Sales has a reputation for being all about the “big pitch” – the dazzling monologue that “wows” the client and wins the business. But here’s the truth: don’t we all like to talk? It feels good, it feels smart, and it feels like progress. Except in sales, that instinct is often the very thing that gets in the way. The real winners aren’t the ones who can talk the longest, they’re the ones who know how to ask better questions and then stop to listen. 

Good questions unlock honest conversations. Ask someone “What’s your biggest challenge this quarter?” and you’ll get surface-level answers. Ask “What’s keeping you up at night?” and suddenly, you’re not a salesperson anymore, you’re a problem solver. The best salespeople aren’t experts in delivering “the pitch;” they’re experts in uncovering “truths” people don’t always say out loud. 

Most prospects can smell a script a mile away. What they don’t expect is someone who remembers that small detail they mentioned last week or picks up on what they didn’t say at all. Listening isn’t passive – it’s active, and it’s a superpower that builds trust faster than a flashy deck ever will. 

Let’s talk about rejection. It stings – no way around it. But in sales, rejection is data, not drama. A “no” tells you what didn’t work or what priorities shifted. Treating rejection as research keeps your ego out of the way and keeps you moving forward with good questions and sharper instincts. 

Your energy, confidence, and curiosity walk into the room before your product does. People buy from people, not logos. If you show up like someone they want in their corner, the sale often takes care of itself. 

These lessons aren’t about gimmicks or quick wins; they’re about building a mindset that keeps you sharp for the long run. When we’ve learned to ask better questions, listen harder, and stay humble, we stop “selling” and start collaborating. And that’s where the real magic (and the real business) happens. 

Ears before ego by Joel Kaplan

Every day, I make myself take a walk. Sometimes I take my camera with me, sometimes I leave it behind. Regardless, my goal with each walk is just to notice.

The way the light splashes on the ground through the trees, the sound and smell of the water from a sprinkler in the park. Anything that evokes a response in me, I take mental note of, and maybe a photo if it feels right.

Noticing is more than observation, it’s a way of slowing down, of tuning into what resonates, and of letting the overlooked details guide how we see and tell stories. In creative work, whether editing a film or shaping a brand message, the art lies not just in what we make, but in what we choose to pay attention to.

These little moments are what can turn an ordinary project into something more moving, more human. When starting an edit, I watch the entire interview; not just the answers from producer notes, not just the last take that “nailed it”, but for unique “in between” moments.  Someone laughing at something said off camera, the way someone shifts in their chair or wrings their hands trying to answer a difficult question – these moments often go overlooked, but can be used to tell a visceral, human story.

In the end, noticing isn’t just about gathering material – it’s about cultivating presence. The more we attune ourselves to the details that often slip by, the more depth and honesty we can bring to our work. Whether behind a camera, in the edit suite, or going for a simple walk, creativity begins with attention. By honoring the subtle, fleeting moments, we create stories that don’t just inform or impress but connect – reminding us, and our audiences, of what it feels like to truly be human.

Being human by Bryan Fusco

Why spend time developing a personal style when TikTok can do it for you? It’s too easy! Every week, a new aesthetic surfaces, cycles through your feed, and disappears. Welcome to the era of hyper-curation; where social media thrives on endless micro-trends that burn bright and die fast, pushing creators into a constant loop of “what’s next?” 

It’s not just fashion influencers keeping up with aesthetic cycles; it’s creative teams navigating shifting design trends, marketers chasing engagement, and brands wondering how to stand out without selling out. There’s this quiet pressure to keep reinventing yourself online – stylistically, creatively, visually. Social media doesn’t just encourage self-expression; it gamifies it. This kind of cultural whiplash leads to something we’re all feeling: trend burnout. And while keeping up can be fun, it can also start to feel like you’re creating more for the feed than for yourself. You don’t have to know what you like – just what’s trending.

This mirrors the way we approach personal style and content right now: it seems less about self-expression and more about performance. It’s all about looking like you didn’t try, even when you absolutely did. One particularly amusing example is the bag charm trend – keychains that look like a thoughtfully assembled collection of trinkets, when in reality, they were manufactured to look effortlessly unique. The same can be said for the endless stream of trending aesthetics, where “trend hoppers” cycle through styles at a breakneck pace, reselling anything that no longer fits what’s in right this moment.

And while brands aren’t always as flexible, they’re just as susceptible. Take the current obsession with bold minimalism in design – oversized type, ultra-clean layouts, high contrast color palettes. It’s everywhere. The temptation is to adopt the newest visual language before the competition does, or because the competition did. But at what cost? In a landscape of constant adjustment, it’s worth asking: Do I actually like this? Or did the Internet convince me I do?

Personal style – and creative identity – doesn’t have to mean rejecting trends altogether. It’s more about knowing when to jump in and when to skip it. The best creators aren’t immune to trends. The stuff that cuts through isn’t always the most polished or trendy, it’s the content that feels grounded, intentional, and real. It’s all about striking a balance; learning to play into some trends and leave some to other creators; finding what resonates with both the algorithm and your brand.

It’s a fine line between staying relevant and becoming just another copy of a copy. The Internet doesn’t need more beige content. What stands out is what feels real. Good content is responsive, not reactive. Originality isn’t about being first – it’s about not being fake.

So yes, convenience is tempting. The fast-moving trends, the plug-and-play aesthetics, the algorithm-ready packaging. But just like building a wardrobe, if you buy into everything, you’re left with nothing that really reflects you.

Real reflections by Erin Gieselman

The first time AI truly caught my attention was when I saw that now-famous image of Pope Francis in a big, puffy white winter coat. I thought it was a clever Photoshop job—someone had probably pasted his face onto another image. But then I learned the whole thing had been generated from scratch, purely from a text prompt. That’s when it hit me—this wasn’t just another image-editing trick. This was something different.

Like many in the creative industry, my first reaction was excitement. AI was being pitched as a miracle—type in a few words, and out comes a flawless, detailed image straight from your imagination. If you’ve ever struggled with creative execution, this sounded like a dream. But the dream faded fast.

I put AI to the test on a real project, trying to generate cross-section visuals of underground layers for a client. It seemed like the perfect use case—after all, AI could create the impossible, right? Instead, I got hallucinations. The AI kept adding fossils, underground rivers, even lava flows that led to volcanoes. No matter how clearly I refined my prompt, it wouldn’t stick to reality. It was like AI had a compulsive need to impress me, throwing in details I never asked for. What was supposed to be a shortcut turned into an exhausting process of trial and error.

This is something a lot of clients (and even some creatives) don’t understand about AI. They assume it’s as simple as typing a sentence and getting a polished, perfect result. They don’t see the hours spent wrestling with prompts, fixing weird distortions, and correcting details AI refuses to get right. Every time I’ve used it, I’ve had to step in and refine the output manually.

That doesn’t mean AI is useless—far from it. Today, I mostly use it for generic imagery: abstract backgrounds, skies, oceans, outer space. If I need something broad and flexible, it’s great. But the more specific a request, the harder AI struggles. It’s not a magic button; it’s just another tool.

I’ve also seen how AI’s perception has shifted. At first, creatives feared it would replace them entirely. Then, frustration set in as people realized it wasn’t as powerful as promised. Now, there’s a more balanced view: AI is here to stay, but it’s not taking over. Design tools are integrating AI directly into their workflows, making it a supportive feature rather than a replacement. This is where the real potential lies—not in eliminating human creativity, but in enhancing it.

I’ll admit, AI tricked me at first. I believed the hype and expected miracles. Now, I see it for what it is: useful but limited. I still get frustrated, but I’ve also learned how to work with it, rather than against it. AI will keep evolving, and so will we. It won’t replace designers, but it will change how we work. And if used right, it might even make us better at what we do.

Evolving insights by Rodrigo Philbert

As a motion designer and animator, traveling has always been one of the most effective ways to expand my creativity. Living in the Czech Republic and exploring countries like Austria, Germany, Portugal, England, France, and Italy has shaped how I see and approach my work. Each city has its own rhythm, aesthetics, and energy that spark fresh ideas. 

The classical architecture of Vienna inspires sophistication in my work, Munich’s urban art pushes me to explore and experiment with new possibilities, and Lisbon’s unique light and vibrant colors always shift my perspective on composition and movement.

Cultural diversity fuels my creativity. Observing how different people express themselves through art, design, and animation drives me to rethink and reinvent my own style. And the unexpected twists and turns of travel requires adaptability. Thinking on my feet and communicating in different languages teaches me to be more creative and resourceful in ways I hadn’t expected.    

I love to document my travels with photos and video, capturing visual references that often find their way into my work. Engaging with locals broadens my horizons in ways a traditional travel guide never would. When I can, I try to unplug from my digital world to let the moment, and my creativity, flow freely.

For me, traveling isn’t just about seeing new places—it’s about gaining new perspectives, new ideas, and new ways of creating. Every trip is an adventure, not just to explore the world, but also, my own creative potential.

Moments that matter by Luciano Marcao

Let’s start with a simple truth: once upon a time, if you were an artist, you had two options – gallery or bust. If you didn’t know a curator, a collector, or a guy who knew that guy, good luck getting your work seen. But fast-forward to today, and the game has changed – completely. 

Digital platforms haven’t just disrupted the art world. They’ve thrown it into a spin, pirouetted it across the internet, and handed the spotlight to creators who used to be stuck backstage. And frankly, it’s about time. 

From White Walls to Worldwide Feeds 

Instagram. Behance. Etsy. TikTok. Even LinkedIn, surprisingly. These aren’t just platforms anymore – they’re art galleries with scroll bars. Artists now showcase their work directly to audiences, unfiltered and unframed, sometimes quite literally. A painter in Nairobi can find fans in New York. A digital collage made in Seoul can go viral in Berlin. Geography? Optional. 

No need for velvet ropes or whispered critiques. Just hit “post.” 

The New Middlemen (Spoiler: They’re Algorithms) 

Of course, the gatekeepers didn’t disappear – they just changed form. Now it’s the algorithm deciding who gets seen. It’s fickle, mysterious, and allergic to consistency. But artists are learning to dance with it, treating it like an eccentric curator who sometimes wants cat videos and sometimes wants high-concept video art shot on a flip phone. 

Still, the upside? Access. Lots of it. No MFA? Doesn’t matter. If your work resonates, it finds its people. 

Monetizing Creativity, One Click at a Time 

Let’s talk money – because yes, artists need to eat too. 

Digital platforms have opened new revenue streams. Patreon lets fans fund creators monthly. Gumroad, Ko-fi, and Substack offer digital storefronts for zines, illustrations, and exclusive content. NFTs had their five minutes of fame (and for some, a decent payday), and who knows – maybe they’ll evolve into something more sustainable. 

It’s not all sunshine and sales, of course. There’s a hustle involved, a pressure to constantly create, engage, post, repeat. But the autonomy? Worth it. 

Community Over Clout (Well, Sometimes) 

Here’s something beautiful: the sense of community. Artists lifting each other up, sharing tips, collaborating across borders, teaching, mentoring. It’s not all about the numbers. It’s about connection. It’s about art that says something and people who respond with more than just emojis (though we love a good 🔥). 

The digital age has made art more democratic, more diverse, and, dare I say, more fun. 

So, What Now? 

We’re still figuring it out. The landscape shifts daily. Platforms rise and fall. But one thing’s clear: digital is no longer the future of art – it’s the now. Whether you’re a painter, a poet, a pixel-pusher, or just someone who loves staring at a well-lit image on a phone screen, your part of it. 

And that’s kind of amazing. 

By Someone Who’s Seen It All (and Still Loves a Good JPEG) Momina Yasir

Property of Focus Features.

MK3 producer and fellow MK3 blogger Haley recently explored the art and science of movie trailers – how they masterfully tell a story, teasing just enough to spark intrigue while leaving audiences wanting more. And she’s right. When done well, trailers are an essential part of the cinematic experience. But what if I told you that a single image could have the same, if not greater, impact?

Are Movie Trailers Giving Too Much Away?

We’ve all been there, watching a trailer only to realize you’ve basically seen the entire movie. The plot twists? Revealed. The funniest scenes? Already laughed at. The movie climax? Played out in those two trailer minutes. In an era where attention is currency, movie trailers often lean too heavily on over-explanation, leaving little mystery for audiences to uncover.

Now, compare that to the silent power of a movie poster. A single still composition, if done right, can ignite curiosity, build anticipation, and leave viewers with more questions than answers. It’s an art form that can tap into emotions in a way trailers sometimes fail to do.

The Magic of a Well-Designed Poster

Take Nosferatu (2024), for example. Its posters captured a raw, eerie intensity, dripping with passion, tension, and atmosphere. Every version of the poster told a different story, yet each was equally unsettling, making it impossible to look away. On my way in to see Nosferatu, I saw the poster for the movie Sinners, starring Michael B. Jordan. I love an evil Michael B. – remember Black Panther? So, when I saw that poster, I immediately put the movie on my watch list.

This is where movie posters have an edge. Instead of spoon-feeding the audience, they intrigue. They ask the viewer to fill in the gaps, to imagine the story before even stepping into the theater. When done right, posters spark a conversation. Who is that shadowy figure? What does that cryptic tagline mean? These questions linger, and that’s what makes posters such an effective marketing tool.

A Better Strategy for Movie Marketing

While trailers will always have their place in film marketing, posters have the potential to do something trailers often don’t: let the audience’s imagination do the work. A well-designed poster campaign, featuring multiple designs that capture different facets of a film, can keep excitement alive long before (and after) a movie’s release.

For marketers, it’s a lesson on the power of restraint. Sometimes, saying less, or showing less, says more. Whether marketing a film, a product, or a brand, leaving room for intrigue can be the hook that gets audiences truly invested.

Keep Them Wanting More

I think the best and most exciting way to market films is to leave the audience with questions. Give just enough to let your audience know this is something that will entertain. It’s baiting at its finest. Unanswered questions let the plot of film exceed your expectations, and leaves the audience open to wherever the story goes. Posters allow just enough to make people want to see more.

The power of the poster by Abayomi Harper

My favorite part of the cinematic experience – and bear with me for a moment – is the coming attractions, the previews, or as they’re called in the business – the trailers. While most people walk in 15 minutes late to avoid them, I make it a point to arrive early, so I don’t miss a single one. Not only do they provide a visual guide to help me determine my movie-going schedule for the next 6 months, but they also offer a very disciplined, big screen example of the art of storytelling. 

In order to know what a movie trailer is, it helps to know what it’s not. It’s not a miniature version of the movie itself. It’s more of a teaser, an appetizer. A trailer needs to have enough information to draw you in but not enough to spoil the plot. What’s the point of going to a movie when you already know what’s going to happen? (And to be clear, I’m not talking about movies that can be watched repeatedly. As a chronic “movie re-watcher,” I’ve seen Interstellar at least four times and don’t plan to stop there.) A great trailer offers a brief, compelling look into the tone, style, and feel of a movie. It builds excitement, stirs intrigue, and leaves you wanting more. 

One of my favorite recent examples is the teaser trailer for the movie “Companion”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhcLjiVtgco

Property of Warner Bros. Pictures

My reaction after watching this trailer was immediate: I’m going to see this movie as soon as it comes out. Gold star to the editors for this one!
 
The trailer is brief. It’s visually striking. It doesn’t overexplain the plot. You quickly learn who the main characters are, that it’s not your typical love story, and that it will absolutely end in a bloody mess. What more do you need to know? Ticket please!
 
In our creative world, we spend just about every day filtering through the clutter to find concise and engaging ways to tell a story. Clients often give us twenty-page documents full of value prop information and RTBs (reasons to believe). It’s our job to boil it down to messaging that really matters. And it’s not just about condensing twenty pages of information into a 60-second video – it’s often about conveying a message with just enough information to tease the audience, spark curiosity, and leave them wanting to learn more. Ticket please!

Movie magic musings by Haley Noviello

There’s something magical about nature’s quiet moments. A fox padding silently through the underbrush. A deer pausing, ears twitching, before fading into the trees. I’ve always been drawn to these moments, but as a creative director, my days are often filled with digital storytelling and live event production rather than the raw, unscripted beauty of the wild. That changed in 2015, when I set up my first trail camera.
Initially, it was just a curiosity. Who or what roamed the woods around my home when no one was watching? The answers came quickly: deer, foxes, coyotes, fishers, and even the occasional wild turkey. Seeing them on camera felt like a window into another world, one I knew I had to share. That’s how Wildlife of Hanover was born on Facebook and Instagram, so I could share with others how wild life truly is around my hometown.

The Art of Wildlife Storytelling
Wildlife photography and videography demand the same skills I use every day at work – composition, lighting, and most importantly, storytelling. Each clip from my trail cameras tells a different story:
A mother fox caring for her pup as they start their day.
A fisher, a rarely seen predator, gliding through the shadows; its presence both eerie and mesmerizing.
A majestic buck standing in the forest, framed by the early morning light.
I began sharing these moments online and the response was overwhelming. Some videos pulled in over 20,000 views, attracting wildlife enthusiasts and casual viewers alike. People weren’t just watching; they were engaging, asking about the animals, sharing their own sightings, and reconnecting with nature through the screen.

From Trail Cams to Creative Direction
Wildlife tracking and creative direction might seem like separate worlds, but they’re surprisingly connected. In both, I’m curating an experience, whether it’s an event, a brand story, or the image of a twitching ear of a deer. Each clip I post is more than just a piece of footage; it’s an invitation to slow down, observe, and appreciate the wild lives unfolding around us.
Some of my favorite shots – a coyote caught staring at the camera or a wild turkey showing off to the ladies – serve as visual anchors, drawing people deeper into the story. In my day job, we use imagery to evoke emotion; in wildlife storytelling, a single frame can capture an entire world.

A Wild Future
What started as a personal project has evolved into something much larger. Wildlife of Hanover is not just a collection of videos; it’s a growing community of people fascinated by the lives beyond our backyards. It’s also a reminder that creativity isn’t confined to a screen or a stage. Sometimes the best inspiration comes from the woods, in the quiet moments before a fox disappears into the trees.

Observations from the outside by Jamie Tedeschi
 

In today’s job market, big brands need more than a list of benefits to attract and retain talented employees – they need to make a connection. As a creative director, I’m often asked to help make that connection, in the form of recruitment videos. And in complex, regulated industries like financial services and life sciences, video can capture emotion, sincerity, and a sense of a company’s culture – without compromising compliance. 

Our goal is to engage audiences by challenging creative boundaries. The goal of compliance is to create and enforce boundaries, by ensuring companies follow the laws, regulations, and standards of their industry.  And when tasked with creating HR/recruitment campaigns, we’ve found that using actual employees on-camera is a powerful and authentic approach. 

People talking about their own experiences are less likely to make questionable claims and more likely to make a connection with the viewer. When you hear the sincerity in someone’s voice, you want to believe their message. By focusing on the personal rather than the promissory, we’ve found a way to balance creativity with compliance. Real people sharing real stories can often cut through the noise, showing potential hires not only what a company does but who it really is.

Once we’ve decided to put employees on-camera, attention to creative details can turn good videos into great ones. This includes conducting pre-interviews to uncover compelling stories, creating a mood board to establish the unique look and feel for the project, and using quality cameras so people look their best. The more attention paid to the details, the more seamless the storytelling, which allows the viewer to settle in and absorb the experience.

A well-crafted recruitment video doesn’t just communicate a message; it creates a connection. And for brands navigating the complexities of competitive, highly regulated fields, that connection is invaluable. Video, when made with authenticity and heart, can bridge the gap between what a company says and how it truly feels – creating a lasting impact that everyone will approve of, even compliance.    

Wise words by John Lawrence.

We’ve all seen headlines about entrepreneurs and high-level executives touting the virtues of reading – how their secret to success is reading 500 pages a day or multiple books at a time, and they almost always recommend non-fiction. This has always surprised me. Why? I’ll let you in on a little secret…I never read non-fiction books. Ever. In fact, I don’t even pick them up. I’m sure you’re probably thinking, “But Alex, the point of reading is to learn – what’s more jam-packed with information than non-fiction?” While it’s true that non-fiction provides a wealth of factual knowledge, I will always prefer fiction. And not for the reason you may think. 

I’m not saying that fiction is necessarily “better” than non-fiction or vice versa, but to me, they serve different purposes. Non-fiction is full of facts and real-life information, but fiction awakens different parts of your brain, tapping into your emotional intelligence, creativity and ability to make connections.

Fiction is often put in a bucket labeled “escapism” which comes with a certain level of judgement; that it’s a waste of time or that it has nothing to do with the real world. I wholeheartedly disagree. I won’t argue that there is an element of escapism to reading fiction, but I think that is more of a benefit than it seems. “Escaping” into fiction allows readers to dive into imaginary worlds that are often different from their own, offering the opportunity to explore new ideas, experiences and perspectives without the constraints of their own real-world biases. 

Well-crafted fiction also dives deep into the emotional lives of a diverse set of characters. Just like real life, fiction doesn’t spell everything out and very little is “black and white” fact. Fictional stories bring you along the journey with the characters, experiencing their thoughts, emotions, and relationships right along with them. It’s almost unavoidable to see the world through the eyes of the characters – empathizing with their challenges, their struggles, and their joys. And like anything else with repetition, that empathy and emotional intelligence becomes muscle memory, extending beyond the pages of the book and allowing us to relate to others who may be different than us, and form meaningful connections. 

Fiction also helps you flex your creative muscles without even realizing it, by compelling the reader to use their own imagination and come to their own conclusions. It’s natural for our minds to “fill in the blanks” when not every detail is spelled out for us. And when you read a lot of fiction, you can actually “train your brain” to apply that level of imagination to all aspects of your life.

Reading fiction is a powerful way to explore the complexities of human emotion, relationships, and experiences. And by engaging with diverse characters and narratives, readers can strengthen their emotional intelligence, empathy and understanding, while jumpstarting the part of our brains responsible for creativity. So, on your next trip to the library or bookstore, consider picking up a fiction book. And if you need recommendations, I have loads. 

Interesting insights by Alex Miller

Attention! 

Now that I have it, let’s talk…or perhaps just listen, as my monologue begins. I promise to keep it brief, because in today’s digital world, attention is like gold – everyone wants it, and lots of people and platforms are competing for it. It’s called the Attention Economy for a reason, the Great Circus of the Digital Age, where every pixel is a performer and content creators pop their top hats and twirl their mustaches, each vying for the title “Master of Attention.” 

In this carnival of publicity and promotion, one thing is clear: the constant flood of information can leave us feeling scattered and unfocused, with much of what grabs our attention lacking substance or depth. But who’s to blame? Shouldn’t we demand more from content creators? Isn’t it up to them to deliver meaningful content that rises above the noise and earns our attention? But who truly controls our attention? Aren’t we the ringmasters of our own focus, capable of deciding where our spotlight shines? 

As we wobble on the tightrope between content supply and demand, I wonder… how do we perform this delicate balancing act? Fortunately, it doesn’t require daring feats of acrobatic skill. A treasure trove of meaningful content exists – it’s up to us to find it. Let’s be deliberate about how and where we invest our attention by setting boundaries, opting for quality over quantity, and nurturing real-world connections. By valuing our focus, we turn it into a precious asset. 

But take heed, content creators – adapt or perish! The era demands more than just noise – it craves substance. Craft content that resonates, by telling captivating stories, and creating authentic connections with your audience. After all, in this digital circus of limitless imagination, those who truly captivate are crowned “Best in Show.” 

So grab your popcorn and prepare for the greatest magic act of all – the art of reclaiming focus in the mesmerizing spectacle of the “Attention Economy”. Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, the performance is about to begin and you’re the stars of the show. 

Words of wisdom by Mark DiTondo