Not "Too Cool for School"

At Image + Sound, we have the goal of being known for doing really beautiful work. It’s important to us to bring all the pieces together – the strategy, writing, direction, cinematography, editing, and sound design – in a way that captures the authentic culture of a brand. But, we also want to be easy to work with (we aren’t snobby or pretentious) while pushing people to get the best out of themselves.

Things are moving fast for everyone these days. There are new things to learn every day, and there is something you can learn from everyone. People want to work with people who make their lives easier, not harder. That’s one of the reasons being down to earth is one of our core values. However – down to earth, to us, is about more than just being easy to work with. We extend the definition to include: being inclusive, always learning from the people around us, and staying willing to jump out of our comfort zones and do things differently.

Inclusive

You might not believe this, but some people haven’t had the best experiences working with people in the creative professions. At Image + Sound, we are so over people who are ‘too cool for school.’ As part of our team, as a client, or as part of our creative community – you will never be made to feel foolish – like you aren’t cool enough or expert enough to be in the club. Everyone is worthy, everyone has an interesting story to tell, and we all have things to learn (even within our own areas of expertise). We don’t like exclusion. We’re interested in what people have to offer.

Always learning

Maybe you’ve had that boss who hired a bunch of smart people, but for some reason refused to listen to them or learn from them. Or, perhaps you’ve been the newcomer to a team of people who weren’t open to any of your fresh ideas – people wanting to keep doing the same things they’ve always done in the same ways they’ve always done them. These are not unfamiliar stories. One of the great differentiators about the way we work with an arrangement in the studio, or with clients on a video project, is how we facilitate this incubator for imagination and inventiveness. Everyone who contributes becomes part of that synergy.

Getting uncomfortable

As Steven said in our article titled, You Don’t Have to Choose Boring, “doing work that matters requires jumping out of your comfort zone.” Anyone in music or in business who has ever done anything that matters has been willing to do this. People get sluggish when they get too comfortable, doing the same things in the same way all the time. Part of our job is to be courageous and try new things in our roles, but also to push you to take the risks you need to take to get the best out of yourself. When you do, it’s like riding a bike for the first time. You get to realizing why and how you are unique in a way that still connects with fundamental human experience – and you gather traction from that.

If you need video or video marketing strategy, work with us to tell your story. Our vision is to be Good Samaritans in the world of marketing, people who are willing to risk being more authentic in our own work while also being eager to help others.