Paul Milligan and Andrew Brush have been in business together since they were 16, when they started a video marketing business creating DVDs for the healthcare and senior living industry. Having that experience -video production and business management- paved the path for their current company, Best Light Video.
“Best Light Video was created to meet explosive demand for online video,” says Co-Founder Paul Milligan.” We had a background in video production from a previous venture, and seized the opportunity to work on creative video content for advertising agencies and businesses.”
Landing a large contract with an early client gave them the capital they needed to purchase new equipment and get Best Light Video launched.
They started with an office in the Belmont Building, in the Arena District.
‘We were co-located with huber+co, a small creative web development firm,” says Milligan. “We loved the building and the office because it had been a casket factory and was rehabilitated to create some amazing office space. It was very conducive for creative thinking.”
Later, they moved to another rehabilitated building on N. 5th St., and remained there for three years, enjoying the proximity to Downtown.
In 2013, they moved to their current space on Pearl Alley, which formerly housed Crimson Design Group.
“Downtown Columbus is in the midst of a resurgence of energy and excitement and we wanted to be in the middle of that,” says Milligan about the move. “It is so rewarding to be part of a community that is finding a new identity and improving every day. We love the visibility we have received by being on the alley and we feel like part of the city here.”
The 1,000 square-foot ground floor space provides higher visibility for their brand. They also enjoy the sleek and modern design of the space, dividing areas with a glass wall partition. The overall space is large enough to allow them room to grow, and it is well-suited for their creative work. Having access to a private rooftop terrace to entertain clients, hold meetings, or relax after a long day of shoots or editing is a pleasant extra.
Crimson Design Group had a lot going on visually in the space and to make it work for Best Light Video, the space had to be toned down quite a bit.
“We created a unified, modern, and minimalist aesthetic by painting all of the walls, removing and replacing light fixtures, and upgrading a lot of minor details, such as faceplates and fixtures,” says Milligan.
Best Light Video does a variety of projects, recently with Rosati Windows and Papa John’s to create television commercials for The Buckeye Ranch.
“The Buckeye Ranch is a vital nonprofit serving thousands of children across Ohio and it was gratifying to support their mission and tell their story,” says Milligan.
For someone starting out in the industry, Milligan believes that letting your work ethic speak for itself will bring goodwill and business to your company.
“Traditional credentials are of lessening relevance in the technology economy,” he says. “If you’re good at what you do, that’s what matters.”
Best Light Video consists of a core team of four people, Milligan and Brush, Kristen McEnery -an experienced project manager, and recently hired Kaleigh Gillum -a motion graphics designer who studied from the Savannah College of Art and Design. The company also utilizes a network of freelancers.
Milligan feels having a project manager is vital to the success of their business.
“The challenge of balancing large and small projects is always interesting,” says Milligan. “We enjoy both, and they’re both important to our business, but they often have different objectives and requirements. That is why our in-house project manager is so important to our process. Kristen is able to keep an eye on the clock and prioritize things for us.”
Having a client love their end product makes their work at Best Light Video an endeavor the team really enjoys.
“When your client loves the end result, it’s very rewarding knowing you are the one who created the business that led to that moment,” says Milligan.
To learn more about Best Light Video, visit BestLightVideo.com.
Do you know of, have, or work in, a creative workspace and would like to be featured in this series? If so, please contact Anne Evans.
