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Audrey Pepe of Point in Time Studios

Audrey Pepe, Video production manager at Point in Time Studios in Phoenix, Arizona

Production Manager, Project Manager, and Administrator is all things Point in Time and all things for Point in Time.

I hope you’re sitting down, because you’re about to get a maximum dose of enthusiasm and drive from someone who, no hyperbole, loves what she does.

Most of us have a fascination for how films are made, what’s behind the scenes and how so many moving parts come together to give us, as an audience, a cerebral experience. But what’s even more important is learning about the kind of person it takes to create art, and it isn’t at all what you’d expect.

Audrey came to Point in Time as a humble filing clerk, as it were, filling a need for founder Rami Kalla. She already had a love for small businesses and most of her experience up until then included administration, operations, office management, and hospitality. The two met and instantly connected. She learned from Rami about Point in Time and loved the values of the company. She started out helping once or twice a week and before she knew it, she was working full time, slowly taking over the different departments. On the creative side, Audrey on-boards all clients, handles all client communication, project coordination with the team and oversees quality and timelines. When it comes to production, she is a true production manager, coordinating everything, directing when on set and functioning as a producer for 90% of the videos Point in Time creates.

How did you go from filing papers to producing videos and essentially running a small business? Audrey credits Rami for being an excellent mentor and for giving her the opportunity to learn and grow within the company. It’s a testament to his leadership that Rami saw Audrey’s value and took the opportunity to cross-train her.

What is your most memorable filming experience?

My first large-scale production was for Brooklyn Bedding. It was a commercial spot we did for them. I had been on some smaller productions and was just getting my feet wet in the production /product management role when Rami threw this huge production at me. It was really great; I had to learn on the fly. It terrified me at first. It was a lot of new things and we only had a few weeks to prep. I’m very grateful to Rami – he’s a fantastic mentor so he was able to coach me through it. I remember thinking the whole time, ‘Oh my gosh this is crazy,’ and then when it all came together it was so cool.

Point in Time (based in Phoenix, Arizona) offers video production and post-production services, 3D animation, architectural renderings, virtual reality and augmented reality. As Audrey puts it, “All things that don’t actually exist. We make them exist in a realistic world. When it comes to the video piece, that one’s really about telling a story.”

How does Point in Time Studios stand out from the other video production companies in Phoenix and Arizona?

We really are unique. Our culture, our values, and our quality are different from what you’ll find [at other video production companies]. We help our clients tell their story as if it were our own.

At this point in the interview, Audrey brought up Point in Time’s values which are posted on their website, like most companies do. Values can be trite. Values can be gimmicky or just something to frame on the wall in the reception area. But Audrey educated me thoroughly on how company values are intended to be; when people don’t just say they care, but show it, every step of the way.

You mentioned Point in Time’s values, could you please expand on those values, and how you think they define the company?

“We take our values to heart. We hire by them, fire by them, and live them out in everything that we do.”

We take our values to heart. We hire by them, fire by them, and live them out in everything that we do. It’s very important to us, whether we’re in an internal meeting or interacting with a client, that these values carry through everything that we do.

The first one is taking ownership. We own the wins, we own the losses and when we take a project from a client, this is our project just as much as it is theirs. We’re passionate about it and want them to succeed because at the end of the day, if they succeed, we succeed.

Our second one is having integrity. For us, that is: do what you say and say what you do. We always strive to go above and beyond, but the expectation that is set in the beginning is something that we will hold to always.

Showing creativity. Obviously, we’re in a creative industry so that might seem a little funny, but what that means to us is thinking outside the box and being quick on our feet. Our team is experienced, and we’ve been doing this a long time (Point in Time has been around almost 18 years now). We take this cumulative experience so we can say this [challenge] is happening, it’s an easy fix or here’s what we recommend so we can quickly make decisions and always deliver a quality product without compromising quality. Especially with video, visual, and interactive medias, you can’t do what everyone else is doing. You always have to be looking for the next thing and staying at the forefront of the market. I think that’s a core piece of what we do so well.

The next value is having fun. That is, I’d say, a pillar for our company. We give artists the chance to break into creative industries like film and 3D, in a space where they can thrive and use their creativity and passion to do what they love.

The next one would be being humble. We know we’re not the experts of everything or we know everything. We’re always looking to learn, and we treat everyone equally and with respect, always.

The last one is commitment to excellence. For us, that means always learning, always growing, always pushing the envelope. Especially in an industry like this where new technologies are constantly emerging.

So that’s it; that’s the 6. They are truly integral to who we are as a company and as a team.

Do you think a big part of why you love your job is that you’re fueled by coming through for other people?

I would one hundred percent agree with that. I am very passionate about people – they are at the heart of what we do.

I love when I get to meet clients face-to-face and help them share their story. Many times, especially for small businesses, this might be their first big video project or marketing project. Being able to take them through the creative process and give them a peek behind the curtain is a lot of fun.

Tell me what it’s like for you on a video production project.

“… we are taking something that means a lot to our clients and helping them share it with the world.

The project always starts with a relationship. We get to know our clients and learn what drives them and their businesses. As a team, we then have to ask ourselves how to visually communicate these complex, meaningful things the client wants to portray. It’s a lot of collaboration and back-and-forth, but we are taking something that means a lot to our clients and helping them share it with the world.

What is your favorite part of being at Point in Time Studios?

As I mentioned before, I am passionate about people. We have an amazing team that works so hard to help our customers be successful. It doesn’t get better than that.

So, Audrey, I emailed you after midnight last night and you emailed back at 1:45 in the morning. Tell me about that.

Um, I don’t have an off switch. It doesn’t feel like work to me so if I’m sitting at home and watching TV I usually will just pop open my laptop and get ahead for the next day. There’s always something to be done.

I consider myself a support pillar. I’m here to make sure everyone succeeds and when our team is struggling with something, then I struggle with it too. It’s my job to sit with them and brainstorm, how can I help you grow and feel good about what you’re doing? I take that very, very seriously.

Audrey told me, “I am not an artist, I couldn’t draw you anything.” A lot of us can relate to that statement but Audrey, anyone would agree you are creating every day and just as significantly, you are empowering others to realize their visions and that is in itself an artform to revere.

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