Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Haddad.
Hi Nick, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Talking Dog Film originally began as a for-profit video production company back in 2017. We always had a heart for nonprofits and began to do more work for them, but noticed a continuous trend that they just did not have the funds to pay for the marketing they knew they needed in order to reach the community they wanted to help. We decided to try to work around that by creating our “Pay What You Can” system exclusively for nonprofits. It was incredibly gratifying and a great resource for nonprofits. But as a for-profit business, it wasn’t sustainable, especially as nonprofits quickly became our focus through the pandemic, when funding dried up for many. We realized we were at a crossroads. Continue to help nonprofit organizations and just eat the cost, or head down an entirely different road and see if we can make serving nonprofits our primary focus somehow. We decided to go all in on supporting the mission of those we want to help serve. So, in June of 2023, we officially dissolved the for-profit business and became a nonprofit organization. It has been a truly incredible adventure and we haven’t looked back since.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been mostly smooth. Truly, the hardest thing has been explaining just who we are and what we do. There is so much mistrust that nonprofits have to wrestle with, as so many offer a “deal of a lifetime,” so our coming to them telling them they can “pay what you can” sounded too good to be true. But there aren’t any catches or gotchas. We just want to help them show who they are and what they do. That was a hard hill to climb at times. But word of mouth spreads fast, and soon we had nonprofits reaching out, looking for our assistance. It’s been almost overwhelming being at the center of so many needs, but we’re taking it one video at a time.
As you know, we’re big fans of Talking Dog Film. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Talking Dog Film specializes in story-driven videography. We know how important stories are and how they can connect with a target audience. We do this through promotional videos. These videos could be used to share who a nonprofit is as an organization, help to connect with the community they want to serve, make an announcement for an event, or even a call to action for their supporters. We also love creating testimonial videos. Sitting down with someone who has firsthand experience receiving the services of a nonprofit, hearing how it helped them in their time of need, or helped serve their community, is a great experience. We have also done highlight videos that share a nonprofit’s accomplishments, such as an event, a giveaway, or the grand opening of a new facility. Lastly, we love creating Legacy Films. These videos highlight the entire story of a nonprofit, how it started, its highs and lows, the growth, and the future of the organization. And while these categories are our bread and butter, we’ve been able to capture numerous different types of videos over the years. It’s their story, and we’ll help share it in the best way that serves that nonprofit.
While there are a lot of video production companies that offer video services to nonprofits, we have the unique perspective of also being a nonprofit, so there are just things we can capture during a video that really highlight the organization we’re serving. We’ve seen some incredible videos that look straight out of Hollywood, which probably cost a fortune. However, despite their visual appeal, many of these videos often miss the point, the mission, or even the message a nonprofit is trying to convey. We find that message, the mission, and that purpose with them. That’s what’s key to us. And I’m really proud of that aspect of what we do. We’re a small fish in a big pond of production companies but we understand the value of storytelling and the value of finding the message organizations want to share. It’s what I love about this job. Hearing the incredible work others are doing to serve the community they care so much about. It’s a blast!
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I have learned is that everyone’s story is different. By that I mean everyone with whom we do a video has a unique reason for why they do what they do. The “I just want to help” is always at the foundation of most nonprofits, but the why is often different, and that’s what I think connects us. Stories are such an awesome bridge that connects all of us. And knowing that everyone’s story is special to them and unique is what keeps us going. I love chatting with people and capturing their story, and then sitting in front of a computer for hours and crafting a video around that chat we had. While many of our videos look similar, the message of each is different and equally important.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.talkingdogfilm.com/
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/talkingdogfilm
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/talkingdogfilm
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Talkingdogfilm
