Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Dockery.
Hi Mark, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started HQ22 Creatives in 2018 with my business partner, Quenton Thomas. At the time, we really just had a passion for creating and telling stories through video. Like a lot of people starting a business, we did not have everything figured out. We just knew we wanted to create good work and build something of our own.
Over the years, that grew into working with businesses, nonprofits, universities, and organizations throughout Metro Detroit and beyond. We have had the opportunity to work with some great brands, but more importantly, we have been able to tell stories that actually mean something.
A lot of my growth has come from experience. Every project has taught me something different, whether it was about filmmaking, working with people, running a business, or understanding how important it is to really listen before you ever pick up a camera.
As the company has grown, I have also grown as a filmmaker, director, and business owner. What started as us simply wanting to make good videos has turned into building a company around storytelling and helping organizations communicate who they are and why their work matters.
I am still learning and still building, but I am proud of how far we have come since 2018 and excited about where we are headed.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges has been learning that being good at the creative side of the work and running a successful business are two completely different things.
There have been times when business was great and times when things slowed down and I had to figure out what needed to change. I have had to learn sales, marketing, managing clients, building a team, pricing our work, and all of the things that have nothing to do with actually picking up a camera.
I think another challenge has been learning when to evolve. What worked for us a few years ago may not work today, so I have had to become comfortable with constantly learning, adjusting, and sometimes admitting that something is not working.
There have definitely been mistakes along the way, but I think most of the growth has come from those moments. Each challenge has forced me to become better, not only creatively, but as a business owner.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
A lot of what we do at HQ22 Creatives is take what a client wants to communicate and figure out how to turn that into a story people actually want to watch.
I think what sets us apart is that we care just as much about the story as we do about how the video looks. Cinematic visuals are important to me, but if the audience does not connect with the people or understand why the story matters, then the visuals alone are not enough.
One of the projects I am most proud of is Building with Nature, a mini documentary we created for Cunningham Limp. The project went on to win a 2026 Communicator Award for Video Production Mini Doc. That meant a lot to me because it was recognition for the kind of storytelling we have spent years working to build.
I am proud of the clients we have been able to work with and the growth of HQ22, but I am probably most proud that we have built a reputation around quality work while still being people our clients enjoy working with. I never want the experience of making the video to feel less important than the final product.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up in Southwest Detroit and I was always a curious kid. I loved being outside, playing sports, and just being around whatever was going on.
I was also always into movies, TV, anime, and anything connected to martial arts. I never actually did martial arts growing up, but I was always drawn to that world and the stories around it.
The funny thing is, I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was always taking pictures and recording videos, but I never looked at those things as careers. It was just something I naturally enjoyed doing.
Looking back now, I can definitely see pieces of who I became in the things I was interested in as a kid. At the time, I just did not know where any of it was leading.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hq22creatives.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hq22creatives
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hq22creatives
