Branded Documentary
FILM
A Story of Reinvention
From the age of 12, Merv Small spent decades pouring everything into building a career in hip-hop. Just as success was finally within reach, he made a completely unexpected turn — into tech.
From Beats to Business is an 11-minute documentary about that turning point: a story of ambition, family, reinvention, and discovering that staying true to your purpose doesn’t always mean staying on the path you originally imagined.
My Role
Creative Lead, Director, Writer & Lead Editor
Team
Executive Producer - Jane Matson
Producer - Daniel Koga
DPs — Brent Holland & Evan Henkel
Awards
Telly Award - Branded Content: Directing
Communicator Award of Excellence
Recognition
“It’s the most emotionally resonant content we’ve created
Colin Fleming
CMO, ServiceNow
Finding the Story
I first met Merv over Zoom while preparing for what was supposed to be a straightforward interview about his experience with ServiceNow University.
But as we started talking about his background, I discovered something much bigger: he had spent most of his life pursuing hip-hop, built real momentum as an artist, and ultimately faced a choice between the career he had spent decades chasing and an unexpected future in technology.
Around that time, I had been looking for a way to push our Career Journey stories beyond traditional corporate interviews and into something more cinematic and character-driven.
Merv’s story became the catalyst.
I proposed a new documentary approach for the series, and From Beats to Business became the first opportunity to bring that vision to life.
Building the Film
Before we ever arrived with cameras, I worked closely with Merv to turn years of memories and conversations into a focused emotional narrative.
I built the story around that central crossroads: the dream he had pursued for most of his life and the unexpected realization that another path could still offer creativity, purpose, and possibility.
That idea shaped everything that followed — the interview, locations, wardrobe, production design, archival material, cinematography, music, and the moments from Merv’s personal life we chose to capture.
In Sydney, I directed the interview and b-roll production, working with our crew to make the film feel intimate and cinematic rather than like a traditional corporate profile.
I carried the story through post-production as lead editor, shaping the core narrative, selecting music and sound design, and protecting the emotional arc through the final cut.
Human first. Story first. Brand second.
A Documentary Inside a Campaign
From Beats to Business began as part of ServiceNow University’s global Career Journey campaign, but Merv’s story quickly outgrew the original format.
Rather than compressing his experience into a traditional career profile, we gave the story room to breathe.
The result was a standalone 11-minute documentary that became the marquee film of the campaign.
It premiered at ServiceNow’s Knowledge conference, where Merv and I appeared together onstage to talk about his journey and the making of the film. It was later presented to approximately 4,000 people at World Forum Sydney.
Behind the Scenes
