The Curious Creative

Sean Stipp: Visual Evidence and the Future of Trust in Journalism

In this episode, Mike Kepka sits down with Sean Stipp, 3× Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award-winning visual journalist and Director of Visuals at TribLive, to explore the critical role of professional storytelling in an age of misinformation. From managing a newsroom that generates 50 million monthly clicks to navigating the ethics of AI, Sean shares why authentic, vetted "visual evidence" is the ultimate currency for building community trust. They discuss the delicate balance of leveraging high-traffic sports coverage to fund deep-dive investigative projects, the evolving technology behind modern photojournalism, and why "bad audio" is the one thing no audience will tolerate. Whether it's flying drones over 28-car pileups or documenting the release of Pittsburgh natives from foreign prisons, Sean dives into why real journalists remain essential to the democratic process. 🔗 Connect with Mike: 🌎 kepkahouse.com  💼 linkedin.com/in/mike-kepka-91721751  📸 instagram.com/kepka  🔗 Connect with Sean Stipp: 🌎 triblive.com  💼 linkedin.com/in/sean-stipp 📸 https://www.instagram.com/triblive/ 💬 In an era of AI-generated content, how do you verify the images you see online? Drop a comment below! 📢 Don't forget to LIKE & FOLLOW to stay updated on future episodes of The Curious Creative! #VisualJournalism #Storytelling #Photojournalism #TribLive #MikeKepka #KepkaHouse #TheCuriousCreative

Seth Graye: Cracking the Code on Video Data and ROI

In this episode, Mike Kepka sits down with Seth Graye —VP of Business, Operation, and Technology at Mainstream Video Productions— to dive into the "nuts and bolts" of how data transforms video from a creative gamble into a measurable success. Seth shares how he moved from the world of high-stakes cemetery sales to mastering the metrics behind video funnels, proving that while creative can be nebulous, numbers never lie. They break down the mechanics of a real-world LinkedIn campaign, discussing how to funnel an audience of millions down to high-intent leads and why changing just one variable at a time is the secret to successful iteration. You'll learn why the first seven seconds of your video are the ultimate battleground against the "scroll" and how "self-qualifying leads" can magically move through your funnel without you lifting a finger. Seth also explains why your video strategy matters more than your camera gear and how Mainstream achieved a 500% increase in their quarterly conversion rate average through disciplined data tracking. 🔗 Connect with Mike:  🌎 kepkahouse.com  💼 linkedin.com/in/mike-kepka-91721751  📸 instagram.com/kepka 🔗 Connect with Seth Graye:  🌎 https://www.mainstreamvideoproduction.com/ 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-graye-550365198/ 💬 In the absence of data, whose opinion wins in your office? Drop a comment below! 📢 Don't forget to LIKE & FOLLOW to stay updated on future episodes of The Curious Creative!   #VideoData #ROIVideo #MarketingAnalytics #VideoFunnel #ACDCStrategy #DigitalMarketing #TheCuriousCreative #Mike Kepka #Kepka House

Beth Klepper: How to Stop Being a "Frivolous Marketing Tool"

In this episode, Mike Kepka sits down with Beth Klepper—founder of Mainstream Video Productions, based in Littleton, Colorado—to discuss how she transformed her business from straightforward production to a results-oriented approach to video content. Beth shares her journey of overcoming the "frivolous marketing tool" perception of video , emphasizing that one video cannot possibly do all things: awareness, consideration, and decision. They dive into why the ACDC (Awareness, Consideration, Decision) strategy is the key to proving ROI for clients. Beth details how running her own ACDC campaign revealed the critical importance of the hook in awareness content , and how the data informed her to pivot quickly and iterate. They also discuss the crucial difference between a 45-second "nice-to-have" video and the necessary runtime for a decision-stage VSL (Video Sales Letter) for clients ready to buy. Ultimately, the goal is to stop being a video vendor and become a tenacious, strategic partner, letting the data do the talking. 🎧 P.S. Stay tuned for the next episode with Seth Gray, who works with Beth on the data side of these campaigns!  🔗 Connect with Mike: 🌎 kepkahouse.com 💼 linkedin.com/in/mike-kepka-91721751 📸 instagram.com/kepka 🔗 Connect with Beth Klepper: 🌎 https://www.mainstreamvideoproduction.com/ 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethkleppermainstreamvideo 📸 https://www.instagram.com/klepperbeth 💬 What's the biggest misconception you hear about video length? Drop a comment below! 📢 Don't forget to LIKE & FOLLOW to stay updated on future episodes of The Curious Creative! #VideoStrategy #ROI #ACDCStrategy #ContentMarketing #StrategicPartner #Filmmaking #TheCuriousCreative

Nick Szpara: How to Pivot from "Gun for Hire" to Strategic Video Partner

In this episode, Mike Kepka sits down with Nick Szpara—National Sports Emmy winner and owner of Freedom Digital Media—to discuss the pivotal shift from traditional video production to results-based video strategy. Nick shares his journey of moving beyond one-off projects and "sending videos into the ether" to leveraging data and advanced tracking to quantify return on investment (ROI) for clients. They roleplay a pitch for a union recruiting video, breaking down how a single three-day shoot can be turned into a full-scale, multi-stage campaign (Awareness, Consideration, Decision) that dramatically increases conversions for apprenticeship programs and other corporate needs. 🔗 Connect with Mike: 🌎 kepkahouse.com 💼 linkedin.com/in/mike-kepka-91721751 📸 instagram.com/kepka 🔗 Connect with Nick Szpara: 🌎 https://www.freedomdigital.net/ 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickszpara/ ✉️ nick@freedomdigital.net 💬 What's your biggest challenge in justifying your video projects to the C-Suite? Drop a comment below! 📢 Don't forget to LIKE & FOLLOW to stay updated on future episodes of The Curious Creative! #VideoStrategy #StrategicPartner #ROI #ContentCampaign #ProductionCompany

Matt Fuller: How the ACDC Funnel Delivers Guaranteed ROI (Not Just Pretty Pictures)

In this episode, Mike Kepka sits down with Matt Fuller—filmmaker, founder of The Inside Picture Company, and Hollywood veteran—to unpack how the ACDC (Awareness, Consideration, Decision Content) video funnel is moving video production from an expense to an investment. Matt, who transitioned from big-budget films to serving homebuilding and healthcare verticals , shares how his focus shifted from making "beautiful creative" to creating results-based video strategy. They break down the three stages of the funnel, how to use projections and data to justify your value, and how Matt's agency now offers clients guaranteed results (like 15 new appointments in 90 days). 🔗 Connect with Mike: 🌎 kepkahouse.com 💼 linkedin.com/in/mike-kepka-91721751 📸 instagram.com/kepka 🔗 Connect with Matt Fuller: 🌎 http://insightpictureco.com 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefullerman/  ✉️ matt@insightpictureco.com  💬 What's your biggest challenge in proving the ROI of your video content? Drop a comment below! 📢 Don't forget to LIKE & FOLLOW to stay updated on future episodes of The Curious Creative! #VideoMarketing #ContentFunnel #ROIVideoStrategy