Matthew Alexander Podcast

In this episode I sat down with three Cape Town industry legends in Aidan Tobias - owner of The Studio in Cape Town, Gustav Franke-Matthecka - a wedding videography specialist & Matthew Berti - a photography savant and creative jack of all trades. We discussed their different career journeys into content creation, industry best practices and gatekeeping in the creative world. Chapters:00:00:00 Introduction00:03:25 Guest Intros and Backgrounds00:07:33 Movie Talk and Inspiration00:13:15 Early Career Reflections00:17:10 Pricing Photo vs. Video00:18:34 Matthew's Photography Journey00:23:23 Aiden's Early Career00:33:18 Studio Maintenance and Challenges00:37:47 Soundproofing and Studio Enhancements00:39:06 Studio Pricing and Accessibility00:41:44 Wedding Videography and Crew Size00:45:00 Pricing Based on Client00:55:03 Burnout and Finding Balance00:57:29 Seasonal Work and Industry Partners01:00:01 Gender Dynamics in the Wedding Industry01:02:03 Gatekeeping and Sharing Knowledge01:03:51 Workshops and Continuing Education01:07:08 Gustav's Workshop Experiences01:08:50 Teaching and Remembering Fundamentals01:10:27 Multiple Revenue Streams and Inflation01:12:09 Photo vs. Video in Weddings01:15:45 International vs. Local Work01:25:30 Technical Errors and "Burnout"01:27:24 Connecting with People01:37:19 Burnout and Self-Care01:49:27 Future AspirationsMore of Aidan:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aidantobias/The Studio: https://www.instagram.com/thestudiocpt/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aidantobiasMore of Gustav:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gustavfrankecinematography/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gustavfrankeweddingfilmsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@gustavfrankecinematographyMore of Matthew:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matty.snaps/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matty.snapsYouTube: https://youtube.com/@mattysnaps?si=ONqd7z11bxTCCm5GMore of Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattalexander2TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattalexander_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattalexander2X: https://twitter.com/mattalexander99YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattalexander_Production Company: https://www.mattcc.com/Tech Platform: https://www.curatedforyou.co.za/

In this episode I was joined by Adam Hansen & Alex Ortscheit, along with returning guest and co-host for this episode, Stark Lui. We had an interesting discussion about how the traditional film industry is changing under pressure from the influx of social media centered content. We also chatted about Adam & Alex’s methods of producing their work and their best tips for collaborating and working together. Chapters: 00:00:00 – Intro 00:02:25 – Film School Origins & Defining Roles 00:11:50– Social Media’s Influence & Film Industry 00:24:47 – Practical Effects vs. CGI & Technology 00:34:26 – Burnout, Hustle Culture & Balancing Work 00:40:54 – Director–DOP Dynamics & Problem-Solving 00:53:47 – Deep Dive: Filming the “Shallow Graves” Music Video 01:38:14 – Industry Paths, Showreels & Breakthroughs 02:12:00 – Gear Choices: Big vs. Small Crews 02:17:15 – Breaking Into Narrative Filmmaking 02:27:39 – Future Goals & Aspirations More of Adam Hansen: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planetadim/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-hansen-0083b516b/ More of Alex Ortshceit: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex_ortscheit/ Website: https://alexortscheit.myportfolio.com/work IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9175837/ More of Stark Lui: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stark_lui/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@starklui8259 More of Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattalexander2 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattalexander_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattalexander2 X: https://twitter.com/mattalexander99 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattalexander_ Production Company: https://www.mattcc.com/ Tech Platform: https://www.curatedforyou.co.za/

For this episode I’m joined by two inspiring entrepreneurs and the visionaries behind the brand of Versus Socks, Hanno Lategan and Jurgens Uys. It’s been so amazing to watch their company over the last few years. In preparation for this chat I was looking at some of their company statistics and I couldn’t quite believe how quickly everything is moving. Over 4 million pairs sold, over 3500 glowing customer reviews on their website, 1000 unique patterns, 50 + team members and a couple of their own stores, not to mention seeing Versus Socks everywhere at Sportsman's Warehouse, Total Sports and nearly every cycle shop in the country. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 00:01:15 - Cycling Roots & Early Brand Evolution 00:13:13 – In-House Content & Building Community 00:16:37 – Hosting Events & Helicopter Highlights 00:24:14 – Versus Run Crew 00:28:21 - Building an International Enterprise and Brand Collaborations 00:38:20 – Breaking into Major Retailers 00:42:15 – Team Culture & Hiring 00:57:45 – Quality, Tech & Innovation 01:17:07 – Advice for Entrepreneurs 01:20:05 – Wrap-Up & Thanks More of Versus: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/versussocks/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@versussocks YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@versus_socks Website: https://versussocks.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/versus-socks/ More of Hanno: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannolategan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hanno.lategan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannolategan/ Strava: https://strava.app.link/yAmoh30PQPb More of Jurgens: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jurgensuys1/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jurgensuys7 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jurgens-uys-58b175159/ Strava: https://strava.app.link/5P2YD8XPQPb More of Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattalexander2 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattalexander_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattalexander2 X: https://twitter.com/mattalexander99 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattalexander_ Production Company: https://www.mattcc.com/ Tech Platform: https://www.curatedforyou.co.za/

James Freemantle is a jack of all trades and a master of many. He has a wide array of skillsets, including social media influencer, fitness fanatic, reality TV star and a marketing genius. James is an entrepreneur and the founder of FMG Digital. Above all, James is a close friend of mine who inspires me daily to become a better version of myself and is someone I that know adds tremendous value to everyone he interacts with. This is an extract from our longer interview segment, where James specifically discussed how he has experimented with various diets, more recently focusing on the carnivore diets and various biohacking methods. More of James: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayfreemantle_ FMG Digital: https://fmg-digital.com More of Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattalexander2 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattalexander_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattalexander2 X: https://twitter.com/mattalexander99 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattalexander_ Production Company: https://www.mattcc.com/ Tech Platform: https://www.curatedforyou.co.za

My guest for this episode is Florence Ryan, a travel and adventure filmmaker creating content that she shares on YouTube and on her Instagram account, @noflomo. Flo recently completed an epic 16 month journey across Africa from Cairo to Cape Town, titled Project Africa. We discussed her build up to the journey, the challenges along the way and Flo’s approach to filmmaking. If you were ever making any excuses to document your travels, this will 100% eliminate any excuses. Chapters: 00:00 – Teaser 00:53 – Guest Introduction & Project Africa 01:40 – Childhood Videos & Early YouTube Experiments 04:48 – University Vlogs & Finding Her Style 11:37 – Growing Up in Senegal & Love for Africa 13:40 – Why Cycle Across Africa? 15:50 – Gear Choices & On-the-Road Realities 20:00 – Scary Moments: Bandits, Guns & Instinct 25:25 – Filming Discreetly & Authentic Storytelling 26:50 – Language & Cultural Connections 31:45 – Egypt’s Pollution & Police Restrictions 41:50 – War in Sudan & Emotional Ties 44:45 – Clay Pots & Community Water in Sudan 46:50 – Uganda, Meme Culture & Taboo Topics 54:38 – Physical & Mental Challenges on the Road 1:00:40 – Summiting Kilimanjaro 1:06:30 – Traveling in a Group & Conflict Resolution 1:13:05 – Creative Influences & Lonely Hours of Editing 1:19:32 – Backing Up Terabytes of Footage on the Road 1:22:17 – Post-Trip Reflections & Future Adventures 1:28:20 – Wrap-Up & Final Thoughts More of Guest: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noflomo/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@noflomo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FlorenceRyan More of Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattalexander2 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattalexander_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattalexander2 X: https://twitter.com/mattalexander99 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattalexander_ Production Company: https://www.mattcc.com/ Tech Platform: https://www.curatedforyou.co.za/

James Freemantle is a jack of all trades and a master of many. He has a wide array of skillsets, including social media influencer, fitness fanatic, reality TV star and a marketing genius. James is an entrepreneur and the founder of FMG Digital. Above all, James is a close friend of mine who inspires me daily to become a better version of myself and is someone I that know adds tremendous value to everyone he interacts with. This is an extract from our longer interview segment, where James specifically discussed how incorporates discipline into his daily life through habit stacking. More of James: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayfreemantle_ FMG Digital: https://fmg-digital.com More of Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattalexander2 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattalexander_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattalexander2 X: https://twitter.com/mattalexander99 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattalexander_ Production Company: https://www.mattcc.com Tech Platform: https://www.curatedforyou.co.za/

I was privileged to welcome Josh Heldsigner, Molly Blue and Shane Sonder for my 4th edition of my Creator Session discussions. We chatted through a variety of concepts around photography, starting our journeys into content creation and what fuels the creative process. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Intro and Welcoming 00:01:27 - The Bucket Shot and Fog Chase 00:06:10 - The Art of Photo Printing 00:11:11 - Starting The Creator Photo Walk Community 00:17:20 - Being Comfortable in Front of the Camera 00:29:10 - Covering Festivals & Events 00:36:30 - Gear Choices 00:41:50 - How Does a Film Camera Work 00:52:45 - Shane's Starting Camera & Photography Journey 00:57:00 - Hidden Paradise & Creators Photo Walk 01:12:28 - Creative Education 01:29:45 - Client Summer vs Winter Seasons 01:36:53 - Photography as a Business 01:40:40 - Post-Production Workflows for Photography 01:55:20 - What Inspires Your Creativity 02:02:45 - Outro More of Josh: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshheldsinger/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joshheldsinger YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joshheldsinger4775 Creator Photo Walk: https://www.instagram.com/creatorsphotowalk/ Website: https://www.joshheldsinger.com/ More of Molly: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmollyblue/ or https://www.instagram.com/shotbymollyblue/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsmollyblue YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mollyblue2857 More of Shane: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonder_captures/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sondershane Hidden Paradise: https://www.instagram.com/hidden_paradise_ct/ More of Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattalexander2 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattalexander_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattalexander2 X: https://twitter.com/mattalexander99 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattalexander_ Production Company: https://www.mattcc.com/ Tech Platform: https://www.curatedforyou.co.za/

James Freemantle is a jack of all trades and a master of many. He has a wide array of skillsets, including social media influencer, fitness fanatic, reality TV star and a marketing genius. James is an entrepreneur and the founder of FMG Digital. Above all, James is a close friend of mine who inspires me daily to become a better version of myself and is someone I that know adds tremendous value to everyone he interacts with. This is an extract from our longer interview segment, where James specifically discussed how he prepared for his first 70.3 Iron Man and the habits he developed through this process. More of James: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayfreemantle_ FMG Digital: https://fmg-digital.com More of Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattalexander2 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattalexander_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattalexander2 X: https://twitter.com/mattalexander99 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattalexander_ Production Company: https://www.mattcc.com/ Tech Platform: https://www.curatedforyou.co.za/

In this episode I sat down with Michael Faraday, Michael Kopp and Stark Lui to discuss their journeys into content creation and working in the industry as a freelancer. Among other things, we discussed their opinions on gear, printing photos, balancing passion projects with paid work, interacting with models and how they get their clients. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:41 - Transition from Corporate Life to Content Creation 00:04:24 - The Evolution of Filmmaking Gear 00:10:35 - Underwater Photography and Challenges 00:17:00 - Social Media Branding and Pseudonyms 00:21:00 - Working with Models and Fashion Photography 00:27:20 - Balancing Passion Projects with Paid Work 00:30:45 - Technical Aspects of Printing and Photography 00:41:23 - Editing Workflows and Machine Upgrades 00:50:14 - Collaborating with Influencers and Brands 01:12:24 - Traveling with Sports Teams 01:27:50 - The Competitive Nature of Content Creation 01:57:11 - Finding Work-Life Balance as a Freelancer 02:06:24 - Closing Remarks More of Michael Faraday: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mike.faraday/ Website: https://www.mikefaraday.org/ Mike’s Rigging Company: https://rigr.co.za/ More of Michael Kopp: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelkopp_/ or https://www.instagram.com/koppmedia/ or https://www.instagram.com/portraitsbymike/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@michaelkopp_ Website: https://www.michaelkopp.co.za/ More of Stark Lui: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stark_lui/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@starklui9543 More of Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattalexander2 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattalexander_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattalexander2 X: https://twitter.com/mattalexander99 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattalexander_ Production Company: https://www.mattcc.com/ Tech Platform: https://www.curatedforyou.co.za/

James Freemantle is a jack of all trades and a master of many. He has a wide array of skillsets, including social media influencer, fitness fanatic, reality TV star and a marketing genius. James is an entrepreneur and the founder of FMG Digital. Above all, James is a close friend of mine who inspires me daily to become a better version of myself and is someone I that know adds tremendous value to everyone he interacts with. This is an extract from our longer interview segment, where James specifically discussed how he prepared for the Goggins Challenge that he completed earlier this year - running 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours straight. More of James: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayfreemantle_ FMG Digital: https://fmg-digital.com More of Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattalexander2 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattalexander_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattalexander2 X: https://twitter.com/mattalexander99 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattalexander_ Production Company: https://www.mattcc.com/ Tech Platform: https://www.curatedforyou.co.za/