Carol Quash
Branding is a key element of any business, and one that Harpy Lyef Entertainment owner Jamelle Lovelace understands well.
Lovelace explained to Business Guardian that the process of shaping how people perceive of, recognise and form a connection with a product or service determines the level of success it will have on the market. Harpy Lyef, he said takes care of all his clients’ digital media and branding needs and makes their products and services visible to the world.
“We do photography, videography, social media management and artistes management. We also do some behind-the-scenes work, helping businesses grow.”
Among his clients are Home Land Furnishing, City Furniture, artistes Destra Garcia, Plumpy Boss (Mescach Emmanuel), Medz Boss (Joseph Ollivierre) and Lady Lava (Keisha Harris).
“We have a couple of clients in other countries; we’re always trying to expand our client base.”
Lovelace said although the branding market appears to be saturated, he makes Harpy Lyef stand out with his strong stance on great customer service and ensuring his clients get return on investment.
“For branding, especially on social media, you need high-quality photos, videos and such. I work with my clients to ensure my customer service is second to none,” and he tries to make the process as hassle-free as possible.
“We try to be results orientated because we don’t want to make the client feel like they’re wasting money by choosing us. We plan it well so it’s not just another video, but an experience. We make sure they get a good return on investment.”
The 32-year-old Manzanilla Secondary alumnus said when he started, he was just out of school. He was an artiste and needed to have a music video made. He said he called around and the cost was definitely something he could not afford then.
“Realising the predicament I was in, I decided to learn how to do music videos. I knew someone who had a camera and we actually shot the music video and edited it. I liked how it came out, and I cut a deal with him; I would borrow or rent his camera, shoot the video and he would edit it. We did a few projects together.”
Eventually, Lovelace saved enough to purchase a used camera and started doing his own work.
“It was the start of something great. My initial investment would have been the camera. Now we have stabilisers, real high-end cameras, tripods, lighting, laptops and PCs for editing. Then we branched off to party rentals and concessions.”
The then one-man-show now employs videographers, photographers and assistants – some full-time, some contracted when needed. A very basic video, he said, can starts at $2,500.
“So some clients may just want a simple video where we just set up a camera and film. And then there are others where we go in, plan, organise and execute and give a full production, that, obviously will be more expensive. Prices will vary based on what the client wants.”
Lovelace said he always tries to keep up-to-date with the changes in technology, and views AI as a good tool that can be used to complement the creative process, rather than a threat to the industry.
“I was like one of the first to really use or execute AI in music, in dance or music videos,” one of which got million views.
“So we never try to make the change in technology slow us down. We always adapt, try our best to adapt it to my company.”
He said before the introduction of AI, there were certain things he had wanted to do in his videos that were difficult. AI has made it easier.
“It has made my videos better and it made my workload easier. I would have needed a 3D artist to do what I wanted. AI makes it easier for me to bring what is in my head to the consumer.”
But it’s not always about work. Harpy Lyef has a giving-back policy that provides mentorship opportunities for young people who are interested in the industry. Lovelace said he wants their experience to be better than when he first started.
“We try to guide the younger ones and not make it hard for them.”
He admits, though, that he has an ulterior motive.
“It also helps with us keeping up with the time too,” he chuckled.
“Because we’re getting older, so our brains might not be always on point. Having the young ones around keeps you up to date. And you’re never too old to learn.”
Also, he said, the team learns how to connect with the youngsters and get a sense of what they want to see.
“Because most of the time, putting a product out there is really to captivate the younger ones. I like to tell the younger ones, too, that there is a future in this industry. You could do this and live a fruitful life, because I have done it. I’ve been doing this for the past eight years, full-time, and it has been fruitful. I’ve purchased a home from this; I’ve purchased a vehicle; I’ve met people; I’ve travelled from this, from doing this,” which was no surprise to him when considering the name of his business.
“When I really did my research, ‘Harpy’ is the largest and most powerful raptor found in the Americas, and one of the heaviest and strongest eagles in the world. I deliberately chose that name because I wanted my business to be one of the best, one of the biggest, and one of the top.”
