Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Rozema.
Hi Steve, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I began playing music at the age of five. Eventually, I attended UNCG in pursuit of a double major in jazz and classical performance playing trumpet. I also played in some other bands (drums, guitar, a bit of piano, and percussion).
My on-stage music endeavors eventually led to off-stage endeavors as well. I learned to run live sound, and eventually picked up other live production skills—programming light shows, running multi-camera productions, and setting up streaming services. Audio engineering is still something I do for both work and fun, doing mixing and production for a wide range of genres.
After working full-time in event production for a few years, I also had begun to run cameras and do some directing in videography with a local church. I made some connections and began assisting on commercial and wedding shoots, and now videography is the primary focus of my business. Most of my work is with small businesses, but I also do weddings, freelance shooting and editing, and am currently working on a short film as the colorist.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, per se, but it has been a meaningful one. I thought I would be in music performance, and then I thought I’d work in a studio, and then I ended up working as a technical director—which, even then, my specific responsibilities and involvements changed a lot over the years. Life is rarely a linear progression, but there is so much to learn and grow from along the way!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I love telling stories. That’s one of the things any art form does best: express something that can’t be expressed in that same way with everyday communication. In videography, for example, you can tell a part of the story with a certain lighting look, or a color palette, or a style of shooting—even the equipment you choose can affect the visual story you tell.
In videography, I specialize in a more organic, cinematic style of shooting. I can, and have, shot more standard looks for commercials and weddings, but I like doing something that makes the viewer feel like they’re present, or involved in what’s happening. In audio production, I like to really focus on an idea—a set of lyrics, or a particular mood or emotion—and write or mix to that, as opposed to just copying a style.
Sometimes, the right answer really is to do what’s considered “standard,” because that is what supports the story best. But I think my specialty is in considering the message being communicated and coming up with a way to really capture that goal.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I did well in school and had a great family environment. I was constantly involved in music: jazz bands, marching bands, metal bands, orchestras, choirs, theater, whatever. I loved it, but I was always really preoccupied with what others thought about me. That’s probably a by-product of both early success and a creative focus; wanting to continue to be impressive and creative in some way. Of course, catering to other people’s opinions eventually hinders you from real success, which is about having peace with who you are and finding contentment with the life you have, and thankfully I feel that I’ve found that, largely through my church family and faith.
Pricing:
- Wedding videography starting at $1,600
- Commercial videography starting at $1,200
- Music production services starting at $50
Contact Info:
- Email: steve@eklektosmedia.com
- Website: eklektosmedia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eklektosmedia/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCabTGaL_6GVDzZWmg_twvig
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/h011Nk8J2jb
- SoundCloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/eklektosmusic
Image Credits
eklektos media, LLC
