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Every December, without fail, I do two things: I watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. And I watch A Christmas Story. Not because I've forgotten what happens. I could quote half the dialogue from memory. Not because they're new or surprising. I know every beat, every joke, every moment. I watch them because they're part of the ritual. They're as much a part of Christmas as the tree, the lights, and the music. And here's the thing: I'm not alone. Millions of people do t

Let me tell you about a restaurant that missed Christmas. Not literally—they were open, fully staffed, ready to go. But they missed the marketing window. By the time they posted about their holiday menu and private dining options, it was December 18th. Most companies had already booked their holiday parties. Most families had already made their Christmas Eve reservations. Most people had already decided where they were celebrating. The restaurant was ready. But their customer

Let me guess: you know you should be doing video. Every marketing article says so. Your competitors are doing it. Your younger staff members keep suggesting it. But between managing patient care, insurance headaches, staffing challenges, and actually running a practice, "create video content" keeps sliding to the bottom of the list. I get it. Video feels like one more thing on an already impossible to-do list. And if you're going to do it, you want to do it right—which means

Let me tell you about one of the greatest films ever made. No car chases. No explosions. No special effects. No exotic locations or costume changes or sweeping cinematography. Just twelve men. One room. Ninety-six minutes. 12 Angry Men (1957) takes place almost entirely in a single jury deliberation room on a sweltering summer day. Twelve jurors must decide whether a young man is guilty of murder. Eleven are ready to convict. One isn't so sure. That's it. That's the whole mov

Let me tell you about the most important 60 seconds of your podcast. It 's not your best interview. It's not your most downloaded episode. It's not even that one viral clip that got shared everywhere. It 's your trailer. Because here's the reality: most people discover your podcast when they're scrolling, distracted, half-paying attention. They see your show in a search result or a recommendation list, and they have one question: "Is this worth my time?" Your trailer answers

There's a moment in Casablanca  that everyone knows. Even if you've never seen the film. Even if you don't know the plot, the characters, or how it ends. You know the line: "Here's looking at you, kid." Humphrey Bogart. Ingrid Bergman. A foggy airport. A plane waiting. A love story that can't have a happy ending. It's one of the most iconic moments in cinema history. And here's the thing: it's not the most dramatic scene in the film. It's not the climax. It's not even the lon

Let me tell you about a video that almost worked. Beautiful footage. Perfectly plated dishes. Gorgeous lighting. The kind of content that should make people immediately want to make a reservation. But something was off. The voiceover—the narration that was supposed to tie it all together—felt wrong. Not bad, exactly. Just... disconnected. The voice was too formal for a casual bistro. Too energetic for an intimate date-night spot. Too generic for a restaurant with a specific p

There's something about October baseball that hits different. Maybe it's the cooler air, the way the light changes as fall settles in. Maybe it's the weight of the season—162 games boiled down to a handful of must-win moments. Or maybe it's just that baseball, more than any other sport, has always been about legacy. The ghosts in the outfield. The records that stand for generations. The moments that get passed down like family heirlooms: "I was there when..." or "My dad told

Let's be honest: you've seen the restaurant videos that get all the likes. The slow-motion cheese pull. The perfectly plated dish with...

I need to tell you about the worst creative decision I ever made. It wasn't a bad edit. It wasn't choosing the wrong music or missing a...

Every October, I watch the same miracle happen outside my studio window, and every October, I'm reminded that trees are apparently...

Most people think great mentors are born with some magical ability to develop others. They're wrong. The greatest mentor in history...

In 2001, one of the most successful pop artists in history did something that terrified him: he released an album that contained zero...

Every video editor has heard it. Every designer dreads it. Every creative professional knows the sinking feeling that comes with those...

Most multi-service businesses fall into the same trap. They think offering everything makes them more valuable. They're wrong. In a world...

Most people think great defense is about stopping the other team. They're missing the bigger picture. The Pittsburgh Steelers' legendary...

My colleague, Mandy Fisher, recently reminded me how often businesses overlook the details that matter most. It got me thinking about one...

Most people think video editing is just cutting clips together. Wrong. Real video editing isn't about slapping footage together and calling it a day. It's about crafting an experience that makes your audience feel something, do something, and remember you long after they've scrolled past your content.

Welcome to Dan's World. We've all been there. You're at a trade show or watching a webinar, and they roll the video for a new piece of...