Video Storytelling For Doctors

Ron Watermon • April 10, 2022

High-Integrity Storytelling Using TV Reporters Ideal for Health Care Professionals

St. Louis, MO – April 11 2022 – Authentic video storytelling can help health care professionals grow their medical practices in an honest and effective way. Most physicians simply want to help patients and are not interested in “selling” their services.

StorySMART storytelling is about telling, not hard selling. Our high-integrityprocess of using TV reporters to tell honest stories is ideal for doctors wanting to help more patients.

StorySMART specializes in providing premium video storytelling with a purpose. A video story can be designed to educate, inform, entertain or connect emotionally in some way with your intended audience. Our approach is telling not hard selling. We leave the hard sales videos to others.

In our digital world, video is supreme. It is the one format of communication everyone agrees you should be investing in to grow your practice. Video is very effective at helping you connect with potential patients online.

We typically don’t spend a lot of time trying to convince potential clients that video is important. It is. The evidence is overwhelming and obvious. You can do your own research.


  • 1200% more social shares for video than image and text posts in social media.
  • +49% faster revenue growth for brands using video.
  • Your customers are ten (10X) times more likely to open your email if you include a video.
  • And you are 54 times more likely to show up in search if you have a video on your website.

Ok. So video is important. Well then the question is what kind of video?

A slide show set to music? A motion graphic video? A whiteboard animation? A commercial? A long form documentary? A silly Tik Tok?

Before we created our premium service your choices were either a do it yourself (DIY) video that costs you nothing but your time or spending $10,000 or more on a professional slick corporate video. There really wasn’t anything in between.

And the market has been slow to adapt to the reality that you need to be sharing videos consistently over time. One and done won’t get the job done. Most production companies are trying to sell you on the idea of spending a lot of money on a single video. That isn't our approach. We see this as a marathon, not a sprint.

You need to be consistently sharing videos.

So let’s look at your options for consistently sharing authentic videos that connect with your target audience, elevate your google authority online and reflect well on your personal brand.

DIY is typically authentic. It is honest. And it can be effective. But DIY isn’t for everyone.

Do you really have time or the personality to dance on Tik Tok? Do you want to become the next YouTube or Podcast sensation? Maybe. If you have the personality, time and skills to do it yourself, I’d tell you get out there and start making videos. You don’t need StorySMART. If you enjoy video editing, interviewing your co workers and love to flex your creative muscles, knock your socks off and get to it!

But if the thought of shooting and editing videos turns you off, then we have another option to consider. If you want a turnkey, high-integrity video storytelling service that puts ethics first and reflects well on your personal brand then you should consider StorySMART.

Our premium service is designed to be high-quality and authentic . Yes, you can have both. And our turnkey premium video storytelling service is designed to be like DIY in the sense that you will own the work product. It is like we are your in-house media without all the overhead of having a full-time reporter working for you.

And our service is a good value. It is fairly, accessibly and transparently pricedfor a premium service. You can see it for yourself.

You won’t break the bank with our service. You can get four high-quality video stories you will own forever for what a typical slick scripted video will cost you in most markets in the US. If you are in NYC or one of the big markets, you will love us. We can do six to ten stories for what a typical video costs in those big markets.

But price is only part of the equation. Your time and effort are a big part of it too. We make things turnkey easy and efficient for our clients. Most importantly, you will get an authentic and honest story that connects with your target audience. It is will have the polish and quality you deserve. It will reflect well on you and your brand.

StorySMART’s unique proprietary approach to video storytelling is a high-integrity, ethics first process that is designed to build trust between the clients we help and their target audience. StorySMART uses only experienced journalistsin helping our clients tell their stories. We are building a nationwide network of journalists to help small businesses, medical practices, addiction recovery centers, consumers and others tell an honest story in an ethical high-quality way.

Journalists are high-integrity individuals that care deeply about telling a good, honest story. Journalists have a nose for news and a way of taking something complex and conveying it as a simple story that connects authentically with the target audience.

Our telling not selling approach is ideal for those within the healthcare. Our approach is about telling an honest story about someone whose life changed because of the care they received. Doctors and healthcare professionals change lives in a profound way that can shared through video storytelling.

Over the last two years we have done video storytelling for a medical practice specializing in addiction medicine. Just check out the workand judge for yourself.

Health care professionals are in a role where trust is essential. They need to build trust and connect at a human level with their patients. Our high-integrity video storytelling model is founded on this fundamental reality. Every reporter adheres to our ethical credo with their work.

We have also designed things to be turnkey easy for the client. You don’t need to do anything but show up for an interview on camera. The reporter conducts an interview with the designated people for the story and handles all of the production heavy lifting.

Our clients get an honest, authentic, high-quality professional video they own the copyright on. We are sensitive to those in healthcare who need to ensure patient confidentiality and comply with all HIPPA laws.

You will notice that at least two of our stories for addiction medicine practice INSynergydon’t show the person whose story we are telling. Our reporter did a wonderful job of telling those stories while ensuring the level of anonymity the patient wanted to preserve.

60% to 80% of the buying process is customer research. Today, that means a google search. People search 24/7 online.

You should be blogging and sharing video stories. The power of that process is incredible. When you post a video on your website, you are 54 Times more likely to show up in a google search. If you pair that video with a blog post of at least 350+ words, the written post acts as meta data driving search traffic.

By posting a blog with a video story, you will drive organic (i.e. not paid) traffic to your website. The other best practice is to build an email newsletter to stay in touch with your community. No salesperson is better than an existing patient referring a friend to your practice.

The simple step of consistently staying in touch and sharing a story can have a profound impact on growing your medical practice. It reminds people of the great work you are doing and it personalizes it in a way that connects authentically. You should be routinely posting to social media and emailing your community.

All healthcare professionals should invest in video storytelling. You should tell an honest authentic story about how you helped transform a patient’s life. Share that story on your website, via an email newsletter with your community, and via social media. You may not get millions of views on those videos, but you will reach those who need your help.

Springsteen's New Film is a Boss Lesson in Storytelling

By Ron Watermon • October 21, 2025
When Deadline first reported that Bruce Springsteen’s Deliver Me From Nowhere was headed for the screen, I expected it would be more than another typical music biopic because it was based on a book that focused on a sliver of Springsteen’s life. That “sliver” was a singular defining period of Springsteen’s life. When I wrote my book, I took note of the fact that when Hollywood came calling, they first reached out to Warren Zanes who wrote the book and not Springsteen himself. I was trying to make the point about the importance of securing storytelling source material. The real work in telling a story is that of the author. Writing a great story isn’t easy. When it happens, someone in Hollywood is bound to notice. What I didn’t fully appreciate until now is that Springsteen’s story to screen journey is a masterclass in focus — a case study in how a single defining period, a writer who truly understands his subject, and a team of champions can move a story from the page to the screen in record time. Zane’s book was published 2023. A little more than two years later, the film is being released. That is amazing in of itself, but the approach to the story told is also instructive. Most people think you need your whole life story to make a film. Springsteen — and Warren Zanes — show us you don’t. It can be a sliver. The story behind this storytelling is a Boss lesson in storytelling that help you deliver your story from nowhere. 

Friday Night Lights

By Ron Watermon • October 13, 2025
Your Clear Eyes, Full Rights, Can't Lose Playbook.  If you’ve ever watched Friday Night Lights, you know the phrase: Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose. It’s the mantra Coach Taylor preached to his team. But when I look at the 35-year storytelling journey of Friday Night Lights—from a reporter’s notebook to a bestselling book, then a film, a beloved series, and now talk of a reboot—I see a slightly different mantra: Clear eyes, full rights, can’t lose. Because underneath the inspirational football story is a lesson we can draw from in how one journalist’s immersive reporting became a durable, multi-platform franchise. And for me, it’s a perfect demonstration of a pathway we advocate for at STORYSMART®. It all starts with investing in good clear-eyed journalism. It is the single most important investment you can make in developing a true story. When you take control of your source material to tell a true story and develop your story properly, your story can live on for years far beyond the page. I’m a big proponent for adopting a story franchise mindset when approaching storytelling projects. That is why I tell clients to think like a studio executive by adopting a media mogul mindset. When you open your mind to that, it opens the doors of possibilities. The storytelling journey of Friday Night Lights helps illustrate what is possible, as well as offer other lessons on what to do and not do in designing your own professional storytelling path. How a reporter’s notebook became a franchise In 1990, journalist Buzz Bissinger published Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream. It wasn’t just another sports book. He moved his family to Texas to immerse himself in this story. Bissinger spent a year in Odessa, Texas, embedded with the Permian High School Panthers, capturing the obsession, pressure, and community identity that revolved around high school football. He conducted hundreds of hours of interviews and built his narrative from a deep archive of source material. Every interview he conducted is his work product, what I often refer to as copyright protected storytelling source material. Make note of that. That depth of Buzz’s reporting gave the book credibility. It also gave it power as intellectual property. It was a fantastic book that was a hit.

Media Lens: NCAA NIL Guidance & Storytelling

By Ron Watermon • October 3, 2025
The NCAA just approved new guidance on NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals — and while the headlines mostly talk about money, what’s really at stake here is storytelling. Starting this past August, athletes have had to disclose NIL agreements over $600. Schools will help monitor and even facilitate opportunities, and standardized contracts are being promoted to protect athletes. Meanwhile, new rules for collectives are meant to stop disguised pay-for-play deals while still allowing legitimate business arrangements. ( Full NCAA release here )​ On the surface, this might sound like dry compliance policy. But here’s the STORYSMART® takeaway: Transparency is power. The clearer your contracts and disclosures, the harder it is for someone else to hijack your story or exploit your image. Standardization levels the playing field. Whether you’re a star quarterback or a swimmer at a smaller program, having clear terms makes it easier to protect your rights. Your story is the real asset. NIL isn’t just about a jersey deal or an autograph session. It’s about controlling your narrative — the way your life, your legacy, and your values are presented to the world. ​ This guidance is another reminder that athletes — like families, public figures, and estates — need to see their story as intellectual property. The athletes who win aren’t just the ones who score on the field; they’re the ones who invest in how their story is told off the field. ​ STORYSMART® Rule of Thumb: Don’t just cash a check. Build a story that grows in value over time.

What is The STORYSMART® Way?

By Ron Watermon • October 1, 2025
At it's heart, STORYSMART® is about democratizing access to elite-level professional storytelling. Storytelling has been controlled by gatekeepers for far too long.

What "The Studio" Gets Right (and Wrong) About Storytelling

By Ron Watermon • September 24, 2025
The Studio offers a behind-the-scenes look at the chaos of Hollywood, but there are lessons about what the industry gets right & wrong about storytelling.

Goodnight, John-Boy: Lessons in Family Storytelling from The Waltons

By Ron Watermon • September 14, 2025
Storytelling for ALL™ LinkedIn Newsletter Vol. 3

Be Like Mike: Own Your Story Like a Champion

By Ron Watermon • September 14, 2025
Storytelling for ALL™ LinkedIn Newsletter Vol. 2

Forget AI - the Two Letters That Matter Most to Your Story Are IP!

By Ron Watermon • September 14, 2025
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Why I Wrote STORYSMART® Storytelling for ALL

By Ron Watermon • July 21, 2025
July 22, 2025, St. Louis, MO - There’s a line in Jerry Maguire that has always stuck with me. Young Ray asks his mom, “What’s wrong, Mom?” And she replies: “ First class is what’s wrong, honey. It used to be a better meal. Now it’s a better life. ” That line hits hard. Because access—access to opportunity, tools, and professionals—changes everything. And when it comes to storytelling, access has long been unequal. For decades, only a small group of insiders had the power to tell stories at the highest level. If you weren’t already in Hollywood or publishing, your story stayed in coach—often ignored, misrepresented, or lost. I wrote STORYSMART® Storytelling for ALL to change that. This book is a roadmap. It’s designed to give you—whether you’re a public figure, entrepreneur, athlete, or someone with a life story worth telling—the same tools used by insiders. The same strategies that power studios, presidents, billion-dollar production companies, and bestselling memoirs. It’s also deeply personal. I’ve seen too many remarkable true stories disappear because people didn’t know how to protect them—or worse, were taken advantage of. I’ve felt like an outsider myself. And I know what it means to want your story told right. That’s why I developed the STORYSMART® Framework. To empower people with meaningful stories to protect their rights, preserve their vision, and share it with the world—on their own terms. I’m making the Author’s Note from the book available as a free PDF download as part of this post. And if you’ve got 90 seconds, I invite you to watch the short video message from me below. This is your story. Let’s tell it the right way. About The Book In a world hungry for authentic narratives, STORYSMART® Storytelling for ALL™ : How to Take Control, Own Your True Story and Profit Like a Hollywood Insider delivers a rare insider’s guide to turning a true story into a cultural and financial asset while maintaining control. Designed for public figures, entrepreneurs, and individuals with powerful life stories, the book introduces the STORYSMART® Way, a step-by-step framework to organize, preserve, and professionally develop your story for books, film, and television. The book pulls back the curtain on how stories move through publishing, Hollywood, and streaming—and empowers readers to navigate the process like seasoned insiders. Topics include copyright and licensing, collaborating with elite-level professional filmmakers and ghostwriters, developing a pitch-ready treatment, and monetizing true stories through publishing, streaming, and merchandising. STORYSMART Storytelling for ALL is available currently as both a paperback and e-book. It will be available soon be in hardcover and audiobook formats. About the Author Ron Watermon is the founder of STORYSMART®, a cinematic storytelling consulting service and story development film studio. A lawyer, filmmaker, and Emmy-nominated television producer and writer, Ron’s led strategic communications for an MLB team, advised high-profile clients, and has produced both film and television productions. Ron lives in St. Louis with his family. Learn more about Ron at storysmart.net and ronwatermon.com #STORYSMART #StorytellingForAll #NewBook #MediaRights #TrueStories #BookLaunch

STORYSMART® Film Receives Major Grant Support from St. Louis Film Project

By Ron Watermon • April 24, 2025
We are honored to share some big news. Our documentary, A Steak Guerrilla in St. Louis: The Dr. Arturo Taca Story, has been selected as one of five projects to receive funding from the St. Louis Film Project , a collaboration between the Regional Arts Commission (RAC) of St. Louis and Continuity . This recognition comes from a highly competitive pool of 115 applicants. The grant—up to $100,000—represents a decisive vote of confidence in our story and our approach to telling it. It also offers meaningful momentum as we enter the next phase of production. Most importantly, it reinforces what we believe: Dr. Arturo Taca’s story matters and deserves to be told. A Story Rooted in St. Louis — and Felt Across the World “A Steak Guerrilla in St. Louis” is a documentary rooted in the unlikely convergence of midwestern Americana and Filipino resistance. It follows the story of Dr. Arturo M. Taca, a Filipino surgeon and political exile who made St. Louis his home while taking a stand against Ferdinand Marcos's brutal dictatorship. Before terms like “fake news” and “disinformation” became common in American discourse, Dr. Taca uncovered the truth behind the Philippine president's fraudulent war record. That investigation began here—in dusty archives just outside of St. Louis—and set off a chain of events that toppled a brutal dictator. Our film uses a hybrid storytelling format, combining animated reenactments, interviews, and archival research to tell this story in an emotionally resonant and visually striking way. The Grant That Helps Make It Possible The St. Louis Film Project grant, funded through RAC and administered by Continuity, is part of an initiative to uplift the film community in St. Louis. RAC’s press release states that the fund was created to “support local filmmakers and organizations to tell stories rooted in St. Louis.” The evaluation process was rigorous. “Choosing five projects from over 100 submissions was no easy feat," said Vanessa Cooksey, President of RAC. "The talent and stories presented were incredible.” That’s why being one of the five chosen is more than just a financial boost—it affirms this story’s value and connection to our community. It means much to us, and we don’t take it lightly. A Delayed Start But a Firm Deadline While the grant announcement arrived months later than initially expected, we’ve been working behind the scenes to be ready to go once we receive funding. With this grant officially in place, we’re full steam ahead. The grant contractually obligates us to deliver the completed film by January 2026. That’s a fast turnaround in documentary filmmaking, especially for a story with historical depth, international relevance, and a visual style that blends live action with animation. That means every day counts. While the grant covers significant production costs, it also comes with essential parameters: 75% of funds must be spent within the City of St. Louis. We’re proud of that requirement—it aligns with our belief in investing locally and elevating regional talent. But it also means we must be innovative, strategic, and resourceful with every dollar we spend. We have our entire team in place, minus one critical position. We need a gifted DP to join our elite team. We are eager to work with a tremendous city-based production company or cinematographer who calls St. Louis home. If you know a great cinematographer who would like to join us, please have them email me at ron@storysmart.net. Why We’re Still Seeking Donor Support Even with the RAC grant, bringing this film to life in the way it deserves will take more. Animation, archival licensing, original score composition, color grading, distribution planning—it all adds up. And some of this can't be sourced in a way that fits grant guidelines. And because of the ambitious deadline, we’ll need to scale quickly without cutting corners. That’s where you come in. We’re seeking additional donor support to help us: Expand our animation sequences and visual storytelling capacity. Secure the rights to key archival materials that deepen the film’s historical accuracy. Shoot at least a couple of interviews with key individuals who live outside our region, including the Philippines. Invest in editorial and post-production tools that allow us to move efficiently without sacrificing quality. Ensure the finished film reaches the broadest possible audience, from film festivals to classrooms to international broadcast platforms. Your contribution—no matter the size—helps ensure that Dr. Taca’s story is told with the care, accuracy, and cinematic impact it deserves. If you believe in the power of truth-telling… if you value stories that connect communities and illuminate buried history… we hope you’ll consider becoming a supporter. Click here to donate Learn more about our film at steakguerrilla.com A Final Word: Why This Story Matters Now We often think history is distant, locked away in textbooks or museums. But A Steak Guerrilla in St. Louis reminds us that history is constantly being rediscovered—sometimes in our backyard. It’s a reminder that exile doesn’t silence the truth, that one person in one city can stand up to a dictator and change the course of a narrative written in lies, and that the work of defending democracy happens quietly, persistently, and often without recognition. Now, it’s time to give that recognition. With this grant—and with your support—we’re going to finish the film. And when we do, we’ll bring a hidden chapter of St. Louis history that reverberates far beyond our city limits. Thank you for sharing this journey with us, and a special thanks to each member of our talented filmmaking team. I'm grateful for your willingness to work to bring this story to the screen, your patience through this process, and your unselfish (uncompensated) work to make it happen. I have no doubt it will all be worth it! --Ron Watermon, Executive Producer & Director, A Steak Guerrilla in St. Louis: The Dr. Arturo M. Taca Story
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