Alright. That's great. Right there. Action. AI is great. It's gonna be around a lot more, and we kinda have to get used to it. There are some severe limitations to it, though. What I think is missing is definitely the heart of people and the humanity and tenderness. The most important aspect of video for me is context, the intent. As an audience, we'll always be searching for that human connection. Hi. I'm Roxy. Cristian Lejeune. Chris Ferreira. Julie, I'm a director. Cinematographer and director. Director, GP. Photographer and filmmaker based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The theme of my collection is community and the ways that community shows up for us. Us. I wanted to really show those small moments that are often not seen. The people who I cast, I cast them because they are already doing this stuff. And then I created a shot list and a story around what they do. I am very good friends with my friend, Nani. So the way that I'm capturing her is a little bit more intimate than it would be if she was just a random model. The type of work that I like to do is very much fly on the wall. I like to build out a scene that feels like the world is unfolding in front of you in a really authentic way. When we started out, we tried to find footage like we provided, and we couldn't. And that's what you're gonna find here is that one little person you're looking for, a real person to help tell your story, that's what we've captured. Real moments, real love between me, myself, filming my father. There's real connection there, and it shows. You can find my collection on Storyblocks. Hi, everyone. Welcome. Thanks for joining us today. I'm Caitlin Rossi. I am the creative director at Storyblocks. We are a stock media subscription service that helps creators and businesses make better video content faster than ever by offering unlimited access to a library of footage, audio, templates, and more. Today, we're joined by three incredibly talented filmmakers and Storyblocks newest contributing artists. Johnny Nguyen is a director based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His work is rooted in narrative driven storytelling spanning feature films, commercials, and branded content. Dana DePirie is a director based in New York City with a degree in theater and a minor in film and television from Boston University. She's worked internationally across film, commercials, and more. And finally, Christian Nolan Jones is an award winning filmmaker born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. He sharpened his skills at Howard University in New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. We are so so excited to have the three of you here today, and to talk a little bit about your work, as part of our recent initiative. So welcome, thank you all for joining us. Alright. So yeah, to give you all a little bit of context before we get started, what you just watched was our teaser from our recent, restock campaign initiative. And with that, we commissioned Johnny, Dana, and Christian, along with seven other artists to produce footage collections for Storyblocks, as part of our restock campaign. This campaign furthers our mission of investing in representative content. The footage of Restock celebrates diversity in human experience, capturing stories and emotions that AI simply can't reproduce. We thought this was an important moment in time to kind of reintroduce this campaign, you know, to our customers and our audience, because of the way that generative AI has been picking up in the last few years. And, you know, everyone kind of examining what it means to be a creative in this age today. So today, our three artists are going to give you a peek behind the curtain into their creative processes, and how they tell authentic stories through their unique styles of filmmaking. Before we get in to the conversation, just wanted to give a quick PSA. You can submit any questions that you have through the q and a tab at the right at any time. We're gonna answer questions after the presentation, but, you know, keep them coming throughout, and we'll make sure to kind of queue them up. Up. And, also, today, a recording of today's webinar is going to be shared out afterwards, so you can pass it along to your colleagues or peers, after the event. Alright. And with that, let's go ahead and get started. So our first topic that I wanna get into today is how to bring vision to life. So each of you all started your collections off with an idea and a concept. So I wanna go into a little bit about, like, where that concept originated from and then how you kind of visually represented that, you know, through various materials that you pitched. So, Christian, we'll start with you. Can you tell us a little bit about the concept behind your collection, with Storyblocks and what you tapped into inspiration wise to visually represent your ideas? Yeah. So, my collection is based around sort of my hometown community, the east side of Atlanta, and specifically, Decatur, Stone Mountain area. And I think that it it kinda started just from me being back home and starting to see, you know, places that I frequented growing up, you know, disappearing and kinda becoming a little bit more commercial. So it's kind of a nod to some of the more mom and pop businesses, and also just kinda how they foster community, in a unlikely way. You know? So, we have we have clips to, like, a nail salon, a barbershop, a son and father, detailing business, car wash business. And, you know, all of those people are kind of people that I already, you know, interact on a day to day basis or I've known them, you know, since I was a child. So for instance, Olivia, who's the lead at the nail salon. I I went to elementary school with her or, you know, the barber Alex that we see, featured in the clips. He's somebody I went to high school with. But, you know, it's also interesting to sort of see where we start, you know, in life and and to to see, like, all the different paths of, you know, where life takes us and and how we kinda still interact much of, you know, the same ways that, you know, that we did when we started. Just different sorta points of interaction, if that makes sense. Yeah. Absolutely. So we know when you put this concept together in the form of, like, a pitch deck, where were you pulling your inspiration from visually? Like, what kind of places did you reference to be able to communicate this idea, to our team? So some stuff, you know, I was just looking for very specific shots from, you know, films. So there's a website shot deck that I love to use. But then, also, some of it came from, like, my own personal work, and trying to, like, replicate some of that through things that I may have shot, but I I might not have, like, quite captured exactly what I was looking for. And I guess I was also trying to just think of if I was trying to use stock footage, what images, you know, am am I not seeing right now? So it it was a mixture of places. And then I knew that some specific locations, I wanted to kinda put front and center because I feel like they're either spaces culturally that, you know, people can connect to or there's just spaces, you know, geographically or regionally in terms of Atlanta that, people would wanna maybe know more about or could connect to in that way as well. Yeah. Love that. And, Dana, can you tell us a little bit about your, collection concept and how your vision, like, kind of evolved, through the planning process, from where you started and what ended up becoming your final shot list? Yeah. So my collection was called Culture Against Community Needs Culture. In the beginning, I well, Miami is known as a party city, quote, unquote, or somewhere you go to, like, have a little fun. And how I've known it is a very different space, and the generosity of the people there is crazy. Like, people will just help you out in a way that, I'm from the northeast, but I've worked in Miami a ton, and all my friends are locals there. So they've really welcomed me into the community over the years. And over the projects I've done there, the generosity is crazy. The community is beautiful. The spaces that are just meant for locals are so kind and lively and joyful. And the culture is there. It's it's super culturally rich. So I was like, alright. If I'm gonna do a Miami, featured collection, I might as well make it, the parts that people don't see and the culturally rich sides of it that, I feel like I didn't even know how deep it went. And I didn't even get to expose fully in this collection, but if I could do, you know, a taste of it, that would be great. So in the beginning, I wanted to go to, like, the more secret places in Miami. And then I kind of realized through starting the shot list and also just, like, permitting what made the most sense for my talent, which were all locals. The only requirement to be in this collection was that you were Miami born and raised. And Miami Beach is the place where all tourists go. So if I could find spots in Miami Beach that were more intimate and local and private, all those things. So that's what we chose. So twenty seventh Street Beach, that's somewhere right above all the hotels. I'm really outing them now. That locals tend to go just so there's no tourists and it's more fun. Southpointe Park is another one. The sunset there is crazy. Flamingo Park, has been a pillar for me every time I go there to get some R and R and some real life people and all of that. And then the shot list, I, at first, was gonna you know, most shoots, I've I'm pretty diligent with the shot list. I'll probably go through super intensely. But for this one, yeah, as you can see, there's only four, or sorry, five shots per per location. So I wanted to leave a lot of space for humanity and just, like, hanging out and seeing what came naturally in those spaces, especially since I have to acknowledge that I am an outsider in this space since I didn't grow up there. But I've been welcomed in so lovingly that I can only know so much. I should give them the chance to show me what that space feels like for them. So just like basic stuff was my shot list and then letting them inform me and us collaborate and make it a day together. Yeah. It was really fun. And a lot of my friends helped me with it, which is also just, like, so joyful. They gave me so much advice. My one friend, Fernie, I told him where I was going. He was like, girl, no. Do not go there. Like, that is not the vibe to represent this place properly. So I made sure I did my homework and checked in with everybody and all of that. So yeah. I love that. Yeah. And I really love how, like, you know, sometimes when you start with a project idea and then what ends up being the final is, like, so influenced by the things that you learn and gather along the way. Yeah. Yeah. And Johnny, your collection concept is quite different than most of the collections that have been created for restock or just are made for stock media in general, because it follows, you know, kind of one hero character throughout a single day as a continuous story. So I'd love to hear a little bit about that and, you know, how the, location, the talent, the styling, all kind of influence that story as you built it. Like you said earlier, Caitlin, I come from a narrative background. So when I got this project on my lap, I, yeah, immediately thought, how do I make, like, a little movie out of this? Or how do I make this make sense in my head? Because something that I've come to realize as a filmmaker is that I really struggle to work on projects that don't have, like, a strong narrative thread to pull on, something to, like, guide us and something that we can point to as our North Star for things that guide our decisions in terms of, like, the shot list, location, and styling. So, really, I started with the concept and everything unfolded from there, and that's generally where I start. I rarely jump into, like, what do I want the people to look like, or what do I want the shots to look like? I really hone in on what it is I'm trying to tell and then explain that intention to the folks that I'm bringing on as crew, and trust because we have such long deep collaborations with the people we are working with that, like, they get what I'm trying to tell. And a lot of the people that I worked on with this project have worked on other projects with me throughout the year, so they generally understand, like, my voice and vision when it comes to the type of stories I wanna tell. So, it all started with the story, which was, you know, wanting to represent Minnesota in a capsule and in the moment. You know, we were in the winter. I was thinking, like, okay. Like, winter, Minnesota, we're inside mainly. But when it does warm up, even just a teeny bit, we do escape immediately to the outdoors. So wanting to, like, zone in on that theme. I kind of started thinking about movies that took place, like, with a random day off, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off definitely came up. And I, I kind of use a lot of, like, movies as references. So starting there and letting things unfold with, like, a little bit of a Minnesota taste is kind of how I got to my story. I love that. Alright. I'd love to move on to, you know, kind of getting into the nitty gritty of, like, how, you created your shots for this collection, and really, like, how to maintain authenticity, you know, while you're creating a piece of a piece of art or a piece of film. So, yeah, I think, like, with human centered stories, the way that you cast and direct your talent becomes incredibly important to maintaining that authenticity. So I'd love to talk a little bit about that. So, Dana, starting with you, how have you approached both casting and direction to make sure that authenticity comes through in your projects, not just through this collection, but other, you know, films and stories that you've told as well. Yeah. I may be too close on the notes with this because I tend to cast directly to to what's going on. Like I said before, everybody that was in this, collection had to be Miami born and raised. There was no choice. And casting wise, I asked a bunch of my friends, and they kind of put out these pools in these community basically, in group chats. Like, there's this one queer basketball group chat. That's where one of the members are from. That's a Miami based, what's it called, club or, you know, all that and things like that. So that's where all that comes from. And I did a film in Miami, a short, a long time ago where we were casting people off the street similarly. So, there was a guy on my flight actually during that, process who ended up being in the film, and it just had to be a connection and an energy. And I talked to all these people on the phone before we moved forward and just made sure that they were cool with the idea of playing with me and making the day sort of like a day together and having ideas and being cool with me just, like, sort of being in their space, and, you know, moving and feeling comfortable just be themselves. So that was that, I would say. And then direction wise, I don't know. Authenticity is just one of those things I think you need to pay attention and observe and not push too much onto something, let people and things be. And, you know, the world is often stranger than fiction anyway, so you might as well just pay attention and offer some moments of breath and, like, remind people how to just be normal in front of these, like, machine things. But I don't know if there is a good answer for that besides, like, just trying to surrender to it. Like, just be open for what you're getting and then see what happens. Hopefully, it works out. You know? Yeah. I think that's a big part of it is, like, dropping your upstate expectations a little bit, and just kind of seeing what comes through. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And, Christian, you mentioned, you know, with this project specifically, you wanted to keep the stories close to home. You know, so wanted to hear a little bit more about that and, you know, why you think that works in sort of bringing authenticity to, you know, different films that you produced. I I just have a strong connection, you know, to my community. I think that the east side of Atlanta is just a very special place, and, you know, I try in every opportunity to kinda, bring it to the forefront, you know, especially, like, as I think Southeastern culture, you know, in America, gets more popular. You know, Southern culture gets more popular. Just making sure that, you know, we're kinda shedding light and shining light on sort of the people, you know, who are actually, you know, living in it. And so, you know, I kinda took a took that same approach when it came to casting. I had a connection to every location, maybe except for the laundromat. And even still, you know, it was about five minutes from my mom's house. So, you know, where I grew up. So I was able to still sort of speak the language, you know, with the owners and get them to sorta see what it was that I was, trying to accomplish. But I think that, you know, for me, when it comes to just telling stories in general, I have to have some sort of, like, personal connection or personal buy in. Even if it's something where it's, you know, only emotional, I I I might have to, like, feel that I, can empathize, you know, whatever is whatever is happening. So, I think oftentimes, a lot of my work with that, my personal stories start, you know, at home, and and, like, within my own experiences. So yeah. I love that. And, Johnny, you know, what would you say is unique unique about your style of filmmaking that, you know, kind of helps feed that authentic feel, in your projects? Oh, man. I think, I think my producer is on this call right is watching right now, so I'll say this for him. But, he'll know that I always start with my dream, like, my pipe dream first, which I think generally come from a really playful place in a place that doesn't really consider a lot of, like, commercial viability or selling viability. But let's start with, like, play. Let's start with play. But and then we'll ask the hard questions as the logistics come up. But I think, generally, when I go out and film things, you know, like, the joy is that we get to be here and we get to do it. So I want that to be felt in my work. And I think sometimes when I'm on a commercial set, it can feel very rigid and feel very confined and very, strangle held in terms of, like, what we can and can't do. So I think what makes my work unique, in terms of, like, you know, the fit and finish and my approach and how that all feeds together is that I start from a place of play. And because I think sometimes as filmmakers that are trying to work as artists, we can forget that the joy is just getting to make stuff. So, I try to feed that in into my work even as I grow as an individual and as a creative that continues to find people that wanna pay for my work. So, starting from a place of play. That's that that's my answer to bookend that thought. I love that. And Dana and Christian, interested to hear from you as well. You know, how have you sort of found a way to balance sort of commercial viability, and, like, your artistic vision in various projects? You can go first. I think for me, you know, I just try to get as specific as possible, and I feel like there is sort of a broadness to specificity. Like, there's there's always something that people can, sort of latch onto. And I think that, you know, it's always cool to see even when you're being specific to your own story or, you know, the story of something that is familiar to you or, you know, to your community. How many sort of other perspectives come out of that? And it it it reminds you that as humans, you know, we're all kinda figuring it out. We're doing things, you know, as humans for the first time a lot of the time. Right? And we think that our own experiences are unique to us, but, you know, we have a lot more similarities, you know, than than we think. So, yeah, I I think specificity has has kinda served me well. Yeah. I would say this is actually, for me, a bit of, it's been a journey for me throughout my career, in all of this, that commercial stuff, finding the narrative helps a lot for me because narrative is where my heart has always been. So if I'm working on a shoot with a brand or whatever, making sure that I'm still, like, emphasizing their voice, their brand voice, what their purpose is while finding the story that excites me, and can, like, collaborate with that brand. Like, my idea and the brand collaborates in one. And that's where I find, like, the fun and the juice of it all. But then when it's more narrative film work, that's where I feel like I really have the freedom to be a little more, like Johnny was saying, playful, but also just a little more experimental and see what boundaries I can push in a way and have more fun because there's nobody's nobody's riding on it besides me and the team that bought into the idea. So, there's a little more responsibility with Marshall, I would say. Balancing them is nice because you get a bit of, like, collaborating with something that there is that weight and then doing your own thing. They feed each other. All mediums do. So, yeah, I would say that. Yeah. And I guess, you know, to kind of bring it back to the authenticity piece, you know, why why does this matter really? Like, you know, we talk about, like, the importance of bringing authenticity into your work. You know, particularly not just for your own projects that feel personal and and, you know, special to yourself, but to commercial projects as well. What is that impact that, you know, a video or a film can have, you know, when that authenticity is really shining through. And I guess I'll start with you, Johnny. I'm so sorry. I got distracted. Can you repeat that question for me one more time? I guess, like, you know, bringing it back to the idea of authenticity and, you know, in film and video, why does it all matter? Like, what is the the impact and the upside of making sure that shines through in your work? Because I think as, like, a director specifically, someone that's, like, generally not getting hired for their gear or the way they can hold a camera, like, your mind is all you have. And oftentimes and, you know, especially when I go do my taxes, you know, my tax guy's like, you got anything to write off? I'm like, brother, I'm just getting hired for my mind. So not a lot to write off there. But authenticity is kinda all we have as a filmmaker and especially as a director, is your story is, like, what have you seen? What do you want to say? So, I I even, like, with commercial viability aside, you know, like, as a filmmaker and a director, that's kinda all you have at the end of the day is just your voice and the stories that you have lived. So I think, yeah, especially in the age of you know, I know a lot of, this conversation centers around AI is that becomes more popular and people are looking for that to be able to reproduce and replicate. Authenticity is what is going to make you different and stand out and not give you an edge per se, but to give people a reason to want to work with you because you hold stories that are original or stories that are unique to your perspective. So, that's why I think authenticity is important, especially as a director, because it's all you have. It's it's, like, the biggest tool in your toolkit is your your story that you have experienced. Yeah. Christian, let me think. I I think as a storyteller, you know, it it's also important that we continue to tell stories because, you know, we're preserving history in a way. You know? Even if it is fiction or nonfiction, you know, our our perception of the world around us, you know, is gonna is gonna hopefully live past us, you know? So it's important for us to, you know, continue trying to explain or convey what the world is looking like through our eyes. You know? I think that's why we tell stories or that, you know, each of us, you know, on the panel has that yearning. So, yeah, you know, the preservation, I think of history. And I one of, my favorite quotes from a great director, Martin Scorsese, is that a good narrative film should feel, you know, the same as a documentary. Yep. Dana. Okay. Cool. I would say that art imitates life. So if what we're doing matters, like, if what we're doing here matters and why we're doing it, my focus for this was using just, yeah, diversity, what my communities look like on the street here in New York and in Miami, making sure that representation is a part of it. And, I don't know, the joy is part of it at some point because what we're doing is really just, like, things don't get made unless you push to make them. There's no reason to direct a film or to make a film, only your own passion for it. So in some way, the reason why it has to be to say something and have a deeper perspective on what's going on, whether in an imaginary world or this one, and letting it relate to the audience in a way that they can take something away from it. I mean, that feels a little bit more broad than what these collections might be doing. Maybe not, though. Maybe it did reach out in that way. But, yeah, as long as it's communicating something about how you're living, how you see other people living, and how you might wanna change that or, embracing some part of it or whatever that objective is, for me, it was embracing joy, showing how we're different, but also that we all have have those joyful moments that are the same. So yeah. Awesome. Thank you. Before we jump into our last topic, which is gonna cover, you know, sort of, like, okay, how does how does authenticity in, you know, in film video matter today and kind of the age age of generative AI. I wanna really quickly just kind of go through, you know, some of your favorite shots from your collections. So, yeah, I think, like, to start, Johnny, you know, what's a shot from your collection that gives you goosebumps, and why do you love it? The shot that gives me goosebumps is definitely the finale. Perfect. Thank you, Caitlin, for pulling that up or or Kyle. But it's definitely the shot right here. I, like, love Zooms as a tool in my filmmaking arsenal. I like how it tells the world in three stages, what's happening, like, here, what's happening, like, right around you, and then what's happening, like, within arm's length or a little bit further than that. And location wise, everything, like, lined up for, like, this, like, beautiful symmetry. If you pull out all the way, we end up on this, like, beautiful a frame cabin. So, in terms of, like, coordination and how everything all came together, it was, like, probably one of my more difficult shots that I've pulled off. And, you know, it was, like, nine PM. Everybody is really tired. We, like, drove really far to get to this location. And, you know, we had, like, three people at, like, three different light switches, like, ready to, like, turn it all off, like, on a queue. And me and the DP were outside trying to get, like, the pacing of the Zoom right, and, it was yeah. It was like I think it's my favorite because of how everything just perfectly for a moment landed in the right spot. So that's my favorite shot of the whole series that I did. Johnny. Yeah. It's gorgeous. And then, Christian, I think you're up next. My favorite shot or I mean, I don't know if he gave me goosebumps, but it was cool to see the shot of my friend Cam's dad. You know, he's cleaning off the windshield, and it was something I envisioned. And Cam is actually off camera, with this mop. But, we shot, you know, most of everything, handheld. And I think, like, in this moment, I feel fully immersed sort of in the scene, in his process. And what was really cool about just, like, watching him work was he totally ignored, you know, the cameras. You know? For him, this is, you know, him and his craft. He's he's completely, you know, focused on washing the car. So it was kinda cool capturing this to sort of be in the moment with him. You know? I'm inside the car, you know, witnessing, you know, how dedicated he is to this craft. Yeah. I love that. And, Dana, what about yours? I think my favorite shot is probably in Flamingo Park, with Pam, one of our our talent. She was down to start dancing in the middle of this public place, and, the sun was just, like, perfectly juicing it all up. Like, it just felt like the sky, her it was hitting her, the the trees. It felt like the perfect moment, and we were just running with the camera, following as she went. And I just love when you have a moment where everyone's just kind of, like, perfectly collaborating. It's like, if you try this, we'll try this. We're gonna make sure it kind of communicates and matches up well. And it just ended up being a really fun moment. Our entire crew was just like, I don't know. The music was playing. We were all, like, looking around smiling. It was very positive in how I like to collaborate. And improving with the camera, it was cool because our DP did a great job, Noel. He really was able to listen to me and hear me and then add his own ideas in and flow with the talent as well at the same time. So it was a a nice moment of everybody just kind of, like, you know, peak collaboration. Yep. Very harmonious. Yeah. Harmonious. That's a great word. Awesome. All right. So, yeah, I think we're gonna move on to our final topic, for the day, and that is really like how, you know, you can create standout work in the age of generative AI. And I wanted to read off a quote that, you know, one of our, kind of friends of Storyblocks said recently and in a report that we did and sort of have us all reflect on that. You know, so he said, AI is going to learn one version of what success looks like in video, and we're going to see an ocean of content that looks almost identical. But the way that people stand out will be through interesting original ideas that push against those conventions. Even if AI has ideas to life, creativity and think differently will become more important than ever. So off of this, you know, I wanted to ask since AI technology and creative work, particularly film and video is only going to grow, what are the aspects of creative craft, you know, that you think will start to stand out and become a premium? So, Christian, would love to start with you. Oh, I I think, to be honest, writing is probably gonna be at a premium, especially if things become more cookie cutter. And as a person, I don't I don't like to call myself a writer. But as a person who does write, and, you know, I have writer friends who pour so much into their storytelling. I think that sort of us having our own experiences is what, you know, makes us unique, like, person to person. That's something that that can't be replicated. That's something that can't be taken away from from any of us. You know? So I think that the more that people try to lean into their own voice, you know, the the more that they will stand out. And I think, you know, it's it's what we see now. I think that AI hopefully will become a a tool that is something that can make the process maybe a little bit easier in terms of structuring, right, and all that. But I don't think that you can, you know, take away from from a a real person's story or experience. So, yeah, all all of the aspects of sort of, like, the human experience, I think, will start to find more. Johnny, anything, you know, that you think will become kind of a premium in the age of generated IA content AI generated content? Yes. Perspective. Because when I was in before I worked in freelance, I worked in advertising agency, and and I was really starting to prop up. And, you know, I think, like, yeah, you can make the thing, but, like, for what and for why and for who? So, yeah, you can, like, make an animation a lot easier, but, like, for who, for what, for why? Like, who's gonna connect to this? What's the intention? So I think AI opens up a lot of possibilities or what you can pull off, but, like, I still feel like at the end of the day, you're serving an audience, and where AI doesn't meet that gap is intention and connection. So I think that's probably what will become a premium is, you know, not to make this sound like a philosophy class, but a human centered perspective that actually can touch people and someone that actually is living and breathing and feels the same crushing weight of the world as everyone else and can make stuff around that. So I think that will become the premium because AI, without some someone tethering it, feels like a privilege and a privilege that I'm sure a lot of us cannot relate to. So, yeah, I think perspective is going to be what is premium and what people will pay for. Love that. Dana, what do you think? I echo both of those and probably just, like, heart. Just like the heart of people. That's something that just can't be replicated. So I would say that. Just seeing stories that touch you in ways that you that only people can understand because we've lived it, and there's certain singular experiences, that people can relate to, but each wouldn't be able to know unless you were in that room alone, that that feeling or that moment. And, like, the nuanced part of people too, the subtleties that make people people. And we're also yeah. Yeah. And I think, like, we did an interesting kind of, comparison, you know, looking at some of the footage from these collections that you all created, and then kind of putting them against, like, AI clips with, like, very, like, similar prompts basically describing what you created. And I think, like, the thing that was missing when, like, looking at each of those, like, AI shots was, like, they just felt so cold and empty and, like, the perfection of them or, like, even, like, when they were trying to create things, like, wrinkles on someone's face, it was, like, all, like, a little too, like, perfect in that interpretation. So I think, like, you know, the perspective, like, you mentioned, Johnny, the heart, all of that was, like, not there. And it's hard to put your finger on maybe when you see it, but you definitely feel it. You know, so I think that's just something that, is gonna be really hard to replicate even as technology advances. Great. Well, I think, like, that is it for my questions. And before we move on to, you know, any questions from the audience, I just wanted to ask, each of you, you know, sort of, like, why were you excited to participate in this project? If you just wanna give, like, a couple lines, you know, about what sort of sold you on working with us. Johnny, let's start with you. Because it was a chance for me to direct, and, I mean, I don't get that call a lot. I mean, I I, you know, I I get it enough, but I think any chance I can go direct a weird idea, I'm gonna take it. I rarely say no to those opportunities. I mean, unless it really doesn't fit, but, as a director, yeah, whenever I get a chance to tell a story, I will take it generally. And I've also heard of Storyblocks through the ether through other creators for a really long time, and I've seen partnerships with people that I really enjoy the stuff that they make. So, I was aware of what Storyblocks is doing, but then when the opportunity came up to direct something for you guys, it felt like a good it felt like a good fit. A chance for me to tell a story and for and for a company that was, like, trying to do better in terms of, like, the stock market. Not the stock market that I mean, but, you know, the stock video market is what I mean. Market. Yeah. Great. Dana, what do you think? I was excited because I think stock footage is something that struck me as, like, incredibly off putting in the past. No. And and that's just because of how perfect it was. And it almost felt, like, comical to me, just like, I don't know, the slow motion, like, laughing on the beach thing. I don't know. All that. So, when I got this opportunity, I was like, okay. Cool. We can actually add some authenticity into this and corporate people I know and represent community communities I love and make sure that that's in the world for people to be able to utilize and stock, that it's not just this one thing. If I can contribute to making it feel a little more accessible, relatable, joyful, why wouldn't I do that? That was why I got excited, and it was a great experience. I really enjoyed it. So Christian, what about you? I I think it's the same, you know, as both of them. Wanted to direct, wanted to put my community front and center, and just have an opportunity to go through the steps of the process of, you know, filmmaking, storytelling. Again, it never gets old. And, you know, the idea of creating something that another filmmaker could possibly use in a project or, you know, find useful for, you know, whatever it is that they're doing, I think it's really cool as a person who has used stock footage to put projects together in the past or proposals or or whatever. You know? And the idea that I can kinda shape my vision, I think, of what stock footage of my community should look like, it was really cool to me. So I appreciate the opportunity. Yeah. It was incredible to work with all of you, and, you know, we love, like, each of the unique, perspectives and looks that you brought to the project. So yeah. Thank you. Really quickly before we jump into q and a, Kyle, now we can pitch our, our next webinar, which is going to be with creator and entrepreneur Grace Wells. You know, has been pretty famous on TikTok if you're in that, video creator space. So we're gonna be talking to her on May fourteenth about how to, turn your creator business into a large growing company. And also a plug to visit story blocks dot com slash restock to check out all of the work, from our artists today as well as the other participants in Restock, to see what content they put together for us. And with that, I think we can go ahead and jump into our q and a. Our first question, as a media communications professional, under ever increasing pressure to be able to do everything on their own, especially using AI tools, How can we still make a case for working with a team, when creating a brief, or sorry, when creating or fulfilling a creative brief? So, yeah, I don't know if if any of you wanna kinda jump in there. If not, I'll direct that to one of you in particular. Thinking, pondering. Mhmm. Oh, Oh, gosh. It's a hard question. I I mean, because I tell you what, it's not cheap to shoot with the team for sure. Man, I think in I think the bind that people come up with, especially when using AI tools, is there's no you can't get to the level of specificity that people really want when they're doing, like, client work per se. If we're specifically talking about client work, like, I've been in many rooms where people like, can we tweak that, or can we change that? And, like, the person who's using whatever AI tool is like, oh, like, no. We can't because we're speaking to an input machine, and the input machine can only, interpret. And there is no dialogue really happening. So I think the the use the best argument for using people is that you actually get to hash it out, and you actually get to, like, reach that level of specificity that you're wanting from a client perspective. And you're not limited by just how well can you get your thoughts onto paper and translate that in a way that makes sense for whatever machine you're feeding it into. So I think that's the best for me, the argument that comes to mind for, you know, why should we work with people when we can use AI tools. And I think that's just so that you can actually have a dialogue and get there where you actually wanna go. Yeah. I would also say that I think there's something to be said for welcoming both and not having it be a limiter. Like, the idea of AI tools being inefficient, way to make the process faster and offering that, but at the same time, knowing that you need creatives and minds to bring together something better than just what you could generate from one person. You need a team in a collaborative space to, like, bring the best idea forward. And if you're trying to to focus that towards an audience or position a brand towards an audience, how can you relate to people without people? You know? So, like, just making that reminder that this is for these peep that's for something, for someone. It needs that human touch. It needs people, maybe. But utilizing AI for efficiency. Why not? Yeah. Christian, do you wanna add anything? I think they summed it up perfectly. I mean, you know, what what's what's better than the real thing? You know? I don't think that you can you can do better than having a person's real perspective adding on to whatever it is that you're trying to communicate, you know, or whatever audience. So I agree a thousand percent. But I do think that AI does a lot of fascinating things that can, you know, help us in the process for sure. Mhmm. Yeah. I think going back to the efficiency point, like, I think that's what's been a helpful way for us to kind of sell the value of, like, spending a little bit more time or money on something that feels like, you know, craft and and unique to us is, like, where else can you make up that, like, that time or that money? It's like, do I need to spend, like, a half a day building out a production schedule? Like, no. I can feed that into chat g t now. So, like, I can put my time towards, you know, writing a better script or you know, same thing goes with editing. There are all kinds of little tools in our editors now. You know, they're AI powered that help that process go faster, you know, so we can spend more time, more money on the things that, like, really matter, and that will, you know, make our content stand out. Alright. Jumping into the next question. So I I think I'm understanding this one correctly. But, do you all have any insight into creating, you know, my story around providing a service to the public? So it it sounds like, you know, this person, provides a service to the public. How to craft, like, a personal story sort of around that? You're creating my story. You can go ahead. No. You can go ahead. I I was just gonna say, figuring out what that intersection is and, what that need is and and why your specific service is unique and figuring out, you know, how you can highlight that either, you know, in the most simple and straightforward, way or the most creative. But I usually, for me, starting from, like, a simple place, you know, foundationally, makes it easier to add in, like, all the other elements, whether that be comedy or if we are, you know, getting more into the details of the environment. And in your case, it it would sound like a service. So, hopefully, that answers the question a little bit. Yeah. I was just gonna add. I agree. I I was just gonna add that I think remembering how you want people to feel, by the end of something is good. Like, if you're providing a service, if you want the service to make them to feel a certain way, bringing the parts of your story that feel aligned with that or bring you to that ending place might be a good tool to help, outwardly, bring people towards the service. So Yeah. I always say, like, the first step, I think, to creating any piece of content, whether it be marketing content or, you know, something that's a little bit more artistic is think about who your audience is. What gets them going? What motivates them? What challenges them? I think understanding those things is the first step to telling a story that's going to resonate with them. Okay. So I think next question here, describe your usual team setup. How many people do you bring on to your shoots? If you're working on a tighter budget, who are your essentials? Johnny, do you wanna start with that one? You know, I just wanna first say everybody's essential. Mhmm. And there is no like, every time you can't afford someone, I feel that pain immediately. Like, for example, I'm trying to, like, really bring our budgets up to a place where I can afford an AD because when there's talent and there's, like, four department heads asking for, like, an approval on something, like, need that buffer, need someone to help me make some calls. Right? But who's essential? I mean, like, obviously, obviously, I have an idea. Okay. So now I need someone to shoot that idea. So I immediately go to camera department. And camera department also, you know, recognizing and also, like, being a PA in the industry for so long, you know, like, it's such a big machine. And even those department heads need their assists, you know, and I need my assist. So I generally like to start from, like, who are all the department heads that I need? And for example, like, for this project, like, I knew I needed a camera guy. I knew I needed a stylist, and I knew I needed a locations person, and I knew I needed, like, production help. So for me, like, production help was getting a PA. Our locations manager, had their own assist as well, like, scouting locations that were a little bit further away from where we were bait home basing. And then, you know, my camera department needed a couple of their assist. So I start with leads. I start with all of our department leads and then hear what they think they need for this shoot. So, Yeah. I would say, like, my bare bare minimum, it's usually looking like ten. If I'm lucky if I if I'm lucky, maybe that ball balloons up to twenty, and everybody gets all the help that they need. So, yeah, that that's I hope that answers the question. Does that answer the question? I think so. I think it's different for every person. So interested to hear, Dana and Christian, you know, what your team sort of look like. I I took I took it first last time, so probably Oh, no. Oh, whatever. Okay. I'll just go. I would say my my my, work is super scrappy most of the time. Like, a lot of the time, we're doing a lot with very little and to respect everybody else's time and make sure we have enough to pay everybody the way that I would hope to pay them. I try to keep a skeleton crew as much as I can. And then when I get to be on those larger sets, it is like it's it's heaven. I I just love having the full team. And the more people you have around you, the more community you can build for that one story. So it's great to have as many as you can. So please hire people if you're if that's what you're asking. But, in my own work, I need a producer. Sometimes I'll produce and direct. I need a DP, of course. If I can have an AC, that's great. G and e, I need lighting. I need at least one person to be helping me with that. And then depending on what the shoot needs. So for this shoot, I was very much so in these public spaces. I didn't really need art department or anybody to set dress. We kinda just did what we needed. And I wanted to feel authentic, so all the cast brought their own clothes. So I didn't need a stylist or wardrobe. On another shoot, that that's the focus or whatever else. I would need that. Usually, I would have locations. PAs are essential. We need PAs. I had PA on this one. And then we had some, BTS videographers and photographers as well for this shoot. But, yeah, it really is personal to what you feel like you need to achieve your vision. And I totally echo what Johnny said about everybody is essential. Every single person that you see at that long list at the end at every movie, I promise they're all working their their butts off. So yeah. I think the reality is, you know, on a film shoot, the more help you have, you know, the better. And, you know, I commend I echo the sentiments of, Dana and Johnny that, you know, everybody's role, you know, is specific, but it is very much needed. So when you have shoes where you have a little bit more budget, you know, that's always a great thing because you can add more support to each department. But in my personal work, my my usual team setup I come from an independent, and music video background, so I've had to fill many different roles on set, but I would say that my go to setup will probably be myself, hopefully, hope hopefully, a cinematographer or an AC, and then somebody in art department, bare minimum. And if I can sort of expand after that, you know, I I think that it's a blessing. But it it it always changes, you know, from project to project. I've worked on projects where it was just me and my cinematographer. And I've worked on projects where, you know, we had thirty, forty people, and, we have full support in each department. Yeah. I love that. And I love hearing just how, like, each, you know, kind of type of filmmaker has, like, different things that, like, really, you know, are the important ones. Like you said, it's like every role is important that you're bringing on to a set, but that might change from project to project, which is cool. We are at about time. I want to jump into one last question that we got. I think this one will be a pretty quick one to answer. But we just love to do a quick around the room. In creating these restock collections, how long did it take for each of you to get from idea to production? Dana, we wanna start with you. I would say, like, three weeks. Alright? Something something like that. Maybe, yeah, two weeks, three weeks around there. I I think for me, it was probably two weeks. I I think I shot earlier than everyone else, which was exciting, but a little scary as well because I was like, oh, I don't wanna mess up. But, no. It was really funny. It came together fast, though. I will say that. Sure. Dang. I feel like mine took, like, like, a month. I feel like mine took, like, a month to just, like, back and forth with the creative and figuring out, like, what can can't be done with, especially with legal. I mean, like, just I've never worked in a project that needed so much clearance, and my idea where we started I just you know, like, I'll I'll never forget the folks that we are working with. We're like, so you can't shoot, logos or city skylines without their permission. And I was like, okay. Heard. Heard. Heard. So needed to, like, really reframe my idea and bring us to a more intimate place and use less iconic locations. So, it took me a while. It took me probably, like, a month and a half all in with post with our colors too. So, yeah, I'd I'd and I'm a little bit slower in terms of, like, my process. So It's still super impressive, though. Two to four weeks for, you know, bringing something like this, like, to life is yeah. This this feat in which you all worked is incredible. Well, I wanna thank you again so much for participating in this. It was great to have you all here and to chat. Yeah. And thank you to the audience for joining us. Again, like, you know, check out our other webinars if you wanna continue to join conversations like this. And, yeah, thanks for coming today. Bye, everyone. Thank you. Alright. Thank you.
