Como Conseguir Trabalhos no Audiovisual Mesmo Sem Clientes ⁨@DavidMota⁩

Recap

Host Lucas PKTA welcomes filmmaker David Mota, known as Mano Dave, for a conversation about building an audiovisual career—especially before you have clients. Dave describes himself as a dreamer and says he now identifies more as a cinematographer than as a creator. He moved from Rio das Ostras to São Paulo to pursue larger productions, but quickly learned that having an online following didn’t automatically bring work. He still had to introduce himself, prove his skills, and build relationships.

One of the biggest surprises was the difference between making YouTube videos and working on client productions. On YouTube, Dave handled everything: ideas, planning, filming, editing, and publishing. So being hired just to film felt almost suspiciously simple. Lucas points out that Dave’s experience across every stage of production also helps him think ahead on set. He can picture the beginning, middle, and end of an event recap, and capture footage with the eventual edit and story in mind.

The two talk candidly about the tension between creative ambition and commercial work. A polished, cinematic video may satisfy a filmmaker, but a quick, phone-shot social video might do more for a restaurant’s business. Dave admits he used to pour huge effort into small-budget projects without knowing how to explain their marketing value or turn one-off jobs into ongoing client relationships. Their takeaway: learn what the client actually needs, not just what would make the most impressive portfolio piece.

A recurring piece of advice is to make personal projects rather than wait for someone to hire you. Dave says his documentary work helped him develop the storytelling skills he wanted to use professionally. Lucas shares a striking example from his own career: a personal video showcasing Belo Horizonte helped him win a contest and land a $30,000 project in Canada. They also mention how original work has helped filmmakers they know attract major opportunities—even when it wasn’t made for a paying client.

They’re equally frank about the hard parts of starting out in São Paulo. Dave says it took around ten months before he could consistently cover his bills. He sent direct messages, offered his help, and stayed through a frightening period because he believed in the value he brought to a crew: initiative, reliability, and a willingness to do more than asked. He draws an important distinction between confidence and arrogance: be sure of what you contribute, but stay humble enough to listen and learn.

The conversation includes plenty of playful moments amid the career advice. The opening joke is that the interview will go smoothly as long as they don’t talk about audiovisual work—which they immediately proceed to discuss. They tease each other about not knowing São Paulo, joke about sweating through shoots and needing a bottle of water, and exaggerate the appeal of absurdly overpowered gear like a “MacBook M5 Pro Max Ultra Mega Blaster.” The relaxed banter also gives way to a more serious moment when Dave recalls losing a close friend while filming a documentary, an experience that changed how he saw life.

On creative control, both agree that client work sometimes means setting aside personal taste. Dave describes a JBL-related project that wasn’t what the client had imagined, even though they were happy with the result. He later posted his own director’s cut, which the architect involved preferred and reposted. Their practical suggestion: respect the client’s brief and, where appropriate, agree in advance that you can later share your own cut.

The episode closes with a message to practice before treating a client shoot as a testing ground, build a clear and professional portfolio, and respect the gradual process of improving your craft. Dave’s final advice is to figure out why you want this career, stay open to criticism, and enjoy the learning along the way.

Personalities Appearing

• Lucas PKTA — host
• David Mota (Mano Dave) — guest, cinematographer and filmmaker