First Floor Collective is a production company specializing in making videos and aesthetically-pleasing visuals for independent musicians based out of Vancouver and beyond. Run by two friends, Arkin Pal and Luke Brown, who work together as a creative powerhouse to make music videos and short films that will mesh well with their clientele’s respective individual sound and vision for themselves as musical artists. We spoke with film director Arkin Pal to learn more.
What is your business called and what does it do?
Our business is called First Floor Collective and we’re a multimedia production company that is currently specializing in the Vancouver music scene.
What made you want to do this work?
Luke and I are storytellers in our hearts and I’ve wanted to be a filmmaker since I was 15. As such, making music videos often lets us exercise our creativity while fuelling and supporting a project with one of our collaborators.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
Independent musicians and artists need quality visuals now more than ever. We want to support the local music scene and the artists within it to have visuals that can hopefully push them forward on to the next phase and reach wider audiences.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
Most of our clientele are musicians working in the indie scene here in Vancouver, and they are usually between the age range of 19-25. We’ve worked with some more established and older people in the industry but a good project speaks for itself, and we always try to seek them out no matter who makes them.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
Primarily we sell Music Videos, Visualizers and Live Show Coverage as our main means of business. Often it’s dependent on the artists’ release schedule and based on that we determine our calendar of projects. Performing artists are usually releasing music and so we try to establish organic connections together to lift and support both parties.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
Venues, both Luke and I are at the local venues around Vancouver quite often. My personal favourite has to be the Fox Cabaret. That being said, when we’re filming videos we’re always running around everywhere from Vancouver Island all the way to Delta.
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
“How do you bring value to my project?” We’re music lovers first, most people in the industry want to get working on the project without getting to know the artist. We like to spend more time getting to know you, understand your style, understand the aesthetic and goals of the project – the core of where it comes from. We always want the visuals to elevate and pair with the music, and that distinction gives an authenticity to our collaborations that people seek now more than ever.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
We get to meet amazing people and collaborators, explore locations, venues and events we would normally never go to.
The editing hours and the crunch to problem solve can always be very tricky, but you pull through, creative problem solving is a love-hate relationship.
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
– Lately, all our friends keep pointing out that Luke and I perceive everything in frames and movies, turns out most of our friends in the industry do the same.
Where can we follow you?
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
Our great friends at Skyward Financial, running a financial education service aimed at the youth to make the world of money a far more accessible place.
