Today we’d like to introduce you to John Rains.
Hi John, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When I was 13, my friends and I decided to DJ the 8th-grade dance. At the time we figured no one would know better than us how to keep the party going. We did “fine”, and my friends all went on their way to put an exciting DJ career to rest. For me, an entrepreneurial journey had just begun. I began DJing backyard parties, bar mitzvahs, and anyone I could get to hire me. It eventually led to bigger dances, weddings, clubs, and a job that paid my bills through college. Inevitably, my paths crossed with musicians and rappers, and I got invited to participate in their music videos. After seeing the first few in action, I wanted to pursue making the videos myself, and before I knew it, DJing was left behind for video work.
I quickly realized that the music video industry outside of LA is not too desirable. Budgets were next to nothing, and the music could have been better. I pivoted again and pursued making commercials in my hometown of Tallahassee, FL. I was making ads for local businesses and organizations and began to travel for most of my work. Clients across the country were lovely to have at first, but I had recently gotten married, and Austin seemed to be one of the cities I was most often flying to for video shoots. In 2018, I packed up shop and moved to Austin with my equipment, my wife, and two friends who had been my closest collaborators.
As we found our footing in Austin, COVID-19 quickly altered the plan of attack for growing a business. A new market emerged for servicing jobs that needed to film in Texas but weren’t able to travel here. I began to collaborate with other production companies for the first time and saw a new approach to the commercial industry that began taking shape. We were shooting commercials for brands like Reebok, T Mobile, and Oreo and beginning to work with celebrity talent. The equipment we used on jobs was growing, and the core team I would call to help me on jobs was continually the same.
In 2021, my current day-to-day began to form. I opened a rental company with a local business partner, hired my production team full-time to support the jobs, and began to open our first office to hub all of the productions happening in town. We now have two separate (but supporting) businesses that both service the commercial video market in Austin, TX, and specifically work with ad agencies to produce broadcast and social media ads. Convoy, our rental company, has a fleet of almost a dozen vehicles and a warehouse of equipment used to shoot the videos. Backstory, the production service company, is our full-time staff who budget, plan, and execute the productions with the help of the local crew we hire.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
The most complex challenge I constantly face is “what if.” What if I had moved to Nashville? What if COVID never reset the industry? What if we purchased a new equipment truck or leased a new warehouse? Entrepreneurs see the world in a way only other entrepreneurs can understand. Opportunity exists everywhere; the gamble is knowing which paths will lead to success. Inevitably, not all of them will, and failures come along the way. Production life will always have ups and downs and things I can’t control— such as the brands who choose to advertise and control the health of our entire industry. We are more media-driven than ever, but we also find ourselves working with lower budgets every year and a need to keep up with content creation that never ends. Day-to-day work can be challenging, and expectations are sometimes unrealistic, but that is to be expected of every industry and of the people looking to do their best work. Nothing good comes easy, but the payoff has always been worth it.
I appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Convoy?
Convoy is a full-service rental company for the commercial video market. Opening our doors in 2021, we wanted to inject Austin with a new rental experience, prioritizing quality and customer service. We’ve had a frustrating search for a shop open on weekends. Finding reliable vehicles tailor-made for production—specialty equipment with respectable prices. Productions are constantly facing everyday needs without an all-in-one solution. What started with a few personal trailers being towed to set has now turned into a fleet of nearly a dozen custom-built production vehicles filled with top-of-the-line grip, lighting, and production equipment. It is a true all-in-one solution that all productions in Austin can rely on. All of our equipment and vehicles are as close to new as we can get them, and we pride ourselves on maintaining our equipment to the highest standard possible.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the COVID-19 crisis?
Convoy was founded in the thick of the Covid pandemic. Even in the bleakest of times, opportunity always exists. We had to pivot our plans and how to service a changing industry, but Covid served as an opportunity to change how things had been done before and make ourselves a part of that new picture.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.convoyatx.com
- Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/convoy_atx/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/convoyatx
Image Credits
Joe Reynolds
