Watch our podcast with Mike Rhine here....
We first interviewed Mike in April of 2023. At the time he had just produced a series of brilliant music videos from "It's Gonna Be Me” by N’Sync, “If I Came Back Home” by Grabbitz, and “Comedown” also by Grabbitz. Then something happened and we didn’t hear from him for sometime.
So, what happened to Mike Rhine?
He turned thirty.
Coming to terms with getting older is something everyone goes through. The degree of difficulty is usually measured by the age you are. As you get older (speaking from experience) you start to care less about these age milestones. Remembering my 30th birthday; it was full of recriminations for not accomplishing more with my life. The guilty feeling that I disappointed others, but realizing I was more disappointed in myself. This is the curse of getting older.
So, what does Mike Rhine do now?
And, he picks the perfect song. Set to Bo Burnham’s song “30,” Mike tells us how he is feeling now that he is "over-the-hill." Nearly every adult who watches this video will see themselves in it. (Note: When I say "adult" I’m referring to those who are, in fact, over 30.)
Mike’s secret weapons are his empathy and sense of humor. Especially his humor.
He admits to getting his sense of humor from his dad. A very dry sense of humor. His dad took the family traveling around the world. Discussing both the positive and negative aspects of all this travel he admits to finding a balance. That balance is the foundation to his sense of humor. The video shows this humor, especially when it brings up generational differences.
“When he was 27, my granddad fought in Vietnam. When I was 27 I built a birdhouse with my mom.”
This lyric from the song becomes something more important in Mike's video; making it so much more funny — and recognizable to everyone. Again, who has not been compared to parents or grandparents when they reached certain milestones in life.
Behind all his humor, Mike is an avid gear head. I mean this in the most complimentary of ways. You can find one of his YouTube channels where he evaluates various camera gear. During our interview he brings out a variety of production equipment, illustrating how he has done some of his more elaborate productions.
And, he is a fan of elaborate productions.
He admits to always experimenting with his videos, and talked about to how he would like to work with slow motion effects. This affinity with special effects (SFX) led to him having more specialized equipment. Even with his love of gear and SFX he has always used out of camera shots — his videos don’t include any SFX. At least not in the sense of what we would expect after seeing modern movies. He uses very specific lighting and editing techniques to create the atmosphere he is looking for.
"The balance between your positive and negative experiences is what determines who you are."
He also admits to being a perfectionist — which comes with its own set of challenges. Because of this, he says setting timeframes and deadlines are very important to him. Long ago he realized he could nitpick a project to death. He determined a deadline for a project was a way to get around this compulsion. His 30th birthday is an example of him deciding to complete the Bo Burnham video.
Mike goes on to talk about how understanding oneself makes it easier to be a professional — and this understanding is what comes with age. Being okay with both criticism and compliments is important to being successful in this business. Understanding both is important to personal growth. It is more difficult to deal with compliments than criticism. The negative trolls are easier to ignore and get past.
He’s very comfortable with all aspects of the craft. He knows he needs to work with a crew because he has come to the point in his life where he realizes he can’t do it himself. He knows there is nothing wrong with working people. The roadblock is being able to break down the job and picking and choosing the position that is right for him.
He asks himself, “Are you okay with criticism and are you okay with compliments? If you’re not okay with either, you might want to rethink what you’re doing. There will always be somebody who can finds issues with what you’re doing, and somebody who can find good things with what you’re doing, and being able to take both of those with a grain of salt.”
Surrounding himself with people who challenge him to be better is where he wants to be.
“Craving validation but being uncomfortable with praise.”
This Is a quote he has carried with him for some time now. And one he uses to continue learning his craft.
What we have found in Mike Rhine is someone who easily expresses what he has accomplished in his life — especially now that he is 30.
