7 Buzzworthy Questions with Janie Griffith, Video Producer, Editor, & Founder at Global Shout Media

1. What was your coffee order? I ordered a venti iced matcha latte with extra matcha and oat milk.

2. What is a passion or hobby outside of work that brings you joy and helps you recharge? My children are my hobby. Just kidding. I’ve recently started reading again. I’ve always loved reading, but it was too hard when my girls were really little. I didn’t have the brain space and energy. Now, I’m really enjoying it and have even joined a couple of book clubs. I read a lot of nonfiction. I like to learn from others and to improve myself. I’m always looking to learn something from people’s experiences. I started a Global Shout Media book club because I feel strongly about developing women in the workforce and hopefully having a positive impact on the women in my circle.

3. How do you cultivate creativity in your life? Are there specific activities or practices that inspire you? I do a lot of corporate video. I enjoy it and it pays well and keeps the lights on. Most people wouldn’t say that it’s really inspirational. But I’ve been really inspired by the Adobe Max Creativity conference. It's held every year in October. I’ve managed to attend in person twice, but this year I participated online. The conference is a meeting space for creatives to share what they’ve been able to create using Adobe products. It helps restart my gears, and I always enjoy it. And it’s not just about video. It might be someone who created a clothing line, an artist designing tattoos, or a musician. I like that they share the creative ways they have found to use the Adobe tools that I use and interact with on a daily basis.

4.?Can you share a moment as a business owner where you had to make a difficult decision and what you learned from the experience? I started my business six years ago in my living room with just me. I was a freelancer. But I was ultimately working 18 hours a day every day of the week. I knew I had to make a change when my daughter walked up to me when I was working and said, “Mommy, I still love you even though you don’t play with me.” I was nervous about extending myself and shifting from that freelancer role to adding more overhead to the business. But I leased an office and hired my first employee in 2021, and it was the best thing that I’ve ever done. I’m now able to get more done than I could when it was just me and to have a better work-life balance.

5. What initially brought you to the video production and editing business? I always knew I wanted to do something creative. In college, I was a vocal performance minor with a major in film production. All of my classes were geared toward working in the film business, but I didn’t want to work on a film set. I ultimately found corporate video, which requires a wide skill set. And you’re not doing the same thing over and over. I’m on the Video Production Advisory Board at Collin College, and I enjoy talking to the students there about the opportunities available to them. I get to tell them that there is a profitable, fun, and viable career path where they don’t have to work in New York or L.A.

6. If you could produce a video on any topic and for any client without budget constraints, what would it be and why? I recently had the opportunity to participate in a symposium about La Reunion, a historical community in Dallas. My ancestors were part of it and came here from Belgium in 1855 to create a communist utopia. They were essentially hippies! While covering the topic in video, I learned more about their history. Their willingness to step outside the box was inspiring. They came to the United States to escape wars at home and created this community in which they shared everything–living space as well as the good they cultivated. They settled in West Dallas on the Trinity River. The only thing that remains of their community is the cemetery. If I had unlimited time and budget, I would love to produce a larger-scale video about La Reunion that covered their culture and the full impact they had on Texas. I would love to tell their stories for future generations.

7. What is one piece of advice you'd give to an aspiring video producer or editor that you wish someone had told you when you were starting out? When I was just starting out and probably for the first several years, a lot of people basically tried to discourage me from being in the business because of their own personal negative experiences. I would say that if this is really something that you want to do, just do it. Don’t listen to any of those people, because it says more about them than it does you. You’re the only one who can decide what is best for your future.

Thanks to Janie Griffith for sharing your inspiring journey in video production. Your commitment to creativity and empowering women in the workforce, along with your passion for telling impactful stories like that of La Reunion, is truly remarkable.