Richard A.

I'm an expert-level video producer, editor, music composer, photographer and digital arts specialist with over a decade in the entertainment industry. Music department credits include CHIPS (Warner Bros.), Empire (FOX), To the Bone (Netflix), Titan (Netflix), Notorious (ABC), and UnREAL (Lifetime), serving as assistant score technical engineer, music programmer, and assistant to composer across these productions. Currently, I am the co-owner of Smiley Face Media, a full-service video production, photography, and marketing agency based in Indiana but founded in LA. This is why I'm on UpWork! So many awesome clients, with awesome projects, bring their ideas onto UpWork - and we couldn't stand missing out any longer! My wife and I brought Smiley Face Media and our LA production experience to the Midwest, and have produced content for national and international brands including Fever-Tree, Amaro Montenegro, Shibui Whiskey, El Sativo Tequila, FilterBuy, Teijin Automotive, Stars and Honey, Starke Marketing, and others. We handle everything from video production and photography to branding, social media management, and digital marketing strategy. We (my wife and myself) have also worked with local organizations such as Huntington Main Street, Visit Huntington, Huntington County United Economic Development, and the City of Huntington - and local businesses such as Trubble Brewery and Truitt Law Offices. When you work with me, you may very well also be getting my wife's work - she is an excellent photographer, photo retoucher, logo and brand designer, and creative strategist. While this profile is about me as a freelancer, we do share a studio and at the very least, she will be there to offer a second set of (highly experienced) eyes. Most videos don't lose people at the end. The psychology of first impressions tells us we have less than a second before our mind starts making choices, and up to 7 seconds before we make a final judgement - in this case, a commitment to continue engaging with the content. We observe these drop-offs on every platform, and with nothing you can do to bring those viewers back. So, right from the beginning, I build the hook first and then everything else around it: the opening frame, the cut that earns the next second of a viewer's interest, the pacing that holds retention long enough for the algorithm to keep pushing your video out. Then, of course, there's the rule of 7's in marketing; it's not just enough to engage them once, but you need to do it 7 times. In addition to on-location filming and production, as well as remote filming, production, and editing - by request, I also now offer options for AI-powered video production. What sets me apart from most AI video freelancers is that I come from real production. I understand camera, lighting, editing, sound design, and music at a professional level. That means the AI content I deliver gets the same post-production treatment as traditional work. It looks and sounds professional because it is; and often, it still requires real-life source content. I primarily use Luma AI (Ray3), alongside Runway, Sora, Pika, Synthesia, HeyGen, and Kling. What I deliver: Video Production: Finished pieces, video editing, A-roll, B-roll, product videos, social content, Meta ads content, CTV ads, mini-doc and documentary filming and/or editing, and AI scene extensions. Short-Form Social Content: High-volume TikTok, Facebook and Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts and social ad content production and/or editing with platform-optimized editing, captions, and hooks built to stop the scroll. Music Composition and Scoring. Original music, sound design, and audio production for film, commercial, podcast, and digital content (backed by Warner Bros., FOX, and Netflix credits). Traditional Production and Editing: Full-service on-location or remote video production and professional editing in Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. Studio Photography: High-end product shoots and custom set design in our state-of-the-art studio. Based in Fort Wayne / Huntington, Indiana. Available for local production and remote work nationally. Fast communicator, reliable delivery, and every project gets treated like it matters... because it does.