It’s All About the Story: Appleton’s Video Department Head Speaks at Local University

Appleton’s back to school! Well, sort of. Mike Speltz, VP and head of Appleton Creative’s Video Department, recently held a discussion for a class of hopeful video producers at Everest University. Although he was invited to lecture an upper level post production course, Mike chose to go light on the technical stuff, opting instead to teach students about big picture thinking. “Regardless of how high the production value is in a piece, you’ve got nothing without a story. It’s all about the story.”

Mike’s hour-long presentation took students through an immersive learning experience, complete with video samples, highlighting the importance of storytelling. What’s more, beginning with a brief Appleton Creative history lesson, then recapping his own humble beginnings, Mike presented a walkthrough of his creative process, crafting the presentation itself into a story.

“When I work on videos, one thing I keep in mind is having a beginning, middle and end—like any great story. The other key factor is emotion.” Mike stressed the need to keep one concise message in mind when creating something meaningful. But the lesson didn’t stop there. Students were also given advice on audio-driven editing techniques, using sound bites to tie footage together and using specific effects to instill emotion.

Decades of experience haven’t made Mike any less emphatic of those who hope to follow in his footsteps. Being on the advisory board for Everest University’s Video Production program, Mike meets with school officials, professors and other local video producers about five times a year to discuss new trends and give course improvement suggestions to the school.

Here at Appleton Creative, we support local educational programs and continue to volunteer our time and expertise to those with a passion for learning.

One of the most impactful ways to educate people about your services and products is with video. We have everything needed to get it done—all in-house. Appleton Creative is an award-winning, full-service advertising agency located in Orlando, Florida. Appleton works with local, national and international clients to provide marketing strategies through print, web, social media and video production – all in house. At Appleton, we want to learn about your business, empower your marketing team and be your creative resource. Your marketing goals are worth a conversation: contact us at 407-246-0092 or info@appletoncreative.com.

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