The Backflip Effect

Ryan Freng & Backflip
  • 3.0 (2)
  • Marketing

We’re flipping the script—literally. The Let’s Backflip Show: Happy Hour had a good run, but it’s time for a plot twist. Welcome to The Backflip Effect, your new go-to guide for mastering video and marketing—with a side of comedy, drama, and hopefully a little wisdom. Ryan Freng, John Shoemaker, and the Backflip crew tackle all the ups, downs, and unexpected plot twists of running a production company, a creative marketing studio… or whatever they’re calling themselves these days. From getting started and failing spectacularly to finding success and navigating daily challenges, they’re sharing it all—plus a few trade secrets they’ve picked up over 20 years in the game. Whether you’re here to build your brand, level up your video skills, or just enjoy a good behind-the-scenes story, you’re in the right place. Hit play. It’s gonna be awesome.

  1. 1d ago

    The Church Can't Ignore AI Anymore

    AI is moving fast, and Catholic organizations are being asked to move with it without losing what makes the Church the Church. We sit down and get honest about where artificial intelligence can actually help parishes and ministries right now: operations, admin workflows, planning, and the behind-the-scenes systems that drain time and energy when staff and budgets are tight. If you care about Catholic church marketing, communications strategy, and doing more with less, this is the grounded starting point. Then we pivot to the harder questions: generative AI art, Catholic imagery, and the deep nuance of iconography. A saint “looking right” is not the same as being right, and AI can create polished visuals that quietly miss symbols, tradition, or meaning. We talk about why human oversight matters more in sacred contexts, how to think about references and verification, and what kinds of creative AI content might be safer when it is clearly playful or surreal rather than pretending to be devotional art. Finally, we draw a line around relationships. Discipleship is not information delivery, and no chatbot can substitute for prayer, presence, and real spiritual friendship. We also react to the rise of AI companion modes and why personifying tools can feel unsettling and unhealthy at a cultural level. If you have been wondering how to use AI with discernment while staying faithful to a Catholic mission, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a friend in ministry, and leave a review. Where do you think the real line is for AI in the Church? For more information about us or to see all the amazing people we work with, check out our website: https://www.letsbackflip.com

    21 min

  2. Feb 5

    Viral Now or Valuable Long-Term?

    Your feed is crowded, your time is scarce, and yet the loudest voices keep shouting about AI, reaction videos, and guaranteed six‑figure shortcuts. We went deep on the marketing trends that waste attention—and the practical ways to replace them with content that earns trust and drives real results. We start by dismantling empty reaction videos and AI‑as‑headline hype. A reaction only works when it adds context, pauses the clip, and teaches something new. “Made with AI” isn’t a benefit; outcomes are. From there, we pull back the curtain on the guru industrial complex: survivorship bias, selective proof, and “80% succeed” claims that sound compelling until you ask who got filtered out. Guarantees can be useful when they protect fit and values, but pressure sales and script‑only pitches erode credibility fast. We also look at formats and behaviors that quietly manipulate attention—UGC that’s become home shopping with jump cuts, mobile game ads that bait you with failure loops, and design tricks that force rewatches. Then we pivot to what actually works: personalities who teach before they sell, carousels that present ideas clearly, tutorials that start at the pain point, and content marketing that’s the destination instead of the interruption. Through it all, we keep one creative filter in sight: aim for what is true, good, and beautiful, so the work helps people decide—not just click. If you want marketing that compounds instead of annoys, this conversation lays out the playbook: give value ten times, ask once, and let proof do the persuading. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a detoxed feed, and leave a review telling us the trend you want to retire next. For more information about us or to see all the amazing people we work with, check out our website: https://www.letsbackflip.com

    55 min

  3. Jan 29

    What's the Real ROI of Creative Work?

    A shiny award is nice, but here’s the tougher conversation: how do you value creative work when the return doesn’t fit neatly into a spreadsheet? We dig into real numbers, real budgets, and the mindset shifts leaders need to see video as a growth lever rather than a cost center. The catalyst was a familiar moment—sticker shock at a $15K quote for a three-minute video with social cuts. We break down the lifetime value math, show how a single ideal client can pay for the entire project, and explain why “the kid with a phone” isn’t a strategy. From there, we connect the dots between brand equity, omnipresence, and mental availability: why you remember the lawyer you see everywhere and how consistent storytelling creates preference long before a prospect fills out a form. We also step beyond hard dollars to talk nonprofit and ministry metrics—engagement, education, donor lift—and how video shifts behavior even when revenue isn’t the primary measure. Expect candid takes on when to walk away from misfit clients, why trust beats discounts, and how to structure content that people actually care about. We share a simple scaling lens—promotion, product, people—and place video where it belongs: as proof, story, and distribution-ready fuel across the journey. If you’ve wrestled with “What’s the ROI?” this is your field guide to better questions, smarter baselines, and iterative measurement that respects both art and science. You’ll leave with practical ways to evaluate spend, align on outcomes, and build assets that compound. Enjoy the conversation, then tell us: what would you test first to move the needle? Subscribe, share with a teammate who challenges budgets, and leave a review to help others find the show. For more information about us or to see all the amazing people we work with, check out our website: https://www.letsbackflip.com

    40 min

  4. Jan 15

    Catholic Storytelling and the Art of Co-Creation

    What if audiences don’t just consume stories, they finish them? We dive into that idea with a wide-ranging conversation across Catholic imagination, indie cinema, saints’ lives, and the nuts and bolts of making marketing that people actually want to share. Starting with parables and tradition, we explore how stories invite each of us to bring our history, hopes, and habits to the work, transforming it in the process. That sacramental lens, seeing outward signs that reveal inward grace, becomes a practical tool for watching movies, reading difficult texts, and crafting content with integrity. We take Tolkien and Flannery O’Connor as case studies in contrast. One fosters wonder and moral clarity; the other confronts sin and shock to reveal mercy. Both reward active participation. We unpack why an indie film like Wildcat, with layered performances and nonstandard form, can challenge expectations yet offer richer meaning, while a gorgeous production can still fail if its story collapses. The conversation then swings to documentary ethics: editing is always authorship, and “truth” needs context. Recognizing the filmmaker’s hand helps viewers engage critically without losing the human core of the subject. Finally, we connect these ideas to modern marketing. Today’s platforms are built for co-creation, remixes, duets, stitches, and reactions. We share practical tactics that 10x engagement: short loops with a setup and payoff, prompts that invite replies, and topics sourced from real searches so content meets felt needs. The goal isn’t to game an algorithm; it’s to respect people as partners who make meaning with you. Come for the theology of story, stay for the creative playbook you can use on your next post, film, or campaign. If this resonates, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a friend who loves stories as much as you do. For more information about us or to see all the amazing people we work with, check out our website: https://www.letsbackflip.com

    40 min

  5. Jan 8

    Pick a Partner. Not a Price.

    What if the problem isn’t your budget, but your buying strategy? We break down why “pick a partner, not a price” is more than a catchy line. It’s a practical path to marketing that actually works. Instead of treating video like a commodity, we share how aligning on goals, scoping together, and planning distribution turns creative into measurable growth. We challenge price-shopping habits with a simple test: are you comparing numbers or outcomes? You’ll hear real examples of clients who asked for a single asset but needed a smarter sequence. Fix the bottleneck first, then scale. We unpack how videos die without distribution, why paid media and SEO matter, and how content cadence keeps you top of mind long after a launch. There’s nuance too. One-off hero videos can outperform live moments at donor galas, especially when you craft the story and repurpose clips to build momentum before and after the event. Our approach sits between a pure production vendor and a strategy-only agency. We sprint to quick wins, gather data fast, and keep iterating so every dollar learns. Expect candid talk on scope vs cost, when it makes sense to match a competitor’s “reasonable” price, and why pushback from a true partner beats a vendor’s polite yes. If you want creative that earns attention and a distribution engine that compounds it, this conversation maps the way from first brief to business impact. Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, share it with a friend who’s weighing bids, and leave a review with your biggest marketing roadblock so we can tackle it next. For more information about us or to see all the amazing people we work with, check out our website: https://www.letsbackflip.com

    27 min

  6. 10/23/2025

    How Much Does Video Production Actually Cost?

    Ever asked a video production company for pricing only to get a frustratingly vague answer? You're not alone. In this candid exploration of video production costs, we pull back the curtain on why "how much does video cost?" might be the wrong question altogether. We break down real numbers for the Midwest market, from bare-minimum $5,000 projects to $250,000 documentary films, while explaining the factors that drive these costs. But more importantly, we challenge the traditional thinking about video budgeting by focusing on outcomes rather than outputs. What if your $60,000 budget would deliver more value as a $30,000 production paired with $30,000 in strategic distribution? How might quarterly productions generating 21 content pieces outperform a single "hero" video? These questions reveal the true nature of effective video marketing. It's not about a one-time expense but an ongoing strategy that feeds your marketing channels consistently. Drawing on our experience with clients across various industries, we explain why video production costs what it does (hint: you're hiring professionals for a significant amount of their time) and why the relationship with your production partner matters more than the price tag. For businesses feeling uncomfortable with video costs, we offer a simple framework: if your investment has the potential to deliver returns many times its value, the initial price becomes less relevant than the strategic outcome. Ready to rethink your approach to video marketing budgets? Listen now and discover why successful businesses are asking better questions than "how much?" They're asking, "what value will this create?" Share your thoughts on video budgeting challenges, and subscribe for our upcoming episode on why you should pick a partner, not a price. For more information about us or to see all the amazing people we work with, check out our website: https://www.letsbackflip.com

    40 min

  7. 04/24/2025

    The Power of Live Switching

    Live switching technology transforms video production efficiency, allowing real-time editing during filming that saves countless hours in post-production while maintaining professional quality. We explore how this approach revolutionized a recent project where we captured 80+ educational videos in just five days. • Live switching records final edited output during filming, eliminating extensive post-production for multi-camera setups • Green screen keying can be monitored live to ensure proper lighting and camera angles before leaving the set • Complex setups may require multiple switching boards for different functions (main switching, picture-in-picture, keying) • Virtual conferences benefit greatly from live switching, allowing remote participants to interact while maintaining broadcast quality • Software solutions like OBS can provide similar functionality for smaller setups without expensive hardware • Recording individual camera feeds as backups (ISO recording) provides editing flexibility while still saving time • The approach particularly shines for long-form content and projects requiring numerous deliverables Reach out if you need help with consistent, story-driven video marketing for your brand, agency, business, association, or nonprofit. For more information on live video production, visit https://letsbackflip.com/services/live-video-production/ For more information about us or to see all the amazing people we work with, check out our website: https://www.letsbackflip.com

    21 min

  8. 03/27/2025

    Behind the Illusion: How Studio Set Construction Transforms Video Production

    Have you ever wondered how TV shows get those perfect camera angles in tiny bathrooms, or how commercials transform ordinary rooms into extraordinary spaces? The secret lies in studio set construction, and it's more accessible than you might think. Welcome to a fascinating exploration of production possibilities as we pull back the curtain on how custom-built sets transform marketing videos from ordinary to extraordinary. From rolling walls that reveal casino scenes to entire rooms that physically flip upside down, we share the behind-the-scenes magic that elevates storytelling through controlled environments. We dive into our experience creating modular walls for Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison commercials, where we shot 11 different scripts across multiple set configurations in just a few days—something that would have been logistically impossible on location. For Kelly Jackson's powerful music video about domestic abuse, we engineered an entire 12-foot hinged set that could physically tilt backward, creating a visceral metaphor for instability that no amount of digital effects could match. Even seemingly ordinary scenes benefit tremendously from studio construction. We recently built bathroom and living room sets for a commercial featuring dogs, allowing our team to position cameras at impossible angles while accommodating a large crew and managing animal talent comfortably. The control and efficiency gained from building these environments pays dividends in production quality and schedule management. Whether you're creating marketing content, filming a documentary with staged elements, or producing narrative video, consider how set construction might elevate your production value while actually streamlining your process. Subscribe to The Backflip Effect for more insights that prove there's always a method to the marketing madness! For more information about us or to see all the amazing people we work with, check out our website: https://www.letsbackflip.com

    20 min
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Ratings & Reviews

3
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

We’re flipping the script—literally. The Let’s Backflip Show: Happy Hour had a good run, but it’s time for a plot twist. Welcome to The Backflip Effect, your new go-to guide for mastering video and marketing—with a side of comedy, drama, and hopefully a little wisdom. Ryan Freng, John Shoemaker, and the Backflip crew tackle all the ups, downs, and unexpected plot twists of running a production company, a creative marketing studio… or whatever they’re calling themselves these days. From getting started and failing spectacularly to finding success and navigating daily challenges, they’re sharing it all—plus a few trade secrets they’ve picked up over 20 years in the game. Whether you’re here to build your brand, level up your video skills, or just enjoy a good behind-the-scenes story, you’re in the right place. Hit play. It’s gonna be awesome.

Information

  • Creator
    Ryan Freng & Backflip
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    109
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Backflip Effect
  • Show Website
    The Backflip Effect