Today we’d like to introduce you to Benjamin Foote.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I picked up my first camera in 2005 because I thought it would be neat to be in my very own movie. So, with camera in hand and siblings at my disposal, we created an action flick involving nerf guns, the hardest family-friendly soundtracks we could find, and a whole lot of slow motion. Throughout the next few years I kept creating videos as a hobby with family and friends, mostly creating a lot of sketch comedy. I began to realize that this was something I was naturally gifted at — as my strengths in the science and math fields were quite subpar — and I began to set my sights on film school.
In 2011 I began my education at the University of Michigan under their Screen Arts and Culture program. There, I had the opportunity to wear a lot of different hats during our student projects, sometimes acting as a DP, cam-op, gaffer, boom operator, grip, and editor all in one production. I started to realize that I could operate in many factors of the film business without having to box myself into one skill set. I also picked up photography while in college and it quickly became a passion of mine as well as another service I could offer. During my time in college I began to work for the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan as well as lending my services out to local music artists and assorted clients throughout my four years, creating digital media for those clients including video and photography.
After graduating in 2015 I immediately began my freelance business, providing clients with high quality productions at affordable pricing. Because of my experiences at the university I was able to offer myself as the complete package – someone who can do it all without requiring a full crew if the client couldn’t afford that type of production. I worked a little over a year in the Ann Arbor area before getting married in October of 2016, which would lead to my move to Chicago where my wife is finishing her PhD at Northwestern University.
Now in Chicago I continue my business as both a cinematographer and photographer. I am very much looking forward to the opportunities that this city can offer me with the vast array of clientele and businesses that seek professional quality with a modest budget.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Going straight from college and primarily w2 income to being self-employed was actually a very smooth and easy transition. The opportunities allotted to me during my time at Michigan gave me an impressive portfolio, allowing me to charge for my services without having to prove myself and gain more experience. The first year of my business was steady and lucrative as I had many connections in the Ann Arbor/Michigan area and my word-of-mouth reputation was established and expansive.
However, moving to Chicago is a different story. Essentially uprooting my business from its Ann Arbor pillars and attempting to establish the same kind of presence in the extremely saturated market of Chicago has been a bumpy and sometimes discouraging venture. The first few months of being in this new city has been harder than I had anticipated in terms of finding clients and avoiding being low-balled by other individuals in my industry.
I have, though, been fortunate enough to gain a good number of wedding clients this Summer, and these next few months will be very busy but hopefully rewarding as I make up for the initial slow start of first landing in Chicago.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Benjamin Foote CP is primarily a one-man-band company. I typically complete pre-production, production, and post-production by myself for my clients all while maintaining a high level of production quality and professionalism.
When the budget allows, I love hiring other independent contractors and working alongside likeminded individuals. I pride myself in great management skills and fair wages for those who agree to work with me on my various video or photo projects.
I specialize in wedding videos and photography as well as music videos and commercial photography and cinematography for corporate businesses. I have had the opportunity to work with a subsidiary of NPR, creating music videos for some of their segments, as well as companies such as the CFA Society, Grubhub, and Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival, producing digital media for their outreaching purposes.
My favorite clients, though, are couples. I absolutely adore working alongside two people in love and the privilege to be part of their day and lives is something I will never take for granted. I try to make the whole experience of wedding planning and the day itself as joyful and stress-free as possible. The most satisfying moment in my business is when the client receives the final product, whether that be their wedding video, wedding photos, or even if it’s an artist getting their music video or a business reviewing their commercial. I have had clients call me and express their delight in the final product because, as they explain, a simple text or email would not encapsulate their love for the work. When that happens, I am again reminded why I am in this industry.
What sets me apart from others is my extensive knowledge of so many different factors within the filmmaking and photography industry. It has allowed me to take on a huge variety of jobs; and the one-man-band aspect of my business has allowed individuals and companies that do not have the budget to spend thousands of dollars on a production the option of hiring someone who will do great work within their means.
My business’ prices are not crazy low, but for the quality and experience that I bring to the table, I always ensure that what you are receiving greatly outweighs the cost.
I was raised by Bible-believing Christian parents who taught me to treat others as Jesus would. My faith has greatly influenced how I interact with my clients with love, respect, and sacrifice, seeing them and their goals as more important than me and what I want to create. I always strive to create something for my clients that is wholly and uniquely them. Of course, if they want me to steer the tone of the project my way I will certainly do that, but what the client wants has always been my sole priority.
What were you like growing up?
I grew up the fifth child of eight children, so the volume and hectic level of my parents’ household was always peaking. Most of my siblings have gone on to succeed in medical fields, science, and banking, but early on I think it was clear I would not be excelling in those areas once I left the nest.
I was always eccentric as a child, always full of weird energy and ideas. I would always be dreaming up different sketch comedy ideas, creating games for my younger siblings to play, taking video of everything and anything I could find, my mind was always somewhere else. We all took piano lessons growing up, but my family has told me that they knew when I was practicing because I never played the songs or scales I was instructed by our teacher to work on. Instead, I was just making stuff up on the piano, I wasn’t very good at it but I found creating something was so much more fun than just plinking away at what was in front of me.
I always loved the more abstract and enjoyed getting lost in my ideas. I wasn’t a slacker, though, and did well in school and completed what I had to do in a satisfactory manner. But, I remember my mother would have me repeat tasks she gave me to her to make sure I wouldn’t forget about it the moment I left the room.
I was homeschooled K-12, although I did take a lot of community college classes during my ‘Junior’ and ‘Senior’ years of high school (I put quotes on those because we never quite knew what grade we were in). This gave me opportunity to really explore my creative side after completing my schooling early in the day. I had a lot of free time to really do whatever I wanted, and that usually involved some sort of creation.
I have always been, and will always be creating – that will never change.
Pricing:
- Wedding Videography starts at $1300
- Wedding Photography starts at $1500
- Weekday (Mon-Thurs) starts at $150 first hour and then $80/hr afterwards for photo and video
- Weekend (Fri-Sun) starts at $250 first hour and then $100/hr afterwards for photo and video
- Post production is $50/hr for both photo and video
Contact Info:
- Address: 2150 N Lincoln Park W
Apt 812
Chicago, IL 60614 - Website: benjaminfootecp.com
- Phone: 5172142489
- Email: benjaminfootecp@gmail.com
- Instagram: @benjaminfootecp
- Facebook: facebook.com/benjaminfootecp
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/benjamin-foote-cinema-and-photography-chicago-2?osq=benjamin+foote+cp
Image Credit:
Smoke Photo – Chicago-based Model Emily Leischner
Confetti Photo – Shirley Foote’s 85th Birthday Party
Girl Leaning on Knee – Stacey of sprintingspoon.com
Kiss with Fireworks – John and Darci Donkersloot Rehearsal Dinner
Couple holding lights – Brandon Chang and Grace Kestner Engagement Photo
Family Photo – Frederick Foote Family
Football – Michigan vs. Penn State Football Game circa 2013
Wedding Kiss – Zak and Mary Jatkowski
