Crafting Authenticity in a Noisy Market
A micro documentary turning an unknown artist into a brand with a voice.
OVERVIEW
This project set out to solve a tough challenge: how does a new music artist with no audience build an authentic brand connection in a crowded marketplace? The answer was a cinematic micro documentary that blended raw, candid moments with polished storytelling.
ROLE
Leading Beyond Boundaries
I served as Product Manager, owning the end to end process from discovery through delivery. My responsibility was to define the problem, align stakeholders, and build a roadmap that transformed an artist with no brand presence into a recognizable identity.
I led cross functional collaboration with the client, management, and production team, ensuring every milestone tied back to strategic objectives while balancing stakeholder needs, feasibility constraints, and audience insights.
Key Dimensions
Vision
Defined the problem, aligned stakeholders, and set success metrics
Execution
Managed roadmap, milestones, and dependencies across teams
Strategy
Ensured creative outputs reinforced brand identity and positioning
KEY CHALLENGES
Breaking Through Noise
Challenge
An emerging artist with zero social media presence needed to establish credibility and emotional connection with potential fans.
Traditional marketing approaches felt inauthentic and would not differentiate in an oversaturated market.
Solution
Lean into realness. Make it about human moments. Create a compelling brand narrative that showcases authenticity while building emotional investment from viewers.
By focusing on candid storytelling across multiple locations and seasons, we created a film that invited the audience into the artist's life, not just his music.
DISCOVERY & RESEARCH
Discovery To Reality
Stakeholder Alignment
Facilitated early workshops with the client, management, and production team to clarify messaging and goals.
Market Research
Studied comparable artists and campaigns. Insight: unscripted, intimate storytelling consistently outperformed polished scripted ads.
Outcome
Informed the treatment: cinematic visuals fused with candid, behind-the-scenes interactions.
Treatment Document
Defined the narrative arc and visual style, guiding all creative decisions.
Storyboard
Visualized each scene to ensure clarity before filming.
Production Roadmap
Outlined timelines, milestones, and dependencies across all phases.
SOLUTION & VISION
Creative Direction
Approach
After exploring three different approaches — a traditional music video, a social media campaign, and documentary storytelling — we chose the micro documentary format.
The goal was emotional resonance: a story the audience could feel.
Vision
This approach let us showcase the artist's personality, creative process, and authentic moments while building a compelling narrative that viewers could invest in emotionally.
The documentary format provided credibility and depth that the other approaches could not match.
EXECUTION & MANAGEMENT
The Art of The Process
Pre-production
- Finalized treatment, locations, and production schedule
- Created sprint board to track milestones
Production
- Shot across NYC (SoHo, Hudson Yards, Harlem, Brooklyn)
- Filmed over seasonal intervals to capture atmosphere and evolution
Post-production
- Editing, color grading, sound refinement
- Iterative feedback cycles with the client
Delivery
- Finalized exports in multiple formats for campaigns and outreach
Tools & Process
Asset Management
Google Drive for asset management
Post Production
DaVinci Resolve for post production
Communication
Weekly client updates for alignment
IMPACT / RESULTS
From Vision to Validation
"The film captured exactly what we envisioned and felt authentic."Client Feedback
Reflection
The multi-location, seasonal approach added depth and realism, giving the film a lived-in quality. In future iterations, I'd incorporate pre-release audience testing to measure engagement before launch.
The end result — a polished, authentic piece that elevates brand and voice.
CREATIVITY WITHOUT LIMITS
Story to Build Brand
This wasn't just a film. It was a proof of concept: that even without a budget, followers, or recognition, storytelling has the power to transform perception.
Key Insights
- Authenticity Over Polish:Raw, candid moments resonated more than scripted content, creating genuine emotional connection.
- Multi-Location Storytelling:Filming across NYC neighborhoods added depth and visual richness to the narrative.
- Brand Foundation:The film became a cornerstone asset for all future marketing and outreach efforts.
Lasting Impact
- Professional Presence:Transformed an unknown artist into a recognizable brand with clear identity and voice.
- Strategic Asset:Used as anchor content for pitches to record labels and creative agencies.
- Proof of Concept:Demonstrated that compelling storytelling can build brands without massive budgets.
By focusing on honesty, craft, and vision, the project did more than showcase an artist — it built the foundation of a brand.