Pranksters are everywhere. They’re lurking in corners with cameras and they seem to be breeding at an exponential rate on social media.
It takes a really good gimmick to separate the posers and wannabes, and Frankie LaPenna has come up with a standout schtick. He’s invaded the world of Zoom meetings and become known as “the green screen guy,” taking online meetings to locations like bars, NFL games or even skydiving.
The gimmick has given him a net worth of around $500,000, so let’s see how he came up with it and how he’s managed to capitalize on its potential.
Early Days
LaPenna was born in 1997 in Grand Rapids Michigan, and his interest for creating content surfaced early on. He earned a bachelor’s in cinematography and film/video production from Grand Valley State. Frankie cut his teeth editing vehicle shots and videos for Vehicle Virgins in Southern California.
Once he got his foot in the door, Lapenna figured out what he wanted from his first video gig. He began studying how YouTube and Tik Tok influencers operate. LaPenna started teaching classes while working at the LaPenna Group and serving as part-time Director of Photography at Launch Kit.
Becoming the Green Screen Guy
Everyone stuck in an endless, boring Zoom meeting has fantasized about doing it from some idyllic tropical island, but it was LaPenna who made the dream real, sort of.
His big break was a partnership with the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL. The Ravens caught his videos and loved the idea of daydreaming corporate drones doing virtual meetings from an NFL game, and they gave LaPenna the visibility he needed.
The NFL is a media juggernaut, of course, so it didn’t take long for LaPenna’s videos to start going viral on multiple outlets, including Bleacher Report, SportsCenter, NFLonFOX, and so on.
His theoretical final video for the Ravens was entitled “Frankie at a Tailgate,” and many of his videos are all timers when it comes to rank and the number of views they’ve attained.
The Next Step?
LaPenna definitely has a lucrative gig posting his videos. According to multiple reports, he earns $3,000 for each Tik Tok post, $4,000 for a YouTube video, and up to $3,000 for a brand-sponsored collaboration on Instagram.
The 25-year-old has a bright future as a videographer, but he’s stated that he hasn’t monetized the comedy content on social media, which features his hilarious “bubble butt Frankie” stunt, a speechless character with an enhanced back end.
Instead he relies on the brand collaborations, and LaPenna takes a businesslike approach to creating high-performing videos for his clients.
Private Life
When it comes to his love life, LaPenna has definitely met his match when it comes to compatible interests.
He’s currently dating fellow producer and director Kayla Lewicki. Kayla is a producer for Ozone Films, which won an award last year for Most Creative Business films and videos.
She’s also from Grand Rapids, and the couple still lives in Michigan. There’s been no word about whether they’ll be tying the knot any time soon, but it certainly does seem like a match made in video heaven.
