Grab your tissues and put down your phone: Elliot Kotek’s films engage the heart and head in profound ways. Elliot is CEO & Founder of The Nation of Artists, a thought leader and production partner for innovative, inspirational, and wildly impactful storytelling brought to life through documentaries and docu-series, shorts, animations, VR, and more.
While the list of honors bestowed upon his teams is long, spanning Emmy nominations, 5 Cannes Lions, SxSW awards, and more, the greatest testament to his work is the impact it achieves. Elliot joined Purpose 360 to talk about the power of storytelling to engage citizens, drive progress, and touch hearts.
Be sure to catch Elliot’s new documentary Black Boys, created for Peacock.
Listen for Elliot’s insights on:
- The critical importance of empathy in storytelling—whether the content is brand-sponsored or independent journalism
- How he and his teams captured authentic, humanity-driven moments in situations ranging from war-torn Sudan to pediatric cancer wards
- The role of collaboration between content creators, their clients, and their subjects to draw out and tell empathy-driven stories
- How content creators—and their clients—can adapt to story capture and distribution in a COVID world
Links & Notes
- The Nation of Artists
- Elliot Kotek on LinkedIn
- Elliot Kotek on IMDB
- Watch Black Boys on Peacock
- Suggested Viewing: Little Miss Sumo, My Special Aflac Duck, Project Daniel, Queen Mimi
- (00:00) – Welcome to Purpose 360
- (00:46) – Introduction to Elliot Kotek
- (02:19) – About Elliot
- (03:48) – The Numbers
- (06:37) – Elliot’s Purpose
- (07:40) – Insights About Storytelling
- (08:00) – Collaboration
- (12:01) – Project Daniel
- (19:42) – Don’s Voice
- (21:45) – Being a Great Client
- (26:56) – The Aflac Duck and Creating Magic With Clients
- (34:16) – Working in Sensitive Situations
- (39:52) – Working in the Time of Covid
- (49:07) – Being Busy
- (50:49) – Three Insights for Creating Branded Content
- (53:53) – Three Insights for Creating Compelling Content for Employees
- (55:31) – Example That Inspired Employees
- (59:21) – Most Important Insights for Clients
- (01:00:08) – Walking the Walk
- (01:03:12) – Future of Video
- (01:04:39) – Advertising During Covid
- (01:06:35) – In Closing