This is the In-Between
Cooper Productions celebrates its first year in business
My name is Marissa Cooper and I’m the Founder and Video Producer of Cooper Productions. This time in 2023 I officially registered Cooper Productions with the Colorado Secretary of State. This seemingly mundane task was the first exciting step toward achieving my dream of owning and running a video production company in Denver, Colorado.
Over the course of this past year I have learned so much about not only running a business, but myself. Owning Cooper Productions has given me the opportunity to grow in my technical and communication skills, connect with people across a variety of industries and backgrounds, and take on projects that I never could have imagined. I am so thankful for this process and the success I’ve been able to create. But this didn’t happen overnight. In the middle, there are moments that steal the light from this gratitude. There are unforeseen challenges, new hurdles to leap over, and lots and lots of hard work to be done. Nevertheless, I am choosing to celebrate what has been accomplished in this inaugural year, because it is noteworthy, and a part of the journey to growing a business in the hopes of building a legacy. This is the in-between.
In the Beginning
A mentor of mine told me it takes about 3-6 months for a business to build momentum before it begins to build client relationships and bring in income. Before I left my last fulltime job and took the leap into entrepreneurship, I had that in the back of my mind, but didn’t think it fully applied to me since I had been running a video business on the side while I worked full time for over nine years.
What I found out is that it did take that long. During this period there were a lot of doubts that crept into my mind…
“Was this the right decision?”
“Will I be able to make a living doing this?”
“Is my work good enough?”
““When it feels scary to jump, that is exactly when you jump, otherwise you end up staying in the same place your whole life.””
To build trust, a brand, put food on the table, and pay a mortgage, I knew one of the first things I had to do was put myself out there. Being an ambivert with mostly introverted tendencies, attending networking events, sending cold emails, and more was uncomfortable. There is a level of vulnerability that comes with “Hey, I am a new business and I want to work with you.” Through this process, I became more comfortable and daring with putting Cooper Productions out into the world. I knew that through each email, networking, event, or interaction, I was taking steps to build brand awareness. Above all, this process has taught me the power of patience and how to be present and accepting of uncertainty.
The Inbetween
As I reflect, there are many moments over the past year of gratitude, challenges, and faith. Here is what we can celebrate:
Produced First Short-Documentary: 24 Karat Zoo
2023 marked the first Cooper Productions short documentary. 24 Karat Zoo is about a local Denver artist, Kyle Sanders, and documents his pursuit to complete his first art collection and have it featured in a gallery. Kyle competes against time, energy, and self to make this goal a reality. To debut the film, the artist and Cooper Productions hosted a premiere party to share the film with family and friends. The documentary was awarded “Best Film” at Seedlings Film Festival and was an official selection at Roma Film Festival.
First day of filming 24 Karat Zoo
Behind the scenes interview with Kyle Sanders
Kyle Sanders and Marissa Cooper on premiere night
The audience for 24 Karat Zoo premiere night
First International Production in England
In collaboration with Global Telecom Networks (GTN), Cooper Productions produced a video that reintroduced GTN to its existing customer base, established GTN as a leading player in the industry, and explained that with this new name, the company will not only continue to uphold the level of service that they have become known for but will elevate the telecommunication services and solutions for businesses it serves globally. This shoot is the start to a dream I have of producing commercial video content internationally.
Filming CEO, Owen Keenan-Lindsey of Global Telecom Networks
The Team that made this shoot possible (Pictured from left to right: Arron Leppard, Rafael Henriques, Marissa Cooper, Matt Kerins)
Filming COO, Kirsty Thompson, of Global Telecom Networks
A frame from the final video
Certified Commercial Drone Pilot
In the summer I received my part 107 pilot’s license to fly drones commercially. This certification enhances and broadens the service offerings of Cooper Productions by incorporating even more captivating clips into our clients’ content. Drones provide unique aerial perspectives that were previously only accessible with expensive equipment like helicopters or cranes. This aerial viewpoint adds depth and dimension to videos, creating stunning visuals that captivate audiences. This flexibility opens up creative possibilities to achieve shots that can be challenging or impossible to capture on the ground. Think sweeping landscape shots, close-ups on architectural details, and so much more.
Connected with my Peers
Before diving head first into the production world I only knew one person that shared my passion. Since then, I have met so many people in different facets of the production world. There’s a saying that goes “you grow best in community.” In the film community, I have received encouragement, guidance, friendship and more.
February meetup for the Colorado Art of Documentary Meetup
Mark Locki from Canada - a connection I made through the Art of Documentary Community
Marissa and Jill Coates of One Forty Films
Solidified the Cooper Productions Branding
In September, I connected with Worboys Design, a local group of visual storytellers who specialize in artfully crafting brands’ look and feels, to take the Cooper Productions branding to the next level. Building a legacy starts with building up your own business after all. Their passion and unique eye for design has set us up with a brand image and new logo that is one-of-a-kind. We are so excited to incorporate this new look into our brand materials.
Present Day
This past year has been a challenge, but I’m so proud that I was bold enough to accept it as the first step to pursuing this dream. Sometimes it's doing the scariest things that make the biggest impact in your life. Honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
There are some amazing opportunities already in the queue for year two. In a year, I look forward to reflecting on the growth and changes that Cooper Productions will have gone through.
For now, we’re celebrating the big and small wins that come with being in the in-between. And for anyone else out there chasing a goal, starting a business, or building a legacy - keep going it’s worth it.
Cooper Productions is a video production company located in Denver Colorado that helps brands with their video marketing needs. from, social media videos, commercials, documentaries, training videos, and more.