I have won awards for videos that barely cracked a thousand views, and I have created viral content that never got a single nod. After over 25 years in the industry, I have asked myself this question more times than I can count: What does it mean to have winning content? Who truly gets to decide? Is it the audience, through their applause and follows? Is it the industry and award bodies through their recognition and ceremonies? Is it the brands through their loyalty and continued commissions? Could it be all three?
Regardless of whether a video is deemed a success by audiences or juries, crafting content that wins should be about emotion. It’s about understanding the objective, the narrative, and who we’re trying to reach. It’s about telling a compelling story that will resonate, where the viewer feels we’re speaking directly to them. That the characters on screen are them.
When you do that well enough, it will resonate with audiences. If it’s produced using the latest technology, with a great director of photography who has a keen eye, and a director and editor who understand pace, the content begins to stand out. Knowing when to zoom in, when to zoom out, when to just hold, when to play music, when to fade out; those decisions help create the magic that enhances the story. If it also meets the brand’s objective and delivers recognition, that’s when loyalty follows.
I have been fortunate to win a myriad of professional and personal awards, from the New York Festival to Cannes, to even being named among the most creative people in business. In all cases, success starts with the right ingredients. Beginning with a deep understanding of the objective. It also takes a team that’s aligned in pursuit of excellence and wants the best outcome; it’s never about adding effects just for the sake of it. It’s about using the tools that help the story land better.
Too often, people think winning content is about animation or dramatic visuals. But more often than not, it’s about the moments that feel the most real. It’s not about distracting the viewer. It’s about titles that enhance the narrative. It’s not about composing huge, melodramatic scores, but rather understanding the nuances of the story and having a soundtrack that complements them. It’s about using colour and grading in a way that creates the right mood. It’s about directing your talent and capturing that one moment that continues to tell the story. Editing is about rhythm, beat, and pace, and knowing exactly when to pause and when to move.
Without the right ingredients, producing an award-winning piece becomes difficult. I have had clients say, “I want this to be an award-winning video.” Often, I know if it will be or won’t be. It usually comes down to mindset and budget. Award-winning doesn’t mean expensive, but it does require creative trust and a client who is willing to let go of their preconceived ideas of what winning content looks like.
Too many brands see content as a means to say everything, a shopping list of services and accolades. They don’t realise great content should attract, not overload. It should create curiosity and invite discovery. That’s how audiences grow. When the message is clear, the quality stands out, and the emotion is real, content wins and when that’s aligned with business goals, it leads to loyalty.
At Ti22 Films, we have consistently won awards for brands that trusted us across a range of industries, from government to lifestyle. They gave us access, clarity, and creative freedom. They invested in quality and didn’t cut corners, and they valued the results.
One of the clearest examples is Dubai Civil Aviation Authority. We have worked with DCAA for over 14 years. The first time we produced a video for them was the documentary ‘75 Years of Open Skies.’ It won both a New York Festival Award and a Cannes Award. They were thrilled. DCAA held a press conference to announce it. Today, those awards are still proudly displayed in a glass case at their entrance. That project didn’t just win awards; it cemented our relationship.
For the past 13 years, I have also been a juror at the New York Festivals. That experience gave me a global view of what different countries are submitting, what’s considered award-worthy, and what content truly resonates. It has helped me see how the ingredients need to evolve and how the recipes need to change to stay at the forefront of the industry. In the era of AI and rapidly shifting storytelling tools, those ingredients may need to change again.
But at the heart of it all, content that wins with audiences, awards, or brands will always be the content that truly connects.
