Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel D Hochstatter.
Daniel D, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Arriving at film as a career took me 4 years of Pre-Med at UIC, 5 years of vocal performance, 3 years of acting experience, and 1 year of writing soundtracks for video games. Isn’t that how everyone does it?
I think it took me making about 30 mediocre videos before I ever got paid to make one. Now after maybe 200 videos, I have found myself in very high demand. I view this as an advantage often times because it’s easy to stay out of the typical traps of predictable media.
If there is a name for my career path, it’s probably “jump in the deep end and figure it out.”
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
Video has this crazy ability to hold up a magnifying glass to things. When I do my job well, I can shed light on something worth noticing, whether that’s a person, a business, or an idea.
What is my goal? I’m trying to move people. I want to see hearts pound, eyebrows raise, and lips curl with a smile. In some way, shape, or form, I want people to express some form of visceral, emotional reaction to my work. Otherwise, it’s just a waste of time.
What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
My most successful video (currently sitting at 8.2 million views) was filmed on a base model Nikon camera with garbage glass, no live audio, and no real shoot plan. What we had was passion and content that connected with people.
Content trumps quality every time. Stop complaining about your gear and go make stuff.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
You can see my work at www.danielDvideo.com/portfolio
I have also created content for the YouTube channels:
– Maddi Jane
– Jon Jorgenson/The Anima Series
– Cugino’s Gourmet Foods Inc.
– Catch the Duo
and my latest and greatest Thailand video:
Contact Info:
- Website: www.danielDvideo.com/portfolio
- Email: info@danielDvideo.com
- Instagram: @danielDvideo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danieldvideo/
Image Credit:
Alyssa Barlow
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
