Adrian Per's Journey to Full-Time Content Creation: Overcoming Challenges, Crafting Unique Stories, and Building a Sustainable Business

Ourselves

Intro [00:00]

Adrian Per recounts his personal and professional turning point, starting with having only $13 in his bank account despite appearing successful with a nice apartment and car. This desperation, coupled with encouragement from his girlfriend and peers, led him to set a goal: post content 365 days in a row. This commitment resulted in rapid overnight growth, gaining 50,000 followers and kickstarting his full-time content creation career.

Content Creation in Music before TikTok [03:21]

Adrian's early career involved directing music videos from 2019 to 2022.

• He worked with major labels like Columbia Records, creating "premium video content" (short-form content for social media and TikTok) for artists like Polo G and Karoy.
• Columbia Records was an early adopter in pushing artists to create content, and Adrian absorbed this strategic approach.

Transition to Full-Time Content Creation [04:56]

Adrian started getting hired for content work, which was easier and paid decently, but he initially resisted due to his passion for music videos and a desire to pursue filmmaking (short films, commercials, movies).

• Content requests became more frequent, filling his inbox for product and music rollouts.
• He struggled with his "creative ego" because his peers in traditional directing didn't consider content creation "real work."

The Struggles of a Traditional Director [06:28]

Adrian observed a gap in the filmmaking content niche:

• Two types of creators:
  • Professionals: Working on high-profile projects (Taylor Swift, Nike, Bad Bunny) with real-world set experience, but not creating social media content.
  • Online Gurus: Teaching technical skills (lenses, shutter speed) through tutorials, but lacking practical set experience and "social proof."
• He found many online courses to be "fluff" and "noise" without genuine authority.
• Adrian wanted to be a hybrid, bringing real-world production knowledge to the content space.
• He realized that professional filmmakers were too busy working to create content, while online creators aimed to use content to get professional directing gigs. This left a void that Adrian aimed to fill with authentic, experienced-based content.

The Turning Point: October 2022 [13:01]

A series of personal tragedies and financial hardship prompted Adrian's full commitment to content creation.

• His father passed away in October 2022, followed by the loss of his grandparents and a best friend, leading to significant emotional and financial strain.
• He found himself with only $13 in his bank account despite maintaining a facade of success (nice apartment, car), which felt "stupid."
• This period of "frustration and desperation" eliminated his fear of judgment, as he felt he had nothing left to lose.
• Encouraged by his girlfriend and peers, who recognized his skills and identified a gap in the market, he decided to "give it a shot."

The First Viral Video [16:39]

In November 2022, Adrian committed to posting content every day for the entirety of 2023 (365 days).

• He spent six weeks creating a backlog of diverse content, experimenting with different styles (selfie-talk, produced cinematic, food content) to stay ahead.
• His first viral video, posted on January 29th, was shot in his music video style using a Blackmagic camera.
• He strategically held back this high-quality video until late January to build a backlog of consistent posts, ensuring new viewers would find more content in a similar style.
• The video initially gained 29,000-40,000 views over two weeks, which was significant for him at the time.
• On February 10th, he woke up to 50,000 new followers overnight, growing from 19,000 to 56,000. He initially thought his account was hacked.
• The growth continued rapidly, reaching 80,000 followers by the end of that day. Instagram also automatically granted him a blue verification checkmark.
• This success was attributed to experimentation rather than meticulous pre-planned viral strategy.

  

The Impact of Consistent Posting [16:54]

• Adrian gained 280,000 followers in his first year of consistent posting.
• His content format, which was a slower, more cinematic style, went against the fast-paced, "Alex Hormozi-style" content prevalent at the time.
• He used his "limitations" as an editor (lack of flashy captions, transitions, V-effects) to his advantage, forcing him to create something different that stopped the scroll.

The Role of Pre-Production in Content Creation [25:57]

Adrian emphasized the importance of pre-production, treating it like a "Bible" for content creation.

• He advocates for a structured approach, especially for controlled content, rather than "raw-dogging" it, which he believes leads to burnout.
• He uses detailed shot lists and screenplays that include B-roll, sound cues, and precise dialogue.
• This meticulous planning ensures efficiency, quality, and helps him overcome his inability to freestyle dialogue effectively on camera.

  

The Evolution of Content Quality [31:50]

As high-quality video became more common, the focus shifted from presentation to unique stories that resonated deeply with viewers.

• The goal is to make content where viewers see a "reflection of themselves" in the creator.
• Adrian uses his unique lived experiences, such as growing up in an immigrant Filipino household, to craft niche stories (e.g., mismatched furniture, old hot sauce packets, the "Danish cookie tin as a sewing kit").
• These personal stories, rather than generic tutorials on camera gear, became "scroll-stopping" because they were unique and universal in their relatability.

  

The Power of Unique Stories [32:39]

• Adrian believes content should reflect the creator's unique voice and perspective.
• He states that a creator's "limitations" and "lived experiences" are actually their "superpowers" that help them stand out.
• He makes content that he personally wants to see, balancing what works well on social media with what fulfills him creatively.
• He cites an example of posting about an AI feature, despite knowing some "purists" might dislike it, because he found it "fascinating and fun." He believes in creative freedom and the audience's choice to engage or scroll past.

  

Overcoming Insecurities on Camera [41:30]

Adrian admitted to feeling "awkward" on camera, even sometimes still.

• His background in directing helped him "play the part," not by faking his personality, but by faking a lack of insecurity about his appearance or mannerisms.
• He learned to overcome stiffness, inflections, and annunciation over time through consistent practice (he has now made over 2000 videos).
• He compares his early videos to his current comfort, noting the significant improvement in his delivery and confidence.

Breaking Past the Fear of Judgment [47:56]

Adrian's financial desperation in 2022 meant he had "nothing to lose."

• He realized that the opinions of his peers were irrelevant compared to his need to survive and achieve financial freedom.
• He had experienced profound personal losses (parent, grandparents, best friends), making external judgment seem trivial.
• The stigma around content creation in the professional film industry has lessened, and it's now often preferred to traditional, slower-paying projects.
• He believes artists should aim for a career where their livelihood is in their own hands, free from "gatekeepers."

Overcoming Personal Challenges [50:05]

The cumulative grief and financial loss he experienced served as a powerful motivator.

• These challenges leveled his perspective, making him prioritize freedom and smart financial decisions above all else.

Finding Freedom in Content Creation [50:43]

Adrian views "freedom" as the ultimate goal in life, achieved through smart financial decisions.

• He questions why anyone would pursue a path that doesn't align with achieving that freedom, especially if a more direct route is available.

Financial Struggles and Career Decisions [52:26]

Adrian emphasizes that having a "job" (or freelance work) is not "lame" and cautions against "entrepreneurial porn" that advocates quitting one's job without a safety net.

• Despite his low bank balance, he continued taking freelance jobs (coloring, producing small projects) to stay afloat for seven months until content creation became sustainable.
• He and his girlfriend set strict financial limits, like eating out only once a month.

Balancing Freelance Work and Content Creation [53:33]

• Adrian continued to freelance for smaller coloring and production jobs, which provided more consistent income than early brand deals.
• He believes that creation should be free from the pressure of needing to pay bills, and only when the creative venture surpasses the income of a 9-to-5 should one reconsider their traditional job.

The Reality of Freelancing [54:36]

Adrian asserts that being a freelance creative is a "luxury."

• He notes that many freelancers, driven by ego, willingly put themselves in financially precarious situations rather than taking less glamorous, stable jobs outside their creative field.
• He had to put his pride aside, accepting $150 coloring jobs despite having worked on Super Bowl commercials for $900 an hour.
• He acknowledges that if content creation hadn't worked out, he would have applied for jobs in banking or construction, emphasizing that there's no shame in any honest work.

The Impact of Financial Stress on Creativity [58:48]

Financial stress can "fry" the nervous system and hinder creativity.

• Having a 9-to-5 or supplemental freelance work provides the stability needed to pursue creative projects freely, without the pressure of having to appease clients for money.

Transitioning from 9 to 5 to Full-Time Content Creation [59:58]

Adrian started feeling financially comfortable enough to transition to full-time content creation around mid-2024, approximately a year and a half after consistently posting.

• Early brand deals (Adobe, Mercedes-Benz) were strong but inconsistent, so freelance production work kept him afloat.
• Consistent brand partnerships eventually rolled in due to his high-quality, value-driven content.

Building a Business Beyond Brand Deals [01:01:58]

Adrian is now building a business, "Content College," that is independent of brand deals.

• Content College: A series of courses based on his 15 years of filmmaking, producing, directing, editing, and colorist experience.
• It condenses the most applicable and best tools for filmmakers and content creators into concise, impactful lessons (e.g., 2.5 hours vs. lengthy traditional courses).

  

Introducing Content College [01:04:00]

• Content College aims to equip creators to be unique and not obsolete in a future with AI by helping them identify their voice, character, and story.
• Unlike courses that teach viral hooks, it focuses on helping individuals become the "best version of themselves" and communicate their unique stories.
• It also offers digital products like sound packs, LUTs, and power grades.
• Adrian plans to expand Content College with memberships, live cohorts, and workshops, aiming for it to become his primary source of income (his "9-to-5"), freeing his content creation and brand deals to be his "5-to-9" (passion projects).

The Value of Community in Content Creation [01:06:39]

Adrian maintains a free Discord community with over 15,000 members.

• It serves as a creative hub for artists worldwide to link up, collaborate, share work, and receive critiques.
• Adrian actively participates daily, providing feedback and highlighting members' work in a bi-weekly newsletter that reaches 20,000 people monthly.
• This community provides immense value by connecting like-minded creatives in a space where they don't feel isolated.

Selling Digital Products [01:09:11]

Adrian, who previously shared free value and tutorials consistently (every Sunday since January 2023), initially felt uncomfortable selling his color grading presets.

• He was inspired to sell when he saw less qualified individuals shamelessly selling "bad products."
• He decided he shouldn't be "ashamed to sell a good product," ensuring integrity in his offerings.
• His courses and digital products are priced as a faster, invaluable method for elevating content visuals and storytelling, rather than a costly film school education.

The Importance of Financial Literacy for Creators [01:19:40]

Adrian highlights the critical, often-overlooked issue of financial literacy for freelancers and creators.

• He personally struggled with taxes, taking until 2022 to pay off his 2019 taxes because he didn't understand that a significant portion (40-50%) of his freelance earnings was not his to keep.
• He advocates for free resources to educate creators on setting up business structures (LLC, S-Corp) and managing finances to avoid "shooting themselves in the foot."
• He mentioned a banking product that automatically sets aside money for taxes, helping freelancers avoid the pitfall of thinking they have more money than they do.

Managing Time Effectively [01:25:02]

Adrian's ability to consistently produce high-quality content stems from meticulous "time blocking."

• He color-codes his calendar for various tasks: writing (brown), shooting (red), editing (yellow), emails, personal time (gray), and meetings (purple).
• He treats content creation like a 9-to-5 job, adhering strictly to his scheduled blocks. If a task isn't completed within the allotted time, he cuts it off to avoid backlog and overwhelm.
• He learned this discipline after realizing that late-night editing (e.g., 4 AM) was busy, but not productive. He identified his most effective work hours as 10 AM-2 PM and 4 PM-7 PM.

  

Dealing with Underperforming Content [01:29:00]

Adrian is detached from vanity metrics and treats his content wins and losses equally.

• He learned not to be emotionally attached to content that "flops," as this allows him to continue experimenting.
• Many of his "anti-algorithm" experiments initially underperformed but eventually became widely adopted formats and trends a year or two later.
• This persistence, despite initial disappointment, has allowed him to innovate and influence culture without needing immediate validation.

Innovating Content Formats [01:31:38]

Adrian points out that he introduced new content formats in 2023 and early 2024 that were not being made by anyone else at the time.

• These include infographic carousels and swipeable video postcards.
• His philosophy is that a successful idea "moves culture" and transcends its creator, becoming a widely adopted style whose origin is often unknown. He finds satisfaction in knowing his creations have achieved this without needing personal credit.

Future Plans and Creative Freedom [01:36:23]

Adrian embraces creative freedom, creating whatever excites him in the moment, whether it's a feature film, documentary, episodic series, or music.

• He has detached himself from ego-driven goals like winning awards or seeking external validation.
• His primary fulfillment comes from the act of creating and expressing himself, free from the desire for applause or public perception.
• He prioritizes being authentic to himself over external validation, acknowledging that a movie might be made, or it might not.

Advice for Aspiring Content Creators [01:38:38]

Adrian's number one advice is to "trust your voice."

• He emphasizes that uniqueness and individuality, including perceived insecurities or limitations, are actually "superpowers."
• Creators should rewire their brains to see these unique lived experiences as strengths rather than hindrances.

The Importance of Kindness and Legacy [01:40:05]

Beyond his artistic legacy, Adrian desires to be remembered as a "good person."

• He wants people to recall him as kind, a "stand-up guy," and someone who was "cool" and "chill" in person.
• He believes that a person's true character is revealed off-camera, distinguishing genuine individuals from those who merely perform for an audience.
• His ultimate goal is to leave the world "somewhat better" through his art and by helping others tell their stories.