Really Useful Media is a full-service, boutique video production company based in Brooklyn. We work on location both in New York City as well as around the globe.
Founded in 2007, our agency was created to shed light on the world-changing work being done by impact-driven organizations globally. Our videos help clients engage donors, raise awareness, secure funding, break attendance records, and make audiences laugh and cry. Our work has appeared in museums, festivals, award shows, and national publications, including The New York Times and The Washington Post.
Our talented creative team includes directors of photography, editors, producers, project managers, camera operators, sound mixers, lighting designers, and audio engineers.
Photo by Andrew Kelly
WHY
REALLY USEFUL?
Video is everywhere. It’s become the backbone of every major media platform–from conventional news to social media–and, with virtual and hybrid events on the rise, it plays a major part in the way we meet and convene.
Despite its prevalence, there are still misconceptions about video production and filmmaking. High-quality video production is thought to be expensive. It can feel impossible to compete for audience attention when viewers are constantly inundated with splashy content from the world’s biggest brands.
At Really Useful Media, we make compelling, beautiful content that moves audiences and motivates change.
We maximize the impact of our videos by focusing on what is most meaningful and most beneficial to our clients.
Our documentary approach to storytelling allows us to take abstract ideas and make them actionable and real.
We make it easy for clients to broadcast their message out to audiences everywhere, no matter the medium.
Put more simply, it’s video that’s really useful.
Interested in joining our team? Check out our current openings.
MEET THE TEAM
DAN WINCKLER
Founder, Director of Photography & Supervising Editor
Dan founded Really Useful Media in 2007, bringing together diverse disciplines ranging from filmmaking to interactive technology to improv comedy, as a means of helping clients find creative and technical solutions to achieve their goals with video. He has worked in the intersections of art, video, and technology for more than twenty years, creating short documentaries and other video content for leading nonprofits, and directing livestream events for national and international audiences. As a director of photography, he draws inspiration from the direct cinema of Albert and David Maysles, the films of Errol Morris, and the narrative journalism at Frontline.
He also holds a BA from the College of William & Mary and an MS in Interactive Digital Media from NYU.
EMILY KORNBLUT
Executive Producer & Story Editor
Emily joined Really Useful Media in 2009 to combine two of her passions: mission-driven work and documentary storytelling. Emily has partnered with dozens of clients across a wide range of social issues to discover their best stories, communicate impact, and develop tailored methods for audience engagement. An experienced content strategist, she loves to dream up new ideas for clients and bring their work to life through a proven method of interviewing and narrative building, combined with detail-oriented project management.
Her previous professional experience includes nonprofit and education program development, work that took her to more than ten countries on four continents. Emily has a BA in History and International Development from McGill University and an MA in International Education Development from Teachers College, Columbia University.
She lives in Brooklyn with her family.
SUSAN LANIER
Operations & Project Manager
Susan joined Really Useful Media in 2019 with several years of experience working in non-profit development and studio management. Susan oversees all studio operations, and ensures client projects are delivered on-time and within budget so our producers and filmmakers can focus on what they do best—telling thoughtful stories for our clients.
A storyteller herself, Susan holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago and a BFA in Photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Her first collection of stories, The Game We Play, was called “deliciously painful” by Paste. Her work has also appeared in MAKE, Hobart, Another Chicago Magazine and elsewhere.
LOURDES KALUSHA-AGUIRRE
Video Producer
Lourdes joined Really Useful Media in 2022 after working as a video editor, producer, and independent filmmaker. As Video Producer, she brings her experience in documentary storytelling and live event broadcast to meet clients’ growing demands for online and hybrid video production.
Lourdes is enthusiastic about media’s power for good, and has seen its impact firsthand as an independent filmmaker. Her 2021 documentary “Searching for La Yarda,” generated discussion at numerous screenings and aided a city committee in preserving the history of a Mexican-American community in her hometown. She holds a BA in Film and Media Studies from the University of Kansas.
RACHEL LIESENDAHL
Production Assistant
Rachel joined Really Useful Media in 2024, bringing her experience as a video journalist to her role as Production Assistant. She provides support at every stage of the production process, and is passionate about using video to tell powerful stories that raise awareness and inspire change.
With a background in both newsroom reporting and public policy, Rachel is excited to collaborate with clients who are making an impact. Her past reporting focused on issues in health, immigration, and social policy. While video is her first love, she continues to expand her audio and graphic design toolbelt. She holds a BA in Media Studies and Public Policy from the University of Virginia.
To learn more about how we can help your organization, get in touch.