Real Stories & AI

For each testimonial, review, or commercial I shoot that calls for B-roll, I usually capture the talent enjoying a hobby or doing some kind of activity to intercut with the interview for better pacing. One of the best parts of my job is getting to go on these little adventures—whether it’s fishing, boating, or skeet shooting, like I did with Russ a couple of months ago.

Unfortunately in today’s political climate, it can be difficult to appease a general audience with a certain creative direction if it involves something they’re particularly sensitive to. Russell’s favorite hobby, is going to the gun range to shoot clays for fun. He’s respectful, professional, and puts safety first and foremost. But again, firearms have increasingly become a topic of heated debate in the US so making this commercial work became tricky when it came to it’s intended platforms.
We decided to move forward with Russell’s testimonial because we believe everyone’s story should be told. Especially if it’s one that demonstrates perseverance and positivity.

I felt that adding a creative twist would help soften the topic of firearms for our audience, so I replaced the sporting clays with words related to poor dental habits. The goal was to grab the attention of people who may be procrastinating when it comes to their dental health. Sometimes a small spark—whether visual, text-based, or audio—can stick in someone’s mind, especially when it touches on a sensitive subject. By showcasing everyday hobbies of everyday people, I hoped that sense of relatability would encourage viewers to make a positive decision: to take their health seriously and trust Four Ever Smile as a leading practice in dental implants.

Currently, Russell’s ad is running on Paramount, Optimum, and YouTube. Disney/Hulu was the only platform that declined the spot due to the presence of firearms.

got to tag along for a fun lap around Brookhaven trap and skeet

AI social media via Google Gemini Veo 3.1

I’ve been using various AI platforms for content creation and visual assistance, and they’ve become a normal part of my day-to-day workflow. Around this time last year, I started experimenting with OpenAI’s Sora and could see its potential as a production tool, but at the time it lacked the resolution and consistency needed for commercial use. I also tested Kling, Artlist, and a few others, but so far Google Gemini’s Veo 3.1 has been the most impressive model I’ve used.
It can generate full characters with believable lighting, physics, and even audio. I can add direct dialogue for multiple subjects while having them perform specific actions. At this point, if I’m in a time crunch, I can create solid social content using just photos and text prompts. I usually combine live-action elements with AI visuals so everything feels seamless.

Below are a few Halloween and Thanksgiving posts I recently produced for Four Ever Smile. I created still images using Gemini’s Nanobanana image generator, which produces realistic photos based on reference images and text prompts. I then animated those images using Veo 3.1. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the future of content creation—and what it could mean for the entire industry. Scary stuff!