We had the good fortune of connecting with Dalton Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dalton, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Calculated risk is a huge part of what I do on a daily basis, whether that’s metaphorical or a real physical risk to get the job done. One of my favorite quotes is “you have to risk it for the biscuit” – ask anyone on my team and they will vouch for numerous occasions where I took extreme risk either with expensive gear, a sketchy situation or even my body to execute what no one else would attempt. By taking these calculated risks it allows me to stand out and show confidence in my craft. Balance is key – so it truly is about taking those risks all the while showing the ability to weigh the odds and make a proper decision that is not reckless. The line between reckless and calculated is small, but I think many people can learn from the ability to make the jump and not hold back. You will never know if you don’t go do take that risk and push yourself to the next level within your career and life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Cinematic visual storytelling is the best way I can describe what we do. On paper we create commercial advertising for brands and products around the world – supercharging their marketing efforts and enabling them to sell. Of course that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I have been telling stories for over 10 years through cinematic visuals and it doesn’t matter how big or small the project, the passion never changes. Just this week I looked to one of my employees and told them what an unreal blessing it is to see how passionate we still get every single day we do this. Our faces light up and we run to show each other that epic shot we just secured, then turn around and do it all over again. Creating incredible stories for clients is the job, doing it with purpose and passion is the goal. The hurdles and testing times in my life and career have evolved us time and time again, elevating what we thought was possible and proving to the world that growth is just a concept that continues to change with us. Ultimately I want people to know that we put passion, blood, sweat and tears into every single project we make. And I don’t mean the cliché definition, I mean that through and through.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I feel like I always do Miami backwards compared to everyone, and honestly I’m ok with that. Most people can be found on South Beach, in one of the epic night clubs or enjoying delicious food in the hundreds of restaurants. You can find me taking people on wild electric skateboard journeys through the art district or on a photography adventure wandering deep into sections of the city I’ve never seen. Generally when I am in Miami it is for work but even when I’m not working I still have a camera and I’m constantly chasing some kind of shot. Whenever I’m not working I try to shoot with less of a purpose in a sense of not chasing anything specific, more so just wandering with a camera. When I work I get told where to go, when I’m not working I’ll let the streets guide me. I genuinely just love cruising down the road on my skateboard with the camera taking photos as I see them and writing down all the awesome new spots I find along the way. Stick near downtown or the art district and you can’t go wrong checking out new places!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to pin my success down to one specific moment and person, but the reality is much bigger than that. So many people from different walks of life truly took me in a new direction – each one pushing me further, teaching me invaluable lessons and giving me the drive to keep going. Many of the friends/business owners that were older than me really helped me shape the professional side of my business and learn how the game really works. Just recently I spoke of how I believe many of these people saw something in me that resembles themselves. Their interest in helping me grow was personal and passionate, this really caught my attention. Of course my family is a huge roll including my mother, girlfriend and friends which are the foundation I stand on. So much time, energy and effort go into running a business and with success comes growth. They not only help me run the physical aspect, they help me stay sane under the pressure of operating a growing business all while encouraging my craft. On a social forefront the followers and supporters that push me and my brand are unlike anything else. Through many blessings and opportunities I have developed an extended family on social media, not a fan base. These people are on standby ready to promote anything I do, provide great feedback, motivation for everything I post and message me wonderful things about how my work inspires them. This is a critical factor in the energy I carry day to day, and honestly everyone plays a huge role. Last but not least, my faith in God is truly the reason I’m still here. Addiction, mental illness, family hurdles the size of an ocean and the list goes on. Life will never be simple or perfect but my faith has taken me from the depths of hell to a life that is honestly better than what I dreamed of. My passion and strength are the vehicle that got me here, but my faith in God is the fuel that kept me running on the dark days. My advice to everyone out there is find a beautiful balance of passion and all the great things and people in your life that inspire you!

Website: www.npiproductions.tv
Instagram: @npiproductions & @thelifeofdaltonsmith
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daltonsmithnpi
Facebook: Facebook.com/npiproductions
Youtube: www.youtube.com/npi13productions
Other: TikTok – @npiproductions

Image Credits
Last image of me – Derek O’Donnell