Listen to this articleBelow is our recent interview with Toronto’s Eldon Mascoll, founder and executive producer of media company, Freedom Park Media Group (FPMG):
Q: What inspired you to get into the media industry to begin with?
Eldon Mascoll: I was always intrigued by the business of information and how people leveraged intellectual property to earn revenue. I soaked up as much as I could to research how those deals were structured and negotiated. Producing seemed like the best convergence of art and commerce so that’s where I started.
Q: Having worked in Los Angeles, New York and now Toronto, what is the greatest lesson you have learned in your career?
Eldon Mascoll: There are so many lessons it’s hard to boil them down to one. I would say one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to watch trends but not be first. Being first is often wrong for a multitude of reasons. The real skill is being ahead of the tipping point.
Q: Talk about your newest venture, Freedom Park Media. What inspired you to start it and what is your main goal to achieve with it?
Eldon Mascoll: Freedom Park is a digital media company. It’s inspired by the new media landscape that has changed our everyday lives. We are acquiring content to bring to other platforms and we’re also producing original content. We are more about information than entertainment.
Q: What advice would you give to a young media entrepreneur?
Eldon Mascoll: Study the business and go for it. Sometimes you end up further ahead by your own naiveté so there is nothing to lose. Nothing happens overnight and if you haven’t failed you aren’t trying so don’t be afraid of failure. I would also highlight the importance of writing as a skill and being able to understand and analyze data.
Q: What is the most important aspect of how the media industry is evolving today and how must industry professionals ensure success?
Eldon Mascoll: Technology is evolving exponentially in every facet of our society and so industry professionals need to constantly adapt to this new reality. Artificial intelligence is becoming more powerful and efficient – and I think technologies like this will make an incredible impact on the way we do things. All to say, digital media professionals will need to be open to change over the next ten or so years and be able to adapt to a quickly evolving digital landscape.
Q: How do you stay so busy and still achieve a work/life balance?
Eldon Mascoll: I take time management very seriously so that I don’t over-commit myself, my days are long but I have plenty of time for my family and to enjoy life.
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