Fred Ebong makes videos, tells stories

CEDAR RAPIDS — Entrepreneur Fred Ebong's business, FE Studios, is only a couple of years old, but he's probably faced more risks getting to this point than many.

Ebong left his native Nigeria about 15 years ago to go to college in Duluth, Minn. He found northeast Minnesota a bit frigid in the winter.

He had a friend in the "south" — Cedar Rapids — so he pulled up stakes and moved to Cedar Rapids, where the weather can still get chilly but where he also found warm friendships and a supportive business community.

Tall and slim, with a friendly manner, Ebong, 36, runs FE Studios out of The Vault Coworking Space, 415 12th Ave. SE, across the street from NewBo City Market.

He produces commercial and corporate-style videos, music and custom videos, while also handling special projects.

When he first arrived in Cedar Rapids, Ebong said he knew he “wanted to do his own thing, but I didn't know what, at that time.”

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He spent six years selling African products online -- like lotions and raw black soap. Through that work, he found he loved creating marketing campaigns.

He bought a camera and went to work.

“My first photo went viral. It was simply just me washing my hands with soap," Ebong marveled.

From there, he expanded, shooting wedding videos and other events. In 2020, he decided to more into marketing full-time and started FE Studios. His business now has two full-time employees.

His strong point, he said, is “storytelling,” which has led him to produce documentary-style videos.

“Every video production is a collaboration with our clients,” he says on his business’ website, which notes his clients have included Singer, Soko Outfitters, Brewhemia and Jimmy Jack’s.

One of Ebong’s videos last year won the award for best local film at the Muscatine Independent Film Festival.

His “Telling Our Own Story” documentary explored "where we (African Americans) are right now and what we can do for the future,“ he said. It was nominated for a regional Emmy.

The Iowa Arts Council gave Ebong a grant in 2021 to document the painting of two controversial murals -- "Oracles of Iowa City" -- and to explore, documentary style, the public perception of them. He's hoping the documentary gets more public exposure and perhaps can be shown on Iowa PBS.

Ebong’s six-minute documentary, "Doubt," has received some public viewings, including at CSPS. It's a tale of a friend who was a top prospect in mixed martial arts who deals with losses and making a comeback. "Doubt" has been shown online by the Iowa Arts Council Digital Stage.

Even with those successes, Ebong said he's still learning his craft.

"You need to learn (in order to) enjoy the process,“ he said.

He’s also had to learn how to be an entrepreneur.

"I'm making a living," Ebong said. "You have to learn to run the business properly. That includes pleasing clients and making sure you have customers for the next project. You have to put yourself out there (to attract clients). One thing I've learned is that it's who you know."

He said it’s often harder for minority entrepreneurs to start and run a successful business, but he chooses not to dwell on that, noting much of his support comes from Caucasians.

His goal, he said, is "I'm going to be so good that I can't be ignored."