Location: PeeDee and Grand Strand

  • Kelley McDonnell

    Kelley McDonnell

    “You should love what you do, because even if you love it, there are still days that feel a little mundane.” 

    Kelley McDonnell is a content manager at Visit Myrtle Beach. She channels her passion for storytelling into promoting her hometown’s creative spirit. 

    Interviews

    Transcript

    Emma Plutnicki  00:02 

    Okay, so to start, what do you do for work and where are you currently working from? 

    Kelley McDonnell  00:08 

    Okay, I am the content manager for Visit Myrtle Beach. In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 

    Emma Plutnicki  00:13 

    Amazing. How long have you been doing that?  

    Kelley McDonnell  00:16 

    For just about a year.  

    Emma Plutnicki  00:19 

    Okay, amazing. And so, what’s one thing that you love about working in Myrtle Beach specifically? 

    Kelley McDonnell  00:25 

    In Myrtle Beach specifically? Well, I am from here originally, so when I majored in Film and Media at South Carolina, and then when I graduated, I went to LA and did film production over there, and then I went to Nashville, and then Savannah, Georgia, and then I had kind of gathered all of this information and new skills and decided that it was time to move back home and apply those skills. So, I think my favorite part about working in Myrtle Beach is that I am from here originally, and I feel like all of the growth that I’ve seen since I was last here, when I was in high school or early college, has been insane. So now I feel grateful to have a job where I can kind of show that to the rest of the world, how much Myrtle Beach has grown, but in a creative way. 

    Emma Plutnicki  01:16 

    Yeah, amazing. And so, you’ve been all over the country, it sounds. So, what is special about South Carolina, and does it have any unique influence on your work as compared to other places that you’ve worked in?  

    Kelley McDonnell  01:32 

    Yeah well, I think again, it’s more because I’m from here originally, that makes it feel extra special. But I think that there’s a lot of interest in South Carolina. I know that there are some other destinations within the state that are looking into having a local film commission. I know there’s a lot of film production and sorry, that’s my level of expertise. So that’s what I always talk about. I know there’s film production a little bit in Charleston. I know we here at Visit Myrtle Beach are very passionate about starting up a local film commission here as well. So I just think there’s a ton of interest, and I think that eventually it’s going to start to catch on, and people such as yourself and the people that are studying these types of careers are going to find a way to make it happen, because I feel like that’s kind of what I did, is I didn’t feel like there was a lot of opportunity for me at the time when I had graduated high school and even a little bit of college, and then I kind of went out and learned and came back, and then I realized I could do anything. I can do it here, for sure. So I think it just takes some education and some other people that work within South Carolina who can kind of share what they’ve learned and what they’ve gathered over the years and hopefully inspire people to stay and not feel like they have to go out of state to work in the arts. 

    Emma Plutnicki  02:57 

    Yeah, amazing. And so, how would you describe the local professional community here? Is there a lot of support that you lean on? 

    Kelley McDonnell  03:04 

    Yeah, definitely. When I first moved back here from Savannah, there were a lot of local people that worked in film production that were freelance, so this was all they did. And so, I was able to find some work through them, and because of that, that was kind of how I got introduced to the folks at Visit Myrtle Beach and how I have the job that I have now. But I think, my superiors here at my company, are all very passionate about moving it forward, especially professors at CCU like Michael, you know, who have expressed interest and in growing the education of film production and just art in general, in the area. So, I feel, like I said, there’s a lot of interest. It’s just a matter of taking the actual steps. 

    Emma Plutnicki  03:56 

    Yeah, definitely. And within a creative career, it can be hard sometimes to know what success is. So how do you define success, both personally and professionally? 

    Kelley McDonnell  04:08 

    That’s a great question. I feel very passionately that success, to me, is defined as feeling excited about getting up and going to work every day. And, you know, obviously there are those days where it’s, you know, but generally speaking, I feel very grateful to do what I love. I know that there are a lot of people out there who don’t and who dread going to work and who just do it for the paycheck, and I feel grateful that I love what I do. I love the people I get to interact with. I love creating and putting content out there for everybody to see. I love interacting with people. I love knowing what they think, and how can we be better, and everything’s always moving and changing and evolving. And I love that kind of fast paced speed of it. But I think that success is just looking forward to going to work and not feeling like you’re just collecting a paycheck. That’s how I feel, at least.  

    Emma Plutnicki  05:02 

    Yeah, that’s definitely refreshing to hear. But did you have any fears going into this career? 

    Kelley McDonnell  05:07 

    Yeah, definitely when I first started. Actually, the majority of my career up until this point has been freelance, and that is definitely scary because you don’t have any job security, and kind of have to fend for yourself to get work, there’s a lot of hustle involved. And that’s really why I wanted to sit down and talk with you about this. Because when I was in college, somebody came and spoke to our class about, you know, the first couple of years getting into the industry are really hard, but you just have to keep pushing through. You kind of feel like you’re not sure which way is up and what’s happening, but, if you just keep your head down and keep putting the work in and remind yourself how much you love it and how great it’s going to be when it does work out, that’s kind of what got me through. But the biggest challenge was definitely not knowing when my next job was. Am I ever going to get a check from those people that were kind of sketchy, that kind of thing? So, it was definitely a little nerve wracking, but it got me to the point where I am today. So just, you know, keeping your head down, keep on trucking. Do follow your instincts kind of thing.  

    Emma Plutnicki  06:16 

    Yeah, I love that. And throughout your career, has there been a specific moment or project that you’ve worked on that really stands out in terms of, you know, having a significant impact on you or your creative journey? 

    Kelley McDonnell  06:30 

    Yeah, that’s a very interesting question. A handful of years ago, I had the opportunity to direct a promo for an FX show called The Patient, and the lead in that show was Steve Carrell, so I got to interview him and direct him in some promo work for that show, for FX, and that, to me, really felt like an “I made it” moment for me and I think it was just because I had worked with a ton of celebrities previously, but never in the director’s chair. And so that was my first time as like, I’m the person that people are asking the questions to. I’m the one making the decisions. And it felt very natural, and I felt like I was in the right place, doing the right thing. And it felt very good. And then kind of after that, it was like, Okay, now what am I going to do next? So it’s kind of a, it was a pivotal point in my career, because I felt like I had hit this ceiling, almost in a way, and then it was like, Okay, what am I going to do next? And it just kind of fueled me into the next phase of my career, which is how I ended up here. 

    Emma Plutnicki  07:41 

    Yeah, that’s amazing. That must have been incredible to work on that project.  

    Kelley McDonnell  07:46 

    Yeah, it was really fun.  

    Emma Plutnicki  07:51 

    Yeah, oh my gosh. And so along the way, I’m sure there’s been roadblocks and struggles, but has there been anybody that’s offered you advice, either good advice or bad advice? What kind? 

    Kelley McDonnell  07:59 

    So many people, I can’t even tell you. I mean, there have been people that I met on set that day that were complete strangers, that are just kind of like, Hey, I know what it’s, what it’s like to have just moved to LA or to have just graduated college, keep doing what you’re doing, you know, whatever, whatever. And I’ve had the opposite, where people are like, Get out now you’re still young. Like, get a get a real job, while you still can, you know, go learn how to be an accountant. I wish I did, or whatever. And you just kind of have to take each of those things with the grain of salt, the good and the bad, because it’s not always as glamorous as people think, and it’s also not always as bad as people may think. So, at the end of the day, I think you just have to trust yourself and remember that it’s just opinions. No matter who it’s coming from, it’s just opinions. At the end of the day, all that matters is what you think and how you be yourself. So yes, I’ve gotten a ton of advice, good and bad over the years from so many different types of people. But you know, you just kind of have to internalize it and decide how you want to use it from there. 

    Emma Plutnicki  09:09 

    Yeah, for sure. And so nowadays, what does your typical work day look like? What do you usually like? What is expected of you? What do you get into? 

    Kelley McDonnell  09:19 

    So, it’s really fun. It’s different all the time, which is what I like. I think a lot of people who work in the arts and creative people like for it to be different. But since I am the content manager for Visit Myrtle Beach, I kind of manage all of, any kind of content that we put out, from social media to blog articles on our website, any kind of advertisements that we put in any publications or on any websites or anything. I’ll write all the copy for it and determine which images to use. We also do commercial shoots here for the destination, which, again, is why I love my job, because I’m passionate about the city, because it’s my hometown. So yeah, we do commercials, photo shoots, things like that. So, day to day, it’s more, it’s a lot of scheduling, which I learned how to do in LA on set, which is great. So, it’s definitely a lot of scheduling, a lot of coordination with a lot of people that are local. But I meet so many different people and interact with so many different people every week that I feel like this world just keeps getting smaller and smaller, in a good way. Yeah, so sometimes we will step out and go shoot something at the boardwalk. Sometimes, you know, we do have the Myrtle Beach classic. So sometimes I’m out on the golf courses doing some content for that. So it’s definitely always exciting, it’s different every day, which is great. 

    Emma Plutnicki  10:42 

    Yeah, that must be a lot of fun. And so, I’m sure there’s certain events that go late into the night or on weekends. So how are you able to manage a better like work life balance? 

    Kelley McDonnell  10:53 

    Yeah, that’s a great question. That’s a great question. That was something that I had really struggled with when I was freelancing, because, like I said, I didn’t know when my next job was coming, so any job that was offered to me, I took it because I didn’t want to be ungrateful. I wanted to always take advantage of any work that was coming my way. So, I did not have a good work life balance. But I feel like that’s what your 20s are for, is figuring that out. So yeah, I have definitely gotten a lot better at it. There are, thankfully for me in this job, the events and the things that require me to stay late or work on the weekend are fun. So, it doesn’t feel like work, like going to work the Myrtle Beach classic on a Saturday and Sunday. It doesn’t feel like, Oh, I’m losing my Saturday and Sunday. It’s like, I get to go to the Myrtle Beach classic for free, and I get to just walk around there, enjoy the weather, interact with the people who are having a good time. So it just depends there. And that’s not to say that there are some times where things run a little late, and it’s a little bit of a bummer, but I always just practice gratitude, and I think that’s the best way of looking at it, is that, you know, if I, if I didn’t go to these events, that means that I don’t have this job, and who knows what I would be doing if I didn’t. So, I think just always kind of looking for the positives, when things like that are always going to come up. I think in any job, any career, where you have to do something that’s on your own time, or you might have to miss something so you can go to a work thing. But I think just reminding yourself the good parts of it and keep you in check. 

    Emma Plutnicki  12:30 

    Yeah no, that’s a great way to reframe that. I love that, so amazing. So just as we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to add about your path, your career, or any advice along the way?  

    Kelley McDonnell  12:44 

    Yeah I mean, I would just say advice that really worked for me, like I was saying kind of towards the beginning of this is just trust yourself if you life is too short to do something that you don’t want to do, especially when it’s, you know, we’re expected to work 40 hours a week for however many years of our life, you should love it, you should love what you do, because even if you love it, there are still days that feel a little mundane. So may as well love it the majority of the time. But yeah, and just think, you know, when I was growing up, it was definitely like, go to college, get the job that’s gonna make money. You know, Do this, do this, do this, do this. And I’m so glad I didn’t do that. I’m so so glad that I stuck with art and figured out a way to make it work for me. And I just would say that anybody who is passionate about it, you should try to do your passion for work. 

    Emma Plutnicki  13:37 

    Yeah, I love that. Well, thank you so much.  

    Kelley McDonnell  13:42 

    Yeah, of course.

  • Eugene Rocco Utley

    Eugene Rocco Utley

    “I would rather fail at pursuing a passion that I love rather than playing it safe, and never truly pursuing it.” 

    Eugene Rocco Utley is a freelance creative professional based in Myrtle Beach. By day, he manages marketing and advertising for Coastal Carolina National Bank (CCNB), blending strategic communication with local insight. Outside his 9-to-5, Utley pursues freelance work in film production, with experience in both commercial and narrative projects.

    Interview

    Transcript

    Lexi Raines  00:00 

    First, just give a little introduction of yourself. What do you do and where are you currently working from? 

    Eugene Rocco Utley  00:06 

    Yeah, so my name is Eugene Rocco. I was born and raised in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I went to Clemson University for undergrad, but I also did a couple years at Coastal Carolina University. Right now, I’m still stationed in Myrtle Beach, working locally, as I currently work for CCNB, Coastal Carolina National Bank for my nine to five job. So, I do all their marketing and advertising there and then on the side, in freelance, I work with film production and commercial work and narrative work. 

    Lexi Raines  00:39 

    Okay, that’s awesome. So how long have you been doing freelance videography and filmmaking?  

    Eugene Rocco Utley  00:50 

    So, I’ve worked with freelance videography and filmmaking ever since just getting right out of college. I was just doing, I did my first couple of film projects while at college, and then was able to, just as soon as I graduate, was just doing as many jobs as I can while working a serving job. Then, I started just doing my own little producing, seeing just whatever projects I could create for little to no budget, and just kind of growing my network from there as much as I could, while also working with jobs more nine to five pertaining to the film world. 

    Lexi Raines  01:22 

    Yeah, that’s awesome. So, you said that you have lived in South Carolina your entire life. What’s one thing that you love about working as a creative in South Carolina?  

    Eugene Rocco Utley   01:36 

    One thing that I really love about the South Carolina creative community is the fact that we have such, I think, a very versatile market around here for any kind of creatives. You’re able to find a lot of very passionate people who are really able to have a range of talents or credits to their name. It’s something where it’s still a very growing area, especially relative to any other gigantic states like New York or California, but here, it’s something where everyone kind of is still having a voice to prove and there’s still so much that whenever you get to create your network with people, they’re willing to really go the extra mile and work with you. And you just can find so many different kinds of communities just through that kind of shared passion? 

    Lexi Raines  02:22 

    Yeah, I’ve actually interviewed a few other filmmakers, and they said the around the same thing, they just said that the community is just so willing to collaborate, and y’all are all just excited, excited to be here. Yeah? So what does South Carolina bring to your work? Does it have like, any unique influences on you compared to being anywhere else. 

    Eugene Rocco Utley   02:52 

    Yeah, well, I think that there’s a lot of diversity of work here that you are able to find. So like, you’re able to find like different markets that offer different ranges of work. I’m not sure if that answers your question, but like, for example, I’ve worked in Greenville areas while I was close to Clemson. I still travel up that way, and there’s a very potent market for creatives there, especially with filmmaking and a very growing area, especially since it’s so close to areas like Atlanta, Asheville, Charlotte etc, you’re able to find a lot of business work there as well. Around the coastal regions, you’re able to find a lot more local work and very strong, tightly knit communities of work. Here in Columbia, you’re able to be very commercial business focused. Well, if you even go to like the low country or like Aiken area closer towards, like the Georgia borderline, you’re able to find a lot of really small, like, I said, kind of like around here, like very tightly knit groups, but it’s very home oriented. So there’s just a lot of different ways that you’re able to find different markets that you can thrive in as a creative that are just completely just pertain to different parts of the region of the state. So you do definitely have a lot of versatility of options and just which directions you want to go within the state itself, which is very nice. 

    Lexi Raines  04:08 

    Yeah, that’s awesome. I didn’t know that there are so many different types of filmmaking that relies so much like on your area. So, you said you’re located in Myrtle Beach now, yes, correct. So how would you describe the local creative community here? 

    Eugene Rocco Utley   04:29 

    Yeah, in particular to here, I would say there’s, there’s a lot of people. It’s very closely knit, I think, where there was someone that I just happened to work with on a film project where I was paying and doing grip work for them, just like on the side, and then less than a year later, I reached out to them, and they’re working on a DP for a project that I was creating, and I still work with that person pretty regularly. So, it’s something where it’s not a gigantic area for filmmaking, for particular but once you find people, it helps, because you’re kept in mind, whenever they do have a project turn up, and we’ve worked with multiple projects together, and there are plenty of other people I could say the same for of just how many times you’ll find yourself kind of crossing paths with them again around here. 

    Lexi Raines  05:17 

    Yeah, that’s awesome that y’all can all stay in contact like that. So how would you define professional or personal successes in, like, your creative endeavors? 

    Eugene Rocco Utley   05:31 

    So,I think when you’re saying creative successes, are you referring mainly to, like, just in personal work, or how it relates to personal successes if that makes sense? 

    Lexi Raines  05:45 

    Yeah, like just in your life, in films, you’ve worked on stuff like that. 

    Eugene Rocco Utley   05:53 

    Okay, yeah, so, yeah, I can give two answers to that, where there’s, there’s a lot of in my work professionally in terms of defining just the work I do as a business. I think any kind of successes I find is whenever someone wants to just work together twice, whether it’s a client that I’ve served and they’ve just been happy with what I’ve been able to deliver, if it’s been a creative that I’ve been able to work with, just any time where you know you, you go out above and beyond the first time, so much that it creates it where they want to work with you again, and there’s someone that you’re happy to be in collaboration with, whether client to professional or professional to professional. It’s always just really great to have that kind of goal of just having made a good enough impression the first time that you’re, you’re kept top of mind, and you’re worth something to them. 

    Lexi Raines  06:44 

    Yeah, I feel like so much as, like, working as a creative has, it has so much to do with networking and what you’re able to do with that. 

    Eugene Rocco Utley   06:53 

    Yeah, absolutely, there’s so much that I think is important to the just any sort of creative process where you have to be worried about, not worry, but like you have to be constantly in mind of the network around you and just the people that you’re working with, and always making sure that you’re keeping them in mind with the field and then artistically. I think one thing I would also say is, even though you have to keep other people in mind, whatever you’re doing through your artistry and your passion, and it has to be something that you have to be gratified with at the end of the day. And I think that’s an important part where there’s a constant balance between making sure you’re having a strong network of people, but also still making sure that it’s all for you at the end of the day, especially just because, you know, creative work is very hard. It’s hard to find a lot of external validation through it a lot of times. So there’s a lot that you have to find internally of the pride of your works, I think. 

    Lexi Raines  07:47 

    Yeah. So, you said that you have been doing this kind of stuff since college. What was your biggest fear when you first decided to pursue filmmaking? 

    Eugene Rocco Utley   08:02 

    Yeah, I think just there’s a taken risk of instability whenever you, whenever you take it on, because whenever you do any kind of freelance work, there’s a liberty and a curse to it, of you’re always going to be reaping what you sell,  how much you’re taking in is all accounting of how much you’re able to find work, how much you’re able to get that work in. And it’s something where it’s like you can always find the work no matter how much you put into it. But there’s a lot that you’re not going to be finding people just immediately coming to you out of college, or seeing that you have, oh, you have a website set up, or you have this set up. There’s a lot of grass rooting your business or your freelance work or anything like that. And I’ve been fortunate enough to where I’ve been working with a nine to five for about two years now I’ve been able to work with a creative adjacent field of working in marketing that’s given me the ability to work with passion projects or external freelance work on edge, so that fear of instability is definitely not there right now. So, I’m very grateful for that aspect is a privilege, for sure, but um, having just that known as a, a taken risk was a big thing in terms of pursuing this field for sure.  

    Lexi Raines  09:20 

    Can you describe a defining moment that you had in your creative journey so far? 

    Eugene Rocco Utley   09:26 

    Yeah, absolutely. Um, I think one of a huge defining moment for me was, um, there was a project that I made about, I wouldn’t, I want to say two years back, it was a little short film called A B, and that was a huge pivoting point of my artistic career, of just being able to it was my, I think, second professional project that I did a film festival circuit with, and it was the one that I felt the most internal and external change with externally. It was the one that I think I had my premiere with back in like. October of 2023 so just over a year ago, and it was something where I didn’t really feel like I was known, really within the community. And that was a project that went from my first showing a place outside of Myrtle Beach in South Carolina or in the Carolinas, but my first big showing elsewhere to it ended up winning the festival there and got into a bunch. It kind of just had this, like big chain reaction of getting into other festivals and ended up having a pretty big tour around the Carolinas, which I was extremely grateful for. And it was something that just kind of gave a lot of momentum into kind of the network that I was wanting to establish and being able to make a lot of great connections with people. But it was also something where it kind of correlated with an internal journey of success, and it was something where the whole project is about kind of the mental health of artists and learning to kind of find yourself through art, rather than defining yourself as a person or as an artist, learning that you’re both and having to take care of yourself as a person, because that’s the artist that you want to be anyway. So just kind of making a project that was about that struggle of mental health for artists of that put either too much pressure on them or don’t see that they should treat themselves as a person, because I think sometimes that’s a toxic mindset that exists within creative worlds making a project that kind of focus on that balance that you have to find in life as an artist, between your art and life was a big aspect for me, and I think it was around that time where I decided, like, I would rather be, I would rather fail at pursuing a passion that I love, rather than playing it safe and never truly pursuing it. And just around that time was whenever it had its premiere and had just the great success that did follow it so it that, I think is a big just aspect of where I am right now, that I’m very grateful for that project and just the path that’s paved so far. 

    Lexi Raines  12:09 

    Yeah, congratulations. That seems like, also like such a full circle moment. And I feel like that’s definitely very true. And like, you’re saying, a lot of creatives struggle with that and like, burn out, but I think that’s an amazing piece of advice. So also on that note, what is the best and worst advice that you’ve ever received? 

    Eugene Rocco Utley   12:37 

    Best and Worst? Best, I would say it’s a super nice minute one for just writing, but I think it carries a kind of applicable weight to anywhere when writing, use note cards, not entire sheet of paper. It’s something that I love because it gives you so much flexibility with your writing. And there’s so many times where I know a lot of creatives within even their respective field, have some sort of creative block. Like everyone knows writer’s block for a writer is just the worst. So it was something where doing that kind of gave a lot more freedom to just kind of write out notes, kind of plan and feel like what I was writing didn’t have much pressure to it, as if I was writing it on entirely blank sheet of paper, and I use it constantly for outlining and planning, and it’s something that I think is something to apply to any aspect of a creative field where don’t put so much pressure on yourself to get it right the first time, make sure you’re creating liberties in the creative process, that anything can be written down and thrown away at any time, anything can stick or not stick, anything can be ignored then returned to later. I think that there’s just so much abilities of being able to understand the fluidity of the creative process, and I think that that kind of piece of note card advice was a huge aspect of helping me understand to not put as much pressure on myself as an artist. Worst piece of advice, this is, this is a tougher one, I’ll admit, because I try to not let these stick to me, I guess. But I would say, not necessarily, like a single piece of advice but just a mindset that I’ve like seen throughout is a lot of people kind of think that art needs to be something that like you make your entire life like it has to be your obsession to make it, and it’s something where you have to be passionate about it, because it is very tough, and there’s absolutely aspects that you have to have sacrifices in your life with it, and sacrificing time or efforts, anything like that. But I think that there are so many people who almost focus way too much on just the artistic process and being like, too much of like the obsessed artists kind of feel. And I think that there’s so much where, not only for your sake, but also the sake of your art, that so many people are so focused on like, Okay, but how can we create this? This that you almost forget that with any sort of artistic field, you need to be saying something. And in order to say something and have views on your life, you have to be going out and experiencing life. And there are so many people that I know who kind of get paged in, held into just making, just generic projects over and over that have either been seen constantly or are just little like skittish projects because they’re not wanting to do something important with their projects, or they don’t go out to life and experience life, so they have something to reflect in themselves. And I just think making your entire life about art is something that is far too dangerous for people, and not only for the respect of yourself, but also the respect of your art. 

    Lexi Raines  15:48 

    Yeah, I feel like that is a very profound piece of advice as well, because I just feel like there’s so many elements to being a professional creative, besides just having that creativity, there’s, like, all the logistical sides, the business side, so much from it. So, do you have like, a typical work day? Like, could you walk us through? What is a typical work day? 

    Eugene Rocco Utley   16:19 

    Yeah, absolutely, it definitely varies between what my nine to five marketing work looks like versus my creative writing or onset work. In terms of what my nine to five marketing advertising work, it could be something where I could be going in, taking photographs for new employees, handling just any sort of merchandise, orders, business card orders, working on graphics, doing any sort of social media management, either updating social media calendars or designing posts, etc. 90% of my life there is between Adobe and Excel, and it’s a great job, but it definitely has a lot more to be, I guess, it has a much more of a predictable work day for sure, as for whenever it’s like writing or filmmaking, my writing process usually is existing on the weekends, where I’ll usually wake up, go to a coffee shop in the morning, try to write for about four or five hours, Six if I can get a good day in, then I’ll just kind of go on a walk, step away for a bit, either grab lunch somewhere, or just kind of clear my head. And then once I get back in the evening, just try to do some outlining for what I’m going to write the next day. And then if there’s anything producing wise, I need to be taken care of, or focusing on just responding to emails, doing any sort of planning there. So just kind of getting the creative juices flowing in the morning, and then using evenings for the kind of management aspects of either producing any freelance work, etc, and then just always kind of leaving a little bit to be excited to be writing about the next day. If that makes sense. 

    Lexi Raines  17:57 

    Yes, that makes a lot of sense. So, you definitely have to kind of juggle your nine to five and then your writing and filmmaking. What are some habits that you’ve developed that you would think would be beneficial to others wanting to do what you do? 

    Eugene Rocco Utley   18:20 

    Definitely, I think just prioritizing time management, I think there are so many times where, I mean, it’s something that I’ve had to really nail down ever since, uh, graduating and getting into the workforce, of just kind of having to learn that balance. Because I know that jumping between nine to five and freelance work and creative projects, it is very time consuming, still leaving time for myself. And I think a good way that I did that is I love being able to journal, and I love being able to just kind of, at the end of the day, just write down what my day looked like. What did I do? How much time did I put into this, and not even necessarily setting crazy goals for yourself, but just being able to look at, you know, what your day look like on paper, is always a big thing. Like, are you happy with the amount of time that you focus on these projects, as opposed to this? Are you focusing? Are you relaxing too much, or on your phone too much? Or are you not giving enough time for yourself and it’s just all work, and you’re not giving any time to step away, and just being able to have that ability to look back on your day in writing, I think was just something that helped a ton with time management, because if you make it too much of like trying to set it as like a goal for yourself ahead of time, it feels like a task, and it feels like you’re holding yourself back from doing other things, but just allowing yourself to intuitively look at what your day looks like. And like, are you satisfied with what that day was? Helps kind of cut out a lot of the fluff of the day. Of like, if a weekend I just spent too much time bed rotting, or if it was like, I spent way too much time focusing on just this one project and not the projects I need to be doing. And just like that kind of stuff, I think is always a very important thing to do when you’re learning to balance time management and you’re just balancing time between work, life, art, etc, 

    Lexi Raines  20:09 

    I would agree. I feel like I’ve recently started journaling myself, and I feel like just having that however long you’re doing it 30 minutes of just self reflection of the day, your week, your weekend. I think it’s super healthy. I think it’s super, super beneficial. 

    Eugene Rocco Utley  20:30 

    Absolutely. Yeah. 

    Lexi Raines  20:33 

    So, do you have any questions that you wish you were asked today? 

    Eugene Rocco Utley   20:41 

    Cool. I mean, they’re all great questions. I I always love just hearing kind of about people’s like, if there’s ever a failure that someone has learned from because I think everyone has it, whether you’re creative or not, something where something just didn’t go right, and it’s just like, how do I kind of get back from this? How did I solve this? I think it’s just always a great way, especially for other people, to kind of, like, figure out what they would have done in this scenario, or, know, kind of like the pitfalls that people can sometimes run into, and how can I avoid this ahead of time? And then I just think it’s also a great way to know that. You know, failures are something to learn from. They’re not just failures. 

    Lexi Raines  21:25 

    So, what’s a failure? A failure that you’ve learned from? 

    Eugene Rocco Utley   21:30 

    Throwing it back at me? Shoot, let me think. I mean, I’ve definitely had just too much of, like, generic things, like, just, like, too much focusing on, like, one project, or too much where I’ve, like, put too much effort into a project that I’m not going to get the biggest skill from, if that makes sense, or, yeah, those are all very generic things I’m trying to think of, like a good specific time of, like, oh, I messed this up. I think one of the biggest things was just a lot of my time, especially in college, was a lot of kind of waiting for the things to come to me. Like, there was a lot of times where my college studies were really great in all the fields, but I always was just kind of waiting for a time where it’s like, okay, it’s going to get to this class, and I’m going to finally learn how to make film or make films, or, like, learn how to properly run with a marketing company, or do this or that, or and there was just, like, a lot of setbacks that I think happened, whether it was just like, oh, I wasn’t going to get as much from that class as I thought I would, or there was COVID that kind of kept a lot of the hands on practices of the filmmaking world that I wanted to have. And by my senior year was the time where I was like, okay, if I’m going to be learning it, it’s going to be because I’m going out and doing it myself. And I just found some like-minded creatives and just like, hey, let’s just make some projects together and just see what happens. And we started making projects, and we’re very like-minded in that, and it really was a great just way to kind of shake off the rust of what should have been more sharpened before. So, I would say just not having that sort of self-initiative was a big problem at the beginning of my career that I finally learned to shake off and kind of, you know, no better time to finally start than now. 

    Lexi Raines  23:37 

    I would completely agree with that. I’ve faced that myself, like sometimes you just have to, you have to go out and get what you want. So absolutely, it’s really important. And so finally, my last question for you today is, do you have a creative based in South Carolina that you’d like to nominate to be interviewed? 

    Eugene Rocco Utley   23:57 

    Ooh, based in South Carolina. Okay, do we want one more towards the coast or just in South Carolina? 

    Lexi Raines  24:04 

    Anywhere, really, it can be anywhere in South Carolina.  

    Eugene Rocco Utley   24:11 

    Okay, I’m trying to think. I have a couple of people I can just rattle off. And if any stick, there was a precious person who I think actually went to CCU, yeah, Brooks Leibee, or I hope I’m saying his last name, right? But he is a composer. He’s actually the person that, whenever I was talking about like someone I paid for and then he ended up doing cam work for me. It’s something where his main focus is actually composing. He, like I said, he is super versatile, and he’s a great testament to someone who’s just knowledgeable all around and how that embodies a lot of South Carolina creatives. So, he could absolutely attest to that of just being someone who is very knowledgeable around the board and just what it’s like to be a South Carolina artist. And a couple other people I can just think to rattle off. There’s a writer director in Greenville, South Carolina, Robert Isaac, super great guy, super nice. And he’s just like, done some of like the funniest projects I’ve seen in a while on but has also done some really, like strong productions of just like, the smallest things that, like any other artist would think, wouldn’t like, would think, is like a three out of four project. He makes that like a 10 out of 10 project. So those would be the two that I would definitely call out he’s so, yeah, awesome. 

    Lexi Raines  25:37 

    And then how do you spell Brook’s last name? 

    Eugene Rocco Utley  25:41 

    L, e, i, b, e, e, 

    Lexi Raines  25:46 

    Okay, awesome. Okay, um, thank you so much for your time. I’ve really enjoyed this interview. I think you, you’ve got given a lot of good advice. I think your experiences will definitely really help.  

    Eugene Rocco Utley  25:59 

    Lexi, thanks so much. 

    Lexi Raines  26:05 

    Yeah, of course, have a good day. Thank you.  

    Eugene Rocco Utley  26:11 

    You as well. Thank you. Bye. 

  • Daniel Kline

    Daniel Kline

    “Just jump in and just do it and learn along the way. Don’t wait until you’re don’t. Don’t wait until you feel ready.”

    Daniel Kline is a fitness coach and writer/producer for Starling media in Conway, South Carolina. Daniel has been professionally making films for two years now and offers great advice for those entering a career in the arts. 

    Interview

    Transcript

    Lexi Raines | 00:01 

    First, just give a little introduction of yourself. What do you? Who are you? What do you do for work, and where are you currently working from?  

    Daniel Kline | 00:09 

    Yeah. So my name is Daniel Kline. I am from Conway, South Carolina, and I, as far as work goes, I’m kind of doing two things as most artists are doing. I, my main job is, I’m a fitness coach, but my creative job is, I’m a writer and producer for Starling Media.  

    Lexi Raines | 00:31 

    Yeah, that’s awesome. And, so how long have you been working for, you said Starlight Media?  

    Daniel Kline | 00:40 

    Starling media, like the bird. Yeah, yes. So that’s Starling media is actually it’s my thing. I, I’ve been making films like professionally, both creatively and I’ve done a couple of commercial things, but I’ve been doing film for about two years now, although Starling media was started back in November, so it’s still pretty fresh. But yeah, I’ve been doing film professionally for about two years, but total about four years. First two years was mostly learning.  

    Lexi Raines | 01:14 

    Yeah, that’s awesome. So you said you’re from Conway. So what is one thing that you like working as a creative in South Carolina? Because I know some people, they tend to think that if you want to be a creative professional, you’re going to have to move out of South Carolina. You’re going to have to move somewhere bigger. What does South Carolina give to you that somewhere else wouldn’t?  

    Daniel Kline | 01:40 

    I think South Carolina is actually a really great place to be a filmmaker, because one of the largest hubs in the world for filmmaking is Atlanta, which is practically our back door. I mean, it’s a little bit further for us because, you know, or at least makes them in Conway, but, I mean, it’s, yeah, we got Atlanta right in our back door, which means a lot of, a lot of film companies are, you know, they do kind of like sub out in a bunch of different areas that are nearby. So like, Charleston is close to us, Wilmington is close to us. And actually, most of the work that I do is up in Greenville, which is about an hour and a half from Atlanta, and so we get a lot of, like, Atlanta productions that film in Greenville as well. So I think we’re, like, we’re at a really great position to, you know, have, like, a really affordable living and, you know, also be very close to where the action’s at.  

    Lexi Raines | 02:37 

    Yeah, that’s amazing. So I’ve actually heard a lot of filmmakers and producers, there is a big hub for that in Greenville right now. So how would you describe the professional community up there?  

    Daniel Kline | 02:56 

    Oh, gosh. I absolutely love my filmmaking friends. I mean, I’ve met producers, I’ve met filmmakers that are kind of on both sides, so it’s not 100% but the community that I’ve, I’ve met, and I’ve worked with, and I’ve really, you know, dug roots with, there are some of the kindest, most giving people. Like, they freely give their time. We, we pretty much exchange time, like, I’ll work on your project if you work on mine. And everyone really gives 100%, sometimes 110%, and it’s just a really fantastic community, and I’m just, I love being part of it, and they welcome me as a local, even though I’m three hours away.  

    Lexi Raines | 03:38 

    Yeah, South Carolina really is just like one big community. I feel like, no matter where you’re from, we’re all very close with each other, which is awesome. So kind of moving a little bit, how do you define your professional or personal successes in your creative endeavors?  

    Daniel Kline | 03:58 

    So as far as filmmakers go, there’s a lot of talented filmmakers out there. And, I mean, there’s a lot of talented filmmakers that are way more talented than I could ever hope to be. So I learned pretty early on that my why, my why is, what’s going to make me different. And so like professional success would, would, on the surface, be, you know, like having a successful film, you know, film that wins awards and everything but personal success. I, I’m really passionate about people, and I think if I’ve got an award winning film, but my film was a miserable experience to work on, then I failed. And so that’s, that’s kind of how I am choosing to define my success; is just being a team player, being a, creating a positive work environment, and also just creating a product that shows love. You know, when I say shows love, like you can tell that people loved it when they worked on it. And I think that, and I think that really shows in the final product as well.  

    Lexi Raines | 04:58 

    I completely agree. I- I’ve seen movies in the past that you can just tell the actors, the people on set, they weren’t super passionate or happy about it, but I feel like it always makes the biggest difference.   

    Daniel Kline | 05:12 

    Yeah, absolutely.  

    Lexi Raines | 05:13 

    Yeah, so you said that you’ve been making movies for a while now, seriously, and just outside of that, what was your biggest fear when you first decided to pursue this career?  

    Daniel Kline | 05:30 

    I think the easy answer would be fear of failure. But I’m going to dig a little deeper, and I’m going to say my biggest fear is creating a product that I think is great, and people not liking it. Like, if I look at the final product, I’m like, “alright, this is awesome. This is my best work”, and it just absolutely flops. I think that’s the biggest fear.  

    Lexi Raines | 05:53 

    Yeah, I feel like that is a- that’s a big fear for a lot of people. But, so on a more positive note, like, what’s a defining moment you’ve had in your creative journey? Like, was there a particular project that made a significant impact on you, or was it something you produced that really showcased your creativity?  

    Daniel Kline | 06:17 

    Yeah, so my- I would have to say that the most defining moment was probably my first project, my first short film. It was, it was that big step where I went from wanting to become a filmmaker to actually being a filmmaker. I took I’d been, I had spent like, two years learning. At that point, two years learning and not doing anything. And everyone was just saying, “Just do it. Just do it. Just, you know, just push through. You’ve got stuff, if you’ve got a phone, you can make a film,” and so we just did it. I wrote something that was accessible, that had like a little creative spin on it, and something that we could film like, pretty easily in a weekend, and we just put a lot of effort into it, and it was, it was pretty good. Like, it’s, it wasn’t like the best thing, and you can tell it was like our first thing ever. But I got to show it to our, my filmmaking community up in Greenville, and these are people who, like, work full time in it, and like, they, like, some of them were actually wowed by it. They were like, “wow! Like, who, who did this? Who, you know, who edited them?” Like, it’s, my brother edited it. He’s never edited anything in his life and it was just like, it, it ended up being such a really cool thing, because we just, we just did it, and it’s been entered into film festivals. We just won Best Short and Best Director for it couple months ago. And so it’s like it was a really defining moment, because it was just that moment where I realized, you know, we can do this.  

    Lexi Raines | 07:47 

    Yeah, that is amazing. That’s so special. Congratulations on that.  

    Daniel Kline | 07:52 

    Thank you.   

    Lexi Raines | 07:53 

    So, what is, while you were on this path, was there any like advice you received, like good advice, bad advice?  

    Daniel Kline | 08:05 

    That- the advice, the best advice that I received was, was just do it. There’s a lot of, there’s a lot of creative people, not just filmmakers, but there’s a lot of creative people who are afraid to take that first step, but I mean, really, there’s no reason- there’s no time like the present, and there’s no reason why you can’t, and especially if you’ve got a phone in your pocket, you can do most of your creative work to some capacity. And, so the best advice and the thing I always just tell people who ask me what to do, just do it. Just jump in and just do it and learn along the way. Don’t wait until you’re ready. Don’t wait until you feel ready.  

    Lexi Raines | 08:43 

    Yeah because- I feel that. Like you’ll never feel ready.  

    Daniel Kline | 08:48 

    Yeah, I had about a dozen people tell me that in a day, and I was like, “Okay, I get it. I get it.”  

    Lexi Raines | 08:55 

    Yeah, so along with “just do it” you obviously, you said you were a fitness instructor, so you have another job. How would you- How do you balance your day? Like walk us through a typical work day for you. That is an awesome, an awesome balance. So when you’re shifting into more of like, your creative mindset later in the day, what does your process look like for when like, you’re writing these movies, producing them, what does what does that process look like?  

    Daniel Kline | 09:11 

    Oh my gosh. So my day usually starts at 4am, which is rough. I’m not a morning person, but you know, I have to be, but no, my day usually starts at 4am and I just basically work between four and seven sessions. So my day, usually, my professional day usually ends around 11 or 12- 11am, or 12pm, so I mean, I’ve got the the last half of my day to do anything creative, you know, anything creative that I want and so it does allow for a lot of time, and, but- and the gym that I work at, they know, they know what I do. They know what I love to do, what I want to do and so, like, anytime there’s a project, I can freely take off and, you know, go pursue that. And I- So I, it’s a really awesome job to have, yeah.   

    Lexi Raines | 10:05 

    That is an awesome, an awesome balance. So when you’re shifting into more of life, your creative mindset later in the day, what does your process look like for when like, you’re writing these movies, producing them, what does that process look like?  

    Daniel Kline | 10:22 

    Yeah, you asked about writing and producing. I could, I could talk for hours about either so I’m going to choose one. I’m going to shorten it. I mean, writing, writing is, is just a bunch of planning. That’s all it is. It’s just a bunch of planning. You plan on conversations and everything, and then you write it out. So I’m actually going to shift to producing what my day looks like as a producer. It’s a lot of- it’s a lot of boring office work. It’s phone calls. It’s making sure that people’s schedules align. It’s making sure that money is where it needs to be. It’s filling out spreadsheets, creating spreadsheets. I like to use this website called Milanotes. I know a lot of people use it to, like, take notes and everything it’s, it’s where I like to have, like, a different- it’s basically like a giant virtual cork board that you can, like, put different files and draw different lines between things. It looks like a crazy conspiracy theorist board, but- that’s, but yeah, it’s basically just filling in information and just making sure that everyone’s caught up on everything.  

    Lexi Raines | 11:27 

    Yeah, so, that seems like a lot to juggle. What are some habits that you have, that you’ve developed that you think would be beneficial for others wanting to join this field?  

    Daniel Kline | 11:47 

    I think the- the best habit for people who are wanting to join the field, if they’re starting from scratch, the- probably the best thing that I did for myself, and I, like, I would absolutely recommend, is I keep this, this rolodex spreadsheet. I created- I created this spreadsheet that anytime I, I basically just got on set, anytime I could, like, I volunteered, I like, met people, shadowed people, and I spent, like, two years working on sets, different sets, without getting paid, just to, like, meet people. And so what I did was, every time I worked with somebody that I enjoyed with- enjoyed working with, and that I would want to work with again, someday, I would put their name, put their information in spreadsheet, put how I met them, and then, I also had a line that was like, this is the last date that I talked to them on, and I kept all of those dates within a month. And so, like, if it’s been about a month since I talked to somebody, I would text them say, like, “Hey, what are you working on? How are you doing?” and that spreadsheet quickly grew into, like, 100 lines. And that was 100 different connections that I you know, people that I kept in in contact with, and that, after about a year and a half of investment, that- that became work, like those people started calling me for- for work, and those became paid projects. And so, like, so, I mean, bottom line is, however you want to do it, like, find your community. Write down, write down a list of people that you want to work with and stick with those people.  

    Lexi Raines | 13:26 

    Yeah, that’s actually a really, a really clever idea. I haven’t- I wouldn’t have even thought to do that. That’s so smart. So do you have any questions that you wish we would have been asked- we would have asked you?  

    Daniel Kline | 13:47 

    Oh, no, not really. I think that covers everything.  

    Lexi Raines | 13:50 

    Okay, awesome. And my last question for you today is, do you have a creative that you’d like to nominate to be interviewed?  

    Daniel Kline | 13:57 

    Hmm, well, I’ve got a whole Rolodex full of them. Yeah, I’ve got, I’ve got one. I think she’d be really cool person talk to. But Yasmine Lee.  

    Lexi Raines | 14:11 

    Yasmin Lee?  

    14:12 | Daniel Kline  

    Yeah.   

    Lexi Raines | 14:14 

    Awesome.   

    Daniel Kline | 14:15 

    She’s a filmmaker up in Greenville. She’s an Emmy Award winning person, really, yeah, she’s and she’s really cool. Worked with her several times.  

    Lexi Raines | 14:24 

    Okay, awesome. Yeah, send us, send us her information, and then, yeah, I will hear this if you can. Thank you so much for your time. It was really great interviewing you. I’m going to look into your work. You seem so passionate about everything, I’ll be looking for your name out there.   

    Daniel Kline | 14:46 

    Thanks. Appreciate it.  

    Lexi Raines | 14:48 

    Thank you so much for your time. I hope you have a good. rest of your day, stay safe in the snow. Supposed snow.  

    Daniel Kline | 14:59 

    Alrighty, bye.  

  • Fran Coleman

    Fran Coleman

    “Anything is possible. Anything is possible. You just have to be creative”

    Fran Coleman is an associate professor of voice and choral activity at Francis Marion University. Fran’s teaching spans from voice lessons, directing choirs and any other coral activity. Fran is located in Florence S.C. and currently teaches but is also a performer as well as producer with a regional party band called Emerald Empire band.  

    Interview

    Transcript

    0:03 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Okay, perfect. So, to start off, what do you do for work and where are you currently working from? 

    0:09 | Fran Coleman 

    I do a lot of work. Currently, I work at Francis Marion University. I am an associate professor of voice and choral activities there. So, I teach voice lessons. I direct all of their choirs. I arrange any kind of Choral Activities that might be on or off campus. I arrange any kind of vocal recitals, anything like that. I arrange. We also have a couple of other vocal groups. We have a jazz ensemble and a music industry ensemble. I don’t direct those, but I do work with most of the singers that are in those groups, just by default music.  

    1:03 | Emma Plutnicki 

    How long have you been working there? 

    1:05 | Fran Coleman 

    This is my seventh year. Yeah, this is the end of my seventh year. So I’m also a performer and a producer with a regional party band. So I obviously sing and perform with them, but I also put together events with them. I work with our, with our vendors, with our, with our, obviously, with all of our clients. I work with them. I’m kind of like the third party between them and the vendor and the band also. So I kind of wear multiple hats when it comes to them, because when I am dealing with them before the event, I’m the producer, as far as helping them to plan the event, plan out what the band is going to do, how the band how the band is going to fit into their event schedule. When I get on site, I am kind of the band manager, as far as advocating for the band, making sure the band gets their breaks, making sure that they can, especially like last summer, when it was super duper hot, making sure they, you know, get water, make sure they get their dinner break and all that kind of stuff.  

    2:16 | Fran Coleman 

    And then when I’m on stage, I am the performer.  I wear lots and lots of hats when I’m with the band as well. And then I’m also a classical singer. That’s kind of a freelance thing. I sing with a lot of different churches in the area for weddings, funerals, Sunday services. I sing with the symphony in the area. I also sing with the Long Bay symphony at Myrtle Beach. I do a lot of regional work just with other events in the Carolinas and Georgia. When it comes to the arts, I always like to say that you have to wear a lot of different hats. You have to be willing to have a kind of piecemeal life together. You have to be willing to, you have to be willing to have lots of different side hustle. And if you’re willing to do that, you’re going to be fine. But it’s like understanding that you have to know where your passion is, if to know why you’re doing it, you know. 

    3:24 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Yeah, amazing, yeah. It sounds like you have a lot of things pulling you in different directions. But what is one thing that you like specifically about working as a creative in South Carolina? 

    3:40 | Fran Coleman 

    You know, moving down here, I moved from Richmond, Virginia, which is a fairly different size city, you know, then particularly Florence, which is where I’m at, but even Conway, or Charleston, for that matter, I mean, Richmond’s a pretty, pretty decent sized city, which I wasn’t, I really wasn’t ready to realize until I moved, but it was really nice to move to an area that appreciated the arts as much as they do. This area really appreciates the arts and and they’re willing to pay for it.  

    3:40 | Fran Coleman  

    You know what I mean? Like, I feel like in Richmond, I was constantly advocating for artists to be paid for what they do, constantly, constantly advocating. When I was in Richmond, the hustle was even more real when I mean I was, I wasn’t a full-time professor up there. I was an adjunct professor, which is what’s called a part time professor. Where I was, I was part time at several different universities around the state. Some were a couple hours away. Some were less than, you know, an hour away.  

    4:58 | Fran Coleman 

    But either way, I was trying. Traveling a lot. I was working with several different nonprofit organizations to advocate for the arts. And I was working with Virginia opera, which was a couple hours away. I mean, it was just, it was a lot a lot of driving, and a lot a lot of hustle, and that was and the basis of all of that hustle was advocating for the arts, advocating for the artists to be paid, you know, and to be such a cosmopolitan area, it’s amazing how little they wanted to pay for the arts. So, to move down here and to come to an area where the arts were so appreciated, the very second question after you know, what can you offer? Is, what is your fee? And I was just dumbfounded, because I was like, wow, okay, let me think about it, because I didn’t know. So, so that I really do love is how appreciated the arts are around here. 

    6:00 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Yeah, amazing. And have you been able to find a professional community within South Carolina that you kind of meet with, or how would you describe your local professional community? 

    6:14 | Fran Coleman 

    Well, you know, through the band, through the band that I work with is called Emerald Empire band. And Emerald Empire band, excuse me, I have a frog in my throat. Emerald Empire band is part of a larger organization called the International Musicians League. And so that International Musicians League is literally International, and it spans across the world. And so I was with them in Virginia as well. Up there, they were called the Bachelor Boy Band. And so when I moved down here, I was able to transition over to Emerald. And so they really helped me to find a large entity of professional musicians that I wanted to be a part of and through them, I was able to branch out and kind of find a little bit more of that, like classical entity that I was looking for. But also in working with the Florence Symphony Orchestra and the Long Bay symphony orchestra, and then also through working with some of the other musicians in Emerald, I was able to meet some of the some of the other crossover musicians like myself that do classical as well as contemporary music, that work in the Charleston area and as well as in the Columbia area. I also sing with a nonprofit in Columbia called Palmetto Opera. 

    7:40| Fran Coleman 

    And so I was able to meet some of the other classical players in the Columbia area. So through all of those entities, I feel like I’ve been able to really like I’ve been able to really dig into the contemporary pool of players. I’ve been able to scratch the surface when it comes to the classical players. I know there are so many more that I would love to get in touch with and start collaborating with. There’s a fantastic woman in the Florence area who is doing some work with the Met, the Florence Masterworks Choir. She’s doing some work rebuilding their website and helping to build their database, and she has created an organization called the Ladies Who Lunch, and that is a group of ladies, all who work within the arts community in Florence, whether it be through visual arts or performing arts.  

    8:40 | Fran Coleman 

    And we all try and get together at least once a month, just to kind of talk through things that are happening, things that are, you know, things that need to happen, things we like to see happen. And so that’s a great, great way to try and keep things moving. And so that’s been happening, and so that’s really good. Things like that are what need to continue to happen, right? Just having conversations, and just knowing who to have conversations with, right? Yeah, particularly within the female community, you know, because even in 2025 we’re still so subdued, yeah, so yeah, yeah, 

    9:27 | Emma Plutnicki 

    No, it sounds like a great community, and hopefully it continues to grow. And with all the hats that you wear, you know, how do you define professional or personal success in such creative fields? 

    9:44 | Fran Coleman 

    Oh, I used to put dollar signs on it. I don’t anymore. I really define success in how full my heart is. You know, if I’m waking myself up and putting myself to bed? Every day with music, then that’s how I define my success.  

    10:03 | Emma Plutnicki 

    That’s great. It really is great. So have you had a kind of major project in your life, or, I don’t know, like a defining moment in your creative journey that’s made a significant impact on you, or something that you have produced or sang, or project that you’ve worked on that has really showcased your creativity? 

    10:36 | Fran Coleman 

    So many things. I try and keep the creative fires burning as much as I can. This particular semester, I’ve got, like, next week, we have an event happening at a little restaurant in Florence called Victor’s. And so, through the Palmetto opera, I was introduced to a kind of dinner, a dinner theater type event called up, called, what they call it, Villa Tronco. And Villa Tronco is just a restaurant in Columbia, and excuse me, it’s like a it’s like a dinner theater where two opera singers get up and they just sing a few songs, and then they take a little break, and then they sing another few songs, they take a little break, and then they get up and they sing a few more, and then they take a little break all and all of it is paired with meals and then within those pairings are like little mini sets. And those little mini sets include some backstory behind the areas. And there’s always a duet within each of those mini sets, and there’s an explanation behind it.  

    12:00 | Fran Coleman 

     Anybody is invited to these dinner theaters like you don’t have to be a world-renowned opera buff to understand. I kind of borrowed their idea, and I took it to Victor’s, which is a restaurant in Florence, and I said, I’ve got this great business model, and I would love to bring it to Victor’s. Victor’s is like one of the classier restaurants in Florence, and they have a great back room, like, a kind of conference room area where they could kind of create a nice little dinner concept and sell reservations. And so that was a great success. We did that a couple times, so it was really successful. And we’ve got another one coming up in February, and so far, it’s been really successful. We had one scheduled for October, and it was the day before Halloween, and it didn’t sell like we wanted, so we had to end up postponing that one.  

    12:55 | Fran Coleman 

     That was, unfortunately, not as great, but the one we had coming up in February was really successful, so that was great. I did an event on campus last year with where it was called singing the legacy of black female composers, and I paired that with some of my current students along with some of my alumni students, and we did a whole concert where we sang nothing but music of black female composers, and we talked about the works of these women and all of the great all of the great information, all of the great things they did. We talked about all sorts of amazing things they brought to us as composers, as women, and that was really cool. Back home, I worked with a couple of nonprofits where we built a Mozart Festival every year in different parts of the city.  

    13:55 | Fran Coleman 

    That was amazing. I mean, every year it was, and it was almost all completely female run. You know, that was amazing. Every year, I am the only female that helps to put together this event called FSO Rocks at the end Florence, where it’s the Florence Symphony Orchestra, and we do all classic rock music. So that’s really amazing. Anytime I can help build something new and exciting that is even the slightest bit different. I always like to say that, you know, I kind of like Winnie the Pooh. I’m not your average bear. Yeah, you know, yeah. Anytime I anytime I can, anytime help out, like, with something that’s slightly different, I try and get involved. So great. 

    14:47 | Emma Plutnicki 

    And when you decided to go into a creative profession, did you have any fears about that? Like, what was your biggest fear? 

    14:55 | Fran Coleman 

    I mean, I’m always fearful of the unknown, but ultimately I. Um, I let anybody who says they don’t think I can handle it fuel me, like anytime I’ve ever had a professor to say, I don’t know if this is for you or you might want to try something different. I let them. I let that fuel me to say, oh, really, really, watch me, you know, and I let that kind of feel me. And so that’s what’s gotten me to where I am. Any negative feedback has been what’s got me to where I am? Yeah, it’s not, it’s not pulled me down. 

    15:37 | Emma Plutnicki 

    What’s the worst advice that you’ve ever gotten, or the best advice? 

    15:45 | Fran Coleman 

    Well, when I first got to undergraduate school, I was so in when I was a senior in high school, my dear and bestest friend from, like, literal infancy, um, she, she and her dad and my dad were like, best friends. They like went to military school together. They were stationed in Germany together. They like, we were born two months apart. Like, we were raised together, you know. And she died in a car accident when we were, like, 17, just boom, two months before graduation, gone. Dead. And it was just, I mean, it just, it shook your world, you know. And so, I didn’t go straight to high school. I mean, I didn’t go straight to college straight after graduation. I just moved out after high school, and just kind of like, got a couple jobs and started singing in bands, and started going to open mic nights and just kind of sewing my musical oats and deciding what I might want to do with my life. I just didn’t know. I just knew that if God could take Kim at 17, he could take me too, you know, and so, so I just knew that I needed to explore what, what the world had to offer me. And so that’s what I did. And so, one band led to another, led to another, led to another, until eventually I started getting into some, some significantly successful bands, and we started doing some touring up and down the coast, and things were doing really well, until eventually that van broke up. I was about 24 at that point, 23 maybe, landed back in Richmond, and I said, okay, now what do I do? And so, I decided I would go back to college.  

    17:38 | Fran Coleman 

    And I started, you know, taking some like, gen ed classes at community college. And then by the time I was 24 I decided, okay, I’m going to go back to Virginia Commonwealth University, which is kind of like the USC of Richmond, you know, big urban campus. They’ve got a great music program, and I was going to learn how to really sing, right? And they are a very, very traditional school in 2001 which was at the time when I decided to go back to school. They had removed their jazz voice program, which in 1994 when I originally auditioned for the school, they had they didn’t tell me, they dropped it, right?  

    18:24 | Fran Coleman 

    So, like, when I re-auditioned with the exact same two songs that I auditioned in 1994 for, they didn’t tell me, they dropped it. So when I got in again, I was like, Okay, well, I’m going to be a jazz voice major. And I was, I was alerted very, very, very staunchly in the middle of theory class, that I was not a theory, that I was not a jazz voice major, but I was classical voice major. And so, so that was a little daunting and so that was eye opening to know that I was going to spend the next four years singing classical music when I’d never sung a note of classical music before. And so I spent the next at least two years fighting that tooth and nail and so many, many of my teachers in undergraduate school were not pleasant to me.  

    19:19 | Fran Coleman 

    They basically compartmentalized me and said, oh well, she sings rock music, so she must be an alto or a mezzo. No, I’m really not. I’m very much a high soprano. But they didn’t give me the benefit of trying to listen to me or understand me at all because they didn’t want to. So that was very frustrating those first two years, so and so, and that’s really the negativity that fueled me, but at the same time, I needed to find an outlet, because I knew I couldn’t just in classical music. So that’s when I started. Kind of moonlighting, so to speak, with the jazz department at school. And instead of just singing with the madrigalists, which was like the very traditionalist a cappella group, I sang with the small jazz ensemble, and then I was invited to sing with the large jazz ensemble, which was like their big band, you know.  

    20:19 | Fran Coleman 

    And I really fell in love with jazz music. And then I started, you know, studying like Jazz, Jazz vocal pedagogy, and I was able to do an independent study with them, and, and I was able to study with one of the best jazz drummers that this country’s ever seen, you know, and, and I was able to make some fabulous connections that I still have to this day, and that have stuck with me for 20 years, you know, and it’s just, it’s, it’s been phenomenal. And they, they really are, who got me through undergraduate school. Now, mind you, I fell in love with classical music in the meantime, and I ended up getting a doctorate in opera. And I love classical music. 

    20:58 | Fran Coleman 

    And like I said, I you know, both of the nonprofits that I worked with in Richmond were both classical. One of them was the Classical Revolution, and the other one was a small nonprofit opera company that I helped build from the ground up. And so, I love classical music, and I will sing classical music till the day I die, but I’m never going to not sing other things either, you know what I mean, I can’t, I can’t just sing one thing. That’s not who I am. I’m somebody that has to have my hand in lots of different cookie jars, because that’s just the world we live in, and that’s the person I am, you know? So, um, so that’s, and that’s also the teacher I am as well.  

    21:39 | Fran Coleman 

    That’s, that’s who, in my opinion, we need to be as singers, is, is somebody that is diverse in what we sing, in what we represent as performers. Because there’s just, there’s too much talent and there’s too much to say, you know. So, if you want an active job as a performer, you need to be able to say a lot of different things and in a lot of different ways. 

    22:11 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Yeah, wow. That’s been an incredible journey for you. Thank you for sharing all that. So nowadays, what does your typical workday look like? What’s expected of you daily, 

    22:25 | Fran Coleman 

    On Mondays and Wednesdays…Mondays, I have voice lessons in the morning and then we have studio in the afternoon, meaning, like either recital, like with the whole voice department, or the, excuse me, the whole music department, or just my voice studio in the afternoon, and then I have my women’s choir in the afternoon after that. And then on Tuesdays, I have voice lessons in the morning, and then I have my University Choir in the afternoon. On Wednesdays, I just have voice lessons. On Thursdays, I have voice lessons in the morning, University Choir in the afternoon, and then my men’s choir after that. And then on Fridays, I generally try and keep that free for you know, personal like if I have makeup lessons, or if I have doctor’s appointments, or if I have personal appointments, or, you know, interviews, things, whatever need to happen. And then on the weekends, you know, on Friday, Saturday, Sunday is generally set aside for gigs and things like that too. 

    23:37 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Okay, amazing. So how do you create that kind of work life balance when you have a busy schedule, where you’re able to kind of have professional creativity, but then also have some time for personal creativity? 

    23:50 | Fran Coleman 

     Last semester, really, last year 2024, was probably the busiest year I’ve had in probably a decade, and it was, it was so busy for me. I mean, it was great. Everything was great. Like all of them, all the work I had was all good work, but it was so much. It was so demanding. And last fall in particular, I was supposed to be teaching four classes. I ended up teaching seven classes because my part time professor resigned, so I had nobody else to teach but me. And instead of telling anybody that I can’t help them, I just say, no, I’ll do it. I’ll just take another class. I’ll take another student. And so, I ended up overloading myself by like, three classes, right? 

    24:45 | Fran Coleman 

     And then the fall is always busy with the band, so I ended up in triple overload academically, and then I ended up with over 70 singing engagements on me. Calendar, and between that, between all of the teaching and all of the singing, I ended up by December and then, so with not being able to find a healthy work life balance, I ended up getting sick constantly. I mean, I was sick constantly last semester, from the end of September until the middle of December. I think I got sick at least five times. It was like, every time I got better, I’d get sick again. It was like, it was just this constant roller coaster of like, you know, it was like a sinus infection, and then it was a cold, and then it was an upper respiratory infection.  

    25:45 | Fran Coleman 

    Then everything just sits right here, when you’re a singer, you know, it’s just and it was just horrible. And so, I would get better long enough to, you know, regain my voice for the next gig, and then, and then I would get sick again, and then I would sing through illness, and then I would get better enough to sing for the next gig. And then I would, you know, lose my voice. And that, you know what I mean, and that the window of time that I would have to get my voice back was getting wider and wider and wider until eventually I was getting really worried, and so I went to my otolaryngologist, which, if any vocalist is having a challenge with their voice, I would say, don’t just go to your standard ENT down the street, because God bless them. If you have a cleft palate, if you have a deviated septum, if you have chronic sinus infections, if you have you know concern of laryngeal cancer. 

    26:44 | Fran Coleman 

     You know any standard ENT issue go right, but anything else that is pertaining to the singing voice, please go to an otolaryngologist that is who is trained to know things about the singing voice, and I went to go see mine. And I had, I had a vocal injury, you know, and so I had to go on strict vocal rest for two and a half weeks. And for the very first time in my entire adult singing life, I couldn’t sing for Christmas. I’ve never been able to sing for Christmas, and it was heartbreaking, you know.  

    27:23 | Fran Coleman 

    And so that was really, really sad. And that was, that was, that was the result of not knowing or not being able to find a good work life balance, you know, yeah. And so that’s sad. And so that’s that, that’s, that’s how I had to find that. That’s how I had to know, unfortunately, a better, that’s how I had to find a better work life balance this semester. You know? 

    27:55 | Emma Plutnicki 

    So just as we wrap up, are there any, is there anything else you want to add, or any questions you wish I may have asked that I didn’t? 

    28:21 | Fran Coleman 

    I can’t think of anything right off the top of my head. Um, you know, like I said before, it’s like, you know, the life of an artist is not one for the faint of heart. You know, I certainly don’t deter anybody from it. If you have a passion for anything, if you have a passion for singing, if you have a passion for painting, if you have a passion for set design or costume design or makeup or arts administration, or, you know, sound work or production or anything, you know, I mean, anything in the arts is going to be challenging. Anything, anything that does not live in a box, is going to be challenging, right? But if it is what makes you happy, then do it right? Because think about how many times you go out into the world, whether it be to the grocery store or to pick up you know, your food order, or your, you know, your dry cleaning, or whatever it’s like.  

    29:25 | Fran Coleman 

    And you deal with miserable people who want to be miserable. Nobody wants to be miserable. Be happy and spread happiness. And the only way to do that is to find what brings you joy. You know, so the best way to find, the best way to do that is to is to do what brings you joy, and if that is not ultimately lucrative upfront, then you have to find ways to bring the funding. You know what I mean. Anything is possible. Anything is possible. You just have to be creative. 

    29:49 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Yeah, that’s great advice and a great perspective. Amazing. So last thing. Do you have anybody that is in your life that’s a creative working in South Carolina that you would like to nominate or think would be beneficial for us to talk to?  

    30:23 | Emma Plutnicki 

    I could also just have you think on it and send you, yeah, if anybody comes to mind, we have a nomination link where you can input somebody. 

    30:34| Fran Coleman 

     Yeah, yeah. Let me think on it, and then I can maybe send you, like, a list of a few people. 

    30:37 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Yeah, that’d be great, amazing.  

    30:41 | Fran Coleman 

    I’m always the type of person that likes to think of a bunch of things since I walk out the door. 

  • Dallas Vickers

    Dallas Vickers

    “Think outside the box and go for it!”  

    Dallas Vickers is an event and wedding planner working in Myrtle Beach. She attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, but she sought out an internship in Myrtle Beach because of family connections. While event planning can be a high-stress and high-pressure business, Vickers focuses on a healthy work-life balance and the importance of knowing your professional community. 

    About

    Dallas Vickers is an event and wedding planner working from Myrtle Beach. She attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, but she sought out an internship in Myrtle Beach because of family connections. While event planning can be a high-stress and high-pressure business, Vickers focuses on a healthy work-life balance and the importance of knowing your professional community. 

    The community surrounding event planning is very tight-knit and people are always willing to help and collaborate. Many people within the even planning world know each other, as many of them have interned for Sarah McCall, the CEO of Stunning and Brilliant Events: “Everyone knows everyone. We all help each other out.” 

    Dallas manages many schedules, creates budgets and handles “high emotional and energy events,” such as weddings. She handles this stress is an ever-present process that is done through on the job experience, “I’ve learned a lot about how I handle conflict and how to properly handle conflict.”  

    As an event planner, she explains, “our clients want to see that we’re fun people. They want to see that we’re going on vacation and experiencing things and doing creative things.” Dallas says that it is important to find that balance, but it is a personal journey to find it. 

  • Dallas Vickers

    Dallas Vickers

    “Think outside the box and go for it!”  

    Dallas Vickers is an event and wedding planner working from Myrtle Beach. She attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, but she sought out an internship in Myrtle Beach because of family connections. While event planning can be a high-stress and high-pressure business, Vickers focuses on a healthy work-life balance and the importance of knowing your professional community.

    Interview

    Transcript

    Emma Plutnicki 00:03  

    Okay, so to start off, what do you do for work and where are you currently working from?    

    Dallas Vickers 00:09   

    So, I’m currently in our office in Myrtle Beach. So, we have a big office, kind of near the airport area, and I am a wedding and event planner.   

    Emma Plutnicki 00:19  

    Amazing and how long have you been working there?    

    Dallas Vickers 00:21  

    I actually did my internship here in 2020, and then I moved to Arizona, and now I’m back. I’ve been back for almost three years doing wedding and event planning for Stunning & Brilliant Events.   

    Emma Plutnicki 00:35  

    Amazing, so what is one thing that you love about working in South Carolina?    

    Dallas Vickers 00:40  

    I love the community. I feel like everyone knows everyone, and no matter what city you’re in, we’re close enough and know each other well enough that we can help each other out. So, if there’s a shortage on a certain type of chair here in Myrtle Beach, you know they have contacts in Charleston that can bring them down, and it’s not a big deal. And I love the connection we all have as like wedding vendors. It’s very tight knit.   

     Emma Plutnicki 01:05  

    Yeah, so how would you describe the local professional community within South Carolina?   

    Dallas Vickers 01:11  

    Again, very tight knit. Everyone knows everyone. We all help each other out. I know, you know, in the wedding planning world, there’s a lot of people who have interned for Sara (McCall) and may have done their own thing afterwards, like, you know, moving to a different city and doing their own thing. Or, like the DJs here, they all trained and, like, worked with each other and helped each other out. So, it’s all like very, “teamwork makes the dream work” around here. It’s, yeah, it’s great.   

    Emma Plutnicki 01:38  

    Yeah amazing. So, in terms of, I don’t know, in a creative career, it can be a little tough sometimes to figure out like, success, I guess. So, how do you define success in your career, both professionally and personally?   

    Dallas Vickers 01:56  

    Money, right? I mean, I think it’s just success is returning clients, continuous events and for us, it’s, you know, expanding. So, Sara, the CEO of our company, started this 14, 15 years ago after her own wedding and from there, she now has, I think, 14 franchises all around the US.  And so, within the creative space, I think that our success is definitely measured in like how far our reach can go, and like how many clients we acquire, and, you know, people we meet.   

    Emma Plutnicki 02:34  

    Yeah, makes sense. And did you have any fears before you entered this profession at all?   

    Dallas Vickers 02:38  

    Oh, yeah, absolutely. Um, there’s always the fear of, like, another COVID happening or, you know, social events being, you know, limited or not at all. There’s always a fear of, like, a slow season or something. But I think that we’re very innovative in what we do, I mean, down to, like, if we have a slower time in December, we’re going to offer gift wrapping. We’re going to offer designing your birthday or your party, or Christmas party, we send out. A lot of marketing goes into what we do and keeping ourselves busy, and, like, ever evolving, really helps the business.   

    Emma Plutnicki  02:39  

    For sure. So, nowadays, what is a typical workday look like for you? What’s expected of you on a daily basis, and what do you get into?   

    Dallas Vickers 03:00  

    Yeah, so I have 16 clients right now. So that ranges from anywhere from birthday parties to full weekend getaways that I’m planning for people to, of course, weddings, obviously a majority is weddings, and even like corporate events and events like that. So, all ranges. So, I come into office, 9am, a little coffee, and sit down on my computer. We all are in our cubicle, we’re all in the same area, there’s multiple planners in our office. We, you know, I get on my email, I check what, what I need to see, and then I kind of start on my checklist. So it could be, again, my days are so different every single day. If it’s a Friday before an event then I am prepping people, putting batteries into late night items for like glow sticks or whatever, or going to rehearsal an hour away, or going to a meeting with a florist. Or I’m sitting here at my computer all day making a layout, matching linens to whatever, to florals, you know, making a timeline, it could be anything like that. Or I’m doing math and creating a detailed budget for someone’s dad. It just depends. It’s always changing.   

    Emma Plutnicki 04:45  

    That makes sense. And throughout your career, has there been a significant event or project or anything that you’ve worked on that like, stands out in your mind and has had a significant impact on you?   

    Dallas Vickers 05:01  

    Yeah, I think every event comes with a learning curve, but there’s definitely when you’re working so closely with people and such a high wedding, specifically, it’s such a high emotional and energy event that there’s been some times where I’ve learned a lot about how I handle conflict and how to properly handle conflict, and also you know how to do it in the future. So, I think that my biggest event is learning.   

    Emma Plutnicki 05:32  

    That makes sense, and along the way, when you have kind of those conflicts, have you received any advice throughout your career, like what’s the best advice?   

    Dallas Vickers 05:40  

    Yeah. Sara McCall, our CEO that I was talking about earlier, she’s been around the block with almost everything that could possibly happen in an event or in event planning. We’ve done it, and she has the best advice on how to respond, and a lot of it is turn off your emotions and you remember that. You’re here for your job as well, and like you were people pleasers, but only so long.    

    Emma Plutnicki 06:07  

    And is there any bad advice that you’ve received that you don’t think would…   

    Dallas Vickers 06:31  

    From other people, like people that aren’t in the industry that’s like bad advice would be: well, just tell them that you’re busy with other clients. And I’m not just saying that to a bride who’s like, a few months away. You know what I mean?   

    Emma Plutnicki 06:30  

    And so, with events, I would assume that a lot of times these happen at night. So how do you balance work-life balance in your life, because you also, you know, you want to do things too outside of work. So how do you balance?   

    Dallas Vickers 06:46  

    That’s another reason why I love this job. It’s not corporate, we don’t have, you know, the strictest schedule in the world. If I need to work from home, for A, B and C, reason, I can work from home. And this is also, like, special to us, because we have an amazing company. But, if I’m going to go on a trip for a couple of weeks, it’s encouraged. I mean, the more that you travel, the more you learn, and our clients want to see that we’re fun people. They want to see that we’re going on vacation and experiencing things and doing creative things, we’re seen as these creative beings, and people want to see that as well. So, work-life balance is a big deal. If we have a Saturday event, then we get our Mondays to ourselves, so we still have our two-day weekends. And really just trying to, like, keep it at work and that’s really a personal adventure everyone has to go on. It was definitely a learning curve after I got out of college. So, yeah, it’s been a good transition, but it’s it gets easier with time.   

    Emma Plutnicki 07:49  

    Yeah, amazing. Well, thank you so much. Just as we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to add about your career, or anything you wish I might have asked that I missed?   

    Dallas Vickers 08:00  

    No, I mean, I think that it’s not advertised. A lot of creative jobs like this I never thought would be a choice. So, whenever you know college kids are looking into what they’re doing for their internships, think outside the box and go for it.   

    Emma Plutnicki 08:17  

    How did you find out about this career? How did you get into it?    

    Dallas Vickers 08:23  

    Yeah, I was a hospitality student. I’m from Texas originally, so I was at school in Texas, and I knew I wanted to do my internship out of state, and my grandparents live here. So, I was looking around the area, I reached out to a venue, and I was like, “Do you guys have any internship opportunities? I’m interested in event planning or event catering, you know, that kind of world.” And they were like, “Well, we don’t, but here’s a list of event planners that might” and Sara was top of the list. So Stunning & Brilliant Events was top of the list and once I worked with her and saw exactly what they do, I was like, “This is the perfect balance of like, business and creativity,” which is, like, I didn’t even know existed.    

    Emma Plutnicki 09:04  

    Yeah, amazing. And where did, where did you live in Texas? What school did you go to?   

    Dallas Vickers 09:08  

    Austin yeah. Well, I went to school at SFA, which is East Texas.    

    Emma Plutnicki 09:13  

    Yeah, nice my sister lives in Texas or in Austin. Yeah, she lives in Austin. My gosh.   

    Dallas Vickers 09:19  

    Wait, that’s so cool. What part?   

    Emma Plutnicki 09:22  

    Somewhere in Austin. She lives in like that, like outside suburbs, maybe like Southwest, I guess maybe. But I love Austin, very cool place. Well, amazing. So if you I don’t know if you know anybody else like a creative that would help us be interviewed, but if you can think of anybody that you want to nominate for a Creative Careers interview like this, just to get the word out to young kids, I’ll send you a link to the website that these will be put on. It’s called the Creative Careers Studio. With the South Carolina Arts Commission. So it’s a super cool website, but yeah, that’s, that’s basically all I got.    

    Dallas Vickers 10:07  

    Yeah, thank you awesome. Thank you so much, Emma. It’s nice to meet you.   

    Emma Plutnicki 10:12  

    Nice to meet you too. Hope you have a great day.   

  • Brandon Goff

    Brandon Goff

    “I put in 30 minutes of practice every day, whether it’s guitar or composing. It’s like exercise 30 minutes a day goes a lot further than five hours once a week. It keeps your brain engaged.” 

    Brandon Goff is a composer, producer, engineer, performer, and professor of Music Industry at Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina. As a Memphis, Tennessee, local, he attended Rhodes College where Goff’s creative path began. This path has taken him through academic and professional music spaces across the U.S. and abroad. With a PhD and a background in music composition, he believes in celebrating every step of creative growth, whether that’s writing an album or landing a gig. His career is a witness to persistence, curiosity, and the value of creative support systems. 

    About

    Dr. Brandon Goff is a composer, producer, engineer, performer, and professor of Music Industry at Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, he brings decades of professional experience to the classroom. Although he comes from major music hubs like Memphis and Nashville, Goff believes in the creative potential of South Carolina: “The talent pool is just as big as it is anywhere else” he states that there is less exposure here than big music hubs, yet there are “chances you can take even if you don’t realize it.” 

    While many students aspire to break into big-city music scenes, Goff sees value in the grassroots nature of local music. South Carolina’s cultural variety and fresh perspectives help shape his own compositions. Even without the traditional infrastructure of the industry, students can gain real-world experience in unique settings like running sound and lighting for large-scale worship services. “We’re still a big production state,” Goff says. 

    A high school dropout who once worked in a factory, Goff believes success is about growth and persistence, not fame. “Even if you’re just someone who has actually sat down and written an entire album worth of material, and that’s not what you do for a living, that’s still incredibly successful.” he says. That mindset has guided his journey, from early breaks with recording software to composing Full on Rumble, a guitar concerto that unexpectedly became one of his most performed works. 

    Goff’s creative life is grounded in daily discipline. Mornings start with emails and invoicing, followed by teaching, and afternoons filled with studio work. “Thirty minutes a day goes a lot further than five hours once a week,” he explains. For Goff, consistency matters more than flash: “You don’t always know what you’re building while you’re building it. But if you stay in motion, keep making, keep believing you’ll look up one day and realize you’ve created something that lasts.” 

  • Eugene Rocco Utley

    Eugene Rocco Utley

    “I would rather fail at pursuing a passion that I love rather than playing it safe, and never truly pursuing it.” 

    Eugene Rocco Utley is a freelance creative professional based in Myrtle Beach. By day, he manages marketing and advertising for Coastal Carolina National Bank (CCNB), blending strategic communication with local insight. Outside his 9-to-5, Utley pursues freelance work in film production, with experience in both commercial and narrative projects.

    About

    After studying at Clemson University, and shortly at Coastal Carolina, Eugene Rocco Utley now splits his time between a 9-to-5 role in marketing and advertising at Coastal Carolina National Bank (CCNB) and a robust freelance career in film production. From commercial shoots to creative narrative projects, he’s carved out a path that balances the professional with passion. 

    Though the freelance world can be uncertain, Utley embraces its challenges. “I would rather fail at pursing a passion that I love,” he says, “than play it safe and never truly pursue it.” His creative journey began right out of college, working on low-budget films and slowly building his network in South Carolina’s creative community, a space Utley describes as both “versatile” and “closely knit.” For Utley, success is defined not just by recognition but by collaboration: “If someone wants to work with you again, that’s a real success.” 

    A defining moment came when his short film A B gained significant recognition, marking as a pivoting point in his personal and professional career. The project, which explores the balance between mental health and artistic identity, reinforced Utley’s belief that “Failures are something to learn from, not just failures.” 

    Whether writing scripts or handling design work at the bank, Utley stresses the importance of time management and living a life outside of work. “You have to experience life to reflect on it,” he emphasizes. “You can’t define yourself only by your art.” His advice gives creatives to give yourself freedom in the process, use note cards, not full pages and face your fears head-on. 

  • Paolo Gauldi

    Paolo Gauldi

    “It’s a good thing to bring beauty to this world…leave it a little bit better than you found it”

    Dr. Paolo Gualdi is a musician, and a full-time professor at Francis Marion University, as well as a part-time professor at University of North Carolina at Wilmington. When performing, regionally, nationally, or internationally, Gualdi plays the piano both as a soloist and chamber musician.

    About

    Dr. Paolo Gualdi began teaching music at 16 and has been a performer his entire life. He has been involved, long-term, in the cultural arts scene, which is why he sees so much potential in the Carolinas, and South Carolina more specifically, because “there’s a lot of talent in South Carolina,” he stated in an interview with our team. For Gualdi, South Carolina has a boiling pot of opportunities.

    In Gauldi’s opinion, a creative needs their own personal definition of success, or else “it’s a lifetime of frustration because you don’t feel you’re good enough forever.” He believes that one needs to remain engaged and interested in their career. Gauldi recalls Pablo Casals, a famous cellist, who, at 93, was still practicing because he believed that he could still make progress and Gualdi says that “it’s the best feeling in the world…always being interested and curious and digging deeper.”

    Gauldi also emphasizes the community and networking needed in this career. A lot of his commitments are because of this. He also says to “be kind to each other,” which can determine one’s career path.

  • Terry Roberts

    Terry Roberts

    “If you persevere, if you really believe in yourself then something will happen.”

    Terry Roberts is a conductor, professor, and lifelong musician in Florence, South Carolina. He leads with passion and perseverance across every stage.

    About

    Terry Roberts is the Coordinator of Music at Francis Marion University and Music Director of the Florence Symphony Orchestra. A seasoned conductor and former solo French hornist in Europe, Terry’s global experience now shapes local culture in South Carolina.

    His career is built on resilience and artistic exploration. Roberts has performed in major opera houses across Europe and the United States. Fluent in multiple languages and rooted in a deep love for learning, he brings cultural and professional richness into the classroom and the concert hall.

    Terry’s legacy is measured not by a single pinnacle moment but through mentoring young musicians and commissioning original works many by his former students. “It’s like having your own children be successful,” he reflected.

    In a field that never stays still, Roberts thrives on structure and inspiration. “The first thing I do every day is play some music,” he shared. Time management, introspection, and joy fuel his work. His advice to future artists is unwavering: keep going. Don’t be discouraged. And above all, stay flexible because the path might surprise you.

    Transcripts

    00:01 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Okay, so first, what do you do for work and where are you currently working from? 

    00:06 | Terry Roberts 

    I’m the coordinator of music at Francis Marion University, and I’m a professor for various different classes and ensembles, and I’m also the music director of the Florence Symphony Orchestra. So, this is all in Florence of course. I’ve been here, I’ve been a conductor since 2003 and with the University for about 16 years. I believe. 

    00:31 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Amazing. So, what is one thing that you love about working in South Carolina, specifically? 

    00:37 | Terry Roberts 

    Well, normally, you can play golf year-round, but not now. Well, I was raised in the south mostly. I’m from Oklahoma originally, but, yeah, most of my life I’ve lived in the South. It’s a lot nicer, calmer. I had friends, one friend of mine, who’s a soloist, said “The only reason to go to New York is to get the check and leave.” So yeah, I was in Europe for a long time. When I moved back, people asked why I didn’t move to New York. I said, “Well, I can get to New York really easily. I don’t need to live there.” So yeah, and I get up there to do some gigs. But, yeah, one week about all I can stand in there. 

    01:25 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Fair. So, what does South Carolina bring to your work? Does it have any unique influence on your work compared to working anywhere else, working in New York? 

    01:37 | Terry Roberts 

    Well, like I said, I’ve had, I’ve had the good fortune to live in several different places. So, I’m more like trying to bring what I’ve learned culturally in different countries, different places in the United States, to impart that information, if you will, to my students and to the public, and culturally speaking simply. South Carolina obviously has a lot of history. One of my professors was a famous composer from Latta, just up the street here, Carlisle Floyd, and I studied with him when I was at Florida State University, and I played some of his works and things like that. 

    02:28 | Emma Plutnicki 

    And how would you describe the kind of working community in South Carolina? How is your local professional community? 

    02:38 | Terry Roberts 

    Oh, well, Florence especially is sort of booming. To be quite honest, when I moved here, I wasn’t going to stay, but things changed you know. That’s fate, as they say, and this particular community has just blossomed. I mean, we have two major hospitals, several major companies have moved here, and culturally, it’s just a gold mine. There’s a lot of culture going on here, and there’s a lot of talent within the community. So, it’s great. I mean, it’s very refreshing, and everyone loves to take part in the arts here, which is great. And I try to be diverse as possible, which is a hard thing to do anyway, but to include as many people as I can in the arts. So, I mean, when I had hair, long hair, I played in rock bands and all that stuff. So, you know, I’ve sort of done everything, if you will, so just a classical player. 

    03:46 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Amazing yeah, so within your working in a creative field, how do you define personal success and professional success? 

    03:57 | Terry Roberts 

    Oh, wow. Well, for me, personal success is being able to learn more every day. You never stop learning music. There’s always something new to learn and to hopefully to grow a bit every day. Professionally, I’ve been blessed to have done a lot of different things. I’ve played in all the major, I played French horn, solo horn in Europe for 16 years, and I played in all the major opera houses, concert halls in Europe and the United States. And that was, I was very fortunate. I was able to learn two more languages, you know. So, all those things are because of music. I got to see a lot of the world. So, it, I’ve been very fortunate. And it wasn’t easy at first, I have to admit, you know, but I think everyone who’s successful has to persevere. 

    05:08 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Yeah, amazing. So, you said it was difficult. Were there any fears that you had when you first decided to step into a profession in the arts? 

    05:18 | Terry Roberts 

    Well, my father has a PhD in music education. He was a chairman of music for years at universities, and so I was sort of raised in that environment. And I thought about actually becoming a pilot, that really intrigued me. But then I would have to stop playing, and I really wanted to play. And I mean, I’ve been playing some instruments since I was six years old, so, you know, and playing music is almost mathematical too, so that sort of tied in. I thought about piloting or architecture and things that, and my father encouraged me to do that because he didn’t want me to be a poor musician. But, anyway, it worked out. So, it was hard at first. I mean, when I got to Germany, I was going to study for one year, and I had like, $250 in my pocket and a horn and two suitcases, and I didn’t know what was going to happen. And it just sorts of blossomed from there. So, I was very fortunate. Right place at the right time, so to speak.  

    06:24 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Yeah, it’s great how it works out that way. Were there any people in your life giving you advice? Do you remember the best advice or the worst advice that you ever received? 

    06:39 | Terry Roberts 

    Well, I mean, gosh, there’s so many different people. My teacher, he was very famous horn player, Erich Penzel in Germany. He gave me a bunch of tips about how to handle conductors and now I’m a conductor, so it’s funny. And I would talk to a lot of different conductors, I worked under some very big names, and I would ask them how they went into the field. And all of them, all of them, talk about perseverance, and talk about, when you’re starting out, how hard it is, and it is. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. You know, there’s, there’s plenty of people out there that can do my job, but I just happen to get lucky, you know? I tell my students, “There’s always someone waiting to take your place.” You have to think that way. You have to, you have to practice. You have to always continue to get better. You can’t just sit and do nothing. And that, I believe that still to this day. I mean, the orchestra could say one day, “oh, come on and get someone else,” you know, with different ideas, you know. 

    07:46 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Makes sense. And within your career, has there been one particular project that has made a significant impact on your life or a project that you think really showcased your creativity and kind of was the pinnacle of your career? 

    08:15 | Terry Roberts 

    I don’t think I’ve reached that yet. To be quite honest. I hope I haven’t. I’m very proud of some of the works I’ve commissioned to be premiered with this orchestra, and I’m doing another work next fall, in October, that a former student of mine is writing. So, I’m always very proud when former students are successful. It makes me, you know, it’s like having your own children be successful. You know, which I do have children, they’re somewhat successful to me. 

    08:58 | Terry Roberts 

    I mean, it’s always good when you see someone succeed and you’ve been nurturing them and sort of mentoring or whatever, you know. So, yeah, I mean, I like helping out young people, and I think that’s probably one of my best things around. 

    09:18 | Emma Plutnicki 

    I love that. So nowadays, what does a typical workday look like for you? What’s your work process and what’s expected of you on a daily basis? 

    09:32 | Terry Roberts 

    Well, one thing about the arts, it’s never the same every day. I mean, obviously at the university you have your schedule. But, like, I’ve just done three days of rehearsals with three different ensembles, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. And today, I gotta regroup. I’ve gotta get ready for a different ensemble. Yeah, so and then I’ll teach a bit. I always have one day, and this is my day actually. I always have one day during the week where I try to regroup, and that’s Thursday this semester. But normally I come into the office, I start answering emails, which there’s plenty of, and stuff like that, and then I’ll start studying whatever music I need to be studying for the next concert I’m doing, or next project I’m doing. And at the same time, I’m doing budgets for the orchestra, budgets for the music program, things like that and people are asking me for money and all that neat stuff, a lot of paperwork. I mean, everyone goes, “Oh, so it must be so great be a musician.” I say, “Well, you know, when you spend 75% of your time doing the other stuff, you can be a musician, yeah, it’s really great when you make music.”  

    10:53 | Emma Plutnicki 

    So how are you able to keep that work life balance where you’re able to work on your professional responsibilities, but then also have time for personal creativity? 

    11:07 | Terry Roberts 

    It’s, actually not that hard. It’s all about time management. And, you know, teaching my students about that, that’s the one thing that you know, ever since I was, gosh, since I don’t know “it,” or whatever. The first thing I do every day is play some music. You know, whether it’s practice, listen, study or something, that’s the first thing you want to do every day. That sort of life gets you going, then you can take care of all this, other things like that. So, I don’t think it’s hard to balance it out. I like to play golf, I like to watch sports, crazy about the football stuff right now and, you know, I try to have other interests. And everyone you know, sort of, you know -I hate saying this. Everyone thinks that I’m just focused on music. I said, “You know, I have a normal life,” you know, and that’s what you must have, is a normal life. So, you have to shut it down sometimes. And I get, you know, nervous or excited, whatever. But you have to learn how to turn it off, too. And that’s, that’s difficult, and some days I’ll get pretty perturbed, you know? But you always have to look for a solution. You can’t stay perturbed. You have to figure out what you can do. After every rehearsal, I like to sit down for a second and just think about what I can do to make something better. You know, after when I teach something, did I teach it correctly? Or can I make it better? Make it more understood, if you will. So, it’s, it’s a, you know, different lifestyle. It’s not going into the office, clocking in, doing your work, there, go to have lunch. It’s not that. You’re sort of married to music, but you have to, just like with your spouse, you have to spend a little time away from it. 

    13:20 | Emma Plutnicki 

    That’s a great perspective to have.  

    13:23 | Terry Roberts 

    I once told someone, I’ve known my horn longer than I’ve known my wife.  

    13:27 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Yeah, there you go. True. Perfect. So just as we wrap up, are there any other questions you wish I would have asked, or anything else you’d like to add about you, know, your career and your life. 

    13:43 | Terry Roberts 

    I think the most important thing for anyone in the arts doesn’t matter, music, art, theater, whatever, that you cannot become discouraged. And that’s easy to say, very easy to say, because I have been discouraged many times. I’ve done auditions all over the world, and, you know, been disappointed, gotten almost there, and you feel really disappointed afterwards, but you have to persevere. You can’t just stop, you know. If you really love what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter. And I used to say, “the money will come later.” Yeah, you have to pay bills. Yeah, you have to know how to do a budget and all that stuff. But, if you persevere, if you really believe in yourself, then something will happen. It might not be exactly the way you thought. I mean, I didn’t think I was going to be a professor. After growing up that way I swore, I’d never do that. Here I am, you know. So, you just never know the path, you have to be flexible and persevere.  

    15:22 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Well perfect. Do you have any other creatives in your life that you think would be good for us to interview? Can you think of anybody? 

    15:40 | Terry Roberts 

    My wife, she was a prima ballerina in Pacific Northwest Ballet in France, and we met in Monte Carlo. We were both working there, and she does the ballet here. She’s artistic director of the South Carolina Dance Theater. 

    15:58 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Okay, amazing. If we could get her contact information, or I can send you the link to nominate an individual. 

    16:05 | Terry Roberts 

    I’ll just email you her email address and whatever. 

    16:08 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Okay, amazing. That’d be great.  

    16:11 | Terry Roberts 

    She’s seen more of the world than me. She has literally been around the world. But she’s from Wilmington, North Carolina, of all things. And she went to North County School of the Arts and studied. Well, she’d been dancing since, professionally, she started at 17. Dancers have a short lifespan, you know. Then she went into teaching, so I never saw her dance. I met her when she was finished dancing, so. 

    16:41 | Emma Plutnicki 

    She’s got to still be dancing a little bit these days, right?  

    16:44 | Terry Roberts 

    Well, she demonstrates. And sometimes she says, “I shouldn’t have demonstrated that.” 

    16:50 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Yeah. 

    16:53 | Terry Roberts 

    So, she choreographs and runs the ballet here. 

    16:57 | Emma Plutnicki 

    Okay, amazing. That would be great if you could send that over.