Meet Abis Akolawala: Videographer, Photographer & Editor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Abis Akolawala and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Abis, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Professionalism is crucial in the video production & photography world. The basic concepts like showing up on time, not wasting peoples’ time, being prepared and most importantly, how you conduct yourself while on set with the client and talent. This is important to me because you’re representing your own business & brand when you show up to a shoot and if you make a terrible impression on a client, you’re not going to get continued business with that client and they won’t refer you to anyone. And yes, word spreads so if you’re working in LA, things tend to catch up with you.

What should our readers know about your business?
BisVision Productions provides cutting-edge video & photo content for brands. My years of experience have let me work with very diverse clients ranging from startup companies and corporations to music artists and fashion designers. What sets me apart is my attention to detail in everything I shoot and edit. Whether it’s a minor detail in lighting during a photo shoot or a change in the music during a kickstarter video edit, I always make sure my client is happy and wants to continue doing projects in the long term. I’m most proud and excited about the diverse client list I’ve developed over the years that keeps things fresh. The unexpected projects I get keep that passion going. One day I’m shooting headshot photos for a lawyer and the next day I’m shooting a Latin music video. Getting to this point was not easy. Starting out with no camera equipment, no reputation or clients was discouraging but I knew that if I worked with enough people and got my name out there, I’d start making good money and not stress so much about everything. I chose to invest in my business as much as possible, not take a bunch of vacations and blow my money on luxury but that was my choice. I also overcame these challenges by never being complacent and always wanting to reach the next level. I learned that hard work does pay off when you smarten up and learn from your mistakes. If you work hard and don’t sleep and dedicate yourself to your craft, but you continue bad business habits, you aren’t going to get to that next level and you’ll waste your best working years. You don’t want to make yourself your worst enemy and hold yourself back from success. I just want people to know that starting a business as a creative was not my first career choice. I started college majoring in computer engineering with absolutely no intentions or interest in video production or photography, since my mindset was engineering is a safe career choice and I like computers. Well, that didn’t work out at all! And after having a conversation with another digital artist, I switched majors and one thing led to another and now here I am. My point is that this line of work found me and when something is meant to be, you make sure you don’t take it for granted when it becomes a success. I appreciate every minute of it!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It’s always fun walking around Venice Beach and the Promenade in Santa Monica, checking out the pier and maybe hanging out at the Bungalow. Going for a hike in Malibu at Point Dume and relaxing on the beach is a great way to spend the day too. I usually like to try a new place to eat in DTLA whenever I have a friend coming to town! Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I definitely want to thank my family for always supporting me, even when I first started my business 10 years ago and wasn’t really making any money. I always had the ability to live at home and build my business without worrying about paying rent or starving so I’m super blessed to have that support.

Website: http://BisVisionProductions.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/bisvisionpro

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abisakolawala/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/bisvisionpro

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/bisvisionproductions

Image Credits
Jana Brusch Photo Eric Erickson Andy Nguyen @payamt