The Producer's Faction

03/30/2024

"I don't really use Facebook. I just use Insta."

"I don't really use X/Twitter. I just use TikTok."

What do the promoters in your area like to use to promote their shows? Not being reachable or findable on a certain social media platform is known in marketing as a "friction point ". A friction point is a small annoying thing that makes someone say "forget it". When the gas pump won't take your card and tells you to come inside and you say "screw it" and just leave, that's a friction point. When you click on an article you want to read online and it asks you for your email first and you close the page--that's a friction point. If you think about yourself you'll see that it doesn't take much to cause you to say "Screw this". People are just like you. If a fan or a promoter wants to learn more about you and they see that it's hard to find you online their interest level drops.

If a promoter does 80-90% of their event promotion on one platform then you need to be on that platform. Help share the event poster, cut promos, get private messages that go out to whoever is working the show that day...

If there is a Facebook Messenger Chat to talk over plans with the wrestlers, refs, and ring crew and you "Don't really use messenger" and someone has to text you separately to relay the message that's a friction point.

It's not about what platform you like. Get on the most popular ones. Be reachable, be findable, help promote, and have notifications on. 👍🏽

02/24/2024

"I want to get into production! I'm a (booker/wrestler/vlogger) and I want my stuff to look good. What should I spend the most on? A good camera?"

No. Lighting. Above everything. Invest first in your EDUCATION about lighting. Follow this page, go find a YouTube series on lighting, buy an e-course. If the lighting is proper you can record it on a 5 year old Samsung Galaxy or iPhone and it'll still pop. If the lighting sucks you can record it on a $20,000 Red Raptor cinema camera and it still won't save you.

Nothing can save bad lighting. Learn lighting.

To record a promo for Ricky Steamboat's retirement match the WWE took OVER AN HOUR just to adjust and angle the lights in the room. Speaks volumes.

08/15/2023

When you have free time in the ring and you're recording your friends practice whipping and pushing the camera with the direction people are moving to intensify the movement. The first few times you try it it'll be random and may not look great. But the more you do it you train your hand the correct way to whip the camera.
Andy Optimal Rabb1t Rogu3

07/05/2023

In the wrestling world in 2023, with very few exceptions, you will identify with one of these three.
A) You HAVE a social media and marketing team.
B) You ARE your own social media and marketing team.
C) Not many people know you exist.

⭐ NXT star and JPWA Grad Channing Lorenzo became his own social media and marketing team right up until he was signed by the WWE. He focused on his look, sound, photos, videos, and social media posts. Upon signing he was able to do a little less because he now HAS a social media and marketing team as WWE promotes talent.

⭐ Even while she was still training at the JPWA NXT's Ivy Nile had a team of videographers and photographers she worked with to get great content.

⭐ Dillon McQueen is a Social Media and Marketing MACHINE.

Go down the list... AJ, Silas, Kenzie, Kylie, JR, Wayne, etc. If they are making something happen, and you keep seeing their name, they either are a marketing and social "team" or they have access to one--compelling posts, good photos, good videos, event promotion, shares.

Ask yourself--Have you hired or do you have access to a social media and marketing team?

If the answer is "no" then are you doing the work to become your own social media and marketing team?

If the answer to that is also "no" then you're now swimming upstream and have slim odds of getting your name out there.

07/04/2023

06/19/2023

Parallax effect can be a fun but difficult shot. You'll almost certainly need a gimbal even if you're filming with a cell phone. You'll need to keep focus on your subject even if you have to tap the subject to maintain focus. You'll need the right focal length for the background to be creamy/dreamy and to have the spin look.

06/03/2023

Indy Wrestler: "Here is a promo I just recorded. What do you think?"

(Copy paste answer) Not bad but you probably should have had the camera a bit closer to show your eyes and to fill up the frame with yourself instead of all that dead space. You probably also want to have some contrast with your background so that you pop out from it rather than blending in.

"Oh gotcha. Yeah you're right. You watched it that fast?"

No. I've not gotten to watch it yet. I'll look at it here in a second.

"........ "

😂
Save these screenshots for reference. Keep them in your phone. If what you filmed is a lot more zoomed out than this then delete and try again. 👌