A smiling man with short brown hair, light skin, and a goatee, wearing a black collared shirt, standing against a gray background.

I’m Dave Benes, creator of Media By Dave. I launched this freelance project in 2022 to combine my passion for storytelling with over a decade of professional video production experience.

I graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2015 with a degree in Video Production and have worked with both large corporations and boutique production houses. Today, I primarily collaborate with local businesses, real estate agents and produce content that captures attention and builds stronger brands.

I am also a Part 107 Certified Drone Pilot with a strong background in video editing and graphic design. I focus on delivering high-quality visuals that bring your ideas to life!

Where My Career Really Began

I take you back to 2015, the year everything started to take shape. This episode documents the very beginning of my professional journey in video, photography, and creative production — from my senior year internship with the Czech Consulate, to working as a photographer and graphic designer for McGrath Lexus, and landing my first real video production role out of college with the sports marketing agency Intersport.

Breaking Into the Television Industry

This episode follows my early days in TV, starting from the bottom as an intern, learning the fast-paced realities of broadcast production, and steadily working my way up into roles as a Camera Operator and Associate Producer. From long hours to high expectations, this chapter captures the grind, growth, and persistence required to turn opportunity into momentum.