This article was first published here: Christantio Giovanni – Co-Founder of Oneshot
Aware that the complexities of video making were off putting for people who wanted to make videos to promote their businesses, Christantio Giovanni came up with a simple solution.
What’s your story?
I came to Singapore from Indonesia to complete a Diploma in Design and Media (Animation). Living in Singapore was challenging initially. Language barrier aside, it was also difficult to keep my family updated on my life even with the internet. After graduation, I just kept going on the path that I was set on and eventually was given an opportunity at the right company. I was brought on as a designer/animator and I’ve been at it for 7 years. Now, I’m able to guide my juniors in creative work while taking on larger, more demanding projects.
What excites you most about your industry?
The online video maker industry is really like fashion – it’s always changing. It really keeps you on your toes. A common misconception people have about making videos is that it’s easy. But a lot of planning and research has to be put in to produce videos. Many online video makers have complex user interfaces that are hard to navigate. Oneshot is here to fill this gap with pro-designed templates that will help make the process for everyone looking to create videos more seamless and fuss-free.
What drives you in business to push beyond what other people consider normal?
Business is all about meeting a need that hasn’t been met. When my co-founder, Cindy Chay, suggested making a DIY-platform for marketing and business folks with a busy worklife to make videos, I thought it a great idea. Many current platforms in the market aren’t beginner-friendly, and there are so many marketers and business owners who really need videos but are struggling because of the steep learning curve. Oneshot aims to change that. Furthermore, people these days are busy and want to do things efficiently. Oneshot helps people who don’t have time to learn from scratch to create beautiful videos.
What have been the most useful skills you have learnt and applied in your journey?
I’ve learnt to put myself in the shoes of my audience and see things from their perspective. What are they trying to achieve? What would they want to avoid? With Oneshot, I hope that I’ve succeeded in creating something that marketers and solopreneurs out there will find helpful.
I apply this philosophy in my daily interactions with people around me. One colleague was going through a tough time a while back so I took on her work for her to take time off. Empathy, I believe, is important to fostering lasting connections with the people around us.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
As silly as it may sound, the best advice I’ve ever received came from Dory (Finding Nemo) – “Just keep swimming”. This quote helped me overcome the challenges of living and working in a foreign country. Anything worth doing is tough; you just have to keep moving forward.
Who inspires you?
DeeKay Kwon is one of my favourite animators. He inspired me to always keep my animation work fun, not just for my audience but also for me – the person working on it.
What have you learnt recently that blew you away?
People always say that things can’t be affordable, good, and fast. I used to think that as well but it’s just a matter of trying hard enough. I would say Oneshot has broken that assumption.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
I would have started working on Oneshot sooner. The animation and marketing industries grow and change really fast. The earlier you gain a foothold, the more time you have to grow with and embed yourself in the industry.
My advice for potential startups looking to grow within the creative marketing industry is to work on your ideas diligently. Don’t let naysayers get in the way. Just do it! Use whatever resources that are available (e.g. government grants) to materialise your idea.
How do you unwind?
I play Dungeons & Dragons at least once a week. It really helps me unwind and allows me to take on a role of being someone else. I can put aside my work and problems, allow my creative mind to run wild, and have a good time with my friends.
What is a major mindset change, belief shift or ‘ah ha’ moment that you’ve experienced in relation to your business?
Over the years, we have experienced many hard won lessons. Cindy shared her disappointments in customers changing our art. I shared that the fatigue from the revisions was getting harder to bear. She suggested we turn our disappointments into fuel. She said let’s make a video maker, since we love making videos. I said, “why not?” Since then, we’ve been hard at work, product development, marketing, and there’s no turning back.
It is our vision for Oneshot to become an indispensable tool that “democratises” video creation, making it accessible for everyone, regardless of skill level.
Everyone in business should read this book:
I love playing video games more than reading. I can recommend a video game. If you’re interested in animation and graphic design, you should check out how Persona 5 does their UI and character designs. Animators should definitely play more games! They can give you lots of insights.
Shameless plug for your business:
Oneshot aims to help companies create professional-grade videos for marketing at affordable prices. We have a wide selection of templates pre-built and pro-designed by people in the design and animation industry alongside a point-and-click interface that’s easy to use. It was created to help even those with minimal design and video editing experience create beautiful videos.
Users can create videos in three steps:
1. Pick a template from our wide selection of video templates
2. Personalise them by changing the text and images
3. Download the final video
No doubt, we are the world’s simplest video maker.
How can people connect with you?
If you would like to reach out to us, you can follow us for updates @oneshot.sg or drop us an email at [email protected].
Social Media Links?
Instagram: [@oneshotsg] https://www.instagram.com/oneshotsg/
Facebook: [@oneshotsg] https://www.facebook.com/oneshotsg/
This interview is part of the CallumConnects series.
