LEADERSHIP FOR CREATIVE TEAMS

Over the course of my career, I've built and led talented teams of storytellers, designers, photographers, and filmmakers. We work together to deliver impactful solutions that inspire audiences. I strive to unlock the maximum potential of creative teams with the right balance of inspiring challenges and essential stability.

Head of Creative for Boston Medical Center

Head of Media Networks for Cedar Fair Entertainment

An interview with Executive Creative Director Brandon Faris for his podcast A Quick Read. I discuss key projects and leadership experiences from my career, tying them into my favorite framework for creative leadership: Todd Henry's book Herding Tigers.

STORYTELLING FOR BRANDS

My attraction to storytelling can be traced from an early interest in mythology to film school’s rigorous emphasis on screenwriting and dramatic theory. Applying these concepts in the professional world to give audiences a memorable experience and an inspiring call-to-action is something I find deeply satisfying.

**Together For Hope: Boston Addiction Conference**

**EQTY 2023: A Summit For Health Justice**

**Clean Power Prescription Documentary**

**Cash Coaster Branded Gameshow**
*Concept, Direction, Copywriting, Editing*

**Meet The Chefs Campaign**
*Creative Direction, Copywriting, Cinematography*

**Airtime Infotainment**
*Creative Direction, Copywriting*

IMAGERY THAT INSPIRES

From my childhood dream of drawing comic books, to formal training in photography and filmmaking, I’ve always been drawn to the power of images. I’m excited by what’s possible through mastery of the tools and technology as well as the serendipity of being in the right place at the right time with a humble smartphone. Creating briefs and environments for other creatives to make magic is as satisfying as playing a hands-on role.

For All: Video Direction | For Most: Producing, Cinematography, Editing

STRATEGY & OPERATIONS

These case studies illustrate how I’ve helped organizations overcome diverse obstacles through strategic approaches. From media asset management to real-time audience feedback, each case demonstrates my focus on data-driven decision-making, continuous improvement, proactive feedback mechanisms, and improved resource management.

Workflow Development

The problem was scattered footage across many places, causing issues in finding and using it efficiently. This disorganization led to wasted time and money on unnecessary projects. There were also no proper processes to make sure the footage followed brand rules and was released correctly. To fix this, a team worked together to get a new system called Media Asset Management (MAM). They installed it and made sure it worked well. I was part of this team and helped create a plan for organizing information and making things automatic. I also did extra work as a system admin and helped hire a specialist for the new system. After this, people in North America could easily access over 100 TB of footage. This made production faster, projects cheaper, and the quality better. They also set up a backup system to protect the important footage and linked information about talent and brand rules to the right footage. This whole process showed that organized systems and technology can make managing media assets much better.

Process Improvement

MRI Online faced a challenge as user subscriptions dropped due to a lack of engaging content. The CEO set a mission to 10X content production within a year. Investigating, I found a bottleneck: one stretched editor handling multiple roles. Constant disruptions prevented catching up on the backlog. Proposing a plan, I interviewed the editor, cleared the backlog, and created training materials for new editors. With my deep editing experience, I accelerated video releases, ending the content drought. The produced documents and tutorials helped onboard junior editors, reducing the turnaround time from weeks to days. The result was a cleared backlog, faster content creation, and a drop in customer churn. The success demonstrated the importance of understanding and addressing production bottlenecks.

Survey Design and Implementation

The challenge faced was the inadequate understanding of the audience due to limited feedback received once a year through traditional surveys. To tackle this, a new survey method was implemented using call-to-action graphics and a shortcode, with responses collected in real-time through SurveyMonkey. Junior staff were trained to monitor daily survey results, swiftly addressing issues and accommodating guest requests.

This proactive approach significantly improved operations, as content and hardware issues were resolved promptly, instilling confidence in viewers. Hundreds of daily responses, including positive feedback, allowed the team to stay on the right track. The results were evident in better operations, refreshing music content weekly instead of biannually, and a more attuned content selection process. By incorporating suggestions from young viewers, the platform stayed ahead of mainstream music trends. The success was a testament to reacting promptly to feedback, fostering better content and overall operational efficiency.

Production Management

After securing a partnership with Apple, Ten Percent Happier faced the challenge of creating custom content for Apple's Employee Wellness Team and cross-promoting with the popular show Ted Lasso, all within a tight six-figure budget. The biggest hurdle was delivering 45 days of meditation content, a project more ambitious than any before, with a constrained timeline and budget. To overcome this, I introduced improved processes for budgeting and project management, ensuring clear communication among cross-functional teams in content, marketing, design, and operations. I also handled resource acquisition, including freelance crew, equipment, and locations. The result was a project delivered on time, under budget, and with impressive content quality. New efficiencies were discovered, and enhanced budgeting practices provided executives with better project profitability visibility. The success showcased the effectiveness of improved processes and resource management in handling major partnerships.