From Tape Decks to TikTok: What Decades in Video Have Taught Me About Transformation

byDavid Berry/July 31, 2025/inMarketing, Videography

I still remember the clicking of the tape machine when I first started cutting promos at Fox Sports. Back then, editing was a physical process – literally tape to tape. If you wanted to make a change, you rewound, re-cued, and hoped your timing was tight enough not to have to do it all over again.

Then came the shift.

We moved from linear tape-based editing to non-linear digital systems. Suddenly, we could drag and drop, undo, and experiment. It was a revolution not just in workflow, but in creativity. Ideas could evolve faster. Turnarounds were quicker. And most importantly, we could adapt to the changing pace of media consumption.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was living through one of the biggest transitions in video production.

And now, I’m watching it happen again.

Another Big Shift: From Broadcast to Bite-Size

Today, we’re in the middle of another massive transformation, this time driven by social media and AI. The way people consume content has changed drastically. We’ve gone from 30-second network promos to 6-second vertical loops on TikTok. From polished sizzle reels to raw behind-the-scenes reels that feel more like a FaceTime call than a campaign.

And just like in those early Fox Sports days, the tools are evolving fast.

AI is streamlining everything from scripting and editing to thumbnail generation and audience targeting. What used to take a team of editors, writers, and graphic designers can now sometimes be done in an afternoon with a few clicks and some strategic oversight. That’s not to say the human touch is gone – it’s just being redirected toward creativity, storytelling, and authenticity.

What Hasn’t Changed

What has stayed constant through all this? The why behind the content.

People still crave connection. They still respond to emotion. Whether it’s a highlight reel on Sunday Night Football or a personal story about a brand founder on Instagram, the power of video lies in its ability to make people feel something. Something that no machine can fake.

Embracing the New Without Losing the Old

I have learned to embrace the change. In fact, I have learned to look for it. Because every time the industry shifts, it opens new doors for creativity. The transition from tape to digital didn’t kill great storytelling, it gave it room to breathe. And today’s transition to social-first, AI-assisted content isn’t the death of quality but a challenge to make quality matter even more in a faster, noisier world.

If you’re in marketing right now, you’re not just creating content. You’re navigating another turning point in how stories are told. That’s exciting. It’s also a little scary. But if my time at Fox taught me anything, it’s that the people who lean into the transition – not run from it – are the ones who end up shaping what comes next.

Dave Berry-

From Tape Decks to TikTok: What Decades in Video Have Taught Me About Transformation

Another Big Shift: From Broadcast to Bite-Size

What Hasn’t Changed

Embracing the New Without Losing the Old

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