You might have heard of Chris Bivins. From his days doing show performances or from his R&B catalogue that can still be enjoyed on various streaming platforms, many people knew of Bivins long before he reached the position he is in today. Bivins is now one of the youngest full-time producers at BET (Black Entertainment Television). Expectedly, people always ask what Bivins did to obtain his employment, and now he has decided for everyone to understand just how he did it.
Bivins recounted his journey in explicit detail. He grew up as a charismatic individual who enjoyed being in the public eye. At an early age, Bivins knew that he wanted to be able to make a living from his popularity. He enjoyed spending time on screen, but he knew it would be wise to understand how to properly maneuver behind the scenes as well. In high school, Bivins enrolled in a television class where he learned the basics of film production. The television course sparked Bivins’ interest, and he decided to pursue a major in film once he became a student at Stevenson University. As a musician in college, Bivins was able to provide visuals for his songs thanks to his education. He capitalized on YouTube as he seized an opportunity to create as many music videos as he wanted, which granted him plenty of recognition on the internet. The most significant entity whose attention he captivated was none other than BET.
Prior to doing business with BET, Chris Bivins was selected to become one of the contestants on a singing show called “The Next,” which aired on CW. The show offered him an opportunity to be mentored by Hip Hop legend Nelly, who gave Bivins some solid advice that he could use to jumpstart his career. Bivins was quickly fortunate enough to land a gig as a performing artist on the BET college tour. Bivins was determined to document his experience on the tour; therefore, he decided to create a Vlog in order to showcase what the tour life was really like. BET took interest in his blog, and they ultimately allowed him to turn the Vlog into an official web series. The web series constituted Bivins’ first time ever having a legitimate brand promoting him to do something that he was truly passionate about. Aside from doing his own music at this time, Bivins was earning money primarily from creating visuals for local artists. He was not spending too much time in the television world at this point, but he was certain that he was not inclined to take the production assistant route. Bivins explains that he in no way intends to slight production assistants nor does he feel like he is entitled; however, he did believe that becoming an assistant may be too limiting for him personally. Bivins has always loved the entertainment space too much to be restricted in his work.
Chris Bivins’ web series allowed him to show BET all of his capabilities. BET did not need a production crew for Bivins to do his own thing. BET enjoyed the web series, and they ultimately decided that Bivins should be able to another web series. This second web series was called “Flava Zone,” named after an original song of Bivins’ called “Zone.” The Flava Zone was sponsored by Coca Cola. Flava Zone then led to a freelance position for Bivins, which was not an easy position for him to be in. He was allowed to continue to be a part of the BET brand while also continuing to learn how things work. Bivins explains that nobody specifically teaches you how to be a producer. Bivins came to terms with the fact that he was no longer Chris Bivins the talent. Instead, Bivins had to learn that it was his duty to now serve a much larger purpose. It wasn’t that Bivins was no longer special; however, he understood that the things he was now doing were not merely for his own benefit.
Bivins mentions that the team he works with at BET is amazing, and he learns knew things from being around his coworkers every day. BET production is essentially Bivins’ dream job, but not everything that comes with that job is easy. He had to learn how to navigate and recognize what his limitations are. Bivins recommends that anyone wishing to obtain similar employment comprehend how far they should really extend themselves. The things that Chris Bivins does as a brand are not necessarily the same things he should be doing as Chris Bivins the BET producer. Bivins tries his best not to overstep, but he also strives to give as much as he possibly can.
Chris Bivins describes that working with such a powerful company as BET has taught him how to properly operate in the entertainment industry. You only obtain a limited view of things as mere talent; however, Bivins has gotten the full experience of what to expect from people as a whole and what to expect from brands now that he is a producer. He was very lucky to fall into his dream job, but he reminds people that it never could have happened if he wasn’t prepared for the great opportunities that came his way. Obtaining the level of success that Bivins has is certainly different for everyone because everyone has different things that work for them. Bivins studied film in school, he made countless connections in the industry by being a performer and all of his actions cumulatively led to where he really wanted to be in life. If you are not putting in he effort to create a special lane for yourself, then you will never truly get to your destination.
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