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Production Dept. (formerly Chen Productions)

@byproductiondept

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Good things come to those who create good things. We make it easy.
Video + stills production. Based in Vancouver, available globally.

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The problem with getting great advice from successful creatives?

It's shaped by the path THEY took.

What worked for a freelancer might not work inside an agency. What helped someone land big-name clients might not help you build a sustainable business.

And their version of success might not even be what you want.

So how do you figure out what actually works for YOU?

Meet Matthew Chen @byproductiondept Creative Pulse on October 22.

Over the past 12 years, Matthew has worked as a photographer, cinematographer, commercial director, business owner, and creative leader.

He's pitched agencies and brands for work, built and sold a production company, and sat on the other side of the table hiring and evaluating creatives.

He's seen how the game works from several different seats.

At our next Talk + Social, he'll share practical lessons from three essential parts of thriving as a commercial creative:

🎯 SELL: Create opportunities and convince the right people to take a chance on you.

🤝 SHOW UP: Build a reputation that gets you noticed, trusted, and hired again.

🔄 REINVENT: Recognize when it's time for a change and take your next step with confidence.

Expect candid stories, challenged assumptions, and practical tools you can apply to your own career.

There's no single right way to succeed as a creative. But there ARE ways to get better at finding yours.

🎟️ Space is limited.

Grab your spot at the link in bio.

#creativepulse #cpyvr #yvrcreatives #freelance #graphicdesigner #rethink #creativedirector #photographer #agencylife #vancouver #creativeleadership #vancouvercreatives #entrepreneur #successful #meetup #inspire #connect #creative #design #designer #business #agency #startup #event #vancity #professional #industrystandard #freelance #freelancer by @byproductiondept

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5 days ago

You're Invited: Creative Pulse Talk + Social with Matthew Chen

𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫: 𝐃𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞
𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬

You can get good at what you do, build a reputation, find success…
and still reach a point where the next step isn’t obvious.

Matthew Chen knows the feeling.

Over the past 12 years, he’s gone from commercial photographer to cinematographer, commercial director, business owner, and creative leader.

He built a production company that was acquired by a larger agency. And he went from shooting $50 headshots to leading projects for brands like Breitling, American Express, Lyft, and Fairmont.

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳.

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

There isn’t one right way to succeed as a creative.

You might freelance. Join an agency. Build a business. Change disciplines.
Or realize that the version of success you once wanted doesn’t fit anymore.

On October 22, Matthew will share the lessons, mistakes, and principles that have helped him build — and rebuild — a creative career on his own terms.

If you’re a creative professional working in marketing or technology, attend this Talk + Social to
discover:

💡 How to create new opportunities instead of waiting for them
💡 How to develop the confidence to make decisions (when there’s no obvious right answer)
💡 How to recognize when it’s time to reinvent yourself – and make that leap

Join us for pizza with talented local creatives at Northeastern University @iddv_van — and leave with more confidence, more options, and a clearer next move.

Don’t miss out. Register now.
(link in bio)

#creativepulse #cpyvr #yvrcreatives #freelance #graphicdesigner #rethink #creativedirector #photographer #agencylife #vancouver #creativeleadership #vancouvercreatives #entrepreneur #successful #meetup #inspire #connect #creative #design #designer #business #agency #startup #event #vancity #pr by @byproductiondept

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13 days ago

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3 months ago

@gadelparis x @asvoff_official

You know it was a good shoot when you come home with wildfire smoke on your clothing and dust in all your gear.

Creative Director: @gaby.basora
Director/DOP: Matthew Chen
Producer (client): @gaby.basora
Producer (CP): @notfauna
Talent: @kate.lindsey13 @cathleen.freedman
H/MU: @lzaries25
P/A: @tianu_reeves

#Filmmaking #BrandCampaign #FashionFilm #Cinematography #ContentCreation #VideoProduction #CreativeDirection #productioncompany #MarketingStrategy #CommercialFilmmaking #CommercialDirector by @byproductiondept

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2 years ago

12+ years in the field has taught me a lot about the tools that work and the traps that keep creatives stuck. If you liked this tidbit, join us on Oct 22 for a talk and social with @cpyvr by @byproductiondept

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8 days ago

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9 days ago

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10 months ago

Hope you’re all starting the week strong 💪🏻

Client: @houseconcepts
Talent: @silkenchu @lizbellagency by @byproductiondept

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a year ago

When the pre-vis is cringe but the edit slaps 😂

This is the pre-vis footage from our Fairmont Waterfront project that wasn’t supposed to see the light of day... 🙈 That twirl and plop on the bed by our producer @notfauna is gold ⭐

Jokes aside, the pre-vis is a critical part of our pre-production process that allows for creative exploration and problem solving ahead of the shoot.

So we’ll take a little public embarrassment if it means saving major time and money for the production 🫡 by @byproductiondept

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a year ago

When @fairmontwaterfront asks you to capture the quintessential West Coast experience, you know we’re definitely going to go big with a shot list filled with diverse experiences, nature, landscapes, fresh food, sustainability, inclusivity, and of course, the crew is definitely getting wet.

Flip through to take a look at the finals as well as our pre-pro process (script, mood board)

Client: @fairmontwaterfront, @arcdining, @fairmonthotels
Fairmont team: @kristynavogel, @radhikarai, @ehooy, @chef_harris_sakalis, @holafrom
Production Co: @chenproductions
Producer/Casting: @notfauna
Director/DP/CD: @matthewhtchen
Post production: @chenproductions
Talent: @jdleano, @houstonw, @beelitefull, @delyarr
Gaffer: @chanksb
PA: @waitatlam
Drone: @cameronmosborne @osbornekimberley
BTS: @ricklin_512
Thanks to: @sailvancouver
Rentals: @lornelapham

#Filmmaking #vancouverfilmmaker #bcfilmmaker #exploreBC #travelvancouver #hotelmarketing #boutiquehotel #luxuryresorts #Cinematography #ContentCreation #VideoProduction #CreativeDirection #productioncompany #MarketingStrategy #CommercialFilmmaking #CommercialDirector taken in Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, Vancouver, British Columbia by @byproductiondept

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a year ago

The set mom energy is strong 📋💪 Every crew has a chaos-wrangler… who’s yours? by @byproductiondept

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a year ago

What you see vs. what it took 👀🎬

For our recent production with @fairmontvan, we captured visuals that look effortless. But behind the camera?
✔️ It took intention
✔️ Lighting
✔️ Planning
✔️ And a whole lot of hustle 💪🏻

That last shot at @notch8restaurant?
We recreated an evening scene during the slim gap between breakfast and lunch service.

From expert lighting to strategic hair & makeup changes, our team worked fast to bring the vision to life.

Proof that “luxury” isn’t just a look - it’s in the details.

Swipe through and tell us: Which BTS-to-screen moment surprised you most? Let us know in the comments below 👇

Client: @fairmontvan
Production Co: @chenproductions
Director/DOP: @matthewhtchen
Producer: @notfauna
Gaffer: @chanksb
PA: @waitatlam
H/MU: @anya.ellis
BTS: @samishp
Post: @chenproductions
Talent: @tiffanymatteazzi @michelematteazzi
Rentals: @lornelapham

#fairmonthotelvancouver #btsvsresult #videoproduction #setlife #luxurybranding #behindthescenes #luxuryvisuals #brandstorytelling #onset taken in Vancouver, British Columbia by @byproductiondept

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a year ago