Less Selfies, More Ice!That was the provocative title of one of our articles regarding the world of social media and the consequences it can have on unprepared minds. Because, let’s be clear: the problem isn’t the medium, but how we use it and, above all, the lack of preparation and substance. So, we decided to talk to someone who has turned this world into his profession—someone who might just be able to offer us some "structured nonsense."
The phone as a second arm (or perhaps the first)
Gio Russo, the live content specialist; the man who transformed the smartphone into a second arm. While he speaks, you listen, trying to figure out what the hell he’s referring to. While you’re still busy decoding his words, he’s already across the room filming who-knows-what. The moment you approach him, he’s already constructing a video using one of the thousand apps this world provides. He does it with a disarming lightness: while everyone else retreats into hyper-technical jargon, he makes something difficult look easy.
"Nah, come on, it’s very easy. It’s important to play, analyze, sometimes destroy, fix, and rebuild. When I teach, my goal is to make every human being understand that they are truly a director. You have a smartphone that gives you a stage, a camera, and a channel right inside it. Each person's point of view is essential. Let’s remember we are doing communication, so we can have fun—but as my mother has told me my whole life: have fun professionally. I think people today give up at the first result they get. Creating a story through video means breaking down the message into shots: every shot says something, and the sum of them becomes a sequence capable of conveying your message."
The modern illusion
The blessing and the curse of such a fast-paced society is that we often convince ourselves we can quickly learn skills—without effort—that actually require a bit of work (we’re provoking you here). But perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle. You can be a superstar at making a video, but if you don’t know what PVT is (go look it up), then some doubts are justified.
“Why the paradox? It’s called evolution. Professions must evolve; nature and technology must take their course. It’s cool, and it’s okay, for everyone to look like a pro at making videos. Look at me: I feel like a 5.5 out of 10 at making videos, but maybe to you, I’m a 10. You might see me and scream 'talent,' while I look at myself through the smartphone and see technological facilitation. You can't judge a secure professional by a single video: what if his grandmother just got run over? He’d have every right to make a shitty video. I can tell if someone is strong by the marketing books they’ve read. I’ll be brutal: if you claim to do marketing and don't know what HOEPLI is, you’re an idiot. But you can improve: study all the Hoepli publishing house books on marketing."
The misconceptions surrounding slavery
While the world—and often we ourselves—complain about social media, Gio Russo has turned this world into a "war machine." His is the true choice of someone who has found genuine pleasure in work. And if part of us remains convinced that a content creator is constantly a slave to their work—or at times both victim and executioner—Gio has flipped the script. And who are we to contradict him? We remain with our doubts, but we trust his words because, unlike many others, he does (and lives) this job every day.
"But it must be exhausting for you! Why does everything always have to be exhausting?! I’m lucky; my hobby coincides with my job. I have fun. I love the Internet: listening to stories, translating them into shots, adding music, and editing the video. I like doing this. If you are a live content creator, your battery should never drop below 10%. I can deconstruct reality even without the Internet—it’s called fantasy or imagination—but I’d still be bored out of my mind without it. In this period of my life, I like living inside the Internet. If you invite me to an experience in the countryside without the Internet, I’m not coming: you’ve got the wrong target. I have many passions: I like writing, music, photos, reading books... but without the Internet, I’m just a man sitting on the sofa complaining because it was probably my only day off. Without the Internet, I wouldn't even have dating apps... anyway, chill."
Marketing is too important to be left to the marketing department. — David Packard
