Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dino Linsao. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Dino, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry.

Video as a whole has changed dramatically since I first started learning this craft in the late 90’s. It has evolved from tedious linear editing systems, to the ability to edit an entire piece of work from a mobile smartphone device. Along with this evolution has brought varying trends, and I believe that social and streaming platforms like YouTube and Instagram are what flipped this industry into a whole new era. But with these new platforms come new formats and ways of making video. The trend that took me a bit to buy into was ‘vertical video’, due to the fact that so many people are watching videos from their smartphones instead of widescreen computers and televisions. And while I have started making promotional short pieces in this new vertical format, I will always be a bigger fan of the classic widescreen ‘theater’ look with video, and editing full story films instead of trying to make quick, viral content. I feel that everyone in these social spaces are worried about going ‘viral’ and making a quick video that will make a big splash on social media, but I find this worrisome as more and more video creators focus on tricks and gimmicks instead of telling full and thoughtful stories, and showcasing actual talent and dedication to their work.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Dino Linsao, owner of DL Videography, and I am a freelance videographer specializing in Wedding Films, music videos, and promotional business content.

I got into video as a high school student, eventually becoming an assistant teacher in the video field for 4 years before deciding to take a break and find new work. But after working in my current career for the past 11 years, I found myself longing to get back into my creative side and began with filming weddings as a way to get back into the industry. What started as a quick, ‘one-off’ idea to refresh my skills, had quickly turned into a flourishing business as word had spread around town of the type of work that I was producing. With virtually zero advertising of any sort, I found myself booking weddings almost every weekend all year long, while also mixing in music videos for local talent and social media content for local businesses, based solely on portfolio work that locals could find on my social media pages.

I feel that what sets my work apart from others in the industry, especially in my area, is my ability to tell a compelling and entertaining story. The video industry is heavily saturated with people who shoot all of their videos in super slo-motion, with no audio or dialogue, and focus only on making a video look ‘smooth’ and trendy. I instead focus my energy and skills on each wedding couple’s unique story, each musician’s character and personality, and showcasing a message that a local small business wants to say through the art of video.

I am proud of the fact that I put my focus on the client, and not my own personal brand expansion. While social media is responsible for helping me reach clients well beyond what I could have done on my own, I won’t let the trends of social media change how I tell my stories. For me, it’s about staying authentic and true to the work that I love to do.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

No amount of advertising will ever be able to beat referrals and word of mouth. I film a single wedding for a friend of mine (for free, I might add), who then shares their wedding film with friends, family and co-workers, who all suddenly want to know who did their film and want to hire me. That same advertising model has continued to grow organically, and I’ve been able to avoid paying for any type of promotional content simply because my clients love how I treat them and the work I produce, and they have been and always will be my best advertisers!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding feeling of being a creative in my field is the reaction I get from clients when they see their final film. The one example I will always remember, is when a certain couple called me after I sent them their wedding film; I am used to getting calls thanking me, and that will always be rewarding. But this particular couple wanted to call because they had been literally crying after they saw what I made for them. They felt like their wedding day was so rushed and they felt so overwhelmed and frustrated by the little things that can all go wrong during a big event like this, and as a result, ended up feeling emotionally drained on a day where they are supposed to be the happiest they’ve ever been in their entire lives.

But after they saw the work I had produced for them, they were able to completely forget about how they initially felt about the whole day, and now have a memory of it that shows how amazing the whole event really was from the perspective of the audience. Seeing the film changed their whole mindset for how the day went, and they told me they felt like I lifted a cloud of doubt that had been resting over their whole wedding day. I am now proud to call them both my friends instead of clients, and that comes with doing the type of work I get to do as a videographer.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dl_videography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dlvideo
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/dinolinsao

Image Credits
Cassie Newquist (@cassienewquistphotodesign)