What does it mean to work human? Well, if you’re part of the eight-person in-house agency at Globoforce, the leading provider of human applications that strengthen employee performance and build more-positive team connections, you know exactly what it means and how to tell that story.

A finalist team for IHAF’s In-House Agency of the Year award in 2016, Globoforce’s video producer, videographer and editor, Matt Ferrara, was gracious enough to tell his human tale and share how Globoforce is delivering its story to others.

“The first video job I ever had was in my freshman year of college. I shot sizzle reels and highlight videos for the sports teams. I was also tasked with organizing past footage. It was a tall order since there was no archiving system in place and I had little real-world experience organizing videos. It gave me an early look into the do's and don'ts of asset management and a big leg up as an intern and eventually a production assistant. It made me more valuable than my peers.

While I’m grateful for the amazing advice I received from mentors along the way, it took me a little longer than I’d hoped to figure out the hierarchy of titles in the industry. What I mean by that is that those who are true “directors of photography,” for example, have decades of work and learning behind them. I wish someone had taught me patience—that it’s okay not to be a “cinematographer” right out of college. To earn that title takes years of experience and crafting.

There’s such value in video with the way people consume media today. It’s exciting for me to be part of the pulse of such a hot commodity in marketing. Of course, once people hear that there’s a “video guy” working at Globoforce, the request floodgates open. So, we have been working hard to help educate people on video workflow, pre-production and other video-related logistics.

Armed with a new cinema camera, Steadicam system, lenses and dozens of other tools, we’re excited to produce videos that can compete with big-budget agency output right here in house. The ease of having an internal video capability is a big help when it comes to solidifying the growth of our brand.

Being part of IHAF has helped too, enabling us to engage in philosophical conversations about our narrative, company voice in the world, and how we create—not just to sell but to tell our story. Hopefully those who buy, choose our brand because of an agreement of sorts and not some trick of advertising.

When I’m not behind the screen, I enjoy hiking with my dog in the woods. It allows me to quiet down and really pay attention to the beauty of the chaos of nature. How nature just happens with little planning, structure or control. From the world of video production with budgets and script revisions and edit sessions, unplugging and seeing how 8 a.m. light hits a birch tree can be medicine for the soul.”

Thank you, Matt, for sharing your story and for your endorsement of IHAF. Do you have a tale to tell about your in-house agency? Get in touch. We’re always interested in hearing from the people and personalities that comprise our exuberant community of members.