Building Creative Cabin into what it is today was a challenge, to say the least. To say we started out from scratch is an understatement. We had an idea, we knew it was good, and we had the passion – it was in our blood – but we had absolutely no clients. In Atlanta, I started walking from business to business handing out flyers and cold-calling organizations that were too far to reach on foot. It was awkward, brutal, and humbling. Finally, several organizations gave me a shot at telling their stories. From there, I was able to get more references and build the business. Over time, we built a large portfolio that allowed us to demonstrate to businesses and nonprofits our unique approach to storytelling and filmmaking.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My business, Creative Cabin Studios, uses storytelling to create unique experiences that engage, enlighten, and entertain targeted audiences for businesses and nonprofits. We work with organizations to create narrative-based, short-form documentaries that tell the personal stories behind their work. Most of our work takes a deeper, often unvarnished, approach to expose the genuine stories that lie within. Although we specialize in cinematic storytelling, we also provide more traditional commercial-form videos for broadcast, as well as professional photo services. In addition to our client-based work, we enjoy making creative narratives films for the festival circuit. We pretty much love all forms of filmmaking and the power it has to bring people together.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
In terms of business, the biggest lesson I’ve learned from Covid-19 is to plan for the worst-case scenario when owning a small business. You have to make sure you have a wide base of diversified clients. In terms of personal life, appreciate the ones you love and go after any goals you have set for yourself. You never know what can happen in life. It can completely change at any moment. So surround yourself with good people, and hey, remember to have fun!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.creativecabinstudios.com
- Instagram: @creativecabinstudios
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/creativecabinstudios
- Other: www.vimeo.com/creativecabinstudios
