Dennis Mulyar & Ian Midura [RADIO INTERVIEW]

Dennis Mulyar & Ian Midura

LASM x TDR: Trip Digital Radio, Sound Art Expression presents L.A. STYLE Magazine. TizThaTime! How are you doing? We have Markeeda Monét. We have the lovely Tricia Love and Ravin Dave. Yes, Tricia. So we have a couple of great guest here. Do you want to bring them in?Extraordinary guest. Yes. We have Dennis with us and we have Ian, partners  in and Own the Light and Now Rewind.

Ian & Dennis: How is it going guys?

LASM x TDR: You got it. Indeed, indeed. Welcome. These handsome gentlemen in the house.

Ian & Dennis: Pleasure to be here. Thank you.

LASM x TDR: Where did you get into this? Because I notice some good stuff. What do you got Tricia? So these gentleman have a company that takes over both photography, videography, short documentaries, content creation, in this media world that we’re in, digital world that we’re in. So, tell us a little bit about your company and how it is that you guys are making on the light, particularly sounds like it’s bringing light to the world. So tell us about that and now rewind.

Ian & Dennis: Absolutely. So basically when we got started and we realized that there was a huge disconnect between brands and the way that they actually told their story. And we want it to help brands and different companies align with the vision that they’re trying to portray as them as an entity, and really connect with their audience.

LASM x TDR: Yeah. I love that. You said a disconnect between brands. Can you just elaborate on that a just a little bit more. Just understanding what you’re in.

Ian & Dennis: Yeah, absolutely. Especially in the startup world, a lot of brands come out and they just need content, right? And they sit there and they’re like, yeah, yeah, just give me a commercial, give me a commercial. And then they just sit there and don’t know what they want, or why they want it, or how they’re going to sell their product, or how they’re going to be taken in in the general public eye at that point. Yeah. And to kind to add to that, I think as far as the disconnect aspect of it is, social is obviously such a massive aspect of today and doing business and understanding that whole field. And I feel like that’s where we really thrive as a company is creating great content, but making it specifically for social and actually making sure that it’s effective for the audience.

LASM x TDR: Awesome. We love that.

Ian & Dennis: Yeah. And definitely like with the traditional business sense, a lot of these old companies come in and they don’t really understand the benefit of social media. Now they come out and they’re like, oh, kids these days. Right. And at that point they get lost in the noise. There’s so many companies out there, there’s so many clothing brands and sports brands and everything like that. How do you separate yourself and put yourself above the rest? Right.

LASM x TDR: Wow. I love that. So how is that give us a nugget of wisdom? How is it that you guys separate them from the rest and is it, I hear telling the story. But walk us through like what that’s like with a new client. How do you relate to them at their core and understand what their story is? Good.

Ian & Dennis: Yeah. So I mean, we keep up with the latest trends and everything that’s happening. It’s kind of like what focus on every single day. So when we meet a client and let’s say it’s a clothing brand, we really look at what their audiences, what kind of clothing they have. And we, I think as a company we don’t, we’re not afraid to take risks and we kind of liked to push the boundaries of what my kind of might not seem acceptable for other companies, but we’re willing to take the risk and willing to take our clients start. Because we’ve seen success in other projects that we’ve done and other brands that we’ve worked with. So we kind of just take the lead and we kind of give them their options and then we kind of just go from there.

LASM x TDR: And I love that. That’s a great question Tricia. And I love the way you guys answer that because so often on social media we see a lot of things that are the same. It’s like everything is kind of like overlapping. So as a new client coming in and Trisha is definitely a business woman that’s going to ask that question as new clients coming in. We’re definitely going to want to know what’s going to set us apart, what’s going to make us different.

Ian & Dennis: Right.

LASM x TDR: So I really can appreciate that answer. With that being said, one of the things that I noticed from looking on you guys’ social media specifically with Now Rewind is the fact that, you guys not only work with those artists or creators or whatever entity that you’re promoting their brand that are well known, that are quote unquote establish. But I love the way you guys provide an avenue for those that are up and coming. Can you kind of talk about the differences, possibly the differences in pricing. Do you offer differences in pricing? Do you have different packages as it relates to how much you brand? Do you keep it basic for the up and coming and you know what I’m saying? Can you kind of elaborate.

Ian & Dennis: Right. Yeah. I think, you want to take that one. Sure. Go for it. Generally handle pricing instruction, but…

LASM x TDR: Yeah. Because that’s going to help that.

Ian & Dennis: It’s kind of needed. So yeah, the differences, the major differences would be having a brand or a company that already has an established voice and an established aesthetic rather than coming out and being like, we’re starting from scratch, let’s go, let’s brainstorm, let’s figure it out. Let’s see who you are as a company, right! And so at that point we do offer custom quotes and costs, packages. But at that point it really depends on what you need as a company. Do you need consultation, social media strategy, content creation, obviously distribution. We offer, we have a wide network of social media influencers that we do work with. And so we like to kind of keep it within the network and reach out to those who really aligned with the company. If we find that one company is really artsy, then we have a social media influencer who’s really artsy or edgy or new. We really like to align the audience that they’re aiming for with the appropriate social media influencer. Yeah. And if I can add to that a little bit. I think we’re really excited about when we were like, let’s say we’re working with a well established brand as opposed to a start ups. With startups, it’s very exciting because the content that we create is literally sets the pace and the tone for the brand, for the rest of their life.

LASM x TDR: You build it.

Ian & Dennis: We get to really figure out the story and really figure out like the narrative and what is…

LASM x TDR: Foundation.

Ian & Dennis: …yeah, exactly. What is it that people are going to be drawn to this brand. But when, when you work with well established brands, it’s, everything’s kind of set there. So you have to kind of follow the rules.

LASM x TDR: So with, and then just with that, within your creativity, what do you find is the more challenging situation within that? Is it that old school brand? Is that brand that already has it or is it the new up and coming? I mean, because it’s six way, one way and half dozen the other. But for you, what do you see and what is the one that gives you that challenge?

Ian & Dennis: That’s a tough one. I mean, every project has its own challenges. It’s very difficult to kind of attack every single project as the same. Yes, you have certain systems in place, certain processes in place, but at the end of the day, like no brand is the same. You’re always going to have a different voice. You’re always going to have a different aesthetic, a feeling. And I feel like that finding that and sticking to it and making sure that it works and why it’s working is one of the difficult things that a lot of brands don’t understand. If something doesn’t work, a lot of times they just want to jump off the ship, right?. And they’re like, no, no, no, no, no. But you got to remember, you almost set a Bible in the beginning. You set your guidelines, your brand book, and at that point it’s…

LASM x TDR: I like that.

Ian & Dennis: …you’re sticking to it, right?

LASM x TDR: Yeah. Yeah. I like that.  So as entrepreneurs, what challenge or challenges ongoing or just a specific one that jumps out to you? When I say an entrepreneur’s challenge, and how can you give audiences a tip on overcoming that? If somebody is maybe changing a career, maybe they’ve been in corporate America longtime, they’re finally going out to venture and be the entrepreneur that they were called to be. What’s the challenge and the tip you would give them?

Ian & Dennis: Yeah, there’s a lot of them.

LASM x TDR: Your favorite.

Ian & Dennis: Absolutely. So, no matter what you do, if you’re changing, if you’re chasing after a dollar bill from day one, no matter how long or how hard you work, yeah, you can get really good at it, but you may very well eventually burnout. It’s a common thing here in L.A. A lot of people definitely do it for the wrong reasons. Now, if you come out here to follow your dreams and your heart, yeah, yeah. Then you got to pick your lane. Know exactly what you’re passionate about, why you’re passionate about it. Pick that lane, stick with that lane and then figure out how to make it work within that lane.

LASM x TDR: That’s good. Okay. Wow. So from you guys, going back to my question, but it’s all kind of blended in. So would you say based on, building like for up and coming artist or whoever you guys work with versus those who are already established, would you say that people would be paying for your time? Pretty much because if you have to create something like a foundation where somebody doesn’t know your time is valuable. Yeah. And I see your work. Like it’s definitely worth it. But, so basically people would be paying for time as well as, well that’s pretty much it for the most part.

Ian & Dennis: To add to that, it’s the eye that we see the world and the way we see the product, because you can’t, you can pay somebody to shoot a video or to take a photo, but I think it takes a specific eye to see a brand in a certain light, right?

LASM x TDR: Yes, definitely.

Ian & Dennis: I mean, you’d pay Picasso, right, for his eye, of what he would actually create his artwork.

LASM x TDR: Exactly.

Ian & Dennis: Right! But you can pay any guy…

LASM x TDR: Exactly.

Ian & Dennis: …any money to pay anything.

LASM x TDR: Absolutely. And you guys, just from what we can see, impeccable.

Ian & Dennis: Thank you. Appreciate it.

LASM x TDR: I have a question.

Ian & Dennis: Of course.

LASM x TDR: So you have two types of entrepreneurs and I like to call them nicknames. You have the Jedi’s and you have the Yoda’s. Love this Journey. So you guys seem like you’re the Yodas. How’d you get to that point of saying like, okay, there’s so many brands on social media. I’m going to be the help. I’m going to be the guide to these superheroes of these Jedi’s. How’d you come up with that? Were you artists?

Ian & Dennis: I think I’m naturally just a Yoda. I’m just reach over and get you some dove skin.

LASM x TDR: He took it there. That’s by the best guest in the evening. Hash tag… Shutdown. Drop the mic. We’re done here guys.

LASM x TDR: So with that being said, did you just follow Yoda and just like, okay, the green guy.

Ian & Dennis: Seems legit. Seems legit. Just wait till you figure out what my Instagram handle is. Oh… that’s a secret.

LASM x TDR: Wait. I think we’re friends on Instagram. Oh my god. stalker! Stalker!

LASM x TDR: Hey what is it? I’m curious, is Yoda up in there? That is Trisha, she’s going to get right on it.

Ian & Dennis: It’s a closely guarded secret handle Jedi…

LASM x TDR: Straight up. Just typed in no done. Okay. Well, I mean that’s it. That’s a good question because usually it takes you being on the other side to see what is needed. I mean, just from the start to coming out the gates, that makes you special.

Ian & Dennis: Definitely. I mean, it kind of naturally just came about. For us we’re very wholesome individuals that kind of see it from a different light. If we were going to get in it and work it from the trenches from day one and stick with the trenches, that’s one thing. But I think we always kind of had these birds eye view perspective, even approaching it and getting into the industry. So I think that’s kind of how we naturally just kind of formulated our company. Yeah. Yeah. And again, the guys just add to that before we even started together, we all kind of saw the problems in, how other people would run their companies. And we want it to do things differently. And I think, I feel like when we came together, we just added something to it’s just a new collective that, I feel like everybody brings something very unique to the table.

LASM x TDR: Yeah. Okay. My question is done, Tricia. I did think of something. What has been out of all the stories that you’ve told, If I remember correctly, the stats are, it’s over 10 million views that have seen the collective works you guys have done? Is that the…  Gorgeous.

Ian & Dennis: I think it’s actually over 150 million.

LASM x TDR: Oh. Wow. I was only off like… Just add that zero there. It’s nothing. Somebody didn’t call in that.

Ian & Dennis: You’re good. You’re good.

LASM x TDR: Shoot. It made me forget. Okay. So, no for real. Out of all these stories that you’ve told and you’ve helped, create and curate, what has been one of the most memorable ones that has turned out to you? Like, has it been a funny one, or has it been just a heartfelt one, or just like a crazy one? Just give us something.

Ian & Dennis: We have all of the above.

LASM x TDR: Okay. So, pick one Yoda.

Ian & Dennis: Well.

LASM x TDR: Okay. Wow. That is extraordinary. That’s another talent. I feel like this going to get a Galactic one.

Ian & Dennis: Last year we ended up going on a month long trip to Europe. We went around Germany basically all around Germany.

LASM x TDR: Where was the invite?

Ian & Dennis: Where was the invite?

LASM x TDR: Yeah. I don’t know.

Ian & Dennis: Did you not get the invite?

LASM x TDR: I do not get the … 

Ian & Dennis: Sure.

LASM x TDR: I can’t help laughing. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Continue. We’re sorry.

Ian & Dennis: No, we basically went all around. We drag our crew around all of Germany through, a majority of it wasn’t English speaking. And we’re going through different places. Fortunately, one of us actually spoke German. It was our camera operator. But yeah, at that point it’s a little interesting to produce on the fly in that moment, oh, we’re going to get food. Oh, figure it out. No expression… Sorry. But yeah, I mean at that point we ended up going to Germany, basically all around and then flew over to Iceland, real hot. And ended up shooting in the middle of Iceland. On the last day, we got pretty much cotton then almost a hurricane. What’d you say, it’s basically like a typhoon. In Iceland, typhoon.

LASM x TDR: And what was the story that you told?

Ian & Dennis: It was for a biotech skincare company.

LASM x TDR: Iceland for a biotech skin care?

Ian & Dennis: Stem cell research.

LASM x TDR: Wow. Really!

Ian & Dennis: So it was just the stem cell based cream that helps heal scars.

LASM x TDR: Or fix your face. No wrinkles.  Are you serious?

Ian & Dennis: It depends.

LASM x TDR: That sounds really intense.

Ian & Dennis: It just depends.

LASM x TDR: Exactly.

Ian & Dennis: it was fun. it was good there…

LASM x TDR: It’s amazingly awesome. We need to get some of that. Stem cell on your face! everything away. Okay, great.

Ian & Dennis: Did you guys get free products? You look really Hashtag…

LASM x TDR: Christmas is like 20 days away.

Ian & Dennis: That’s true…

LASM x TDR: Let’s go. Let’s go. What’s the name of the product? I mean if you give them. Can you say?

Ian & Dennis: Can we say, can we say I’d rather not. Okay.

LASM x TDR: Okay. Maybe eventually it will be on your social media… Not even I’m going to park it yet so I’m never going to get wrinkles once I try that. Oh my gosh. She’s obsessed now. So what is your, what are you guys, where can we find you guys on social media? Can you put that out there for the audience.

Ian & Dennis: Yeah so we’re on Instagram at Now Rewind. And we also have a website, now-rewind.com and that will be the best way to check our work and be in contact.

LASM x TDR: Now rewind

Ian & Dennis: Yes sir. Also on the light for our business partner who is currently not here.

LASM x TDR: I love it. And before, last thing, I’d like to challenge you publicly with the audience that we should all collab on a video project.  Oh totally. L.A STYLE Magazine Trip Digital.

Ian & Dennis: We’re down. What do you want to do? We want to do some Yoda…

LASM x TDR: Pick a country. Yoda like Jedi. Come on. You should know this. Lead us to the…

Ian & Dennis: I already got ten ideas.

LASM x TDR: Like Trisha and I are going to be so fire with our stem cell, no wrinkles stuff on and all that.

Ian & Dennis: I could just tell you this much. This is the best radio show in Hollywood right now…

LASM x TDR: We’re going to Iceland.

Ian & Dennis: Maybe somewhere else.

LASM x TDR: It’s sitting next to me. I thought you we’re going to say the world, so I’ll just say it for you.

Ian & Dennis: Oh, absolutely.

LASM x TDR: Or the galaxy. And the galaxy… Miss Yoda baby.

Ian & Dennis: This just got better.

LASM x TDR: I don’t know what this, what to ask on this one, but I’m going to get here. Don’t be good. This is going to be good. So Yoda. I’m going to need to know before we allow you to leave. What are your individual superpowers? What is your superpower?

Ian & Dennis: Is it not obvious?

LASM x TDR: Nope. We need… See, our audience can’t see you. That’s extraordinary.  We can see you.

Ian & Dennis: I was going to say it’s the suaveness of my voice.

LASM x TDR: That was the skin care products. You’re now 45 years old… I’m obsessed. I love it. What’s your superpower?

Ian & Dennis: Is this a serious question?

LASM x TDR: It’s a serious question. You are so ready right now.

Ian & Dennis: I’m thinking about it.

LASM x TDR: Serious question. Serious please.

Ian & Dennis: I think I can read people pretty well. Pretty well. Like I can figure things out pretty well.

LASM x TDR: I love that. I’ll be first after. Thank you.

Ian & Dennis: He also reads Tarot cards. You didn’t have to bro.

LASM x TDR: Yeah. I mean, why we actually crest the question, right? Because everyone that comes on here, we consider superheroes. There was some sort of attraction that got you to this point of being on this show because we’ve had amazing people. And we have amazing people. So we just want to let the audience know, what’s the power to get to this point in your life? Because it’s not merely the work, the work, it’s the work. But it’s the people who do the work.

Ian & Dennis: Absolutely.

LASM x TDR: So that’s what the question.

Ian & Dennis: It’s a bit a little bit more real.

LASM x TDR: Yes.

Ian & Dennis: At that point, I’ve always kind of approached everyone as my brother and my sister. And it really comes down to like relationship status and being, everyone’s friend because we’re all on the same planet. We’re all breathing the same air, we’re all the same people, and it’s just literally like we are one family. And at that point it’s like helping other people to help us. We care as a company about other companies’ success because that success is our success. By us telling their story and it reverberating well with the public eye. We’ve done our job. So it goes the same with like my personal relationships. If you’re happy, I’m happy. It’s harder to generate happiness interior than it is by making someone else happy. Yeah. And I think just for me, it’s just loving people, and seeing what you can give instead of what you can get from people. And I think that’s what success really comes. And I think that’s where you can become a superhero. Yes.

LASM: It sounds like they changed their lives baby. No. It’s not what would you say it is? It’s how you say it, but you guys are family man. Period. The world is your family and we are too. So thanks for coming to this show. Let’s give it up. Thank you guys. Definitely. Yeah. Any lead outs. You guys got anything special that’s coming up that you want to let the world know or we should wait for it?

Ian & Dennis: Oh, there’s always ideas boiling up there. The world isn’t ready.

LASM x TDR: Trip Digital Radio, L.A STYLE Magazine. We’ll be back.