Let's Chat with Chuck Akin - #StudioSpotlight

It’s #StudioSpotlight time again, and we’re thrilled to shine a light on our exceptional Vū Las Vegas General Manager, Chuck Akin!

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Learn a bit about Chuck below and make sure to say hello next time you find yourself at the Las Vegas studio:

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Tell us about yourself - where are you from, what do you like to do, family, etc. 

“I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon and originally came to Las Vegas to attend UNLV (University of Las Vegas) with my best friend and now business partner, Wes Hirni. When we graduated from UNLV we each had 2 bachelor’s degrees, one in TV production and the other in film so we decided to start our own production company (oogoog Productions) together right out of school. We’ve been doing that now for 24 years.”

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How long have you lived in your market? 

“I’ve been in Vegas ever since college, which is now more than half my life. We started our business here and then eventually started our own families here and really made this place our home” 

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Tell us about your professional background. 

“I started working in school, but we officially started our production company a year after we graduated. In the beginning, it was a lot of live production, convention-type conferences. We used to work for a company called Encore Productions, very well known here in Vegas.”

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What is your favorite part of what you do? 

“The people. I get a lot of joy out of getting 50 to 100 or so people together who didn’t otherwise know each other, to collaborate and communicate towards one goal, whether it is to tell a certain story or complete a certain project. It’s like getting an NFL team together in one month's time and trying to win the Super Bowl. A big thing for me on set is solving problems and facing challenges head-on. As a producer, if I’ve done my job properly, I shouldn’t have much, if anything, to do by the time I hit set because our team has worked to execute everything to the highest level. I mean things on set always come up, it’s production, you know? But solving problems is kind of my specialty. I’ve been called many things, like a “production chameleon”, or a “production therapist,” sometimes people will even come to me with their personal problems thinking I can solve those too. I don’t know, maybe I’m just a good listener, I guess.”

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Where in the studio can people usually find you? 

“Everywhere. I do it all, I’m even in the bathroom cleaning toilets. More than anything though, I’m on stage helping out the productions, helping whoever is there and mostly problem-solving. If I’m not doing that I’m making sure that the talent is comfortable and has everything they need.” 

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What have been some highlights at the studio since opening? 

“I mean, being beside Dwayne Johnson has got to be the highlight of my life in the production realm, you know, telling the Rock “I’ll whoop your ass” and getting away with it. When we wrapped on the shoot he even dapped me up, I told him I appreciated him being in the studio and he responded, “No, I appreciate you. Thanks for having me. You got a great place here” a few short words but they meant a lot and I definitely won’t forget them. Oh- and obviously Shaq, he's been here six or seven times now, he’s the homie.”  

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Who’s your dream client? 

“Wow, it’s hard to beat Shaq or The Rock, I’ve already got the best of the best.     Maybe Kevin Hart? I don’t know, it’s hard to say.”

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