Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Kevin Hart's Personal Photographer on How to Land Your Dream Job w/ Kevin Kwan

Episode Date: April 2, 2021

Kevin Kwan is the personal photographer for comedian and actor Kevin Hart. I have known Kevin Kwan for years and am absolutely fascinated by his story. In this episode we talk about how first fell in love with photography, getting his first job by cold calling a photography studio he found in the Yellow Pages, the first time he met Kevin Hart, being by his side as he rose to fame, how you can land your own dream job and much more! For more info on Kevin Kwan visit his website: http://dopepics.com/If you enjoyed this episode, could I ask you to please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcast/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and makes a huge difference in helping to spread the word about the show and also to convince some hard-to-get guests.  For more information about Chris and INSIGHT go to https://chrisvanvliet.com  Follow CVV on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/ChrisVanVliet Twitter:twitter.com/ChrisVanVliet Facebook:facebook.com/ChrisVanVliet YouTube:youtube.com/ChrisVanVliet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This podcast episode is brought to you by Coors Light. These days, everything is go, go, go. It's nonstop hustle all the time. Work, friends, family. Expect you to be on 24-7? Well, sometimes you just need to reach for a Coors Light because it's made to chill. Coors Light is cold-loggered, cold filtered, and cold package. It's as crisp and refreshing as the Colorado Rockies.

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If you happen to be here for the first time, thank you so much for being with us. I'm Chris Van Fleet and Emmy Award-winning TV host. And I'm fascinated with finding out how people are wired. to achieve greatness. On each episode, we have in-depth conversations and reverse engineer the habits and techniques of the world's top athletes, actors, entrepreneurs, photographers, you name it. If they're the best of what they do, I want to get their insight so we can apply it to our own life. And if you want to be one of those people who absolutely loves what you do for a living, this conversation is going to light such a fire in you. Kevin Kwan is,

the personal photographer for Kevin Hart. So not only does he get to live his passion of taking photos for a living, but he also gets to travel the world with one of the biggest stars in the world, capturing those moments. So we're talking all the film sets, the comedy shows, the interviews,

the movie premieres, everything. And his story of how he worked so hard to make this all happen. It's just so incredibly inspiring. I mean, we all know that Kevin Hart is one of the hard, hardest working actors in all of show business. And apparently so is everybody on his team.

You can find Kevin Kwan on Instagram. He's at Dope Pick Kwan. That's Dope P-I-C for Pick. K-W-A-N. I'm on Instagram at Chris Van Fleet. I also just joined TikTok last week. Apparently some other Chris Van Fleet took the name Chris Van Fleet. So I guess I'll just be Chris Van Fleet

one on there. So if you're on TikTok, give me a follow, but most importantly, give dope picquan a photo and check out his amazing adventures that he's been on in the beautiful photos that he takes. While we're talking about follows and following, if you don't already, make sure to follow or subscribe to Insight wherever you're listening right now. Bill 102-644, that is a lot of numbers, Bill. Let's call you Bill. Bill left this review. on Apple podcast that says, excellent. Chris does an excellent job interviewing his guests.

Top quality, easy to listen to. Highly recommend. Well, thank you kindly, sir. Thank you, Bill. And I'm going to keep reading one review on every single episode of the show until we get to that goal of 2,000 reviews before my birthday, which is very close, you know,

it's approaching very quickly. May 19th. So 2,000 reviews before May 19th. We've got this. We've got this together. my friends. My guest today is the man. I love this guy. Please welcome. Kevin Kwan. Kwan, good to see you, man. Yo, what's going on? It's, it's been a while since I have seen you in person, but you are one of the busiest people I know. Hey, you know, I mean, I work for one of the busiest person, you know, so that keeps me busy. Yeah, there might actually not be a busier person in all of Hollywood than Kevin Hart.

No. No. DJ. Well, yeah, okay. Dwayne Johnson. I don't know. You've worked with both of them. So who's busy? Right. Right. No, we're pretty busy. You know, I represent Kevin. You know, I always represent with Kevin, all of his stuff, all, you know, everything, you know. I think that's so fast, what's so fascinating about you is you are living your dream job. Like you, you are passionate about photography and you've taken this now to another level where like, traveling the world, doing what you love. Right, right.

I'm blessed. That's all I can say. Did you always have this passion for photography? Yes. Always love photography because it's photography is, is capturing memories. You know, like something that you can look back to. Like you look back in the time now, you know, you're looking at a photograph and then this is what your memories are, you know.

Yeah, it's like the rush of emotions of like, how many times did this happen to you? You look at a photo and you go, I don't even remember that thing happening. And then you look at the photo and you're like, oh, yeah, there was this thing and this thing. Yep. It's like right now, right now it's funny how Kevin just posted, uh, announced the fatherhood is going to be on Netflix. And then he texted me, Kwan, I need some picture from fatherhood. So I was like, I'm on it, you know, so because I was ready.

I was talking to Netflix about like, hey, I was going to do this. now, you know, so, yeah, I'm not even, I'm not even lying. That's right here. It's just say, fatherhood, BTS, you know, like, we're a couple of drives. Just a bunch of hard drives, yeah. Exactly. I just go on and then like, it just plugged in, everything's already. And then, you know, like, like, you look back at those photos that I, I've taken. And, you know, we shot in Montreal. So it was now we're like, oh, wow, it was really hot. You think everybody think Canada is, it's cold, you know, but then, you know, so, but a lot of good memories, um, it's only, it's 2019. So when we did men from Toronto was like last year, now we're 2021 now. So it was like,

wow, like, like little over a year, two years, like a year and a half ago now. Yeah, look, I'm originally from Canada. I'm originally from Toronto. So I thought you were Arab. What's that? I thought you were Arab. I'm Canadian. And I will agree with you. that it's cold most of the time in Canada except for like, you know, 12 weeks in the summer. What part of Canada? Toronto. Oh, the six.

I am the man from Toronto. Oh, nice. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, they put us downtown. I lived downtown like right before I moved to the U.S., but I was in a suburb called Pickering for my, I grew up like born and raised there.

Jeez, we were there for almost three months and we go there every year or twice a year, all stars and everything. I don't know what Pickering is. So it's Toronto, and then if you're going east, it's Toronto, Scarborough and then Pickering. Oh, okay. Oh, good. Yeah. Like, we have to have Scarborough and Markham. That's where Asian people were. And then, you know, like rich people is in the west side. Yes. You know, like, Mississauga, Brampton. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. But you're originally from Hong Kong. Hong Kong. Born and raised in Hong Kong. So when did you learn English? we basically learn English from school like you know we it's kind of like

you know people from America they have to learn Spanish and French but then but then they suck at it but they can you know when they drop them up you know go to go to go to friends and go to Spain and then they can't do nothing of course I'm the same thing I know alphabet but I mean I come out 17 years old

and I'm like yeah yeah and then I moved to Tucson Arizona so it was pretty much all Spanish anyways You don't know English, it's okay. If you know Spanish, you're good. So you went from Hong Kong to Tucson, Arizona, of all places. Yeah. Why Tucson?

My dad planned it, you know, because he got some relatives. He got some cousins out there. And then, oh, that's an opportunity. You guys can go to college over there, me and my brother. My brother's almost two years older than me. And I, you know, so I was 17. He was 19. He almost couldn't get it because it's like, hey, who's this guy?

You know, he's 19. So when he's over 18, you can't go with your parents anymore, you know, like, because after when you turn 18, you become like your own individual. Yeah. You know, I'm under 18, so I'm like, okay, I got to, you know, my dad take me, everything is cool. So, but then he got through because, you know, like, oh, when we apply for the citizenship,

the immigration, you know, we are, you know, we were under age. So we, you know, so we go there and then, you know, one year of high school and then take community college. It's crazy It was hot and No friends can't speak I imagine leading up to that You've been taking a bunch of photos

This is something that you was It was already something you were like Really starting to get good at Yeah well I mean At the time it was still Film time You know we were still 35 millimeter You know

We're still You know when I come here You go to like Walgreens and Walmart and then like get 24 exposures and then and then 36 exposures on on your film camera that I brought from Hong Kong. And then, you know, you still, you know, take photos and then you drop them off and then wait three days, you know, and then like, okay, 24, 36 of them. You only, okay, this one's kind of good. And then you, you get a little negative and then trying to go back like, okay, I'm going to do like an 8x10 of this, you know.

Yeah. Yep. Yeah. I love your story of how you got into photography on a professional level. Basically, you just looked in the yellow pages and called someone up. Oh, yes. Yeah, Tucson, Arizona. You know, so, yep.

So I'm like, hey, you know, like, how can I do that? How can I do this? And then I, seriously, it was still yellow pages. Like, they drop off yellow pages like, like, I believe it was twice a year because they got this update, you know, like. Right. Yeah. So, and then the guy basically, the guy's land. He passed away already, I found out.

But then he was like, hey, people come to my studio. They want me to take the photo. So, I mean, which is great. I was like, okay, well, then I was like 19. You know, so I was like 18, 19. So I was like 18, 19. I was like, okay, well, I guess Kevin Kwan got to make a name for myself. So you just looked under photography studios and yellow pages?

Yes. Wow. What made you even think to do that? I mean, well, it's kind of. like when it just me and my dad and my brother lived together, you know, like me and my brother was still teenager at a time. And then that was the time there was no internet, you know, it was dial-up, but then, you know, it's, it's caused the same prize as like what we're paying right now. Yeah, right. 50, 60 bucks, you know, for a dial-up, you know, 56K, that's what they call.

You know. So, anything you're trying to find a plumber, um, anything. You're trying to find a plumber. anything, you know, you have to look at yellow pages. You know, people are so spoiled right now, GPS, you know. Even though I know how to get to a certain place right here, but in LA, since you say you only been here for a few months, you have to do the GPS, so they let you know what is the fastest route. They tell you where it's red,

and then they kind of like a little alternative, you know, so. But back in the day, you're just like, what's a cross street? And then you just had to remember, you know, it's a sense of direction from back in the day. So this photographer said, come on in. Like you can like study under me. You can kind of be an intern. Yes.

Yeah. It was like, hey, you didn't come here to become like a free intern, but people come to my studio. They want, they want me to take the photo. I don't care if you take the picture better than me, but people come to my studio and they want me to take the photo. Yeah. And they paying me for it. So I was like, okay, that makes sense. But then he's actually really cool, though, because, you know, he, I go in and then.

And seriously, we were looking through negative. We're looking through photos. You know, but I mean, like, I definitely learned a lot from him. Yeah. What do you think you learned from him that you still apply to what you do now? You know, like, with him, with him would be he, he's basically one of the biggest in town, you know, at a time, you know, Tucson Arizona. You know, he really got like almost full. I remember it was like a half a page of Yavit.

Yellow Pages, you know, so. That's a lot of money back then. I know, like, back in the day, people, you know, like, someone just got like a name and a number, you know, so. Yeah. And then I seriously, I was like 19, I remember, looked at, you know, his camera, you know, like, I never would really deal with studio light before, but he got a studio. So what is a lighting, all that, you know, the camera, it was a medium format camera. Yeah.

So, and then I never. use that before. So, but then, you know, it's just a lot to it for photography, you know, like, like for film. You basically, you know, like, you cannot mess up on, on, on when you, when you, when you, when you, when you photograph with film, because, you know, you cannot see it. You have to trust your, a light meter. Um, and then you have to wait for your, you'll, you'll develop, you know,

you know, so when you do a job, if you mess up and then you miss the moment, you know, on film. You know, now digital, there's no way you can mess up on digital, you know, overexposed and all that, you know, but, but then, you know, like, it's like a whole new experience on, on photography, how professional that is, you know, instead of like, oh, wow, you have a 35 millimeter camera, you go out and different lenses, you know, like portrait lens, you know. Yeah, yeah. And then, and then, and then, you know, like, I have to learn the business side of it, you know, so, I mean, Tucson, Arizona is a very, College Town University of Arizona, you know, like family.

You know, so like what you do with photography is a family portrait, graduation photo, and senior photo, high school. You know, so I mean, it's a whole other, not just like, oh, you know, like your photographer, you just want to, you know, celebrity and models and high fashion, you know, it's like a whole other, You know, it's like a whole, whole other, different category on, you know, depends on why you're at two, because, you know, Tucson in Arizona, you know, there's no movies and no, you know, none of that, you know, so I was thinking of being a bar mitzvah, a wedding, you know, so.

So you're studying under him, but you're, I mean, you're obviously not making any money. So what are you doing at that point to earn some sort of income? I stay at home. Okay. I stayed at home. But that's why I was saying, you know what? The guy was really cool. Lens is really cool. He basically, hey, I pay my dues, you know, for real.

Yeah, sounds like it. He actually had a portrait garden. That's what they call it. It's in a desert. Arizona is a desert. So dry. But he does a lot of senior portraits. So they come out, they have like this bad ass cactus.

And then they got like a barn. You know, it's almost Hollywood. They got just like a little Spanish barn. doors. And so he had like a whole portrait garden that he built, you know, like a little ballad of falls and stuff. So he actually saying like, hey, I'll pay you some money if you come in to like mow the lawn and clean up and all that. And then he was like, hey, when I was learning photography, I, hey, back in the day, the guy don't even, you know, he's almost disabled. So I need to like, like, make sure I get him food and I do his grocery. I want his car. So now it's your turn since

you're an intern. So I go in like, 6 a.m. going to mow his lawn. I seriously, I was cursing him up. I was like, hey, you know. You know, like, I was, you know, I was seriously cursing him out. But now, seriously, someone did it to him.

He's successful. You know, and then now, you know, like, I'm being a lot cooler right now, but I mean, like, on production PA, they need to take coffees and everything, you know. Like, I talk to you. I talked to director right now. I was like, hey, when are you going to be making me

assistant director to you and then he he's straight he straight up telling me you'll be bringing me tea so i mean people just got to learn man there's a lot of privilege child right now everybody need to learn for real well i think there's a lot of people that are like i want to learn but i don't want to give my time away for free oh my god look i i know i started as an intern i drove an hour each way to an internship at a tv station i'm feeling you man i think it's so important that you got to pay your dues and learn how it's done in the real world. Yep, people would you be like, hey, Kwan, you know, like, nice to meet you. Cool, you know, like, I want to work with you.

Okay, what do you want to do? Can you, you know, are you good at organize things and everything? No, I just want to shoot. And when do I get to meet Kevin? And then, you know, we're going to see some stars, right? Yeah. I was like, you know, I can just take you to a movie set, you know. You know, it's not like that.

Yeah. But they only want to take, I only want to take picture, you know, of, you know, of beautiful people, you know. When did you start making money from photography? I was doing, well, I was actually doing okay since I live, I live at home, you know. I live, you know, like I'm really lucky that, you know, being in an Asian family that also with immigrants. you know, we stay home, you know, if now I'm married and my own families and stuff, but my dad passed away, you know, my mom passed away a long time ago. But my dad rather had me staying at home. So we were in Arizona. He actually, he actually bought a duplex to retire.

And then we ran it the other side out. Oh, yeah. And then, but and then, you know, like, and then the tenant finally leave. It was like a little two-bedroom, one bath on the next, you know, like right next door. You know, my dad, actually let me live there. So basically, I work, I could be making like just my food money and I'll be good. And I also come home to eat too. So, so those are a very, you know, like, like long time that I've been staying home. And, and then, you know, with photography, you know, like wedding was good money, you know, at a time, we're talking about 20 years ago. Yeah. People were still, you know, the guy was making about like $35,000, $3,500 to $4,000 a wedding.

Wow. So and then- You could do two a weekend too. Yeah, for him, but he will pay me $100 an hour to do it. That's still great. About like six, seven hours, you know, so. So those are good money. Yeah.

20 years ago, you know, in Tucson, Arizona. But then, but then, you know, I try to do, you know, I try to do different jobs, you know, trying to pick up part-time and stuff, try to figure something out. You know, I was in my 20s, you know, so. You just, you just waste a lot of time when you're in 20s, leave them home. So just, you know, but then we figure out Tucson, Arizona. This is so boring out here. This is too boring.

And where was it that you initially met Kevin Hart? Not until I moved out here because. To Los Angeles. Yes. Yeah, I figured out I can't live in Tucson, Arizona, Arizona because it was too boring. I've been there for about a half years. Finish my college with a gravity design degree. And then, because, you know, I always, I always like art, you know, like, like, I'm glad that I took graphic design, you know, instead of like a photography.

I try photography, like what we have, you know, for photography. But then in college, they just want you to study Van Gogh, you know, like all the crazy art history. Yeah. And then and then I was like, I think I need to get out of here, you know. So, and then I took graphic design and then I learned Photoshop and illustrator. So it was like a whole, you know, it worked out. At a time, it was still filmed. So we have to do a scan and then you do your Photoshop, you know, on the photo.

So it's not like, hey, we need to mess around with thousands of photos a day. You know, we got about 20 photos, you know, that was like a week, you know. So you just get that, you know, the photo that you need. But then, you know, I moved to Atlanta, Georgia. I was in Maine for a year. And then until 2003, I moved to I moved to. LA, you know, and I, you know, like LA, I got a lot of friends from Hong Kong that also study out here. So we were, you know, we were doing roommate Santa Monica. I was like, when I go to

LA, I'm going to live in a beach. For the first five months, I got parking tickets every month. It's like once a month, you know, those are the extra money that I don't need to spend. But, but then it's just parkings and crazy stuff, you know, so. So you're in LA. You're starting to shoot here, how do you finally cross paths with Kevin? Then I was actually working with my guy, Johnny, Nunes. It was, let me see how, how do we do this? So my guy, Johnny, was shooting a gig in Arizona. And then local people from Tucson, they're like, hey, Kwan, you know, you're from Tucson.

And then Johnny from New York, and then he needs someone. to shoot with him some hip hop events, you know, like, do you know black people? And then I'm like, I could, you know? So, and then I actually brought a kid with me to like, hey, I think, I think, you know, this is like a celebrity event and they're like, just point out, like, who is who, you know, for me, you know, like so many people is so passionate about music and stuff. Like, Johnny was like, do you know hip hop? But I mean, like, you know, like, that was my fake until you.

until you make it time, you know. So I was like, probably 24 years old, you know, like I don't know nothing, you know. So but so that was the time that I, that was really my first time, you know, going to shoot at a celebrity event with, you know, with a lot of hip hop, you know, it was like Wu-Tang Clan. It was Grand Master Flash, you know, like, you know, it was, it was cool people, you know. So then I just meet people like how me and you meant and then we keep, you know, sometimes we keep in touch. Those, you know, so then I told people I actually live in L.A. I don't live in Arizona.

So I, so then I actually met a couple of the publicists and then they invited me to event in L.A. That's how I brought my camera. Hey, you know, I'm a photographer, clear with my camera. Still no money. Still no money. I just brought my camera to go fashion show, parties. events, you know, and then that's how I met Kevin. And then basically I met his ex-wife first.

So his ex-wife, Tori, was like, hey, Mr. photographer. You know, I wanted to do photography, too. What's up? Okay, hey, how are you doing? I'm Kevin. Oh, is he, you know, oh, good. My husband's name Kevin. So she brought me over to meet him. So how long ago is this? How long ago is that? 2006. Oh, so this is like, he's still famous, but not nearly as famous as he has Yeah. He, I seriously don't know who he was. You know, like, what is he on? And then I, you know, I asked, I asked, uh, Tori, what is he on? He just did a big movie called SoulPlan because it was 2004.

Yeah, yeah. You know, so I was like, oh, yeah. And then it was funny, my roommate at a time, because, you know, I was in L.A. already. So my roommate actually had that DVDs at home. So I was like, I popped that DVD in and they're like, oh, okay, that's what soul playing about, you know. Okay. You know, then, but then I, I seriously did not know what, what is box office, what, whatsoever. You know, I have no idea about movies.

Yeah. So, I mean, like, oh, they are who and who. Okay, great, you know, so. But then, you know, like, we're in L.A. So, I mean, but it was like a little flow from getting invited to events because I'm a photographer. They're like, hey, you know, I put you on the list, you know, to go in and, and do. just go in and take photos. I met a lot of people.

But sometimes when, you know, like, I keep, I keep running into CAF, you know, so we're shrieh, like, what's up, Kahn? You know, like, hey, you know, like, but then, you know, like, we become friends, and then I'll take my number down, and then, like, hey, you know. But what really bring us together is like,

oh, I don't know if you do that. My kid is having a birthday party, you know? So bring a camera and come to the house and take picture of my. my kid's birthday. I was like, yeah, sure, you know. But you know what? But my background was actually I did weddings and families and all that, you know, so

which is perfect. So, you know, go to his house, you know, so then we'd be, then we become personal, you know, like then at a time, you know, like I text him, he will reply back and then like, hey, you know, oh, I want a family photo. Come in, me, the kids, you know, then he had a son later on, you know, so then that's how we always become, you know, like, we'll just talk. We just, you know, like keep in touch. Yeah, so every once in a while you were just going over there and shooting for a birthday

party or event or something. Yes. And then he invited, he invited me over for Thanksgiving, too. So, you know, like, hey, Thanksgiving, you know, like, Kwan come over, you know. So, yeah, we like, hey, Kav, Kav. And then, like, you know, like, I'm Kwan now. You know, I'm only Kwan. You know, with him, I'm only Kwan because, you know.

Because he's- I don't look like a Kevin anyways. You know. You look like a Kwan. So, I mean, there's not a ton of celebrities that have their own basically personal videographer or photographer. When did that start to become the conversation? It was, let me see, it was 2006 when we met. And then for a couple years, I mean, like, until like 2009, you know, like he started going into like a bigger tour for his comedy.

Because, you know, I didn't know, like, you know, I traveled back to Hong Kong. I'll travel, you know, I traveled to Atlanta. And then, you know, I didn't know how, you know, working artists would travel this much. Yeah. You know, this is ridiculous. How they travel when they go on tour. But then, you know, like, it was funny how we were. You know, like, he was like, I'm going to take you on tour.

I'm going to take you on tour. And then I was like, hey, you know, let's do it. Let's do it. So he, and then he was telling me he had this tour called Laugh, in my pain. So, and then, you know, it was like, hey, you know, it would be a good idea for you to come out to, to take photos on me performance and stuff and trying to put something together,

you know. Yeah. So I was like, cool, you know. So then I just, you know, get on, you know, with his travel agents and then his friends and then, you know, like just just boat me ticket to fly out we're we're still flying coach you this is you became part of the entourage yeah i was saying i was in entourage you know i'm just you know i just it was only like like three of us you know him harry wang going go with him naeem and spang

would go perform you know so it was it was like six of us so who were the so you're the photographer who are the other people that were on tour at that time with him um naeem and spang is also um they opened the show for for for for for for for for so and then harry and wayne is Kevin's assistant weighing is a big guy that always travel with him you know yeah you know so when what Kevin said that Wayne used to be a security because he he he was big so he looked like a security so big dude yeah yeah so they they put him as as a security but you know sometime when we go to clubs and stuff when when when when fights broke out he's the first one out so So whatever Kevin said on his special, it's seriously true, you know, but I mean, of course, how he presented it to the crowd is, you know, like to make it funny, you know, but it's true, you know, so.

But then, yeah, I mean, we'll, I just start going on with them, like, like, how would be a normal person would travel out of town every week, you know, but then, but then when, you know, like, when time goes. goes by, we were in like four, four cities in a week. You know, we go like Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, different city, and then we come home. Now, this is before Instagram. So what were you guys doing with the photos of that point? I was making these photo books for Kevin. Oh, wow.

That's so cool. When you go to his house, he got, you know, he got this bookshelf. And then, you know, we got the whole tour, when to when, you know, all the shows. because he was like, oh, Waquan, you know, like, this is good keepsake, you know, so when I'm old, when I retire, I just want to look at him, you know, so I'm still older, now we're so busy.

I still old him last tour, you know, I still need to, I seriously don't have time to sit down to put a book together. Yeah. Because, you know, like, it's, we took a lot of photos, but I mean, but we also did a lot of show, you know, for the last tour, you know, seriously,

just Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Sometimes, you know, if you, if you're in Miami, in New York, you know, people, people don't care. a Monday, it'd be like, like 30,000 people come out on a Monday. What is Monday? We need to work Tuesday? Okay.

You know, okay, then, you know, we can't go home at two. Yeah. You know, the trajectory of your career has definitely mirrored the trajectory of Kevin's career. So when did you start to see things really hockey stick up? So I would say when I, when I am so smart on my own that, instead of doing photo only. And then, you know what, these camera,

people keep talking about this camera, can do videos, right? So I actually started doing videos with those cameras. So when Kevin go on tour, I mean, it's a comedy show, but it's like a concert. That's why he called himself a community rock star, you know, so it's really like a concert

because, you know, we're in an arena anyways. You know, there was like 15,000 people, you know, like it's crazy. So a lot of his celebrity friends would come out, Nelly, Tray song. When we go to St. Louis, Mote will show up, you know, and then we're in New York, you know, FAP will show up, you know.

So, like, you know, I was like, hey, behind the scene was cool. So they were like laughings and all that. And then it was really cool. So I just turned on my camera and start recording. And then we were still, you know, we were still catching coach flight, you know, like he's actually,

really cool because he was small, you know, so he was sitting in the middle and no one, people said, oh, hey, Kevin. And then he go to the back and then he, or sometimes he'd go on a plane, he got hoodies on, no one even know there was him. You know, people know, oh, that's Harry, that's who, you know, like, oh, where's Kevin at? You know, but then we were still, like, very low-key in the airport, you know.

But then while we're waiting on the flight, I was like, hey, Kev, look, it was last night. I was playing back with him on the, on the camera. I was like, hey, Kev, look. look, hey, it was so funny. And then he was like, oh, geez, you know, like, you know, like, keep doing that. And we'll figure out, we'll figure out what we're going to do, you know,

like later with the footage. Yeah. So, and then, so I'm doing two jobs, you know, any other time. I'm just like doing videos. And then he's on the show. We're on the road. You know, we just take photos like a tourist, you know, so. And then, and then I like doing videos because, you know, like,

it's different way to tell a story. You know, I understand you got one photo, one steel photo is, okay, you tell the story. You're an arena. That's the moment. But then you do behind the scene. That was, they were doing YouTube at a time. They were, Harry was the one you using a flip. And then they were like, cutting hair.

Right. They're doing a flip, cutting hair. And they're like, you know, like, you see, you see, if you look back Kevin's channel way back, you know, 10 years ago, it was this 15 minutes non-cut from flip and then just straight up uploaded you know that's how he did you know so harry did those before did was there a certain comedy special or role that kevin got where you went okay things are definitely taken off now um basically let me see well the first one to go in, I'm still kind of filling the tour out, you know, so like the, the, the, the, the, the traveling and stuff. And then basically the second one is, it was already, it was already on fire.

Let me explain. It was already on fire, you know, like, he, he did really good. And then at the end of the tour, we start, we start doing private jet already, you know, because, you know, like he, he, you know, he told me on it, I mean, like, like, he also told me on his personal vacations, you know, we got, we got, we got, we got footage of we were going to Disney. You know, like he brought his securities and then me and then the whole family to go to Disney World, you know, and then we just we just go there for like a week. And then, you know, so we also do behind the scene of, of, you know, like vacation and family vacations and stuff. So, but I mean, you know, like he's, he's actually doing good from them, you know, like I never worry. And I got paid on time, you know, things were good, you know. So we're just getting more and more, you know, so. Yeah. But and then. I mean, you talk about more and more, and then it started turning into movie roles. And then, like, Kevin went from being one of the biggest comedians in the world,

just being one of the biggest stars in the world. Right, right. And then it was the thing like a man, thing like a man movie. Yeah. That's how he keep getting a lot of movies. Yeah. And then now he just, I mean, he's such a star. He does so many films.

He's way too busy, you know, from, from, movies and brands and his i mean he he called himself um more mature right now so he invest you know so he you know like he always say like hey one of one of these day you know take care at all y'all you know y'all just save your money y'all making good money so so don't blow your money but i mean i'm chinese i don't i don't care you know so i i i know what i'm saving you know so um but um yeah i mean like now he just have a lot a lot of stuff going on and then kind of make all of us busy you know kind of set set up you know like he set us up good you know so yeah you're thinking and you've watched him along this journey which I think is really cool

because you've known him since he was relatively speaking unknown right now where he's at and I mean I've interviewed him many times over the years and right just seems to be the same good dude all the time yes no he's married loyal this is like his signature, you know, like he, I don't care what, you know, I only want Kwan. I don't, I don't care what it is. I only want Kwan, you know, so, um, so it is really, you know, like, like, like he, he's, he's that good, you know, so I mean, like, I'm, I'm, I'm cool. Like, like, right now, especially he is, he's been producing his own movies and then, you know, he would tell studio like, hey, Kwan is in charge of all my behind the scene, you know,

So I was like, hey, that's, that's great. You know, so I mean, like my, my creative process is it definitely, you know, go into a different level. You know, I'm actually helping, you know, doing a feature rep for the feature, you know. So now the studio hires you to take the photos. Yes. Yes. So behind the scene, video.

So that's why I mean I kind of have to like split because they got these union rules and stuff, you know, but I go in as, you know, a producer. favor, you know, so I don't mean, like, Kevin needs me there, you know, so I, like, even though right now, you know, we get COVID-10 and everything. So I, I'm allowed to be on set because I'm, I'm part of his team. So, which is- What's off-limits when you're shooting photo or video? Um, I mean, like, most of the time, like, private time, you know, so I mean, like, him and his wife, you know, like, you know, if, if, you know, it's, it's some private time that you will see, you know. Even though, you know, like, but he, most, most of the time, you know, like, me and Enico were cool too, you know, so I mean, like, but, but that was, but sometimes we don't need, like, I already know, like, what to put out, what not to put out, you know, so I mean, like, you know, I'm not going in a bathroom when, when he's about to go, you know, pee and then like, hey, you know, like, or when he walk up to strangers and then, you know, they were talking and stuff, you know, like, hey, so I mean, like, we, we don't have to be, you know, capture all. of that, you know, so I would just film, you know, with a purpose, you know, so, hey, this is going to be for promoting the movies, showing this, showing that, you know, like, hey, you know,

so that's how it. But you went on their honeymoon with them, which I think is fascinating. I know, I know. This is, this is the honeymoon. Oh, my God. Look at that scar. This is a honeymoon prize. I know.

Oh, in Hawaii. I was like, I'm coming out. So, yeah, that's how close. close we are. That's that's how close we are then when you talk about it. You know, like, I, I didn't think I needed it worked, you know, for his honeymoon. So me, me and my, my fiance then, and then we're like, hey, let's go to Hong Kong, you know, because I'm going to take you to Hong Kong where I grew up. And then, you know, like Kev just got married. So he's going to go on honeymoon. So, you know, we got like two weeks of our own free time. We go to Hong Kong. And then we book out

tickets and everything. And then Kev's like, Hey, why don't you, you know, like, we're leaving for honeymoon tomorrow, so you know, come take photos for us. I was like, for real? You know, and then my wife in the car listening to the speakerphone, like, ah, man, no Hong Kong, huh?

Oh, man, I guess I guess we have to go to Hawaii. I know, I know. It was St. Bart, St. Bart. Yeah, we didn't go to St. Bart. And then I was like, yeah, sure, you know, so let's do that. And then we were just going crazy. So I know a lot of podcasters and aspiring podcasters listen to the show.

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Instagram is dope pick Kwan for anyone that wants to follow you there it's on the hat right there where did dope pick come from um a lot of time that you know i sent him photos and everything and then you know he was like oh dope this is dope you know this pig is dope so so and then we're like yeah i'm saying you know i'm good you know i only do dope pick i only do dope pick and then he he start hashtaging a dope pick so i was like hey it's it's kind of good you know so let me figure out let me trademark this and then, you know, put that, put that, you know, like, turn it into my, because before I was like Kevin Kwan studio, Kevin Kwan photography. I was like, and then, you know what, ever since Crazy Rich Asian came out, I was like, you know what, I'm no longer the,

the one and only, Kevin Kwan, you know. Yeah. I'm a John Smith number 423, you know. Yeah, I mean, the other Kevin Kwan, the guy who wrote Crazy Rich Asians, the book. Yeah, he's on fire. Yeah. He's, I feel like he's kind of, you know, leapfrogged you here. Yeah, I know, exactly.

I actually have LinkedIn profiles, and then a guy, Asian, do. But then he say, on his profile, he's like some filmmaker or whatever. And then he was like, oh, you're the guy who wrote crazy rich Asians. Oh, man, you know what? And you're not the first one who is a app. You know, so I say, no wrong person. And then you know what? I got my photos on there, too.

And I got what I do over there. But I think I'm still kind of like camera and films. and then they're like, you know, sometimes people just don't look. I think that some people think if you work in Hollywood, it's just kind of all encompassing like Hollywood is all of this stuff. Exactly. That we all the same, you know, all Kevin Kwan, you know, ask one Kevin Kwan, all Kevin Kwan.

You know, so, yeah, because, you know, I got Kevin Kwan.com, even though like no one really used websites anymore, you know, so, but, you know, like, I'm not, I'm not sure. Have you interviewed the other Kevin Kwan? I have not. No, I've got the cast of his movie, but no. Oh, okay. Yeah, so, yeah, because you know what? I got Kevin Kwan.com. On Instagram, I couldn't get, I couldn't get Kevin Kwan, you know, so, but anyways, like, you know, so like, it's me working with Kass. So I kind of, I kind of want Kevin Kwan to fade out and then we'll turn into a company because, you know, if your company name is also your own name, you know, people who see thinking that they're only hiring Kevin Kwan, you know, because I'm.

You know, like, like, I'm going to be 44 in a couple weeks, you know, so I'm like, I want to, I'm trying to plan on my retirement, you know, so I don't want to, you know, 55 year old Kevin Kwan photographer come out and hire him to shoot and everything. So I'm trying to came, I'm trying to come out. So it's all dope pick. Yeah, it's all dope pick right now. So I, and then it was so funny. I saw, you know, on Instagram, you know, like I, I saw a Mr. Doepig, Doe Pick, something else. dope pick, dope edit or whatever, but hey, I, I, I trademark dope pick. You know, dope pick is, is, you know, it's me, trademark, you know, so ain't nobody

trying to mess around with dope pick, because later on I could use my logo to, to, to produce, you know, merge and everything that's in this trademark, you know, so. Do you have a certain photo that you've taken, that's your favorite? it. I would say it was a couple of those. You know, so Lincoln Financial Stadium,

this is, you know, like, it's crazy how he, you know, he basically, Kevin, Kevin is the only person,

only comedian would perform on, you know, on a stadium. Yeah. You know, I still remember, of course, you know,

I follow him and stuff, you know, capture behind the scenes and everything. So they were like, oh, how do, you know, with live nations, you know, with the, with the venues. And then they're like, how do we set up, you know, tickets, you know, okay, let's set up for 35 because, you know, it's double. Because I think arena is usually around 15,000. So they, they, you know, like, you know, for stadium, they double them. So they kind of, so they kind of like set themselves up at like 30,000, 35,000.

And then they keep selling out. They keep selling out, you know, the story. I was right there. I was like, oh, my God. And also he doesn't in Philly, his hometown. Yeah. So, and then they trying to top out at 50,000 tickets, and then they still sold out.

And then they still come up with like three more thousand. So that's why now you're looking at that show for the stadium show. It was 53,000 tickets sold. Wow. Because they had to keep adding, you know, because they, you know, because you know what? It's outdoor and then the security they had to keep adding. So that's why it was the odd number.

53,000, you know, so they, because, you know, they, they shut off at 50 and then they keep heading more because he keeps selling out. Yeah. You only did like one show, we tape it. So I, I make sure, you know, I got, I bought this new camera, 50 megapixels and then like the fish eyes and then, you know, just, just get him the whole, you know, like the crowd, you know, because, you know, he was like, oh, no, no, no, you know, we're not doing stadium again. But I mean, like, what else you can do? I mean, like, you go to, you go to a football football stadium you go you know like in yeah you know it's it's um so that was that was like very historic moment and then we did a whole doc documentary about you know how kevin from phillies and

stuff and then you know it was called it was on tbs called what now um all access you know like like a lot of them were in my footage and then i help them put together a little documentary together so um so that that was dope and then There was just dope. Yeah, exactly. So, and then I just love my job. So for him, you know, we were in South Africa, you know, like we're in a tribe. We go to these cool places, you know, Niagara Falls, you know, like, it's a lot of cool, you know, I'm seriously about to put a book together, a coffee table book, you know, off his life.

Of his where we, where we travels and, you know, like, but he's cool too. he's a family guy. He's a very, you know, like his kids is so important. His family is so important to him. And so he just, you got to understand, celebrities are normal person, you know, like I know him for so long, you know, he come out like Juan, this is, this is nice. This is, you know, I'm going to take a picture with Niagara Falls, you know, like, like, South Africa.

Oh, Enico, come in, take this pictures. We're honeymoon. Oh, wow, this is nice, you know, by the beach and stuff. And then like we, even Disney, oh, yeah, we got to take picture with, with, with transformers and all that. You know, like, those are really dope moment for people think that, oh, he's celebrity, you know, like now. But hey, but I know him like he's, he's my friend and he's a family man. Yeah.

So, so that's people to understand. You know, people just see like the, the, the glam size of it, you know. Well, they just see the finished product. Yeah, exactly. They don't see everything that went into it to get to that point. Right. Does Kevin have a favorite photo of your? Like when you walk into his house,

is there like a giant blown up version of one of your photos? I'm sure there's many. He, well, first of all, he's, you know, he's become, he became rich. So he liked his artwork. So when you see a lot of this pandemic interview, so he got, he, you know, he loves comedy.

So his background was like Bernie Magg, Rat Fox, you know, like, you know, like all this oil painting that he pays a lot. money for. And then he was like, Kwan, you keep following me and do all this movies and stuff. So he'd been using a bunch of different family, you know, like family

photographer. So he got, he got a lot of those. But we at, you know, in his office, it's just all to his shows. All to his shows, you know, different show, major shows. You know, like in New York, New York, you know,

Madison Square Garden. And then, you know, like New Jersey, you know, also kind of like New York, you know, so we did like nine shows, you know, in like four days, you know, this is then you think about like 15, 16,000, it's really over 100,000 people go see the little guy in, like, oh, God. I know, like, for real. So, like, those, I mean, like, to me, those are the moment that I have sorry to tell. That's why now, you know what, hey, I'm getting older, you know, like you, I know you for

wild and then I know your channels are legit, you know, so that's why I do this. A lot of people are like, hey, Quine, let me ask you. Yeah, you know. Let me ask you this. I'm curious, what's one of the big takeaways from working with Kevin for almost 15 years? What's the big takeaway for you? Well, I'm an artist.

You know, so it's, you know, I believe that, you know, everything happened for a reason, you know. So, I mean, like, I didn't get married when I turned 40, you know. So, I mean, being a photographer, or an artist, you know, usually broke. So I was single for a very long time because we don't have no money to take girls out or nothing. You know, so...

It's not cheap to go out in L.A. Exactly, exactly. You know, I remember my friend from Arizona came out and then, like, you know, three of us, and then, oh, we ordered drinks, and then he bust out of 20. I said, let me get it. It was a long time.

It got to be at least 10 plus years ago, too. He got a 20. Let me get it. I say, that's not enough. that's not enough, you know. It's like one drink. Yeah, exactly. It's $17 for one drink, you know, so.

But I mean, you know, like only because I'm in, I'm working with him and, you know, like, you know, like the traveling's and stuff. It actually make me and my wife's relationship is stronger because, you know, like I don't, I don't just stay home, you know, every time I don't have a normal nine to five jobs. So now that we have a kid, you know, we have a two-year-old. So sometime when she go to sleep, I'm actually, you know, I need to go into my room to do my work, you know. So I like the, you know, being in creative that I don't have that night of five, you know. So I don't, you know, like every day is a different day, you know, very creative. Sometimes even, you know, working on a production set, you know, like you start,

you start 6 a.m. on Monday and then weekends, you know, like you, you're going to shoot late on a weekend. So I, you know, so I mean like my, I'm, I'm pretty much happy with, you know, how it's been. So I never would complain about like, oh, yeah. I mean, like, I got to travel. You know, things were good, you know, like, like, I mean, I never would be. I don't think I have any, any, you know, taking away and stuff. I mean, now. No, but it's like he has an insane work ethic. And I would have to think that that rubs off on you. Yeah, no, that's why I know.

Like, you know, they, the guys, I mean, like, we try to stay healthy and stuff, you know. So like now, you know, I got high blood pressure, you know, so I mean, like, they always care about like, hey, don't eat all that crazy stuff. Now that, you know, you saw his, his announcement. So he's doing C4, the energy drink. So I would wake up at 4 a.m. to go to his house and film him work out with, what, you know, endorsements and stuff, and then, and then we go on set. So, I, I, I couldn't think of anything that was bad, you know, like, what's the good? Like, what's the best thing that you think you've learned from being in his presence?

Hey, you know, like, seriously, when he got into an accident, it was a lot of wake-up calls, you know, with pandemic and then when he got accidents and stuff, you know, so. Yeah, I mean, that was a really serious accident that he was in car accident. Exactly. So, you know, like, we, let me see. It was, it was, it was Labor Day weekend a little over a year ago. Like, you know, like the Labor Day weekend before. 2019, yeah. Yes, yes.

20, 2020, yeah, 21. Yes. So we just came back from, we just came up from fatherhood. And then he actually hosting a barbecues and things that. home, you know, playing volleyball and stuff. You know, he got jerseys and everything, too. But to, you know, and then while I had my baby already, you know, my baby is like six months old at a time.

So we got family from Arizona, you know, coming to see us. So we went, we went to SeaWorld in San Diego. And then we ran at hotels and stuff. And then the next day and then we saw the phone, you know, like, what is it about? And then the guy was like, yeah, we're in the hospital. I was like, is he okay? And then it was TMZ and everything. And then everything stopped.

And then, you know, it was before COVID too. So then the only thing is you got to think about, hey, once this stop, we all stop. Yeah. You know, so I mean, I want this guy to live forever. You know, you see what I'm saying? But I mean, like, we're pretty spoiled too, you know, but it's a very good job. I don't want to, I don't, you know, I don't know. No, your job is amazing.

Yeah. Has in your travels in your work, have you run into other Kevin Kwan's? Have you run into other photographers? Yes. Yes. Yes, a lot of them. And then you know what? Like I, they were surprised, you know, whoever that is cool with me.

And then they, you know, like, I see what it is. Not only from being an immigrant. And also, you know, respect to others, you know. So photographers are very competitive. Sure. Everybody. And I say that because I was one of them. I was broke.

You know, you made, you, you, you, you saw one photos, you know, get your license fee for 700 bucks. And then that's for your whole month. And sometimes you got like three, four months. You don't have anything going on. You know, that's why, you know, it was kind of good that, you know, like, I, I think weddings and family, you know, it's like, hey, a lot of photographers. Like, I hate doing weddings, you know, but weddings, you know, but weddings,

money, you know, you're making like three grand a date, you know, on a wedding, you know, so like, hey, this is, you know, a good photographer doing about like 25 grand for a four wedding, you know, so, but you have to build your way to that. Um, so I mean, you know, like now with, you know, like a couple guys that, you know, that I've met, you know, um, Cleave that, that, you know, he used to be with Tray Song and then, um, you know, like, so they, they hang out, you Kevin and Trey hang out a lot and then see he come out. I was like, come out, get this shot. Come out.

Hey, I mean, we can work together. That'd be great, you know. And then he doesn't work with him anymore. But then we, at this point, we're still keeping touch. You know, like, we, you know, like, we. Because, you know, I want other, I want other photographer to do good, too. You know, so. And then, does Rock have a photographer?

Yeah, it's Cruz and Liam and them, you know, so. And then Jack Black got, got, uh, Taylor, you know, so they all, we all following each other. And then they are doing really good, you know, so. I mean like, hey, if anything we could do together, we could, you know, like, that's great. I mean, like, hey, I want them to do, they're more videos, you know, they do more videos. So I'm, I'm doing both and then I really want to get into like more video stuff because that is, that is better. You know, like photos, really, like I said, just one photo telling a story. Yeah.

But a little clips, you know, like the challenge right now is IGTV and Instagram pose. You know, I need something like 50 minutes, a 50 seconds. Yeah. Like, okay, good. You know, so basically it's a commercial, you know. So those are a challenge, but then it's good that you can see motion. Yeah. So those are the guys that I, you know, I feel like Will Smith has someone very talented

behind the scenes too. Yeah, no, they got some good stuff. You know, people got their eyes, you know, into those, those cool stuff. Because now, especially with Instagram, digital world, you know, like studio, would want to show that on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on on set you know that's how that's how they work so you saw jimanii behind the scenes how kevin and DJ like you know playing around and everything so now you

know um man from Toronto you know Woody Halson super dope guy you know like it was so funny I told my wife you know like oh with die hard you know I work with John Travolta I went crazy, you know, like, I didn't know you like John Chapporteur like that, you know. But I'm like, I'm excited. You don't understand, you know, so, but now Woody Harrison, it was, it was in decent proposal time when I was like a teenager, you know, in Hong Kong. And then now, after like 20-some years, I met him.

But he, he's like a, what do you call? Like, like an environmentally, you know, he's like, he only drink juice and he ride bites. And then Kev, like, hey, Kwan, I'm about to steal Woody's bike. So film. So he, no matter how he is, like Woody's his ride bike. And then by the time we're leaving, when we're done, I was like, hey, that's good. He's walking in. And then Kav would steal his bite.

So, like, it's a lot of funny moments. Sure. That was in the movie that we, those are the good moment that we need to show the world. I know, Sony was like, hey, Kuan, can we pose that? I say, no, no, no, no, no. We're going to wait. I'm going to look through more, more cool stuff, you know, so. Yeah.

And you got to hang on to it until close to the movie release, right? Yeah, yeah. Because now, I mean, now pandemic is crazy, man. You know, so, I mean, producer was saying like, hey, this movie is an action movie. So he was saying like, no, no, I don't care how long we're going to wait. You know, we need to see it in a theater. And I agree because, you know, I want to see a big screen, too. This is a really, I was right there.

And I got chills when we filmed the movie, you know, like the, the explosions and the crazy stuff. And there's a lot of funny stuff too. As we wind things down, I know there's going to be a lot of gearheads that are curious what camera you shoot on. I actually have, while my mental ones told me,

you know, don't, you, you had to focus on, you know, like the quality of your product, it has nothing to do with your gear. So sometime I understand,

you know, Netflix got like a approved list cameras and stuff, you know, so we have to go with whatever they have, you know, like, I don't care about the code end or anything, but, you know, hey, now, you know, we're shooting in 4K, you know, so I use a lot of Sony, but I got that Lumix. We still got Canon, you know, like, I really like how Nikon looked, you know, so I got a Nikon too, so, and then- Just naming every camera brand. Exactly. Not LICA, you know, like, like, like, like, it's like a waste of money. So what's the camera that you grab for,

and I don't know if you're just going to be shooting some stuff behind the scenes? Sony is the easiest right now, seriously. You know, people ask why because, you know, like, sometime when you shoot something and then you just, you know,

like a lot of people shoot photos and then you show, hey, what's up, you know, and then cameras like, oh, I like that one. Send me that one. So you can just hit a button and then go home.

So that is like, so which Sony are you shooting on? I, I'm still more like a steel person. So I got an A7 R4. four. I actually got eight seven all two, three, and four. So, but, but the four is like a 61. How many cameras do you own? A lot. A lot. It's not even funny. You know, that's like, that's why I know photographers are like 20 a lot or like a hundred a lot. Oh, no, not 100, not hundred. You know,

some of them when they were older, so we, we need to get rid of them. But I definitely, definitely over 20, you know, yeah, definitely over 20. Well, I guess, you know, I would expect that from someone who does this for a living yeah because we got let me see a 7s 2 we got two of the just in case you need two angles and match the color um we got black magic you know the black magic pocket because you know it's like it's 1300 large camera i shot the whole die heart with that and then it broke on me in the middle and then i bought another one and then we're doing radio shows since it's so cheap so we just bought we just bought you know another one just do three cameras on on a podcast with kevin so you're

If you're back, you know, behind the scenes on a movie like die hard or die hard or man from Toronto, how many photos in total do you think you shoot over the entire time they're filming? Over 20,000. Wow. Because, you know, it's a lot of action. And then now, you know what? The good thing about digital photography right now, there's no film. So, you know, you just, you know, and there was a lot of action.

So you got to, you got to catch, you know. So. And then the photo kill is crazy Because you know like Hey Kwan you got like 15 of the same photo I said yeah I was on like a high speed mode Make sure they got a good one Because sometimes you got you got two

You might have to do a two photo combined to one You know because you need to grab that To you know like sometime you know One person A looks good and then Kevin blink But then you had to do the other one And kind of put them on there Yeah You know the artworks a little different

right now. So, you know. This has been fascinating. This is like, thank you again for your time. You're welcome, man. You know, Chris, anything for you,

man? Because you know, I'm, I usually don't want to do that because you know, like I, I, you know, like we did,

Kevin did like a, what the fit show with, with YouTube. And then, and then lady from YouTube, keep saying like, get on your, your personal life,

you know, get on YouTube. You know, it's great. But I heard how people were trying to go in and find a way you live and then they shut up your light and then you know they tap into your Wi-Fi and stuff

I was like hey I don't I don't want people show I don't know about that I want to meet Kevin right here I say you know this is this is me you got Kevin Kwan you don't get no Kevin Hart you know you know and you know so I'm still you know like thinking about I have a lot of footage of my daughter you know because she's only two years old so we got that little pocket you know like hey just you know like the the growing up you know so I even just look at fatherhood's photo. She was five years old, five months old.

And then, you know, like the family wife brought her over, you know, to Montreal. And then, you know, like I still got the picture

and Nico's holding, holding her, you know, like, because she was like a little baby. Now's a two year ago. Daddy, daddy,

you know, like it's time, you know. I know from what you were saying earlier, you're super grateful for, you know, the job that you have.

You're living your dream. I end every interview by asking, what are three things? you're grateful for in your life right now? Well, my family, you know, like family that, you know, it's really something that I look forward and come home to every time I, you know, get done working, you know, so,

because, you know, like the wife is really holding it down when I'm gone, you know, so a long day, not just, not just like movies, you know, COVID time. I had to be in Toronto, two and a half ones by myself. Like we just face time every every every day any any you know any moment that I could you know so she had to deal with a kid all by herself making her you know breakfast lunch and dinner And then I mean like I'm thankful with Kevin you know this this is this is good you know like to be to be honest if I don't work for Kevin I don't know who can give me the same thing that I work for from from the industry or anybody else you know but then that you know what? Like, that's why I don't want him getting to no kind of accident or problem to drop out of this career because, you know, I'm about to be 44. You know, I'm trying to think about maybe 50 years old. I don't want to, I don't want to hold on to my cameras anymore because I'm having couple tunnels and, you know, like a lot of work. I need a slowing down instead of going out there with a camera, you know, but I don't want to, I don't want to, you know, go stacking, you know,

stock and target. I don't, I think, I think we're past that at this point. So family, your boss, Kevin, and what's the third one?

And then, um, things, things are great. So I mean, you know, like it, you know,

now would be, I, I, I don't know, you know, like my job and my, my family. And then,

you know, I don't know, all my friends, you know, like, yeah, exactly. Because,

you know, like you, it's like I say, you know, from the beginning, every time, time we're promoting a movie. I see you.

Yeah. The other Kevin. Kevin McCarthy. Terra. Because Tara is from Arizona. So, you know, like I say, hey, I need to do something for Arizona. You know, I'm not Chinese, but I mean like, hey, you know, so. And then, yeah, we, you know, like, it's a lot of good friends that I can meet, you know,

from this job. So, you know, that's why, like I say, when you hit me up like, hey, you want to do a little little conversation. I say, hey, cool, you know. I appreciate you. This was dope. That's what this was. Exactly.

It was dope. I look forward to being able to see you in person. Hopefully that's sometime soon. It'll be soon, man. It'll be soon. I hope so. Yeah. I'm good with the vaccines and everything.

When they're ready, I'll take them, you know, so. I just want to go back to what we were doing before. Exactly. I know, walking down a red carpet, you know, going down to like years and stuff, you know. So, but yeah, that'd be good. But you got, it's a good conversation. You got, you got like all. amazing, man. Thank you again.

You're welcome, man. There's so many great takeaways here for people who aspire to do what you're doing. So thank you. I know, I try to help them and then, but sometimes, you know, they really do have people like, oh, I only want to shoot

like who and who. Like, now, you know, you're acting. People are saying, okay, Kwan, can you take some hash off of me that I can land some job? it's not the the hash shot that, you know, land your job. I mean, like, you know,

you have to be talented. You have to be, you know, like, go in, you know. And then I, you know, I had people would tell me like, yeah, because you know what, I only want to do, you know, like a speaking role, you know, so I mean, like, hey, you know, like, okay, great, you know, good luck.

No, you got to, you got to put in the work. Right. But I'm still learning a lot too because, you know, like a lot of, a lot of my work is, you know, like a documentary style because we're just traveling on the go because I want to work on a lot more studio stuff, you know, because my studio stuff was still like a family photos and stuff setting up. That's why sometimes, you know, like I would, I have the equipment, I have the lighting, so I would, hey, let's, let's, you know, let's shoot something.

But now with the family, with work, you know, it's kind of tough, you know, you know. But those would be a good work, you know. Editorial, you know. my picture will be on the magazine cover. Yeah. I know. We'll try that, you know, one day. One day.

Thank you again, man. You're welcome. Kevin Kwan. Ladies and gentlemen, check out his photos on Instagram. He is at Dope Pick Kwan and share this episode with someone who needs a little inspiration in their life. Someone who's chasing after that dream and maybe feels like they're a little stuck right now. This is the story of chasing after it and achieving it. snap a screenshot, share it on social media, tag us.

Don't pick Juan, and I'm at Chris Van Fleet. And I hope that if nothing else that you take from this episode, I hope that you realize that your dream job is out there. Maybe you're living it right now. There's a good chance. Maybe you're not, though. So that dream job is out there for you, and you just need to create the opportunities that lead to it.

Abraham Lincoln said it best. I'll leave you with this. things may come to those who wait, but only the things left behind by those who hustle. Be great. Be grateful, my friends. We will see you on the next one. That was almost a song there for some more insight. See ya.

Jim Rome takes on sports. Why? Because I have a job to do. With rapid fire takes. So I don't want to hear from you lava pigs on this notion today. No idea what you're talking about. You're complaining more than you live. like to breathe air. It's like you get up in the morning only to complain and cry and moan on social media about things that you don't even understand. He's the spitfire of sports smack.

Take advantage of it, but get up in here. The Jim Rome Show podcast. What should be? Follow and listen on your favorite platform. You've been warned.