“Studio Matrix was born out of a demand from people who would contact me to help with their online presence through graphics, websites, social media management, and publicity,” Shepherd said. “I wanted a place to display my online work for clients and figured I would publicly offer different services that can help people establish or improve their online visibility.”
Shepherd is drawn to the PR world and social media due to her love for helping people share their stories and projects. “I enjoy assisting them in fulfilling their dreams. I also love networking and interacting with people,” she explained.
Regarding her plans for 2019, she said, “I plan to continue growing my business and helping others along the way. I also plan to expand my other websites Movie Vine and Entertainment Vine. I absolutely love entertainment and started those websites in 2004 and 2006 as my nerdy side-outlets.”
Each day, Shepherd is motivated by her family. “I’ve been blessed with a wonderful, supportive family. My husband Michael and our three sons Erick, Tim and Mark are my world and have made my heart and life full. Everything revolves around them,” she said.
Digital transformation of the entertainment business
On the impact of technology on the entertainment industry, Shepherd said, “I am excited about how technology has changed the entertainment business. The Internet makes more entertainment available to more people. People aren’t stuck with limited choices on television at restricted times of the day or in a long term contract. There is a whole menu of on-demand choices through streaming services such as Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu that people can watch at any time of day.”
Shepherd continued, “People get the opportunity to see shows and movies through these streaming services that we may not have ever been able to see through traditional television stations. There are also more opportunities for talent to be in a show or movie than ever before. Because of the original content the streaming services are producing they have a larger talent pool needed, including people who are rising talent, not just big stars.”
Regarding her use of technology in her daily work routine, Shepherd said, “I usually have my hands on at least one piece of technology each day, either a computer desktop, laptop, iPad, or a phone. I utilize a lot of apps on these devices each day to communicate and work with my clients through email, messengers, and social media. I use the software on my computer and online to create or edit graphics.”
On her proudest professional moments, she said, “One proud moment was when I was flown out to California for the Boondock Saints II premiere and after-party by one of the producers of the film. I had been doing promotion for the company and cast for the film. I flew out with my husband, Michael, and was able to meet producer Chris Brinker, director Troy Duffy and many of the cast members (Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Clifton Collins Jr., David Della Rocco, Brian Mahoney) that I had been working with.”
She continued, “I hadn’t met any of them in person before the premiere as we had only worked through the phone and the Internet up to that point. I was so proud of the work everyone put in and how genuine everyone was. I am also grateful for all of the media outlets that generously covered them. I am thankful for the fans that helped spread the word. Great people out there. It is hard to believe that cornerstone moment happened almost 10 years ago.”
For hopefuls who wish to go into the entertainment field in publicity and marketing, she said, “Things are changing rapidly in the entertainment field because of advancements in technology. Try not to be stuck in old-fashioned publicity and marketing tactics.”
She concluded, “I would like to say thank you to my family, friends and clients and their fans for the love and support all of these years. I would also like to thank you, Markos, for talking with me. Your mom raised a great guy. I would invite anyone reading this to come and connect with me online and say ‘hello.’ You can reach me through my websites and social media.”
To learn more about entertainment professional Wendy Shepherd, check out her official website.
For more information on Studio Matrix, check out its official website, and its Facebook page.
