Tell us a bit about your organization and what your specialty is in the film and video space.
We are a creative production studio and post house. We don’t just produce films — we partner with organizations to uncover their most powerful story and bring it to life. Our expertise lies in crafting compelling narratives that tap into raw emotion, captivate audiences, and drive fundraising success. We have created marquee films for ASPCA, Citymeals, The Met, and the Brooklyn Museum, delivering high-impact visuals that inspire giving and galvanize support.
What is your organization’s ethos and how does it set you apart from industry competitors?
The sights and sounds we produce directly reflect your organization’s voice. Every frame communicates beliefs, attitudes, and emotions, so we pay attention to the details. What sets us apart is not just our technical skill, but our deep understanding of storytelling with purpose. We approach each project with empathy, strategy, and an ego-less commitment to our clients’ goals.
How can people join or learn more about what you do?
citymeals.org and dakoitpictures.com
Tell us about your Telly Award winning piece. What’s the story behind it?
In Our Hands tells the story of Citymeals as an organization. For them, helping the hungry elderly is the product of many small steps that lead to a big impact. The cooks, the volunteers, the drivers, the deliverers: it takes many hands to eradicate elderly hunger in our city. This film paints an intimate portrait of all the hands, people, and steps involved in eliminating elderly hunger in New York City. It’s a powerful narrative that draws people in emotionally and helps cement their support for the cause.
What are you most proud of about this piece? What was your biggest challenge during production and how did you solve it?
Our biggest challenge was logistical: how to coordinate every aspect of the organization and the different locations where it operates so we could film them, spread far apart throughout the city. What we are most proud of were the people we were able to portray in the film. They were wonderful and extremely generous with their time, even with scheduling and mobility constraints.
Do you have any advice to other filmmakers based on your career or your team’s approach to work?
Approach your projects with a desire to learn and improve, and tell a story that will mean something to you and your audience. Always be thorough in pre-production: plan things out and try to anticipate challenges. For documentary-based projects, preparation and anticipation are everything.
Can you share a behind the scenes story or fun fact about the making of your piece?
Our production vehicle was hit twice by a truck on the first morning of production, leaving us scrambling to find another vehicle quickly so we wouldn’t fall behind schedule. Thankfully no one was hurt, but it made for a funny anecdote.
Tell us about the most memorable response you got from this work.
The film premiered at a fundraising event. The response was unanimously positive and the room was full of emotion. One person told us afterward: “After I saw the video, I decided to donate more money than I was planning to.”
Complete this sentence: ‘Great video storytelling is…’
…making your audience feel, inspiring them and moving them.
