You Can't Save Your Client's Video...

No Matter How Hard You Try...and Fail.

I remember like it was yesterday... 😵

My wife and I had just gotten married and were living in an upstairs apartment of an old 1800s Louisiana house with roaches, mice, and the occasional tropical storm.

We were out.

After a six-month job search, we landed back in my wife's hometown of Fairfax - a short 30-minute ride outside of DC.

And guys...I did it! I got the cushy corporate job. Full-time, health insurance!

Yeah baby!

Not only cushy, but a job doing exactly what I love - filmmaking. Shooting, editing, lighting, flying all across the country - incredible.

Except it wasn't...

Stand Clear of the Closing Doors… 🚅

I would stand clear of the closing doors in a dimly lit metro car on my way to a job that on paper was everything I needed.

We made corporate videos for lobbying groups that wanted to either 1) show off how big their last convention was or 2) give the CEO a 5-minute video all his own. These clients would spend $50,000 for a video that went on to earn a measly 47 views on YouTube (six months later).

Our clients weren't happy, and my supervisors weren't either.

You sit there editing videos day and night - pouring your creative soul into the next cut.

I felt like a total failure.

I was editing day and night… 🏗️

After all, I was the one who shot AND edited the project.

I thought, "Maybe it was the edit? The music choice?"

"But how can I get people to watch?"

The client's video has so much potential. As the video editor, I knew I had some creative sway on the video, so I went to my supervisors.

Plugged into the Matrix… 🐇

Come to find out, these corporate goons were plugged into the Matrix - and they liked it that way.

I urged my team to try and reach for new creative heights. I would even point to the Willy Wonka quote on the wall about dreams.

They asked, "Well, Jordan, if you're so talented, what do you think we should do...?"

Knowing that was a threat more than an invitation, I knew my time here was expiring…

Catch tomorrow’s email to find out how I made it out in one piece… 📭

Jordan P. Anderson

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