60 Second Docs: Freelancers are Opening Windows to the World

The gig economy is changing the way that companies take shape, allowing for more flexibility in how they grow. With 35% of the total workforce classified as freelancers, the realm of possibilities has expanded on a global scale. Dan Leonard, the Supervising Producer at 60 Second Docs, shares how freelancers have helped his company grow into the social media success it is today.

With a vision of sharing stories from around the globe, 60 Second Docs had to figure out a system for finding and producing their content. So working with freelancers became an essential component in their production process.

“60 Second Docs is focused on telling stories about unique characters that are worth sharing, and freelancers allow us to tell that person’s story — wherever it might be on earth.”— Dan Leonard

60 Second Docs publishes one minute mini-docs to captivate their audience’s attention across the social sphere. By leveraging freelancers through Storyhunter, they’ve been able to find and produce these stories at a pace that previously wasn’t possible. And hiring freelancers has also expanded the scope of opportunity for Dan’s production team.

“By using freelancers we are able to broaden our considerations of where a story can be told, and what that story can look like. For example, recently we were approached by a freelancer in Kenya who had access to a man there who [saves] orphaned wild animals. 60 Second Docs then worked with this woman to tailor the story to our brand, and bring a piece to our audience that they would not otherwise see in urban American areas.” — Dan Leonard

The process of commissioning freelancers has also freed up some of the managerial stressors that come with production. According to Dan, they can now really focus on what’s most important about their videos: the story.

“The less concerned we need to be with, say, travel logistics, the more resources can be focused on refining the production approach, fleshing out details, and exploring creative possibilities.” — Dan Leonard

In addition to a shift in the logistics of production, they were able to expand the breadth of their content.

“Our library is broader and more varied because of the increased exposure to new ideas, forms, and people brought about by freelancers. In short, we have more eyes and ears on the ground throughout the world through our freelancer network.” — Dan Leonard

But beyond the change in focus and expanded content, freelancers are also shedding light on stories that would otherwise never reach a global audience. By hiring freelancers to produce local stories, companies like 60 Second Docs are helping the public be more aware of what’s happening in the world around them.

“In a more macro regard, the freelance documentary filmmaker community is sustaining the general public’s exposure to goings on around the world; thereby allowing all of us to focus on learning the truth of what’s really out there.” — Dan Leonard

*Storyhunter profiles are only visible to those who have logged into their account. Learn more about how freelancers can open up new possibilities for your team.

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By Jordan Rapaport, Storyhunter Writer