Meet James Gustin of Fig Media in West Town

Today we’d like to introduce you to James Gustin.

Thanks for sharing your story with us James. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My background is largely entrepreneurial, I am a trained media artist, my degree is in philosophy and I am CEO and Head Instigator at Fig Media Inc.

Fig media INC. is an innovative media creation and service delivery company that I founded to facilitate my high touch creative talents. I have found that my mad skills include facilitating my clients vision and then transforming the outcome into exciting current branding messages and substantive content.

I use the mediums of digital film, photography and music, to discover, identify and facilitate inherent important company messages. We strategize and partner and create unique ways to share these revelations, for example at strategic events, parties or brand launches as well as compile them for promotional purposes and straight up web content.

I’ve lived around the globe: Houston, Hong Kong, London, San Francisco to name a few, Chicago is my home of choice for over 25 years now.

Fig MEDIA is synonymous with creative interpretation and innovative directionality. For 24 years and counting, I serve the successful business community here in Chicago!

Has it been a smooth road?
Hell no. In 2008, we had what we called “figmagedden”. We had accounts drop left and right, entire entertainment and promotions departments were cut, so were their creative partners! One account called and even though their launch party was pre-paid, they canceled the whole run as they’d cut so many jobs it simply looked bad to have any sort of party. We had to restructure to stay alive, some of my many staff were cut, others decided that the tough part wasn’t what they signed on for, pretty painful.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Fig Media INC – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We started our business deejaying, it’s my trojan horse service. I added the film component first because I saw a need and second as I studied it in London and made and worked on a few independent films. We’ve backed a few films and continue to support our independent directors. We are currently producing a local documentary about a local south side family with one of our directors in Los Angeles.

Little known but growing is our non-profit films, while not our highest grossing is some of our nearest and dearest to our hearts. We’ve gotten to work with wonderful companies who have important messages to get out so it’s our scripting and filmmaking that get those messages out into the world and help them raise measurable funds.

We are known for our corporate client services in all 3 areas: and to that end over 50% of our clients are corporate as our name has been around and our service is top notch. We do content analysis and save our businesses thousands of dollars by outlining end use as well as helping evaluate event budgets and direct costs.

We are known for our weddings services, we do a MOD Deal which is what Modern Weddings calls the Triple Threat, this is all three services: DJ, Photo and Film packaged for the higher end couple. We were known for our same sex marriages long before it was cool.

85% of our business is referral based.

I am one of the proud few in my company who do can deejay, make films and photograph, I consistently teach and take classes myself. We are standards for higher learning.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Chicago is central, it is big, it is diverse. I love that it is by the lake and is so beautiful. So much going on, great food, lots of industry, thriving communities and good people. It’s has big city amenities with small city generosity.

I don’t like that the city is broke or that there is so much bureaucracy and people on “the make”.

Pricing:

• Standard Deejay Services start at 1500
• Corporate Film Services range from 5 – 60K and we do offer retainers
• Photography Services start at 750 for first hour and include analysis on project and shot list, retainers also available.
• Wedding Films start at 4K
• Wedding Photography Packages start at 5K

Contact Info:

• Website: figgy.net
• Phone: 773-466-8800
• Email: james@figgy.net
• Instagram: @james_gustin
• Facebook: figweddings
• Yelp: fig weddings

Image Credit:
@figMEDIA

Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.