We literally can trace our beginnings back to video games. That’s right. VIDEO GAMES! At least the music part of it. Growing up we listened to everything....including country (We’ll get to that!) We LOVED music. In the late 90’s we started producing electronic music with a little game called MTV Music Generator on the Sony PlayStation. Prior to the PlayStation we really enjoyed the music from pretty much EVERY console out there but really it was The Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Game Boy, Game Gear, and the mighty Sega Genesis that started it all for us. We could list some game music that inspired us like Mario Bros, Street Fighter, Streets of Rage, Sonic the Hedgehog, Final Fantasy, but the list would be extremely long. MOVING ON......
We basically come from a generation that rode our bikes everywhere without helmets, played outside where your curfew was when the streetlights came on you better be home or on your way. We drank from water hoses, we rode in the back of pick up trucks with no seat belts, social media like Facebook was actually face to face and going to your friends house without even calling and sometimes just walking into their house, a spotify playlist was a cassette tape with very bad recordings of the latest hip hop and R&B from the radio. Don’t make me explain. Our early “dating service”, (Tinder, E-Harmony) was an AOL chat room where you had limited characters to get your point across of who you where. Sliding into a DM with 18/M/Cali/Really cute. *smacks forehead* Let’s just say Cat Fishing was very popular long before it hit MTV. We didn't go to school to learn HTML coding...MySpace.com was our university and “Tom” was our professor and first social media friend. Our first crime committed was “Napster”. We’ll let that just sit here for a sec. I would go break dance with my buddies after school and we held break dance contests and dance battles on campus during break. We come from the technology boom era and have kept up with it, molded it, inspired it. I promise you we are not that old but the speed in how technology moves, being thirty*cough* may feel like...old. I just upgraded my iPhone or Galaxy an hour ago aaaaaand, BOOM! A commercial for the next best thing come on.
I didn't grow up in the greatest of circumstances but they weren't the worst either. I wanted to be a DJ at an early age but money prohibited that dream from blossoming. During high school is where the DJ bug infected my entire being. I fell madly, deeply in love with electronic music and all other music...sucked. WOW. Started going to raves with my friends and immersed myself the music. After graduation I decided I wanted to be a DJ, travel the world and play at huge arenas and festivals like the DJs I had seen. Had to put in work....had to get equipment first. Money was still a problem and getting started was a big chunk of change. Got a job at the mall like all the kids do...did...and worked really hard to save up for my first DJ system called “DJ In A Box” LOL! Two turntables, a mixer and some headphones. Not a car....a DJ in a box. We had to use vinyl! Can you believe that? *wiki! wiki!* Somewhere down the line I even did one of those “Pyramid Schemes” that actually worked. Made some money and learned about the hustle, customer service and business.
I started small performing at house parties, met other DJs and formed a DJ crew called L.I.C. Lost In A Crystal Productions. We produced many local music events and also helped others produce shows throughout California. We started performing at bigger clubs and throwing larger events, we were meeting people and everything was going great until...the fallout. It’s not as bad as it sounds. Naturally people grow up and grow out of things and that’s what happened. I was ready to take things to the next level and I wanted to make a living as DJ and entertain people since the traveling the world and playing at huge arenas and festivals thing was not panning out the way I had imagined it.
So I broke FREE (Free Will...my name is Will...breaking free. You get it) and got serious about my business. That and I was laid off from a high paying telemarketing job so...yeah it was sink or swim. Let me tell you...I SANK. Not bad but I basically tried to cut the cord too early without a plan. I wasn't ready. Went back into the workforce almost a year after and continued to learn skills that would help me be successful on my own. Glad I did that. I was soon approached by a school asking if I did school dances. In my mind I was thinking “Oh God. I’m going to have to play horrible top 40 music.” I didn't hesitate and said “YES!” That was it. After performing that school dance it opened the flood gates and there was no turning back. Little did I realize that my telemarketing job was secretly preparing me because the top 40 station would play the same rotation of music and I actually (secretly) LOVED it. I loved Karaoke (still do) so....I think I was just being close minded because I was so passionate about electronic music.
After the flood gates opened we took off! We were doing youth a lot of youth events, school dances, and birthdays parties. I have to shot out to Craigslist because despite popular belief we got some quality gigs from that site.
We enjoyed Craigslist gigs for awhile before that came crashing down. We thankfully got out before that. Our school dance business took off and after every performance we would invest back into our business. I still was working a 9-5 but knew I wanted to go full time...eventually. School dances started to get the wedding business wheels turning. We were having so much fun with the kids that parents and adults wanted in on the action and fun. That opened up opportunities across the board from weddings, bar/bat mitzvah, corporate events, fundraisers and other events. During this growth we realized we needed to stay educated and ahead off the curve when it came to the business side of things as well as delivering a great experience for our clients.
I started reading DJ publications, books, going to seminars, practicing, role-playing, networking all to get better and change the perception of the general public on what a DJ was and how valuable we are to an event. I was still at my day job but but was pursuing my day dream at night. I enjoyed residency on a local radio show called "The Mixdown" where I found a balance of loving all music by having that creative outlet. Continued to produce, perform, help with local music events and shows.
I’ve had jobs in just about every field and I took away little nuggets of info that I use today. I was a delivery boy for California Overnight with my step dad. I’ve been a whopper flopper...twice. (Burger king & In-N-Out Burger) Talk about multi-tasking and excellent customer service! Thanks In-N-Out!! I worked at shoe stores which taught me humility. You learn to be humble and empathetic when dealing with stinky feet. I worked at GameStop (aka Funcoland)...free game rentals for “product knowledge”. I worked at Juice Shack at the same time I was working other jobs and going to school. I left the mall and worked in hospitality (Extended Stay). Loved being face to face with clients. Worked as a telemarketer for.....I’m surprised I stayed there so long. I as an assistant manager, bill collector, team captain all at the same telemarketing job. It was really good money and I was trying to go full time DJ. Then the recession hits. Laid off from telemarketing job, try to make it on my own, not ready..YET but a great experience! Gets re-hired a year later at telemarketing job and works there for a year still pursuing my daydream. Decides to move on, put in 2 weeks, everyone is sad to see me go, and I go into Cellular sales and become a sales rep at team Magenta, T-Mobile.
This is where I learned the most about business, people, sales, personalities and where my DJ career really took off and at the same time ended my journey with T-Mobile. No hard feelings at all. I had the best times here and made great connections. I was able to DJ our district employee appreciation party, which caught the eye of a store manager for her best friends wedding. That performance turned the head of the district manager who booked me for the employee appreciation party and I was able to DJ his wedding. That was scary and so much fun. He was the district manager! Performed at my managers wife’s 30th birthday, and performed for clients’ kids, birthdays , private events, corporate events with Clo Du Bois Winery, Costco Wholesale, Kaiser, Memorial, and Sutter Hospital to name a few. So there were no hard feelings at all. It was the best thing that happened to me. I left with great knowledge and a sense of purpose.
After T-Mobile I went full time DJ. It was not easy cutting the corporate umbilical again but this time...this time, deep down I was ready. That was July 9th, 2015. Still going strong. I look back to remind myself of why I chose this career to be an entertainer. I realize that all of my jobs brought some type of value to the lives of my clients (maybe not telemarketing) and that’s what we do as entertainers. We bring value to your events. We continue to move forward, learning, networking, being kind, empathetic, keeping a positive mental attidue, helping others and giving back to our community in the form of entertainment.
We’re different and celebrate it. We are changing the perception of what people think about DJ entertainment and DJ's in and around Sonoma County, California. We are not typical, and our wide offering of services are anything but average. With our knowledge, talent and humor we like to think that we are making progress in changing the game. Here at Free Will Productions it’s all about being yourself and having fun. We are extremely passionate about what we do and the awesome people that we get to work with and we're always looking to innovate new ways to make your event special but most important..FUN and talked about long after the the party is over. Packing dance floors with guests of all ages, orchestrating flawless events from beginning to end, and celebrating life's biggest or smallest moments is what we are all about. As long as it’s you and you want to have fun and want your guests to have fun...that’s what we do. Just be you.
We are not your average entertainment, and we're glad you are here to learn more about our variety of services. We bring a touch of uniqueness & excitement to your event. Where there's a Will, there's a way! Let us show you the way.
As you can see we perform all types of events but specialize in School Dances, Weddings, and corporate events. An entertainer and MC can work for just about any event. Let us know what kind of event you are hosting so we can tailor our service to your needs.
Friendly upbeat service, reliable, personable, professional, and FUN!
References available upon request but don’t mind our bragging....
