Check Out Daniel Mendoza’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Mendoza.

Hi Daniel, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I wanted to be a filmmaker since I was a teenager. I was always drawn to telling stories that made people feel something. I would use any camera I could get my hands on to take photos either on family trips or while just venturing through the city. I got my first camcorder when I was about 20 and would film anything I found interesting. I began to write regularly, determined to improve my storytelling abilities through words as well as visual expression.

When things really started to take shape for me was in 2009 when I got my hands on my first DSLR. The ability to create cinematic images really opened up my mind to the possibility of actually making a career through storytelling. I started Amoroma Productions in 2010 shortly after I moved to Arizona and began searching for ways to create business opportunities through video production. I knew it would be challenging to make a living just working on my own short films so I began to seek out businesses that needed video. I would definitely say I’m a self-taught filmmaker. I attended workshops, read a lot of books on filmmaking as well as watched videos online to absorb as much as I could.

Over the next 10 years, I pushed myself to continue learning and improving my craft, never allowing myself to get too comfortable. I began to take online courses on branding, marketing, and copywriting just to be able to offer a unique perspective to clients. I was fortunate to make some strong connections in Arizona and found like-minded creatives with similar aspirations and that really pushed me to continue trying to grow the business. I would say, my real break came in 2017 when I connected with an advertising agency based in LA that began hiring us for some large projects.

We were able to create some amazing content for clients such as Flemings Prime Steak House and Total Wine & More. We quickly found ourselves traveling to California’s wine regions such as Napa and Paso Robles to tell the stories of some passionate winemakers and I began to see just how powerful the story was for marketing. I immediately began seeking opportunities to take what I had learned on those projects to bring a similar mindset to the Arizona market.

Our team has continued to grow over the years and we still feel that there is a lot we can do to help Arizona businesses begin to stand out through storytelling.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I honestly can’t imagine any entrepreneur having a completely smooth road. There is so much to learn when it comes to running your own business. There’s a lot of trial and error but that definitely has it’s advantages as well, specifically when it comes to my industry.

I’ve learned over the years that every video project comes with obstacles. It can be budget, location or even a team member dealing with something personal. My focus has always been to turn that obstacle into an opportunity to grow. Our team has really learned to embrace such challenges and find creative solutions. This career definitely throws you a lot of curve balls so you really have to be ready to adapt to any situation. I think if anything it has truly made us stronger and more prepared to deal with obstacles so that when they do arise, we keep moving forward towards a solution rather than being stuck in the problem.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I run a video production company called Amoroma Productions. We specialize in high-quality video content for businesses with a strong emphasis on storytelling. I am most proud of the fact that we always seek to do what is best for the client. Our team is small and nimble and we all wear multiple hats.

This allows us to maintain a small footprint without sacrificing quality, but most importantly it helps keep the cost down for clients. Everyone on the team is just as committed as I am to creating a product we can all be proud of. It’s important to me that I surround myself with people with a similar mindset and work ethic.

Particularly when it comes to small businesses, every dollar is important to them so there has to be a certain level of respect there. I take great pride in helping those business owners maximize their investment so we just always seem to go above and beyond for them. Underpromising and overdelivering is definitely a motto we live by.

What matters most to you?
I would say what matters most is that clients walk away from a collaboration completely satisfied. Not just with the end product but with the entire experience. We have worked hard over the years to create systems that make every client feel like they are always in the loop. I’ve never looked at clients as a one-time transaction.

I’ve always sought to build long-term relationships that will allow us to grow together. I believe you are only as good as your last job so it is important that we continue to seek ways to improve our craft, our level of service and listening to the feedback of our clients is critical.

When it comes to pricing we work very hard to find ways to accommodate budget limitations because we feel everyone’s story deserves to be heard.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: amoromaproductions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amoroma_productions/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmoromaProductions/
• Other: https://vimeo.com/amoromaproductions

Image Credits
Nick Gasmena