Dean‘s take on:
Developing a strong work ethic.
Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dean learned Bosnian before he learned English. After moving to the United States as a baby, he saw his parents become entrepreneurs, owning and operating an adult family home.
Dean Says:
I’m a big fan of hard work. I used to work in a warehouse in the summer. I’d wake up at 3 am every morning; it taught me the importance of a good work ethic and how to set multiple alarms to wake up on time.” The family business is something he still helps with today. “I mow a mean lawn,” he explains.
Bringing your passions to work.
Initially interested in the fast-paced nature of the news cycle and the importance of keeping viewers up to date, Dean changed paths after creating a documentary style project in school. “I realized the more time you can spend working on something you are passionate about, the better the story you can tell. I learn a lot from the movies I watch and I try to apply them to my work as much as possible. I’m always learning new ways to tell stories and make people feel certain ways.” Finding new sources of inspiration is one of the primary reasons he joined DH. The ability to work with a large multidisciplinary team of graphic designers, copywriters and other creative professionals motivates Dean to develop unique ways to tell stories through video.
Winning the SNL Lottery.
Saturday Night Live’s show ticket lottery is something of a legend; prospective audience members can apply for 10 years and never get an invite. Dean applied once – with a note from his fiancé telling the producers why he should make the cut – and two weeks later, he was in NYC, witnessing a live performance of “one of the staples of comedy and television history” in his words. What in the application won SNL over? Dean thinks it’s his passion for the medium, and his penchant for comedic storytelling.
Education
Bachelor of arts, broadcasting and integrated media, Gonzaga University