Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassandra Klepac.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
The process of creating and making visual narratives come to life started for me when I was a teen. I used to make collages for my friends and family with cutouts from magazines mashed up with photos I’d take from disposable cameras. I vividly remember anxiously waiting around the HEB photo counter for my prints, back when they had a photo counter! That 1-hour photo promise were the longest hour of my life back then. I loved telling stories through photos and I loved capturing moments. It helped me remember more of the parts of life I feel we all take for granted. The smaller moments, the day-to-day stuff. I documented everything and sometimes it annoyed those closest to me, but now they’re very glad I did.
When I was 17 I finally got a digital camera. It was a tiny single-digit megapixel auto everything but It had video too! When I hit the record for the first time something changed for me. My friends and I made so many videos that I’d edit on my maybe-illegally-downloaded sony vegas editing software. We used to make lip-sync videos before social media was a thing. I have some cringe clips of me and my friends all lip-syncing and dancing to the hits of 2007 that no one will ever see. Thankful social media wasn’t a thing back then! hah!
I moved from my hometown of Corpus Christi to Austin in December of 2009 right after turning 19. I was chasing a dream of making films and experiencing a world that the gulf coast just didn’t have for me. Austin was rough at first. I was like a fish out of water. After a few crazy years of playing in a band, film school, working at the apple store, the drive-in movies, and many odd jobs, I finally landed a video editing job at a production company and learned everything I could about the commercial video industry. I fell in love with the process and started freelancing. I was a full-time photographer/videographer/editor for years and loved it. In 2019, ten years after moving to Austin I started a production company with my friend Amber Gensuke and it’s been so rewarding and fun.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I learned everything the hard way and I’m thankful for that. In my freelance days, there were many times when I didn’t know if I was going to be able to pay my bills the next month or what I’d do if my only camera broke. There was no Instagram business accounts back then for help or inspo like there are now, everything was a word of mouth and networking in person. I had to start doing mindset work to get myself out of the sacristy mindset and into the light. Daily intention setting and mindset work is still a big part of what I do to keep myself going in my creativity and business. My mental and physical health are really important to me for success and it took me years to figure that out.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Red Riding Hood Productions?
Red Riding Hood Productions is now 3.5 years old and it’s been wild to build a biz when the majority of our biz has been during a global pandemic but we are flexible, scrappy, and love what we do. We’re a full-service photo and video production house and creative agency. When I met Amber I knew she was the right biz and creative partner for me. We’re similar in vibes and mindset but different in personality and skills. She’s got a killer background in journalism and storytelling and I’ve got that artist’s eye and deeply care about details as much as the big picture. After we worked together for the first time for a Texas Monthly shoot we knew we could make it. We work with brands, businesses and people who are trying to make a difference in this world. We love supporting and creating with people who give a shit about our world, communities and health.
We produce and create video ads for web, social and TV. We produce and shoot photography for campaigns and all types of projects. I’m really proud of why we’re different. We want our sets to feel good and not stressful. We work hard to make sure our clients are heard and understood and we communicate with them all steps of the process and believe in over-communicating. We don’t rush the creative process and know when to dive into inspiration or take a break and let an idea marinate. Our process and workflow for creating content for our clients is something we took and created from our individual experiences and what we wished was different in our industry. We prioritize the story, diversity in front of and behind the camera and good energy all around.
Amber and I are a producer/director duo and I also mostly shoot our work and it’s extremely fulfilling. It’s hard work but very fun. Amber and I make a great team and we are constantly collaborating with other creatives and hiring out talented people in the industry to help us create for our clients. We love being on set and making it a fun and collaborative environment for all clients, crew and talent.
We’re about to launch our brand refresh this summer and I’m so excited! So be on the lookout for that!
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Books: The artist’s way, You are a message by Gullaumine Wolf, Chroma by Nick Fancher Podcasts: Dare to lead and Unlocking Us by Brene Brown
Apps: Notion, Tezza, Masterclass, Medium
Contact Info:
- Website: https://redridinghoodproductions.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassandra.klepac/
- Other: https://cassandraklepac.com
