Helping other local businesses promote themselves has brought much joy to Wayne Pellenberg, founder and CEO of Neptune Video in Virginia Beach.
Pellenberg started his own company nearly a decade ago following years shooting footage across the globe for television news stations. Seeking a change, he launched the video production company Neptune Video, which specializes in business branding, on April Fools’ Day in 2014.
“I wanted to build something for myself while helping other people share their stories,” he says. “I found my love and direction with this job.”
Prior to starting Neptune Video, Pellenberg, a graduate of NYU’s film school, worked for more than two decades as a photojournalist covering stories for broadcast news organizations. His assignments included shooting video in the Middle East during the Iraq War as well as stints in Bosnia and Cuba.
“I’d been around the world, but it was becoming a grind,” he says. “I found that most of the stories I loved to tell were about the people who didn’t take the usual path, who didn’t do the 9-to-5 thing, and that’s me too.”
Pellenberg worked for news stations in Connecticut and in Washington, D.C. before relocating to Hampton Roads for a job at WTKR in 1995.
“I thought I’d only be staying for a year or two, but my wife and I grew to love it here, so we stayed,” he explains.
Pellenberg, who’s won three Emmy Awards for his work, spent a dozen years as a photographer at WTKR before deciding it was time to venture out on his own.
Neptune Video does custom branding videos, product videos, and recruitment videos for local businesses, mostly on the Southside, as well as the occasional wedding, anniversary or other milestone video.
Through the years, Pellenberg’s clients have included Judy Boone Realty Company, the restaurant Dirty Buffalo in Norfolk, Hampton Roads Chamber, StarChase and other businesses. Currently, he produces website content for Sentara Healthcare and is working on a project for a home remodeling company. His favorite aspect of the job is helping his clients with their branding and coaching them on how best to get their message across.
“Nobody needs a video, they need what the video does for them,” he shares. “I love meeting new people, especially these owners and entrepreneurs who make it work. I learn a lot from them.”
As the sole employee of Neptune Video, Pellenberg wears many hats. In addition to videographer, he works to promote not only other businesses, but also his own.
“I’ve learned a lot about how a business runs by being on my own, the whole process, all about contracts, sales, and marketing,” he says. “Every day is a little different, and that’s one of the things I like about this job. If you are on your own as a small business, prioritizing your day is important. I try to get the uncomfortable tasks out of the way first.”
Like so many other businesses, Neptune Video was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Projects are starting to pick back up, and Pellenberg is finding himself busy once again, which suits him just fine.
“Work has been steady,” he says. “I am almost back to where I was before the pandemic, which I am happy about. I just want to continue to do good work for good people.”
