Karl Danielson

Talking with Karl Danielson

Biggest projects in last 12 months:
A commercial in the Olympic Rainforest for ASUS, a commercial here in Utah for Pro-Form, and a commercial for Cleancult that ended up being featured in adweek.

Project that made me a better professional:
I produced a series of commercials over the summer for a company called Nursa. It helped me really learn how to dive into the needs of the client. Elevating their vision, while also staying true to what they wanted to do with their brand. It can be a difficult line to walk sometimes but that job helped me realize ways to do that better in the future. In the end, all parties were really thrilled with the results.

Advice…
Learn from others. A lot can be learned doing stuff out on your own. But YouTube and self-discovery will only get you so far. There are people out there that already do what you want to do, at least to a degree. Find those people and get to know them. Ask questions and learn from them. Learning best practices from others will help you learn MUCH faster than just doing it on your own.

Apply what you learn. Get comfortable making mistakes – and own up to them. If you find yourself not producing that spec piece because you are afraid to mess up, or afraid to not make it perfectly, you need to confront that. Making mistakes is just how we learn, so get as many mistakes out of the way as quickly as you can.

Find a good life / work balance. Remember that you are also YOU. Not just a filmmaker. Make time for hobbies, family, and taking care of your mental health. Even if it means you turn down a job here and there. Remember the goal is to be happy. Great happiness can be found in having a fun and fulfilling occupation, but it’s not all there is to it. People will respect you more for your decisions to stay balanced.