In Conversation with Adam Connolly
How did you get into the Video Production Industry - was it by accident or design?
I’d say it was by design, but later in life than I would have liked. I come from a family of tradies and blue collar workers, a trade was always the path I would follow and something I deeply respect. However there was an artistic side to my family as well, my Nanna was a painter and my Grandfather a poet which I didn’t discover until he had passed. Growing up I loved film/video, someone in my family always had a camcorder in hand.
After high school I studied multimedia before getting a “real” job, that’s where I first started editing. After a career as a geotechnician I went back to school to study film and television to begin my career as an Editor.
“Since then I’ve never looked back. When changing careers, my goal was to say “yes” to any production job/opportunity I could and work hard when I got one. I just wanted to work in the industry I didn’t care where.
My first break into the industry was an opportunity to assist Editor Bill Murphy [ASE] on some of his work, Bill was my first Mentor and someone I really admire.”
So far, what’s been the biggest challenge of your career?
Moving into the Creative Director role at Visual Domain was my biggest challenge. Heading up a production team of 70 talented individuals, all at different stages of their career, was a mammoth job. And then 4 months after I started we were thrown into covid lockdowns.
Going from being a part of the crew and moving into a leadership role was a big learning curve, learning how to lead a team as we completely changed the way we work was something else. Each day was a new challenge, but I was lucky to have an amazing team to go through it with. A team with such high care for their craft and the work we do. It was a humbling experience and a time I’ll never forget.
How has the Video Production industry changed during your time?
From MiniDV Tapes to AI technology the change is mindblowing. But change is going to happen and we just need to embrace it and be at the forefront of learning and developing the way we work.
As new tools come out like AI, we need to understand how we can use them as a creative tool and how they can unlock the potential of our team and the business.
Alongside the technology jump has been the appetite for video. The breadth of work we do is getting wider and wider. The need for video, combined with the speed at which clients want the work, means we are always looking at how we can refine and streamline our systems without compromising quality or creativity. Which is why adapting to new tools as they come out and using them to our advantage is essential.
If you could change something about your industry, what would it be?
I love what I do and all the baggage that comes with it. Working in other industries and coming into production later has given me the experience to know when you have it good. So there isn’t much I’d change.
Our job is a dream when we have a client who; Wants to create good and inspiring work. The right budget to bring the best out of the production. And the time so we don’t rush the process.
It is rare we get all 3 of these. But being in video production, it’s all part of the game. Having those pressures is part of the fun and each day feels like a masterclass in creative thinking and problem solving.
What would be your advice to someone wanting to get into video production?
Say “Yes” to opportunities and work hard. It’ll take you a long way.
In between jobs, you can learn so much from the university of youtube these days. Practice. Practice. Practice. Then as you learn, soak up as much inspiration as you can, shape your style and find your voice.
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