By Amanda Yarger
Many college students dream of pursuing a career once they graduate, but Dorian Elgrichi, a senior Film and Media studies major, is currently running two companies while he is still in school — a photo booth company and a car detailing company. Not only that, but he has also partnered with the electric skateboard company Riptide, creating a video for the firm to promote the use of its skateboards on college campuses. Elgrichi now plans to work in business or marketing because of the entrepreneurial opportunities he has developed during his time as a film student.
Originally from Beverly Hills, Elgrichi transferred to UC Santa Barbara from Santa Monica College in 2017. He has been working in film production since participating in a film program during high school in Beverly Hills.
In a recent interview, Elgrichi spoke about how he has combined his love of film and his desire to succeed in business.
Q. Why did you decide to major in film?
A. Before high school started, I was always just in love with technology from a very young age. I was literally using a computer before I could complete sentences. I was also involved in a film program in my high school for all four years and I was right interested in it, so once I graduated I decided that pursuing it would be the best for me.
Q. Tell me about the skateboard company, Riptide. Did they contact you first, and what did they ask you?
A. Riptide is an electric skateboard company that I took interest in last year, not too long ago, around March of 2018. It's a startup company and I received one of their first skateboards. I actually have number 145. I was on-board really early. Just like with any startup, they are really open to finding ways to create media and content.
I reached out to them and basically said, “I go to UCSB and live in Isla Vista and you know it's a great city for an electric skateboard because it's not very big. You know the range of the skateboard can really bring you anywhere in the city multiple times in one charge and I think it's a great advertisement.”
They were interested in what I said and we teamed up and met up to shoot a video about the skateboard in Isla Vista.
[The video is now posted on Riptide’s Instagram page as well as on its website and YouTube channel, seen below.]
Q. Now that you have done the shoot, do you think there is any potential for working with them in the future or do you think it was just a one-time opportunity?
A. It was more to get a feel for how they felt about me working with them, so in a way it was a job interview.
Q. And how do you think it went?
A. I think it went great! They seemed really interested. They saw that I am a more experienced rider and that I have a way to bring out the message in a positive way to people. I really think that I can bring a lot to the company, and I'm excited because I think it's a great product and I love advertising products I believe in. This is definitely one of them.
Q. As a film major, do you think you will go into the production side, or do your businesses make you want to go in a different direction?
A. After high school ended, I started the film major here. It's a great program. But I've kind of gained an interest for business-related, entrepreneurial things. I like doing things that aren't just the norm. I don’t want to have a nine-to-five job. But it's cool with a company like Riptide. I might be on the marketing side of things, but maybe one day if they said we need a hand with the camera or this or that, I would still love to do that. So that's where the hobby part of it really kicks in. It’s like a win-win situation.
Amanda Yarger is a third-year at UC Santa Barbara, majoring in Communication.