In self-distributing the video, what were the major challenges that you faced and how did you overcome them? ^ Oh jeez, there are so many obstacles. First, if you have not attended film school, don’t even try. Second, if you don’t know anything about marketing, it’s not going to work. I know I had a great package (my body) and I needed to market it in a manner so people who don’t know me would know me. So I ended up creating a web site targeted towards bodybuilding. I told all the people I knew about it and I started promoting it in chat rooms. Then I entered my video in many different film festivals. After that, I started doing some advertising and I even got a few stores to advertise for me.
The real major challenge is getting people to notice your product when you’re not a pro bodybuilder who is famous from the bodybuilding magazines. But all of those years training in the gym really paid off for me. Most people do not know that I am a 100% drug free bodybuilder; in fact not many people even believe that. People said it was impossible to be 230-pound all-natural ripped and I did that at age 22. Now I am 23, working on 245 ripped all-natural, and people still think it can’t be done.
You can accomplish anything that people say you can’t, as long as you believe. Just being all natural wouldn’t make me a great bodybuilder, but it’s the training and diet that really makes you grow. The hardest part is getting ripped because using drugs would really get me there a lot faster and easier. So it wasn’t so much the getting my name out, but more of getting my body and pictures ready and then letting people access those pics. My body did the advertising while my name was attached to the body.
What advice can you give to others who might want to duplicate your experience in making videos and self-releasing them? ^ First you need to get a idea and figure out where you want to go with it. Figure out what is your main objective. Then save some money up get a good camera and find some good people to work in the production. Build a web site and work around the web site. Then start shooting and don’t stop shooting. Get organized and finish the project; don’t let things unwind–do it and don’t stop till you’re satisfied. When you’re done, advertise for as long as it takes on your web site. Then try eBay or Yahoo. From there, the sky is the limit. But beware, on eBay people are looking for a bargain, so keep your prices consistent.
What is your new video about and how are you planning to release it? ^ My new video, which is being shot now, features my new training principles along with my new body, bigger and leaner. But there will be a more personal approach like contest info, workouts, eating and diet, interviews, and I introduce a few new characters. This video is going to be great! The stuff that we shot so far is really interesting and it will be better than the first video. This is going to be something that will really get you motivated. But the first video, of course, has me lifting cars. I have not picked up a car yet for the new one, but may pick up some people and do some crazy lifts. I did a 600-pound bent over row in the new video and no one in history has done that. I may do an Incredible Hulk gag in the video where I’m painted green and I run around the mall scaring people.
If any one is looking for a good-looking bodybuilder to play a role in their movie, e-mail me at xxtralargemuscle@aol.com. I sold one minute of the movie to Fox Sports to put on one of their shows. I also am talking to PBS about doing a documentary on bodybuilding, sort of a “Pumping Iron” type of sequel. People call me “Young Arnold” and, I like that a lot. But I prefer “Big Pauly D.”
