THE 505 PODCAST

• 145. Meet The YouTuber Who Became a Netflix Star Then Quit Everything ft. Megan Batoon

  What’s up, Rock Nation! Today, we’re joined by Megan Batoon - a multifaceted creator, dancer, and TV host. After nearly a decade on YouTube, Megan landed a dream role as a host on Netflix’s The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals. From the outside, it looked like she was thriving, but behind the scenes, she was burnt out and needed a break. So, she stepped away from everything she had built and took a two-year hiatus. Now, she’s back—refreshed, recharged, and ready to create again on her own terms.Check out Megan here:https://www.instagram.com/meganbatoon/https://www.youtube.com/ @MeganBatoon  https://meganbatoon.substack.com/Sign up for the "Dream Client Accelerator" waitlist here:https://the505podcast.courses/SUSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: https://the505podcast.ac-page.com/rock-reportThe Creator Pricing Guide - The No BS Guide to Pricing Your Creative ServicesCoupon Code: ROCKNATION10 gets you $10 off at checkout for the bouldershttps://courses.the505podcast.com/pricing-guideJoin our Discord! https://discord.gg/xgEAzkqAvsLightroom Presets:https://www.kostasgarcia.com/store-1/p/kglightroompresetsCOP THE BFIGGY "ESSENTIALS" SFX PACK HERE: https://courses.thecreatorcoach.com/BFIGGYSFXPACKKostas’ Amazon Storefront:https://amzn.to/3GhId2515% OFF Prism Lens FX with code: KOSTAS15https://bit.ly/42sNdejCollab with Artlist and get 2 extra months for free here:https://artlist.io/artlist-70446?artlist_aid=the505podcast_2970&utm_source=affiliate_p&utm_medium=the505podcast_2970&utm_campaign=the505podcast_2970Chase’s Totality LUT pack:https://www.chasealexanderfilm.com/color/totalitylutpackTimestamps: 0:00 - Trailer00:39 - Intro1:09 - One Handed Crack3:01 - Why Megan walked away from YouTube4:52 - Balancing content while filming for Netflix6:01 - A hard conversation with her team7:11 - Dream Client Accelerator Waitlist7:38 - People think being a creator is so easy8:52 - Advice to burnt out creators11:32 - Less is more12:44 - The moment Megan knew she was doing too much13:24 - The difference between rest and recovery14:15 - Megan’s desert getaway15:37 - Unreleased merch17:45 - The need to play more18:29 - Creating for yourself vs. an audience20:35 - No one is 100% authentic online21:11 - Journaling horror stories22:49 - Always thinking about business23:52 - The moment Megan found out she got a Netflix show24:55 - Kostas was also on Netflix25:40 - The crazy Netflix production schedule28:35 - Not being in control30:25 - Storytelling on a Netflix show31:45 - Megan wants to bring HGTV to YouTube32:36 - Megan’s favorite travel destination33:45 - What makes good design34:59 - Feeling the pressure of having to be “on”36:53 - There was no time to rest38:08 - Introvert vs Extrovert40:31 - Sharing the screen with 2 cohosts44:14 - Megan’s decision to drop out of school47:37 - How Megan’s parents reacted to her decision to drop out49:25 - Caring what people think too much51:02 - Not niching down52:33 - Approaching YouTube differently now54:04 - Megan’s favorite YouTubers56:43 - A show about burnout57:15 - The business of Megan Batoon59:46 - Advice from other creators1:00:47 - How Megan afforded a two year break1:02:39 - How Megan measures success now1:03:20 - Still wanting to do YouTube and traditional media1:05:25 - Where Megan’s love for interior design stem from1:06:35 - Megan’s interior design business1:09:57 - Interior design tips1:12:39 - Megan’s happy place1:14:12 - Our dream projects1:19:35 - Megan’s favorite thrift find1:21:46 - Megan’s new podcast with Tim1:23:23 - What Megan’s trying to work on this year1:27:50 - Advice to your 18 year old selfIf you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on. DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!) Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/ Chase: https://www.instagram.com/chaseronii/ TikTok:Bfiggy: https://www.tiktok.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.tiktok.com/kostasgarcia/

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• 144. Meet the Man Who Captured 20 Years of Kobe & Lakers History ft. Andrew Bernstein

  What’s up Rock Nation, today we’ve welcome the Hall of Fame NBA Photographer Andrew Bernstein. Andrew D. Bernstein isn’t just a photographer - he’s a storyteller who has spent over four decades documenting the greatest moments in sports history. From courtside at Lakers championships to behind-the-scenes with Kobe Bryant, his lens has shaped the way we see the game. A Hall of Fame photographer, longtime NBA shooter, and the co-author of The Mamba Mentality, Andy has built an unparalleled career capturing the essence of legendary athletes. Being that we both grew up in LA, we are huge Lakers and Kobe Bryant fans, so this episode was very special for us. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it takes to capture history through a camera, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!Check out Andy here:https://www.instagram.com/adbphotoinc/?hl=enhttps://www.adbapi.com/SUSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: https://the505podcast.ac-page.com/rock-reportThe Creator Pricing Guide - The No BS Guide to Pricing Your Creative ServicesCoupon Code: ROCKNATION10 gets you $10 off at checkout for the bouldershttps://courses.thecreatorcoach.com/pricing-guideJoin our Discord! https://discord.gg/xgEAzkqAvsLightroom Presets:https://www.kostasgarcia.com/store-1/p/kglightroompresetsCOP THE BFIGGY "ESSENTIALS" SFX PACK HERE: https://courses.thecreatorcoach.com/BFIGGYSFXPACKKostas’ Amazon Storefront:https://amzn.to/3GhId2515% OFF Prism Lens FX with code: KOSTAS15https://bit.ly/42sNdejCollab with Artlist and get 2 extra months for free here:https://artlist.io/artlist-70446?artlist_aid=the505podcast_2970&utm_source=affiliate_p&utm_medium=the505podcast_2970&utm_campaign=the505podcast_2970Chase’s Totality LUT pack:https://www.chasealexanderfilm.com/color/totalitylutpackTimestamps: 0:00 - Trailer00:56 - Intro1:46 - One Handed Crack2:55 - Documenting Kobe for 20 years5:20 - Making a book with Kobe13:28 - How Andy formed a friendship with Kobe16:31 - Iconic shot breakdown #117:39 - How Andy shoots an NBA game with 8 cameras20:54 - Why no one is allowed to take pictures from the catwalk anymore22:35 - The difference between shooting an NBA game with film vs. digital24:56 - Andy was crazy obsessed with his craft like Kobe was27:16 - Kobe hated the word “Potential”30:07 - Iconic shot breakdown #2 - 2001 Finals Kobe with the Trophy32:51 - Andy doesn’t edit his own photos34:32 - Photographing Kobe’s last game41:25 - Andy’s process for shooting an NBA game44:28 - Andy on creating his company and working with the NBA47:34 - How Andy shoots an NBA game50:00 - Why Andy doesn’t talk to anyone during a game52:37 - Kobe used Andy to get info about other players53:47 - Andy’s dreams of being an NBA photographer56:24 - What Andy learned from his Photographer GOAT - Neil Leifer57:20 - Shooting on film and having to pull focus59:25 - Shooting the photo that sparked AIR JORDAN1:04:31 - Nightmares shooting film1:05:46 - Andy’s camera settings1:07:54 - Andy’s photography bible1:10:00 - Why older NBA photos look so much more “Iconic”1:11:34 - Getting “The Shot” back in the day was WAY harder1:13:12 - Andy’s favorite lenses to shoot with1:16:35 - Usage and Licensing with NBA photos1:18:28 - Iconic shot breakdown #3 - Michael Jordan with the trophy1:22:36 - Creating a photo book with Phil Jackson1:31:42 - Advice to your 18-year-old selfIf you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on. DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!) Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/ Chase: https://www.instagram.com/chaseronii/ TikTok:Bfiggy: https://www.tiktok.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.tiktok.com/kostasgarcia/

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  1:34:16
• 143. These Guys Made Doritos a Super Bowl Ad, Now They Might Win $1 Million Dollars

  What’s up Rock Nation, today we welcome back Nate Norell and Dylan Bradshaw! Nate and Dylan teamed up to co-direct a commercial for the Doritos Super Bowl ad competition and they made TOP 3! If they win, not only does their ad play at the Super Bowl, but they win $1 million! Voting is super easy! All you have to do is select their ad "Abduction" and enter your email. You can vote everyday, and every vote counts!Vote for their ad "Abduction" here:https://doritoscrash.com/Check out Nate and Dylan here:https://www.instagram.com/natenorell/https://www.instagram.com/dylanjbradshaw/SUSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: https://the505podcast.ac-page.com/rock-reportThe Creator Pricing Guide - The No BS Guide to Pricing Your Creative ServicesCoupon Code: ROCKNATION10 gets you $10 off at checkout for the bouldershttps://courses.thecreatorcoach.com/pricing-guideJoin our Discord! https://discord.gg/xgEAzkqAvsLightroom Presets:https://www.kostasgarcia.com/store-1/p/kglightroompresetsCOP THE BFIGGY "ESSENTIALS" SFX PACK HERE: https://courses.thecreatorcoach.com/BFIGGYSFXPACKKostas’ Amazon Storefront:https://amzn.to/3GhId2515% OFF Prism Lens FX with code: KOSTAS15https://bit.ly/42sNdejCollab with Artlist and get 2 extra months for free here:https://artlist.io/artlist-70446?artlist_aid=the505podcast_2970&utm_source=affiliate_p&utm_medium=the505podcast_2970&utm_campaign=the505podcast_2970Chase’s Totality LUT pack:https://www.chasealexanderfilm.com/color/totalitylutpackTimestamps: 0:00 - Trailer0:31 - Intro1:12 - One Handed Crack2:18 - The Doritos Commercial Explained3:14 - “Abducted” Commercial3:44 - How to vote4:42 - Commercial Breakdown: Computer screen VFX5:33 - How they landed on the alien abduction concept6:00 - Opening Shot lighting breakdown7:07 - Computer Screen VFX breakdown7:23 - Pre-production process8:17 - Bringing your vision to life as a director8:59 - How VFX changes a production9:51 - How they pulled off the ragdoll scene11:47 - The challenge of storytelling in only 30 seconds12:32 - The importance of working with a team13:50 - Shooting schedule14:55 - Another VFX shot breakdown17:07 - Making the submission deadline by ONE HOUR19:47 - The power of making spec work23:23 - What they learned from co-directing28:42 - Gear used to shoot the commercial29:25 - The ending punch line breakdown32:57 - Rule of 3 in comedy35:16 - Their marketing strategy36:40 - The strategy behind viral content40:05 - What winning will mean for their careers42:37 - Going all in and betting on yourself46:44 - What they will do with the $1,000,000 if they winIf you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on. DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!) Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/ Chase: https://www.instagram.com/chaseronii/ TikTok:Bfiggy: https://www.tiktok.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.tiktok.com/kostasgarcia/

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  48:42
• 142. How To Make F*ck You Money as Content Creator in 2025...

  What's up Rock Nation, today is all about how to make more money as a creator. You asked, and we answered. Let us know what you think of our answers, and if you have any other questions, leave them in the comments!Subscribe to our new channel 505 Studios:https://www.youtube.com/@UC7nszFAFmzglJlVs8lNRgXA SUSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: https://the505podcast.ac-page.com/rock-reportThe Creator Pricing Guide - The No BS Guide to Pricing Your Creative ServicesCoupon Code: ROCKNATION10 gets you $10 off at checkout for the bouldershttps://courses.thecreatorcoach.com/pricing-guideJoin our Discord! https://discord.gg/xgEAzkqAvsKostas’ Amazon Storefront:https://amzn.to/3GhId25COP THE BFIGGY "ESSENTIALS" SFX PACK HERE: https://courses.thecreatorcoach.com/BFIGGYSFXPACKKostas’ Amazon Storefront:https://amzn.to/3GhId2515% OFF Prism Lens FX with code: KOSTAS15https://bit.ly/42sNdejChase’s Totality LUT pack:https://www.chasealexanderfilm.com/color/totalitylutpackCollab with Artlist and get 2 extra months for free here:https://artlist.io/artlist-70446?artlist_aid=the505podcast_2970&utm_source=affiliate_p&utm_medium=the505podcast_2970&utm_campaign=the505podcast_2970Timestamps: 0:00 - Trailer0:30 - Intro1:12 - One Handed Crack2:42 - Chase has road rage6:03 - Our horse racing mini doc6:45 - Question 1: How to attract new freelance work10:00 - Question 2: Not inspired to create your own work11:15 - Question 3: Dream One Handed Crack Collab12:15 - Artlist13:46 - Question 4: How to get out of the trap of lowering your fees18:30 - Question 5: Biggest career mistake and what did you learn from it?20:41 - Question 6: Systems and processes for scaling22:31 - Question 7: Post shoot process25:10 - Question 8: Toughest point in your creative journey29:15 - Question 9: Struggling to balance a full-time job and media company30:53 - Question 10: How to keep climbing in this industry as an introvert33:38 - Question 11: How to raise your rates for current and new clients36:10 - Question 12: How to get rid of clients that keep asking for free work37:58 - Question 13: Advice to get collegiate media access39:07 - Question 14: How do I expand my business without stepping on other people's toes?40:29 - Question 15: What is the simplest way to organize making content?41:12 - Question 16: Where do you see the pod in 10 years?43:48 - Question 17: Best inspo for travel videos45:30 - Question 18: Realistic path to becoming a professional basketball/sports videographer47:09 - Question 19: Do you plan edits before/while shooting?47:49 - Question 20: Is it better to make content aimed at potential clients or followers?48:50 - Question 21: How would you go about networking for a specific niche?49:54 - Question 22: How to hire someone to help scale your business51:59 - Question 23: How to rebrand for 2025?52:45 - Question 24: Part-time job or fullsend freelance?53:08 - Question 25: Finances and taxes - How to survive as a freelancer?If you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on. DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!) Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/ Chase: https://www.instagram.com/chaseronii/ TikTok:Bfiggy: https://www.tiktok.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.tiktok.com/kostasgarcia/

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  57:34
• 141. The Dark Side of Being a Successful YouTuber ft. Chris Hau

  What’s up Rock Nation, today we’ve got the legend Chris Hau on the pod! Chris is a filmmaker, photographer, and entrepreneur who’s completely flipped the script on how creators work with brands. After building a 600K-subscriber YouTube channel and crushing it on social media, Chris realized that all the views, likes, and followers didn’t actually bring him happiness. Instead, he stepped back, redefined his goals, and went all-in on his production company, proving you don’t need massive teams to make massive moves. Chris loves to work with Travel and Tech brands like DJI, Fairmont, and One-Plus, and leverages his personal brand into six-figure production deals. Chris is all about creating meaningful projects, building community, and helping other creators find success while staying true to themselves. This episode is Chris like you've never heard him before.Check out Chris here:https://www.youtube.com/@UCRte954rw0oeMWFroy_ClAw https://www.instagram.com/thechrishau/https://thechrishau.com/SUSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: https://the505podcast.ac-page.com/rock-reportThe Creator Pricing Guide - The No BS Guide to Pricing Your Creative ServicesCoupon Code: ROCKNATION10 gets you $10 off at checkout for the bouldershttps://courses.thecreatorcoach.com/pricing-guideJoin our Discord! https://discord.gg/xgEAzkqAvsLightroom Presets:https://www.kostasgarcia.com/store-1/p/kglightroompresetsCOP THE BFIGGY "ESSENTIALS" SFX PACK HERE: https://courses.thecreatorcoach.com/BFIGGYSFXPACKKostas’ Amazon Storefront:https://amzn.to/3GhId2515% OFF Prism Lens FX with code: KOSTAS15https://bit.ly/42sNdejCollab with Artlist and get 2 extra months for free here:https://artlist.io/artlist-70446?artlist_aid=the505podcast_2970&utm_source=affiliate_p&utm_medium=the505podcast_2970&utm_campaign=the505podcast_2970Chase’s Totality LUT pack:https://www.chasealexanderfilm.com/color/totalitylutpackTimestamps: 0:00 - Trailer0:41 - Intro2:18 - One Handed Crack3:50 - Taking a step back from YouTube6:05 - Working with small vs big crews7:52 - The ideal team size for Chris’ production shoots10:10 - How Chris builds out his crew11:15 - Why Chris hated big production crews13:00 - Chris’ hiring process15:19 - How Chris educates clients on the unique value of his production company17:48 - Finding the white space in a saturated industry19:29 - How Chris leverages his personal brand20:45 - Working with Fairmont on Lake Louise22:40 - Navigating sales calls with potential new clients24:48 - Communicating your value to clients26:50 - Leveraging Chris’ positioning for 6 figure paydays28:36 - How Chris double dips on partnerships29:36 - Working with tourism boards31:27 - Where Chris sees his production company going34:15 - Spec ads Chris is working on35:29 - Travel changes you40:38 - The importance of creating spec ads43:53 - Chris’ journey to overcome people-pleasing49:19 - How Chris’ relationship with YouTube has changed (move this earlier in the convo?)52:43 - Reframing a toxic mindset59:29 - Reading vs. listening to books1:00:39 - The pressure to create on YouTube1:06:01 - Aspirational lifestyle1:07:49 - Chris’ YouTube creation process1:10:19 - What Chris would do differently if starting YouTube today1:12:56 - Reframing his identity as a photographer1:18:31 - Chris’ love for teaching1:20:59 - Hosting live events1:26:45 - Advice to your 18-year-old selfIf you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on. DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!) Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/ Chase: https://www.instagram.com/chaseronii/ TikTok:Bfiggy: https://www.tiktok.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.tiktok.com/kostasgarcia/

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  1:27:23

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