Few obstacles can stand between a kid and his dream, and at 14 years old, Presley Aronson wanted to show the world just how powerful a group of young dreamers could be. So before he could even drive, this Santa Clarita teen launched a production company, Presley Aronson Enterprise, in Encino. Now a 15-year-old CEO, Presley has directed several projects, hired a team of talented teens and built a company with purpose.
“My vision is to empower and encourage all talent to pursue their dreams with purpose,” Presley said.
Presley first broke into the entertainment industry through acting but quickly became interested in behind-the-scenes work, as well.
“I love acting,” he said, “because you can have any profession you want; I could become someone else and have fun while doing it. But I just knew I wanted to work on the other side of the camera as well.”
So at age 13, Presley threw convention out the window and blazed his own path to success. He picked up a camera and started learning how to produce his own movies.
“I had real firsthand experience from being on set,” he said. “I was always watching the crew to see how they operate.”
Presley quickly devoured every YouTube tutorial he could find, learning through trial and error. And when he couldn’t figure out a piece of equipment, he’d spend hours on the phone with the manufacturer, learning how to best use the equipment. In February 2015, Presley launched PAE with a staff of mostly teenagers and a good network of connections in the industry.
“I built relationships with the people I needed to, in order to be successful,” he said. “Some of the staff are actors; some have parents in the industry. Others have worked on sets before.”
Today, 95 percent of PAE staff is under 18 years old. They’ve completed roughly six months of training, and many are homeschooled to allow for flexible filming schedules. Many times, PAE films on weekends to accommodate the schedules of a student staff.
“PAE handles everything. We do pre-production in the office, on location or in sound stages, and we go all the way through post-production,” he said. “We produce whole projects in-house, no matter if you hand us a screenplay or just an idea. We also do casting.”
PAE produces feature films, TV shows, commercials, PSAs, music videos and short films. To date, the company has nine active projects, all in various stages from pre- to post-production. But with a 15-year-old at the helm and a staff of teens, PAE is bound to get a reaction from clients.
“Half the time, people just don’t believe that I’m 15 and running the show,” Presley said. “We have over 100 people on set sometimes, and actors generally think I’m just a really short 25-year-old.”
But Presley is able to manage expectations by producing content with a cause, demonstrating vision and purpose behind his business – not just youth.
“Presley Aronson Enterprise is committed not just to creating productions for people but to making America a better place to live by spreading awareness.”
Characterized by his generation, Presley wanted his dream to bring good to this world, so PAE focuses on producing projects with a positive message. An early project, The Undercover Squad is a TV show that confronts the devastating effects of bullying in schools.
“I was bullied physically and mentally throughout elementary and middle school, so it kind of hit home for me,” Presley said. “Truthfully, it’s very sad. Many of these bullies don’t even mean it; they may have something going on at home. So many people out there have been through it, and we wanted to help stop that cycle.”
In addition to The Undercover Squad, PAE has produced a handful of PSAs about the importance of giving back and the true meaning of Christmas, and the company is currently juggling multiple feature films, written in-house. So what could 15-year-old Presley possibly dream up next?
“One of my largest goals is to build PAE into a parent company with smaller firms underneath it,” Presley said. “I want to produce and direct feature films, TV shows and music videos – and eventually start my own studio or network.”
For more information about Presley Aronson Enterprise, visit www.presleyaronsonenterprise.com.
