Monday Business Profile: Drakon Media

1.Can you describe your business?

At Drakon Media our main focuses are to supply Practical Special Effects, bespoke Visual Effects and Production Services for independent filmmakers and the wider movie industry. Our Special Effects cover a wide variety of practical physical effects, including atmosphere, pyrotechnics, custom made mechanical contraptions and specialising in Electronics and Robotics.

2. Why did you start your own business?

I have always had a love for Movies, fascinated by the storytelling, the technology, the effects and finding out how they are able to do the things we see on the big screen. I started out working on my own projects and on independent movies, and now, after 10 years of building my brand and my company, I get to work on big budget films like recently released Hunger Games and Point Break. (In cinemas now)

3. What are the best things about running your own business?

The satisfaction of building a business model and seeing it work is one of the best things about running your own company. My business allows me to travel the world and work with hundreds of very talented, likeminded individuals and filmmaking teams. And when you see your work on the big screen… there is nothing like that feeling! My business is not a job, it’s a lifestyle.

4. What are the main challenges facing the business?

The film industry is seasonal. Pre-production usually starts 3 months prior to shooting and a typical movie will shoot for 70 to 120 days over a period of 5 months, mostly in the summer. Your business model has to reflect this, as cash-flow stops when you are not working. The key word for this is to diversify. Finding other projects to fill in the gaps between the big contracts, even if they are small. This can be competitive.

5. What advice would you give to someone starting a business?

Know your industry, Set Goals, Reinvest in your Business.

(Plan – Implement – Evaluate)

Not only set your goals, but plan how you are going to achieve them. Evaluate your needs along the way, reconciling will allow you to see what you could have done better or what you should do next to get you closer to that goal. Reinvest more than just money; your skills, your time, your direction in life should always help your business grow.

6. Can you describe your experience of running a business in three words or less?

Satisfying – Intensive – Liberating

 

 

 

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