Today we’d like to introduce you to Kai-Duc Luong.
Kai-Duc, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started my professional career as a filmmaker/videographer/artist on January 1, 2008 after working a decade in Corporate America as an engineer for Motorola in the Northwestern suburbs of Chicago.
Even though I was quite satisfied with the six-figure paycheck I was earning back then, I felt a void itching to be filled – something I always wanted to do but never dared trying: becoming a full-time artist, working on projects that would matter to me on a personal level as well as make an impact on those whom the projects were intended to reach or help – not just working for a big company which was outsourcing its way into oblivion for short term shareholders’ profits.
And after producing a music video for a trendy record label & a feature length documentary while still working at my corporate job, I took the plunge at the end of 2007, and decided to start my own career on the following New Year’s Day.
The early years between 2008 and 2012 were quite challenging. My mother living in Paris had just passed away shortly after I left my full-time job, and the financial crisis was hitting full blown across the globe.
Luckily I had sold my condo prior to starting my artistic endeavor and used the savings from my engineering days to buy myself time to perfect my skills as an image maker & content producer.
At first, I started creating multimedia art projects because it gave me the freedom to tackle any content I wanted to while providing me the flexibility to experiment with crafting my own aesthetics and skills, and since no one really knew whom I was, I had to create content to build my portfolio.
This ebullient creative period allowed me to collaborate with like-minded artists in various media and getting exposure to the art world and market in the US and France. All the meanwhile, I also promoted my feature documentary ‘Someplace Else’ about a blues musician in Chicago, which was showcased at various film festivals in the US and abroad. Yet because of the nature of the art world dictated by the dynamics of an art market, it wasn’t easy to make a living from it as an outsider artist who wasn’t academically trained.
After years of helping my frequent collaborator & best friend Heather Stone – an award-winning former Chicago Tribune staff photographer who also went freelance in 2008 after winning a group Pulitzer – on various photo-video projects for corporate & private clients, I decided to create KAI-DUC Film & Photography, also known as Kai-Duc Luong Productions – a video production company based in Chicago which caters to professional entities (small & mid-sized companies, non-for-profit entities, consulting firms, editorial) that need video & photo services for their internal & external PR/marketing, or news coverage.
As for my wedding video endeavors, one of Heather’s clients needed video coverage for their wedding and I was available to shoot it. After creating their wedding highlights short film, I decided to submit it to Photo District News annual wedding imaging competition, and to my greatest surprise, it won the 2012 PDN Top Knots award.
With that award and another big one won the same year – PDN’s Photo Annual – I was able to shoot more weddings, and corporate, commercial, editorial projects while garnering a few more nods on the road such as the 2013 PDN Top Knots, WPPI Award 2014 from the professional industry, as well as recognition from private clients feedback such as the 2016 People Love Us on Yelp and Wedding Wire’s 2017 Couples Choice award.
Looking back at how it all went, I couldn’t say whether I really had a fully planned out path for my company, and all I can see is that I just kept on creating with the same passion & dedication for each project – whether it was for the sake of art, for free, or as a paid gig for a company or a bride and groom.
I hope that I can continue to do so for my current and future clientèle.
Has it been a smooth road?
Building your clientele in this video/photo industry and gig economy isn’t an easy feat. The competition is fierce and everywhere these days, and you have to constantly provide quotes without knowing whether you get the project or not – be it with businesses, non-for-profits or couples getting married. These quotes often take a while to create and you are usually at the mercy of your client’s budget.
So I learned over trial and error, and over time, the need to nurture your relationship with past clients and past collaborators as they are your best ambassadors for future clients and projects, especially as a small business owner/entrepreneur in the arts field.
When I first started, I dreamt that I would be able to make movies, documentaries, and be able to make a living from it. I applied for and got accepted into a prestigious filmmaking program in 2011, but after seeing that I would have to mortgage my future for such an education, I had to make a more drastic choice and decided that it was better to build my own video / photo company to make a living while writing/producing my personal works on the side.
Finding the right balancing act between social media/PR/marketing & content creation is also a strange new normal these days for an artist or entrepreneur. You are at the mercy of trends and rapidly morphing technologies & content creation/distribution. All the more reasons for building a good relationship with clients & collaborators who trust you and the work you provide for them or with them.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with KAI-DUC Film & Photography – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
At Kai-Duc Film & Photography, we provide video & photo services to a multitude of clients for their various needs (commercial, editorial, internal communications, institutional, event coverage, weddings, portraits).
We are two energetic collaborators with complementary skill sets – myself and photographer Heather Stone who also runs her entity as Heather Stone Photography specializing in Wedding – Portrait Photography, Boudoir and Photojournalism. And we hire like-minded talented professionals/collaborators on a project-basis. Heather and I have considered merging our companies but haven’t had the bandwidth to do so yet, maybe sometime in the near future.
Over the years, we have specialized in small/medium-sized entities (startups, consulting firms, local company branches, news/magazines) imaging needs for their online and print pr/marketing, as well as catered to institutions & non-for-profits (universities, unions, foundations) and private clients (brides/grooms) for their event coverage.
We provide content that is of the same quality as larger multimedia production companies or ad/news agencies, at a fraction of their cost. We can do so because we are a lean, small dynamic entity focused on tailoring our work to our client’s needs for personalized content, quality and timely service.
We spend the necessary time listening to our client’s story, what they would like to convey for their content/project/event, so that we can do our own research and customize our talents/skills to their needs.
The work we provide is not just about reaching more people for our client, but helping our client reach the right people by conveying what they want and delivering on it. Ditto for an event, we listen to our customer so that we can suggest the best ways to achieve our client’s goals for their wedding, event or portrait sessions.
Our company’s motto is “Your story is our art” – I think it really defines who we are – Every client has their own unique story, message, event that they want filmed or photographed, a specific audience they want to reach/target. We listen to them, no matter the company size, budget or subject matter, and we try to deliver a customized experience and work for them as a result of our interaction.
We love to work with startup companies, consulting firms, non-for-profits, universities, small and medium size businesses, as well as couples and families.
We love to create works that have a meaningful impact for our client, a video that our bride and groom can relive over and over, a documentary series that sheds a light on an important subject matter, an event that is celebrating a company’s achievements.
We use the latest HD and 4K video equipment, full frame photographic gear. We are a boutique entity that prides itself in editing its content in-house, which results in the content quality and fidelity that our clients expect when they hire us.
So what sets us apart isn’t so much one specific skill we have or niche we cater to, but a constellation of tangibles and intangibles that we offer to our clients to create the best video, photo or multimedia works they have envisioned. We pride ourselves in striving for that goal.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I fell in love with Chicago the very moment I flew by its skyline of iconic skyscrapers, and landed on the tarmac of O’Hare Airport when I first moved to the Windy City as a graduate student from Paris, France nearly two decades ago.
Having lived in an ancient capital city like Paris in my teenage years, Chicago felt like a familiar metropolis with its large population, but with a gush of fresh air breezing through its modern architectural settings… It is big, teeming with arts, culture, food, and diverse neighborhoods. Yet you can see the sky and horizon most everywhere you go. Everything seems so orderly yet chaotic.
Its city inhabitants are much friendlier than those in New York, London or Paris. The city is as populated as any capital city yet less dense. I love that it’s a large metropolis with a friendly provincial attitude.
Its Lake Shore Drive Lakefront trail & 606 trails are so nice to stroll along in the summer on your bike or roller blades, either gazing at the lovely green turquoise Lake Michigan or the changing architecture.
I love its museums, its public spaces, performing arts & musical venues, its bustling restaurant scene, its multicultural neighborhoods and summer fairs. It is truly my kind of town, with thrills and chills, but without an attitude.
Obviously, what I like the least about Chicago is Winter. Depending on the years, it can be grueling but we did have a very mild second half of winter after a chilly start of the season this past year. I also hate the city’s parking meter and speeding traffic system, and I’m probably not the only person feeling this way.
Yet after every winter, comes Chicago’s short spring, and by the time summer comes, I have all but forgotten about how brutal winter was…
Chicago is a perfect city for dreamers and entrepreneurs alike. It is big, bold, dynamic yet friendly and accessible for all.
Pricing:
- Wedding Video Packages start at $2950 for 8-hours of Coverage
- Event coverage start at $300/hour for Video or Photo
Contact Info:
- Address: 3000 W Lawrence Ave, Suite 2B, Chicago IL 60625
- Website: www.kaiducluong.com
- Phone: 773-383-2581
- Email: info@kaiducluong.com
- Instagram: @kaiducluong
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kdlproductions/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kai-duc-luong-kdl-productions-chicago-2
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/user/luonkai
Image Credit:
Lilly Pond and Paris Portraits by Heather Stone : www.heatherstonephotography.com
Photo with Kai-Duc shooting: Ilya Trager : itragerphoto.com
