From News Reporter to Production Pro: Jill Richardson's Journey

Ever wondered what separates professional video production from smartphone footage? Jill Richardson, founder of Living Large Productions, brings decades of Orange County production experience to answer this burning question and more.

Jill's journey from aspiring news reporter to established video production professional reveals how she discovered her sweet spot at the intersection of creativity and business. Her Orange County-based company specializes in corporate productions spanning testimonial videos, CEO interviews, how-to videos, animation, and broadcast commercials. This versatility has allowed her to build lasting client relationships across numerous industries throughout her career.

The conversation tackles one of the biggest myths in modern video production: that anyone with a smartphone can create professional-quality content. Jill explains why experience, consistency, and production value matter more than ever in a world flooded with amateur content. She shares candid insights about the challenges of finding new clients in today's competitive landscape while offering practical wisdom about marketing investment. "Do you advertise first and then get busy, or vice versa?" she asks, before emphasizing that marketing remains essential regardless of budget constraints.

Beyond business talk, we discover Jill's appreciation for Southern California living and community engagement. Her passion for helping businesses tell their stories effectively shines through as she discusses her approach to creating value for clients across various budget levels. Whether you're a business owner considering professional video production or simply curious about what happens behind the camera, this conversation offers valuable perspective on the enduring importance of quality content in the digital age.

Connect with Jill through her weekly production tips on LinkedIn and social media channels as Living Large Productions, or visit livinglargeproductions.com to learn more about elevating your brand through professional video production.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, rachel Fyfe.
Welcome to the Good NeighborPodcast.
Now are you in need of aturnkey solution for all your
video production needs?
Well, that resource is closerthan you think.

(00:22):
Today, I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor,
jill Richardson, with LivingLarge Productions.
Jill, how is it going?

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yay, rachel, it is going great.
I am so happy to be here.
Thank you for having me.
My pleasure.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
Well, we're excited to learn all about your business
.
Now tell us about your companyto learn all about your business
.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Now tell us about your company.
Well, Living Large Productionsis Orange County based.
I have been around for decades,really, and what I love about
Orange County it really has alot of production value and
obviously with talent in LosAngeles and all the production

(01:09):
there, Orange County has alwayshad a lot of work in
corporations and advertising andmarketing, so that's mainly
what I have specialized in formy career.
Really, I have had just decadesof experience.
I'm a casting director, I'm alocation scout for Orange County

(01:32):
, I'm a producer and reallyproducing is, you know,
obviously understanding what theclient is needing and wanting.
Understanding what the clientis needing and wanting and then
advising a budget and a crewthat will meet those goals and
produce outstanding production.
So, Like I had mentioned, I'vebeen around for a couple decades

(01:57):
here in Orange County andmainly Living Large Productions
is a professional productioncompany and we specialize in
corporate productions and whatthat is could be testimonial
videos, CEO interviews, how-tovideos, animation, advertising,

(02:19):
truly broadcast radio andtelevision commercials.
That's my main specialty.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
Wonderful.
How did you get into thisbusiness?

Speaker 2 (02:30):
Well, I have always been creative and initially I
wanted to be a news reporter andum, initially I wanted to be a
news reporter and um, the more Igot into news reporting or just
I, I actually had my own showon a cable.
I produced it myself, it wascalled the ie and I just really

(02:53):
realized that I worked betterwith as as a news reporter it
was more kind of a standaloneworking with a smaller group.
But I feel like in corporateproductions you're really
working with a lot of differentindustries and you know, kind of
you might be working on atraining video for myself and

(03:15):
then a couple months later Imight be working on an
advertisement.
So I initially started thinkingI was going to be a news
reporter and I felt likeopportunity just opened up more.
For you know, really workopportunity didn't happen in

(03:36):
news reporting and so, but itdid happen more in production.
So it just kind of I felt likeproduction.
You know it has a creativecomponent about it, so that's
always been my driving force.
But really with marketing andworking in the corporate video
production, I felt like it wasthe both ends of both business

(04:00):
and the creative.
So that's kind of when I kepton working.
Initially, I felt like thatthat path really kept on
presenting itself more and more,so that's how I've arrived.

Speaker 1 (04:12):
Wonderful, Well, you know.
What do you think are somemyths or misconceptions in your
industry?
So what do you think are somemyths or?

Speaker 2 (04:19):
misconceptions in your industry.
I think a big myth right nowbecause of technology and our
phone, that people think thateveryone can do a video and
really everyone can do a videowith your phone.
Everyone could edit with yourphone.
Everyone could put you know,create something and put that

(05:02):
out there.
I think that the myth is thateveryone can do it, but really I
feel like that there is a lookand a consistency with
professional video productionthat can't be crossed over in
just more self people doing itthemselves, and so I feel like
the myth of people saying thatthey can do it.
Really, when you realize thetime it takes for editing or
involving for a really goodprofessional shoot, it's a lot
more time intensive and andfocus intensive and experience
than you realize.

Speaker 1 (05:19):
Yeah, so we know that marketing is really the heart
of every business.
So who are your targetcustomers and how are you
attracting them?

Speaker 2 (05:33):
My, my, really my customers are more for
businesses and corporations thatneed a professional video, that
understand the value of havinga professional video and what
that does to their brand.
I feel like it's really beenchallenging because technology

(05:56):
has advanced so much that I feellike it's harder to find
potential customers that arewanting that.
You know, I feel that, like Idon't do as well with living
large productions on socialmedia, so maybe there's an issue

(06:17):
of not finding that with youknow, potential clients, but I
feel like it's.
I feel like there's just somuch more competition now with
marketing but yet it's soimportant so it's really kind of
hard to find clients and I findpersonally that when I find

(06:39):
clients, that I retain theseclients, you know, and that
there's lasting relationshipsfor years and decades that I
have for that.
But the new clients are theharder ones to find right now
for me.

Speaker 1 (06:53):
Yeah, have you ever thought about doing your own
podcast?
Yeah, have you ever thoughtabout?

Speaker 2 (06:58):
doing your own podcast.
You know, I actually I have my,I have a couple of different
projects going on and I'm apartner with Red Diamond Sisters
, which is an organization aboutperiod empowerment, so I have
definitely been doing tons ofpodcasts.
We actually just interviewedPlanned Parenthood, orange

(07:20):
County and, uh, san Bernardinochapter, the, uh, the
communications coordinator.
So I've been doing podcasts.
Um, for that I do think I feellike for Living Large
Productions, I need to venturein that, rachel, because you
know, let's face it, I I feellike more and more people are

(07:41):
going to that area to learn newthings.

Speaker 1 (07:44):
You know, going into that channel, so, I should On
the list Now, outside of work.
You know what do you like to dofor fun do for fun?

Speaker 2 (08:03):
Ooh, that is.
You know, I live in SouthernCalifornia, in Dana Point
specifically, and I am sograteful every day for just
where I live.
I feel like fun is justliterally going outside and
experiencing a sunset, or we'rejust finishing the summer season
, which is my favorite, sothere's just been so many good
concerts.
I really feel like events thatcommunity, the community, puts

(08:29):
out.
I can't emphasize enough howspecial I think that is and I
think when you know you haveconcerts in the park or plays or
you know little communitygarage sales, I always try, I
feel like that those are fun andI feel like that that really is
a way to just connect more.

(08:50):
You know it's fun for me to getout there and I feel like I
love meeting new people and if Ican meet more people in my
neighborhood it's even betterthen Wonderful.

Speaker 1 (09:03):
Well, jill, please tell our listeners one thing
they should remember aboutLiving Large Productions, one
thing they should remember aboutliving large productions.

Speaker 2 (09:21):
Living large productions I feel has a wealth
of experience of production,video production experience.
I really bring together crewsthat just have a sense of
experience that can really addvalue to any production and I
feel that you know, withmarketing experience and kind of
understanding, you know reallywhat appeals to people really.

(09:45):
That value.
I think carries cross, reallythat value.
I think carries cross.
I think it's interesting becauseyou know money tends to be,
money is tight right now forpeople and it's kind of the
chicken or the egg, you know, doyou advertise first and then
get busy or vice versa?
But I think that advertising,whatever your budget is, I think

(10:13):
it, you know, truly, you know,needs to be put out there.
I think advertising and justconnecting with your brand and
with your customers is soimportant.
So, whatever the value or moneyyou have, you just should find
a way and I personally feel likeit's so important.
So I'm always willing to workwith different budgets and
different clients on aproduction because I'm

(10:34):
passionate about helping themjust, you know, achieve what
they're wanting in theirbusiness.
So I try to create value forcustomers in their productions
and if budget is, I just try towork with people, also with
their established budgets.

Speaker 1 (10:54):
Well, how can our listeners learn more about
living large productions?

Speaker 2 (10:59):
Well, thank you very much.
I need to do more podcasts andmore kind of content.
I have grown my business.
I'm definitely on LinkedIn.
I try to do a production tip atleast one video per week.
So I've been doing that forthree or four years now.

(11:22):
So I definitely you could lookat my social media channels
Living Large Productions, whereI'm doing again video production
tips at least once a week, andthose are great sources.
They have my telephone number,living Large Productions, jill
Living Large, or my website,which is

(11:44):
livinglargeproductionscom.

Speaker 1 (11:47):
Wonderful.
Well, Jill, I really appreciateyou being on the show.
We wish you and your businessreally the best moving forward
thank you so much, rachel.

Speaker 2 (11:57):
This has been a great opportunity and you really have
motivated, have motivated me toum, to really get on podcasts
and and to reach out more.
I I really appreciate thisopportunity, thank you.

Speaker 1 (12:14):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go tognporangecountycom.
That's gnporangecountycom, orcall 714-941-8862.