Storytelling. Creative direction. Cinematography. Three things Adrian Rios has been captivated by since an early age, and ones that continue to inspire him to this day. Growing up in Yuma, Arizona, Adrian remembers being immersed in the music industry since the age of nine years old but slowly growing out of love with the space as he got older. For him though, it was all about staying creative. It was about discovering that new avenue that would allow him to remain very hands-on with his projects—just as he did when he was an aspiring music artist and would develop his music video treatments and project launches—, while also giving him the platform to let his ideas run free. Sure enough, after drawing from his love for cameras, sports and production, Adrian discovered just what that new chapter in his live would entail. Founding his own creative company—Shot By Dub LLC—in 2017, he officially embarked on his career as a cinematographer and creative director; and hasn't looked back. From working with athletes independently to capturing content for the NFL, Adrian has not only established his personal brand in the industry but has also developed a unique storytelling style in the years since. Amazing!
Take us back to that journey early on! When did you know that you wanted to merge your passion for sports and photography?
I've always been an athlete. I played baseball, football, basketball growing up; so I always loved just being around sports. I think that was one of the big reasons why I decided to do sports as well because I love the game. Just being able to capture the game in different, creative ways was something that kind of intrigued me.
How was that transition into sports media and content creation like for you?
I feel like a lot of times when you watch sports or when you see sports content, it's all shot in the same light. I feel like I've always wanted to do things a little bit differently. I always kind of looked at it as a challenge of: “How can I make sports look more like a movie?” That's been one of the main reasons why I kind of wanted to go full-on with the sports side because I just really wanted to cast the sports in a different light. I always want everything to look like NFL films. I think that's been my biggest goal, and I feel like I've been able to achieve it pretty well.
As you reflect back on those early moments of tapping into the world of sports photography and videography, what were some challenges that you faced and how did you work to overcome them?
I think some of the challenges that I faced was just getting in the rooms with the people that I knew I needed to be around—whether it was agents, NFL players, NBA players, MLB players. Not so much the networking part because I feel like I'm a great networker, but just being put in those rooms. It was a lot of footwork to be able to build those relationships and get put in those positions where they trust you to be around and capture the content.
Along with diving into the world of photography, you've also tapped into the world of entrepreneurship. What was the inspiration behind creating your own company in the creative space?
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