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any have observed that we are at the cusp of an NFT boom. The thing is, it’s so cutting edge, that many people don’t know what it is. What exactly is an NFT and how can one create a lucrative career out of selling them? To address this, as a part of our interview series called “5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly Successful Career In The NFT Industry”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Maria Danke.
Maria Danke, director and founder of MD Films, is a member of the Writers’ Union of Ukraine, and studied at the Film Academy in Los Angeles, USA. Maria has been working as a film director and producer for European and Middle East companies for over ten years. She has been nominated for 23 International Film Awards, including, the Berlin Fashion Film Festival; IN THE PALACE Academy Award®/Oscar® qualifying festival; ROME FILM AWARDS, and the Chicago Fashion Film Festival. As the founder of the MD Films production company, Maria has worked with Bvlgari, Cartier, Nestle and Palmers, among other top brands. For more information, please visit https://mdfilms.pro
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?
In my childhood, I had to move around a lot: from one country to another, from one school to another. This taught me how to adapt fast and be flexible in communication. I was raised in a very unstable and chaotic post-Soviet world, where adults literally thought about their survival.
Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
“Bad Education”, a movie by Pedro Almodovar. This film taught me that there are no borders or limits for love, while society can be very cruel to those who are different from the average.
Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in this new industry? We’d love to hear it.
Being originally from a country where corruption is a norm, I have always disagreed with it. My inner feelings made me want to struggle for justice.The crypto world is an effective tool against corruption,as it doesn’t create conditions for monopoly and bureaucracy. This is exactly what pushed me to go into the industry.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?
For a long time, I’ve been an employee, dreaming of the creation of my own film project. I was not sure I could stand this level of responsibility. I felt honoured to make the step forward. I knew I needed to become a worthy person to manage the creative and administrative processes.
I shot my first fashion short film on a tiny budget, because all the team strongly believed in the project. It intensely advanced my career and it became my entry card into the industry.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Never save money on actors and models! I learned that every time you try to cut the budget to save, it leads to readjustments.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I’m certain that only people who make you revolt, who are challenging you, become teachers for your soul and mind. They inspire you to become better and stronger.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
My projects today aim to bring attention to personal tragedies caused by abuse. They make people speak out about their pain.
The upcoming project will raise sustainability issues in the world of crypto. Follow me to see it soon!
Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. I’m sure you get this question all the time. But for the benefit of our readers, can you explain in your own words what an NFT is, and why people are spending so much money on them?
For an artist, it is an opportunity to express themselves through this new form of communication with your viewers. Therefore, the dialogue of art has transformed. Physical galleries moved to digital, while purses with banknotes moved to crypto money and online wallets, with classy oil paintings moving to digitally created masterpieces. Art has always been an investment, at all times. That’s the main reason for spending money.
The NFT industry seems so exciting right now. What are the 3 things in particular that most excite you about the industry? If you can, please share a story or example for each.
- Unpredictability — it can turn the world upside down in a day.
- Becoming a voice for everyone who wants to speak out and declare themselves to the world.
- Community — every artist can be in touch with other artists, share ideas, mindsets and collaborate. Now, I’m in regular contact with creators online and it can inspire us to move forward together with interesting projects.
What are the 3 things that concern you about the industry? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?
Currently, it is hard to research the platforms to find something that is worth the attention.
Sometimes I see examples of hype, based on big names, but not the talent. Also, in general, there are tons of copies and plagiarism online. People are not working hard to create unique pieces of art, making some pop stuff instead of truly original and even inspirational creations.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about NFTs? Can you explain what you mean?
Young artists think it is enough to upload their work to get success, but it is always a challenging path, which also requires sharing the story behind the creations. It takes time, effort and passion.
What are the most common mistakes you have seen people make when they enter the NFT industry. What can be done to avoid that?
I feel many people underestimate the community, which is a priority. You should build the connection, be involved and active in all social media channels.
How do you think NFTs have the potential to help society in the future?
NFTs disrupt the market of ownership and makes us rethink and reimagine what we have and how we can manage everything we have. Eventually, the world becomes more transparent. As well as enabling classy art, NFTs also aim to attract attention to particular issues, to feel and react, to rethink something through reflection.
Ok, fantastic. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly Successful Career In The NFT Industry?” (Please share a story or example for each.)
- smart and relevant choice of the platform
- strong social media
- the uniqueness of the project
- collaborations
- self understanding
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I would surely invest my time and resources on the popularisation of the importance of mental health. Our governments work to make us feel fear and worry, and make us look for enemies. I believe that we are our worst enemies.
We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)
Walt Disney! He is a great innovator and pioneer.
Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success with your great work!
