Behind the Camera with Dave Chmielewski of DirectLine Media
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must make for a book.
Storytelling is one of the world’s earliest artforms, a crucial component of our culture. There is something special about diving deep into a person’s being and putting their purpose to paper. Write that story through a camera and you have the makings of something truly magical, a window into the soul of a subject. But how does all of this magic come together? We asked media master Dave Chmielewski of DirectLine Media to tell us more about the process of giving businesses life through the art of video and how building a brand is crucial for success.
Dave, can you tell us a little bit about what you do?
Sure. We produce videos that tell your story. We do this by researching on our own to get an idea of how a business presents itself. From there we talk to the client and observe their business in action. Each video we produce is a custom story for each client. The video can be used on your website, social media, or TV commercials. So if you’re a business and want to get the word out and tell your story, DirectLine Media is a great choice.
What’s one of your favorite trends right now in media marketing?
Podcasts. We just recently started our own podcast called “The People Behind the Brand” from DirectLine Media. We record weekly and talk with business owners, entrepreneurs, producers, and marketers. With branding at the forefront of our discussion, we consider how people use their brands, what it means to them personally and in business, and how much of themselves are their own brand. Inevitably, the conversation turns into a fun back and forth about mistakes made, successes celebrated, and what we should expect in the future.
Check us out on Spotify,Anchor.fmor a variety of other podcast platforms. (Apple Podcast coming soon!) You can also watch onDirectLine Media’s YouTube Channel.
What made you choose to base your business in the Design District?
I needed an office space, a place to go, and I’ve always loved the Design District. There are a lot of cool people down here and really good businesses with a great overall vibe. I ended up in this building, 485 New Park Avenue, which has a very eclectic base of shops and home and design business. I enjoy business comradery. You’d think there would be this big sense of competition, but people really work together to push each other forward. The number of smart business people with a variety of showrooms, shops, eateries, and hidden gems makes it really interesting. It’s a growing area that’s just going to keep getting better and better.
How do you help small business owners tell their story especially if they aren’t sure what to say?
Most of our videos are based around an interview. The interviews are very casual and more of a conversation than anything else. We’ll get warmed up with some basic questions and then go from there. The business owner loosens up after a couple of minutes and they forget the camera is even there. This approach always leads to a very natural feel to the video.
What’s your favorite place to explore?
There are too many! People don’t know this area as well as other parts of West Hartford and they are often surprised by how much there is here. The Design District is centered around fantastic, independent home businesses which makes this a great place to shop for tiles, kitchens, bathrooms, exterior remodeling, general contracting and more. Now we’re starting to see apartments come up and buildings being renovated that have been dormant for decades. As time goes on there’s going to be more and more to explore. We are seeing big changes every day.
You are the President of the Design District. Why should local businesses become a member?
The Association is dedicated to building awareness for this area and helping all the businesses grow. We think of ourselves as a little army and each of us helps one another by spreading the word about each other and our individual capabilities. We also maintain a great website, social media presence, and marketing campaigns to showcase our business community. Many small businesses simply don’t have the resources or budget to get out there the way that we can as a group. Joining is easy and it’s a lot of fun to connect and build relationships with other business owners right here in the 06110 zip code.
DirectLine Media is a full-service video production company specializing in storytelling for small, medium, and large businesses. The company also offers corporate services for training, marketing, and events. Learn more about DirectLine Media athttps://directlinemediaproductions.com