Producer Sevier Crespo on Being an Entrepreneur in the Entertainment Industry
[as originally published on homebusinessmag.com]
Puerto Rican-born producer Sevier Crespo (seviercrespo.com) has worked with such Hollywood heavyweights as Michael Mann and Jerry Bruckheimer. He studied production at UCLA and learned the ropes under the tutelage of Robert Townsend and director Sam Bayer at Ridley Scott’s RSA USA, Inc. Sevier has since gone on to work with such global brands as Adidas, Coca-Cola, Nike, NBC, and Netflix — to name a few. More recently he worked on the film “El Guardia” that premiered at Cannes in 2019, and has worked with such prominent figures as David Beckham, Kendrick Lamar, and Demi Lovato. He sat down to give us his thoughts on what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur in the entertainment industry.
HBM: It must get busy, even frenetic, working with an entire crew on set. How do you stay cool under pressure?
“It can definitely get that way. I think one of the best ways to keep even keeled is by making sure everyone fully understands what’s happening and what the job entails. A detailed pre-production workflow always helps tremendously. I’ve learned that if I’m not calm, I’m of no use to anyone — and I stay calm through hard work in the prep of the job. I count on the crew to support me the way I support them. It’s a trust thing.”
HBM: As a producer, I’m sure you put a lot of care into pulling the right team together in order to execute your vision. Can you tell us who one of your movie dream-teams would be (actor/actress, director)?
“There are so many talented people out there that it’s tough to make a list. If I had to begin to try to list the artists that I would love to work with, it would have to start with Al Pacino. He has been an inspiration of mine for as long as I can remember. The list goes on to include Dwayne Johnson, Charlize Theron, Bill Murray, Jessica Chastain, Saoirse Ronan, Taraji P. Henson, Keanu Reeves, Will Smith, George Clooney, Kristen Wiig and Kevin Hart. Bryce Dallas Howard is so incredibly talented too, and then of course Quentin Tarantino. Wow, my “Fantasy Football” team is such a diverse group.”
Photo: Nate Taylor
HBM: Have you always been an entrepreneur?
“My dad taught me to, “Create your life! Go get what you say you want!” My mom taught me to never let anyone push me around and to be the best that I could be at whatever job I had. I remember [when] growing up in Puerto Rico, I used to wake up at 6:00 AM to get ready to run to the little, local grocery store. I would get in line and wait until it opened to get picked to be one of the bag boys for the day. I wasn’t the biggest kid, so there would be times when I’d have to fight the bigger guys for my spot (even though I arrived first). I learned early on to stand for what you believe in, and that size is just an illusion.”
HBM: In your early career, you worked under Michael Mann and Jerry Bruckheimer. What did you learn from them when it comes to professionalism?
“Everything is in the details. It sounds super easy, but it’s a little harder than that. The details are what’s going to hold everything together.”
HBM: What has been successful for you in your line of work?
“The first thing that comes to mind is being tenacious. I have always been, and always will be, tenacious. The other thing is to always ask myself, “How can I help? How can I help this person with their film, their TV show, their commercial? How can I help them create?” That point of view makes it about others and being a team player.”
HBM: What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
“Rescuing my dad from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. It’s still mind-blowing to think about it — and it’s something that forever changed my life.”
HBM: What advice would you give to someone trying to break into your industry?
“Be a sponge. Spend your time learning and surrounding yourself with people that are doing things, not just saying they are without a tangible product to back it up. And finally — and maybe the most important — never stop learning. When you think you know everything else and have nothing left to learn, you’re in trouble.”
HBM: Where do you look to for inspiration?
“Movies, TV shows and stand-up comedy. Ever since I was seven or eight years old I have been inspired by stand-up. There’s something magical and powerful about moving a room to laugh based on your observations of life. That art form is something I just can’t get enough of.”