RTA Media alum’s digital production company generates $2 million in revenue creating new media content

In just three short years, young entrepreneur and RTA School of Media grad Jade Watson (‘17) has built a highly successful full-service production company based out of Los Angeles. SickBird Productions (external link, opens in new window)  specialises in digital unscripted content, with clients that include brands, businesses and studios including Facebook Watch & Snapchat Discover, with a reach of millions across multiple platforms. The company creates original programs led by personalities and influencers who have significant social media followings. A recent Business Insider (external link, opens in new window)  feature disclosed the company brought in $2 million in revenue in 2021 creating digital content for influencers and brands last year. 

With clients in LA, New York and Canada, SickBird Productions, which already has approximately five Ryerson alumni on staff, is poised for continued growth, and is actively seeking to hire for freelance positions and mentorship opportunities. Students and grads of The Creative School can connect directly through the company’s website.

SickBird productions takes as its professional mission the sharing of unique perspectives across today’s digital landscape. From unscripted series to podcasts and Snapchat Discover shows, they leverage emerging platforms to stay relevantly connected to target audiences.

Innovating while navigating the new media space

As a content creator today in a time of new emerging technologies and media platforms, SickBird Productions has had to innovate as they navigate this space. Initially, the company’s expertise was focused on unscripted video shows on platforms like Facebook Watch with millions of views. Most recently, SickBird has introduced a series of original podcasts, two of which are led by influencers with at least 400,000 TikTok followers as a way to grow their brand and reach, and test a longer format with fanbases. All of these developments are part of SickBird’s trailblazing work in this new space.

“TikTok didn't exist when I really started the company three years ago, and now it's a key factor in all of our decision making around which creators we work with,” says Watson. “For us, innovating based on new digital platforms is extremely important, while also maintaining good, authentic storytelling through a diversity of voices.” 

With new platforms come new approaches to content creation. With TikTok users favouring authentic content over sleek and polished videos, SickBird Productions has shifted its value proposition, predicting trends and strategically inserting clients in the most relevant markets and conversations. This approach, says Watson, is what drives better return on investment (ROI) for clients.

“Our key service is no longer on TikTok or the most crisp 4k video. The value is that we’re going to follow the trends that are relevant to you and your business.”

From RTA in L.A. to a thriving international digital production company

A pivotal moment in Watson’s career trajectory took place during her time as an RTA Media student at The Creative School. She took part in the RTA in LA intensive which allows students to connect with and learn from U.S. television industry leaders in Los Angeles.

Watson credits the course as a significant jumping off point that led to an internship in New York. It also afforded her the opportunity to network with creatives in the program with whom she continues to stay in contact with.

“They are some of the best people I know today, great people to lean on for future projects and even advice.”

The company is very client focused and is busy working on a variety of projects.

“We just launched a podcast network, which is really exciting. The work we do varies between servicing our existing Snapchat shows on the client side, creating new IP [Intellectual Property] for Snapchat, and also developing our original podcast slate. Bigger picture, we're also looking to get the existing content that we've done for Facebook distributed. Negotiating deals with big distributors is complex and involves a lot of time.” 

Watson says what distinguishes SickBird Productions is that it is a digital-first company. She says they seek talent with fun voices. “If you look at the new podcast we launched, the hosts are all very fun and not your typical ‘perfect’ person. They're very authentic voices.”

The importance of representation in storytelling

For Watson, telling authentic stories is key to her success and why it makes sense to make sure she has a diversity of voices on her teams.  

“It's very simple to me, if you're telling a story around marginalised voices, it's important to have those voices be the one to tell that story,” she asserts. “That's just a universal truth across all of the content that we do.”

For their work using Snapchat for The Shade Room, a Black-owned media company, the company made sure to have Black creators at the core.

SickBird has found a powerful niche in servicing the emerging social-media market, creating video and podcasts for notable clients in the social-media world. And young entrepreneur Jade Watson is only just getting started.

The Creative School at Ryerson University

The Creative School is a dynamic faculty that is making a difference in new, unexplored ways. Made up of Canada’s top professional schools and transdisciplinary hubs in media, communication, design and cultural industries, The Creative School offers students an unparalleled global experience in the heart of downtown Toronto.