Courtney Neal

As a Black, queer creative, there’s nothing more difficult than securing funding for content creation. Before the media industry experienced this downturn, it was already difficult enough to get a meeting with anyone with enough power and interest in Black-targeted media to help scale our work. My partners and I were lucky enough to figure out how to grow our brands without any help or even a dollar for marketing. It was a slow climb, but we built shows that resonated with Black/BIPOC millennials and gen z all over the world. Today, as DEI is viewed as a nuisance rather than a necessity, the media industry has become more antagonistic towards Black creatives. I’ve had executives steal my ideas, repeatedly ask me why I think my work has been successful as if it’s a fluke, and I’ve had to prove over and over again that Black people are intellingent and deserving of authentic programming that speaks to our actual realities. It’s a battle every single day. If you are a Black/BIPOC media executive or if you are an ally, hold the door open even as you see your colleagues slamming them in our faces. We must stick together and prioritize helping one another at such a time as this. Stay encouraged, y’all! 🫶🏾

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Leading with Adaptability: My Media JourneyWhen I started my broadcasting career at YaFM in 2018 as a news anchor, I knew that adaptability would be crucial. From anchoring news to expanding into radio programming and social media management, each transition has been a step toward evolving in this dynamic industry.My experiences at Power FM Zimbabwe and Classic 263 radio, alongside hosting shows like “Good Morning Zimbabwe” and “EyeAfrica,” have reinforced the value of embracing change. In our fast-paced media landscape, the ability to pivot and adapt isn’t just beneficial—it’s essential.To my peers in the industry: Never shy away from evolving your skills and exploring new avenues. The future of media is about versatility and continuous growth.#Leadership #MediaEvolution #CareerGrowth #NicoleJamu #Adaptability

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Adriana Lacy Consulting had the chance to work with production company Her Take Works on its logo and branding. In an era where authentic representation matters more than ever, Her Take Works emerged with a powerful vision: to create a movement that celebrates and amplifies Black women's voices through storytelling. The challenge wasn't just about creating a logo or choosing colors. It was about translating the power of Black women's collective voices into a visual language that could inspire, connect, and empower. We needed to design a brand system that could grow with the movement while maintaining the authenticity and depth that makes Her Take Works unique. Full case study: https://lnkd.in/ermDkAy8

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How getting laid off from my entry-level digital video producer job led me to become a TV executive producer within 2 years: In 2020, I got laid off and was collecting unemployment. I had to make a decision: A. Get another job at a company ("not risky"). B. Make my side hustle film projects my full-time gig ("risky"). I decided to take the risk and go 100% all-in on my film projects for a year straight. I downgraded my living situation, cut expenses, picked up part-time work when necessary, and dedicated my time towards building a body of work. 1 year later, I sold the original film concept for what is now my first unscripted TV show on Prime Video & Amazon Studios. Every rejection is a lesson. It forced me to re-evaluate, adapt, and figure out a way to keep going. The REAL risk was staying at a job that wouldn't value or promote me for years. The REAL risk was building somebody else's dreams. The REAL risk was not going after what I wanted to do in my life. - Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow for more.

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It looks like Netflix saw a positive impact on the subscription metrics of customers that visited in-person experiences (like Stranger Things: The Experience). I will be interested to see once these open if Netflix shares any of the data on how visitors to Netflix House engage with the online platform (lower churn, sampling new shows, purchasing ancillary merchandise more often, etc.). What will be very telling is if these venues can generate strong 4-wall profits on their own, or if Netflix will justify their expense through lower blended customer acquisition cost and improved subscription metrics (which drives a majority of the stock price anyways!).

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The more you learn, the more you realize there’s always more to discover. This year, I’m eager to expand my knowledge as much as possible, and I know many in my community share this passion for growth. If you have access to any learning platforms or resources focused on production, video, audio, lighting, or related fields, please share the links in the comment section. Let’s embark on this journey of learning and growing together!

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Check out this article!

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🌍 The Future is Digital, and We’re Leading the Charge 🚀 At Mida Entertainment, we’re not just embracing the internet’s endless potential; we’re redefining how technology empowers businesses. 💡 Innovation happens when creativity meets technology. We’re constantly pushing the boundaries to deliver solutions that don’t just solve problems but create opportunities. ✨ Your vision + our technology = endless possibilities. Together, let’s build a smarter, connected future. 🔗 The only limit is the one you set. Let’s break barriers and redefine what's possible. E-MAIL:-tripurari.gupta@onebroadband.in #Innovation #FutureOfTech #DigitalTransformation #MidaEntertainment #TechSolutions #Motivation #ONEBROADBAND

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Learn 7 Social Media Techniques for Making Your Brand Relatable to Your Audience. This is one of my first blogs I've ever written and I plan on doing several more! By Educating potential clients, I hope to they can have more confidence in kniwing what they're looking to solve and how to solve it. https://lnkd.in/eQdnwxUk

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It’s that time of year when news organizations start looking for heart-warming stories on graduates and multimedia staffs begin plotting how they are going to get to all of those ceremonies. 🎓📰 Those are excellent things to do, but I want to offer 5 additional things editorial teams can do that will bring in huge audience. 🚀 1️⃣ Feature the speeches Don’t just run the names of the valedictorian and salutatorian  but actually run their speeches as separate posts. 💬 Bonus idea: Ask the valedictorian and salutatorian  to recite their favorite or most memorable part of their speech as a video. Use those as a way to promote the story or stitch all of them together in one memorable Reel. 🎥 2️⃣ Run lists of honors Most schools will have a list of honors that students have received. It’s a great way to recognize academic achievements and share where students will attend college. 🏅 Bonus idea: Ask for a list of the Top 10 percent from each senior class and run a list of those students. 🔝 3️⃣ Ask for ALL of the graduation photos The answer may be no, but if it’s yes, the engagement will be huge if you can share a gallery of graduates by school. 📸 It's basically running senior yearbook on your website. Bonus idea: Find out when schools in your area will have senior week activities and cover as many as you can but see if schools will work with you to provide photos of the festivities for those that you can't get to. 🎉 4️⃣ Photos from wayback Ask readers to share photos from their high school graduations (from the past) or ask public officials to share the advice they wish someone would have given them when they graduated from high school. 📸✨ Bonus tip: This could also be a great poll question that you could turn into a post. 📊 5️⃣ Help parents out Build a list of local shops in your community that feature perfect gifts for graduates. 🎁 Bonus tip: Create a restaurant guide on the best places to take graduates to dinner after the ceremony. 🍽️ #GraduationSeason #CelebrateSuccess #HighSchoolGraduation #GraduationSpeeches #AcademicAchievement #SeniorYearMemories #CommunityEngagement #ShareTheMoment #GraduationPhotos #FlashbackFriday #LocalCommunity #GiftIdeas #DinnerSpots #CelebrateWithUs #MemorableMoments

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Reflecting on my journey in video production since 2004, one particular experience from 2013 still resonates deeply with me. It was a moment of realization that came from a client's unexpected reaction to what they believed was a training film, but what they received felt more like an ad film Their initial surprise prompted me to revisit my approach to crafting training videos. Despite the technical excellence – with drone shots, intricate graphics, and meticulous storyboarding – something crucial was missing: the essence of genuine training. With over 1500 projects completed since then, I accept that my first attempt of creating a training video was unsuccessful. This realization propelled me towards a deeper understanding of what makes training videos truly effective. It's not just about flashy visuals; it's about capturing the essence of real-life challenges faced by end-users. I've learned that incorporating authentic role-plays, evoking emotions, and telling compelling stories are essential elements that resonate with frontline audience. Furthermore, I've come to recognize the importance of delivering messages concisely within a limited timeframe- which is why I always advocate the use of bite-sized content for maximum impact. Ultimately, my journey has taught me that effective training videos are more than just tools for knowledge transfer. They serve as vehicles for empathy, empowerment, and organizational success. Is your training content still getting converted into ad films? Do share your thoughts? #TrainingVideos #VideoProduction #EmpathyInLearning

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When Disney calls, you show up. What happens when the world's largest entertainment company brings their supplier diversity team to the world's largest center dedicated to growing Black businesses during NMSDC week? Transformation in action. It was a powerful statement about Disney's commitment to transforming how they source production talent. Here's why this matters: -Disney is investing over $1M in RICE (Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs) -They're the lead sponsor of Digital RICE which is expanding access and opportunities for entrepreneurs nationwide -They're actively seeking innovative solutions to production challenges -They just received NMSDC's Corporation of the Year Award At our interactive booth, our team demonstrated how Productions.com's AI-powered platform can help Disney and other corporate brands: Source vetted production talent across all their markets Significantly reduce production costs Streamline their supplier diversity initiatives Scale their production capabilities efficiently The most powerful moment? Illustrating how our platform can transform Disney’s production process from coast to coast, accessing qualified diverse talent in every market where they create content. To Disney Supplier Diversity: Thank you for creating space for innovation and inclusion. Your commitment to transforming supplier diversity isn't just talk - it's backed by real investment and action. To my fellow RICE entrepreneurs: Your vision and determination are inspiring. Together, we're redefining what's possible in our industries. This is just the beginning. If you're involved in production and want to learn how we're transforming talent sourcing for major studios and corporate brands, let's connect. (Full disclosure: I meant to post this several weeks ago, but it's been a busy season!)

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🚨 Attention all! 🚨 Are you ready to master the art of Crisis Communication and Reputation Management? 📢💼 Join me for an exclusive session brought to you by the Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity entitled “When They’re Talking About You Real Bad: Crisis Communication and Reputation Management” where we’ll dive deep into strategies to handle any PR crisis like a pro! 🔥 Don’t miss out on this invaluable opportunity to learn how to turn negative chatter into positive outcomes. CLICK THE LINK https://lnkd.in/gguZKkjg to secure your #Free spot now! #CrisisCommunication #ReputationManagement #PRStrategy #ProfessionalDevelopment

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🚨 Attention all! 🚨 Are you ready to master the art of Crisis Communication and Reputation Management? 📢💼 Join me for an exclusive session brought to you by the Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity entitled “When They’re Talking About You Real Bad: Crisis Communication and Reputation Management” where we’ll dive deep into strategies to handle any PR crisis like a pro! 🔥 Don’t miss out on this invaluable opportunity to learn how to turn negative chatter into positive outcomes. CLICK THE LINK https://lnkd.in/gguZKkjg to secure your #Free spot now! #CrisisCommunication #ReputationManagement #PRStrategy #ProfessionalDevelopment

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Today's fake job offer? As a Lead Content Creator for a south Florida empanada joint. Now said empanada place IS real. The guy pretending to be ROBERT BRAMBLE who works for them? Not so much. I texted the real place on IG and they seemed to think they'd been hacked, which is why the email came from a real email address. Today's tip-offs? The title changed in the offer. The robotic language. No one named Robert Bramble on google who does anything like HR. The fact that it was FROM that guy but signed by the head empanada chef. But the real tip-off: they sent it to me AND another person. Let's be clear here: NOT a bcc. Not EVEN a CC. They just sent a job offer to two of us. Me, a former reality tv developer and comms guy for Silicon Valley trade groups. AND they sent it to my supposed competition: a sophomore at CalState. I wrote the sophomore and told her I thought it was a scam just to be safe. She suspected as much. Kids are smart these days. That said, it's really making me question my qualifications with the scammers. You think we BOTH have equivalent experience? Me AND the college kid? Is she a wunderkind or am I just bad at my job? Or are they saying, scam-wise, I don't even deserve my OWN email, so I have to SHARE? It almost makes me wish they WERE in HR so I could take it up with them and file a complaint. On the plus side, I'm now networking with college students and learning things from them. No cap.

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Please join us this Friday, April 26th, at 10 am PDT for a special episode of Virtual Producer! We'll be chatting with Bryan Pratte about Hallway, creator of Avatars supercharged with artificial intelligence. Please reserve your spot on the event page now and join us live! You can answer questions, network and comment, and we'll reply live during the show. If you're at all interested in the possibilities of AI, this is the episode for you. And here's the event link for more details: https://lnkd.in/gyHT8nEn #virtualproduction #linkedinlive #generativeai #artificialintelligence

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