A Fresh Take on Using Video for Case Settlement with Guest Michael Schwarz [Ep 145]
Elizabeth welcomes Michael Schwarz, founder of Prairie Nation Creative, to discuss innovative approaches to creating settlement videos for trial lawyers.
Michael, a seasoned filmmaker, shares his journey from film school to starting a company specializing in impactful legal videos. His company introduced the concept of ‘Trial Trailers™ ’ – concise and compelling videos designed to summarize case damages and liability, pushing for quicker settlements.
Michael also talks about ‘demand impact videos,’ a more affordable alternative using online interviews for lower-tier cases. Additionally, they explore the challenges of engaging viewers, the importance of early evidence preservation, and how creative storytelling can significantly impact legal outcomes.
Michael also touches on his passion project, the Abandoned Atlas Foundation, which focuses on documenting and preserving historic abandoned buildings, and provides another snapshot into his production style.
In this episode, you will learn about:
- The Concept of Trial Trailers
- Demand Impact Videos as Affordable Alternatives
- The Art of Video Editing and Storytelling
- Addressing Lawyer Needs with Custom Videos
- The Power of Video in Legal Cases
- Importance of Evidence Preservation
- Bonus! Michael’s Abandoned Atlas Foundation
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Supporting Resources:
Guest Michael Schwarz of Prairie Nation Creative.
Learn more about Michael Schwarz and the work he is doing: https://prairie-creative.com/
Email Michael: michael@prairie-creative.com
Watch samples of Michael’s work here: https://vimeo.com/
You can also watch this episode on YouTube here: A Fresh Take on Using Video for Case Settlement, with Guest Michael Schwarz [Ep145]
Do you have an upcoming trial and want help writing your opening statement? Book a free call with Elizabeth to see how she can help.
Don’t want to miss an episode? Join the Trial Lawyer Prep Newsletter for resources, tips and episodes by going here: www.larricklawfirm.com/connect
Episode Transcript
Elizabeth Larrick (00:01.032)
Hello and welcome back to the podcast. I’m your host Elizabeth Larrick and today we are going to dive deep into a topic that I know all trial lawyers want to know just a little bit more about and that is using videos to promote your cases.
And to do this, I brought along a good friend of mine. I just met him and I saw him working. I saw his work. It was amazing at the Arkansas trial lawyers association seminar. So of course I said, we got to bring him on the podcast to spread the knowledge that he is bringing to this amazing space. So welcome to the podcast, Michael Schwartz.
Michael Schwarz (00:25.962)
Hello. Thank you so much for having me. I’m just absolutely thrilled to be talking about this. Good.
Elizabeth Larrick (00:52.392)
Good, I hope so. You have formed your whole life around filmmaking, which I think is amazing. And then, so tell us a little bit about your background. I know right now Prairie Nation Creative is your company, and we’ll have links in the show notes for everybody. But tell us, Michael, a little bit about kind of your background and how you got started doing film.
Michael Schwarz (01:04.269)
Sure. So I mean really I I’ve just always loved watching documentaries and even as a kid. You know I always thought though like in history class that some of the documentaries were you know a little bit outdated and you know needed a fluff and so coming into this industry I went to film school
at the University of Central Arkansas after graduating from Bishop McGinnis here in Oklahoma City. And I got a Mass Communications degree there at UCA. And then I moved to California for about four years looking to get into the film industry. And I actually got a job at a documentary production house that specialized in this type of work.
And I immediately fell in love with it. I had no idea it was it was even a need or a thing and as you know, people started needing more video for for cases to help explain stories and I was able to use my talents and At that company and then I didn’t really like California I kind of liked where I grew up in Oklahoma and decided to move back and I started my own company and I Couldn’t be more thrilled to be here and and now I’ve like
I’ve been lucky enough to have expanded into Arkansas, Texas, Kansas, even New Mexico and just all around we’re starting to really grow outside of our bubble here. So I’m just thrilled to have this opportunity. so that’s a little bit about my background.
Elizabeth Larrick (02:44.296)
Yeah, awesome. So here’s what I’m hearing. You’ve got some extensive film experience where you went to California, you learn from the pros, and then you said, you know what, I’m going to bring what I know to a brand new space, right? There’s not a lot of folks in Oklahoma city doing what you do. So I think that is awesome. But let me tell you what, why would you get into working with, with trial lawyers? What was that pull to help in that particular segment?
Michael Schwarz (02:54.317)
Well, you know, it’s interesting you actually said what you said, because I think when I first brought this back to Oklahoma and this area,
Lawyers would oftentimes only use this type of video or thing on really, really high end cases like multi-million dollar. And that was all well and good, but I feel like it was all come down to cost.
Michael Schwarz (04:22.679)
I was actually talking to one of my friends, her name is Kathy Christensen, and she said that, yeah, lawyers around here use those every now and again, but they save them for like the multi-million dollar cases, and you know, in which they can be really powerful for. But in my head, I was like, how can we bring video storytelling and the technology of nowadays with compassionate editing and interviewing? And I was like, in my head, I’m like,
how can we apply that to lower tier cases that really need that type of storytelling and to where lawyers don’t have to save it for the really, really big cases. And so I was just in talks with one of my friends and then they gave me a connection and I kind of did some preliminary like just asking them questions, picking their brain. And I found out they were like, I would use this on every case if it wasn’t, you know, 15 to $20,000 to have a video done like this. And so I was like,
How can I make one more affordable? And that’s kind of how the business was born.
Elizabeth Larrick (05:25.956)
Awesome. And that is why when I saw you at Arkansas trial lawyers and I saw what you were doing and went to your website and reviewed the videos that you done, I was blown away that you were able to create this amazing, powerful video that was not a day in the life, by the way, even though I know that’s what you do and we’ll get to that. I promise. But We’ll get to that, I promise.
I love that you are coming into a place to allow lawyers access to this amazing product. And that’s why was like, okay, we are totally aligned because I feel the same way about focus groups. And so I’m so that’s why I was excited to get you in here. So tell me a little bit about you do a couple of different types of videos for lawyers. And I know we talked about day in the life and it kind of has a negative connotation a little bit like it’s, you know, old and traditional. So
Elizabeth Larrick
Walk me through your services.
Michael Schwarz (06:14.157)
Well, you know, and that’s that’s a really valid point. So I knew immediately when I when I kind of came up with a product, I didn’t want to call it a day in the life video or a settlement documentary. And again, those can be really great and very powerful. But part of what the problem was is that a lot of lawyers like we’re oh, it’s just they’re going to follow my client around. And I could do that with my cell phone. Right. And so
Michael Schwarz (06:43.105)
Part of what our talent is is the actual storytelling being You know creating a narrative that helps paint a picture of what exactly that clients been through and I know that some lawyers are familiar with settlement documentaries as well, which actually include interviews but Looking at a few of them. One of the biggest things I noticed was that they were really long and often what the videos intention is to help summarize to the other side what the case damages are, maybe if the lawyer wants to include liability, and they want to include pretty much just a little snippet of what the trial is gonna look like to say, hey, let’s settle this thing ahead of time. But if you bore that other side and make it too long and everybody’s repeating the same thing over and over and we’re not cutting to pictures and we’re not, you know, it kind of looks low quality, I personally think that low production
quality can backfire and be more of a detriment than it is a help. And so while you have your client story, putting that together in a package that’s quick and fast, also it takes the time to breathe and the moments that it needs to breathe and really be there emotionally. kind of, the idea is that you want to make whoever’s watching forget that you’re even watching a video.
you’re just ingesting this thing and you’re like, you’re almost captivated by what’s going on. And of course, you know, defense attorneys, the goal is not to make them cry. That never happens. But the, Yeah. know, gender, I’ve never heard a story where like, wow, a defense attorney was so moved, a defense attorney is moved not emotionally, but like they’re moved in the sense of like, I definitely don’t want a jury to see this.
Elizabeth Larrick (08:21.736)
They don’t cry. What are you talking about?
Michael Schwarz (08:37.843)
And they’re like, you know, yeah. So I don’t want the trial version of this video to come out in front of a jury, which is actually how we coined the term trial trailer. Because I believe that these videos are literally a trailer. This is what the trial is going to look like if we don’t settle right now. And so in my head, I’m like, that made sense. I’ve never seen anyone else call it that before.
And I don’t know, it just kind of stuck. And now we get calls asking if they can have a trial trailer. And it’s really interesting just how coming up with a new term for kind of a refresh of an old thing that people are used to, but if we put more of a modern spin on it, it can really make a huge difference.
Elizabeth Larrick (09:27.9)
Well, and let’s give yourself some credit here. You’re not just re-labelling something. I mean, the editing that you guys do, the thoughtful process of the story, the thoughtful types of interviews. mean, there’s a lot of creative process that you put into it that has created a new product that fits with what’s happening right now. And that is people have shorter attention spans than they’ve ever had.
Just give yourself some credit here.
Michael Schwarz (09:39.15)
I mean, there’s a lot of creative process that you put into it that has created a new product that fits with what’s happening right now. And that is people have shorter attention spans they’ve ever had. We all look at video for everything, but we don’t want to watch a long one. You know, we’re impatient. So, I mean, you’re combining all of this amazing film background.
Elizabeth Larrick (09:56.082)
We all look at video for everything, but we don’t want to watch a long one. You know, we’re impatient. So, I mean, you’re combining all of this amazing film background, like movie thinking background with what we need to, as lawyers, tell a story that’s quick and impactful.
Michael Schwarz (10:06.861)
like movie thinking background with what we need to, as lawyers, tell a story that’s quick and impactful. Well, and I actually appreciate you catching that. I sometimes get into this place where I downplay myself. So I appreciate you catching that, but you’re exactly right. Every single time, like I even do focus groups within my own company and we kind of like, hey, how can we
What’s missing? What can we add? What can we take away? What’s too much? Before we send it to the client. It’s a total team effort here. It’s not just me doing all the editing and I hire some, you know, overseas person just to throw it all together. It’s really a team effort here. And the more that we grow, the more people we can bring on and the more collaborative. And my favorite part is even working with attorneys, you know, because they’ll bring their own ideas.
I have, what’s great to me is that some clients will come to me and say, Michael, here’s the client’s information, go do your thing. And we have other attorneys that come to us and say, Hey, I have an idea. Let’s work together to bring in like, they’re very involved. And, and if you were to ask me which one I prefer, I don’t have a preference. I really, I love the sometimes working with attorneys and I love just being able to go out and do it too. So, but at the end of the day, the
main point is that there are really, really difficult hurdles in our attention spans nowadays. And if a video is 30 minutes long, it has to be changing subjects, like new content, and you have to bridge things together. Make it flow, because if you let the video die down even for just a second, you’re gonna lose them. You you really gotta keep it moving, keep it going. And so sometimes…
Videos are 30 minutes, it doesn’t happen very often, but when it’s 30 minutes, there’s a lot. There is a lot to the case, and a very… generally they’re about 12 minutes, but, sorry.
Elizabeth Larrick (12:08.968)
Yeah, that’s a large case. Awesome. So I know you do… Sorry, 12 minutes. I’m so sorry. So normally about 12 minutes is a trial trailer.
Michael Schwarz (12:18.665)
Yeah, and that’s about a standard, but I would say they can be as short as four minutes, and they can be as long as, like I said, 30 minutes. It just kind of depends. I say average.
Elizabeth Larrick (12:29.488)
Yeah. And so I know you do a lot of the trial trailers. What are some other things too that you got that y’all are doing? I know you said, so are there any other kind of videos that you guys are producing for lawyers?
Michael Schwarz (12:32.941)
things too that y’all are doing. know you said, so are there any other kind of videos that you guys are producing for borders? So it’s interesting you asked that because when we started filming them and putting them together, one of the biggest notes we had still was that even though our prices were significantly lower than the 15 to 20,000, it was still like, hey, I’d love to use this on every case, but.
It’s again, you know, it’s still a little bit costly. So I was like, how can we come up with a product where maybe no in-person filming is required? So another video or another video product that we offer is actually called the demand impact video. And it’s basically a little brother to the trial trailer. And it’s essentially all the same editing graphics, everything you love about the trial trailer, but we do over the internet based filming.
Excuse me like zoom interviews is probably what but we use a different type of program the the help with production value But it’s essentially Zoom interviews which cuts down on the cost significantly and they they these types of videos are more reserved for like 300 thousand dollar cases a hundred thousand dollar cases when you’re just trying to tell the story and you don’t want a big like a well, not a big production crew to start with but you don’t want to
Elizabeth Larrick (13:34.685)
Mm-hmm.
Michael Schwarz (13:56.183)
pay for the travel and everything involved, and you just want your clients to tell their story, we can actually help kind of put the story together through online video interviews and then edit it to be the same thing that you love about the trial trailer at a much lower cost.
Elizabeth Larrick (14:13.362)
How long are those videos?
Michael Schwarz (14:15.285)
And they’re about the same. I would say they’re generally shorter. cause we, with the trial trailer, you get five interviews and then with the demand impact video, you get two interviews, but, then, you can add on any amount of interviews. It’s just a little extra cost, but I’ve developed this product specifically listening to lawyers who want to use videos more frequently in their cases, but they don’t have, the, the resources or funds to be able to spend.
You know, I think we’re charging 6,300 right now for our trial trailers as of today. And these are 2750, $2,750 for those. And we have found that there’s a lot more interest in that now for lower value cases that still need a story to be told.
Elizabeth Larrick (15:03.442)
Sure.
Elizabeth Larrick (15:08.54)
Sure, absolutely. I think that when you, so thinking in people’s minds about making a 12 minute video or even a six minute video, mean, the, the power of your editing is, overwhelming. And I say that just because I, you know, used to think, I could do my own video editing. then hours and hours go by and you just, you know, it really takes a long time. So there is definitely a craft to it. There is a professionalism that goes into
Michael Schwarz (15:42.996)
Yeah, and you know on that like one of my favorite parts it’s like it’s literally it comes down to the tiniest of things like if you have two interviews right and someone is saying something and they’re like, you know, my father he can’t walk the same and he’s you know, he’s hurt because of x y and z and you have somebody else kind of adding on to that. I’ve seen cases or I’ve seen previous video work done where they would just butt those two interviews up right next to each other.
And it, can almost hear the edit where you can almost like, you know, but like just the small amount, just putting a little bit of space in between interviews and, and, know, really thinking about the pacing too, and making sure that it’s not like, jarring. those are like my favorite details, sound effects, a little bit of music. You don’t want too much music. You just want a little bit of music just to help because, we’re rhythmic, creatures.
We like rhythm and music is not, I’ve often heard that music can be, it’s like, you’re trying to make them feel something. It’s not exactly true. Music can do that if you use it wrong. What I like to use music for is to help just kind of keep the pacing going. But more importantly, when we change subjects, when we go from one, like we go from maybe liability.
Elizabeth Larrick (16:51.112)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Michael Schwarz (17:10.285)
to damages or we go from damages to future concerns. Like when you go from those different sections, you have a music change. There’s like a change in energy and that way it’s like, we’re going on, you know, we’re keeping that momentum going. And so little things like that can make large amounts of difference and those are my favorite parts. Sure, and I mean, also when you think of how our brain works, when you are queuing in more than one sense, like more parts of our brains like.
Elizabeth Larrick (17:29.606)
Sure, and I mean, also when you think of how our brain works, when you are queuing in more than one sense, like more parts of our brains light up and the more likely we’re going to be engaged. And like we said, keeping people’s attentions these days is like kind of the key part. We could be telling a super compelling story, but if I’m just talking at you.
Michael Schwarz (17:39.11)
and the more likely we’re going to be engaged. like you said, keeping people’s attention is the part. We could be telling a super compelling story, but if I’m just talking at you, you’re going to be gone pretty quickly. if the story cues into my visuals and what I’m hearing, and then some music, which is like, it kind of plays on keeping people engaged and then also, you know.
Elizabeth Larrick (17:52.05)
Like you’re gonna be gone pretty quickly, but with the story cues into my visuals and what I’m hearing and then some music, which is like, it kind of plays on keeping people engaged and then also, you
Michael Schwarz (18:05.235)
It does happen to other parts of our brain that really help with persuasion, even though people say, you’re trying to make me sympathetic. Well, sure, there are definitely times where, you know, we’ve seen commercials that 100 percent, you know, you know, donate for the animals that Sarah would love. We all know. It’s like, it’s playing on me. Yeah.
Elizabeth Larrick (18:05.288)
it does tap into other parts of our brain that really help with persuasion. Even though people say, oh, you’re trying to make me sympathetic. Well, sure. There are definitely times where, you we’ve seen commercials that 100%, you know, that, you know, donate for the animals that Sarah McLaughlin song, we all know that she’s like, ah, that’s playing on my sympathies. But you guys are a little more subtle than that. would say.
Michael Schwarz (18:29.193)
Yeah, we like our interviews and the client story to speak for themselves. The music’s just there to help guide it, help, you know, we’re taking the viewer’s hand and walking them through their life story. And exactly, it’s just like, we actually had one of our videos called By The Defense, we actually also, you were asking me about other products we do, we also do,
Like animations sometimes, like not big animations of like recreation. Like we don’t do that. We will happily refer you somewhere else. But like little graphics. think there was, they wanted to show how the water levels would like impeach on this person’s property. Well anyways, we put this beautiful animation together, little graphic animation. It was called a cartoon by the other side. like, oh my, it’s a visual representation of what, you know.
Elizabeth Larrick (19:20.401)
I’m
Michael Schwarz (19:24.333)
And it was, it wasn’t ins- I was not insulted by it because like obviously they’re just grasping at straws. To me, an insult like that means I did a good job. That’s right. They need to label it something, right? Yeah. And if they’re- that means they’re grasping at straws and trying to say anything they can to keep that out. It’s like… Alright. Cartoon it is. Anyways.
Elizabeth Larrick (19:34.342)
That’s right. That’s right. Because they need to label it something, right? So that, yes.
Elizabeth Larrick (19:49.192)
Awesome. tell me a little bit about, let’s walk through a little bit of like, what are this, you’ve got these videos, like what are some of the problems that you’re trying to solve for lawyers with these videos? you know, I think almost all of these may solve some of the same problems, but you know, kind of walk me through that.
Michael Schwarz (19:55.319)
video.
Michael Schwarz (20:02.157)
I would say 99 90 % of the time what our videos are for are damages Because day in the life videos they can show the day-to-day struggles And those are great and those could be very powerful especially if someone’s an amputee or like they you can see the scars and you can clear just them walking around you can see
how their life has been affected. But sometimes a day in the life video is not good for invisible injuries. Like let’s say, like we’ve had a couple of cases where… Brain injuries. Oh yeah, sorry, I thought you were saying like my, no. Oh no, brain injuries, yeah. Brain injuries, yeah, cancer, just things you can’t see in a day in the life video. And so our solution is to…
Elizabeth Larrick (20:44.818)
Brain injuries, yeah, sorry. no, no, no, injuries, yeah.
Michael Schwarz (21:00.813)
interview the clients their friends and family and mix that in with day in the life video and that way whenever lawyers are saying like to the other side like Yeah, our patient or our client with brain injury is going through this this and this hearing it firsthand from those people and bringing up graphics and showing them all together and it all mixes in and by the end of it they’re like, We’re screwed. So our
Our intention and you know, one thing that I keep learning. The other part about this company that I love is that I learned something new every day. And so when talking with my clients and figuring out what their needs are, oftentimes I’ve heard over and over again that defense attorneys often take these cases without really knowing much about it. And so The company hires the defense attorney or they have one on staff. And so they’re kind of coming into this case blind. And so a video.
right off the bat can be something like, my gosh, okay. And then they can go back to their client or their client and say like, hey, this is a really damaging case. I really think you ought to settle for the X, Y, and Z. But if you’re sending a demand letter, it’s long and it has a few pictures in it. It could take a little bit longer for that process to happen. so I’ve actually heard from multiple of our clients before that
The video was a game changer right from the start. In fact, I just got an email two days ago that they’ve already settled the case and we shot it a month ago and turned in a product two weeks ago and they’ve already resolved it for like 1.25 million. And they got the policy limits, everything, and they said the video was a huge part of that. So I think the problem that we’re trying to solve is how can we convey
Elizabeth Larrick (22:45.308)
That’s amazing.
Michael Schwarz (22:56.673)
to these defense attorneys who come into the case not knowing much and tell our side of story. Theirs, like your side of the story in a concise, quick, powerful way that’s, I don’t want to ever use the word guaranteed, but that is most likely going to be a game changer in some way right from the start.
Elizabeth Larrick (23:21.712)
Awesome. Yeah, and that’s what I going to say is, you know, it seems to me like one, it’s very effective communication because it’s quick, quick and to the point, but also you’ve got the story format, which sometimes I will tell you from a practicing lawyer perspective and also now, you know, as a, as a consultant, it is sometimes really challenging. We hear that told to us over and over again. It’s gotta be a story. It’s gotta be a story. And it’s so challenging sometimes when you sit with a case for a long time.
Michael Schwarz (23:26.231)
Yeah. Yes.
Michael Schwarz (23:37.71)
It is sometimes really challenging. hear that told to us over and over again. It’s got to be a story. It’s got to be a story. And it’s so challenging sometimes when you sit with a case for a long time. And that’s because again, we get these things at inception right when it happens, but it may take some time for things to develop, to file lawsuits, to do a lot of the point to get where they’re like, okay, now is when I need to get Michael in.
Elizabeth Larrick (23:49.948)
And that’s because again, we get these things at inception right when it happens, but it may take some time for things to develop, to file a lawsuit, to do a lot of the point to get where they’re like, okay, now is when I need to get Michael in. And so it can be a struggle sometimes to then put the whole story together in a way that is short, which is why, like you mentioned, sometimes our demand letters are pages and pages. And again, sometimes they have to be, right? When we have adjusters that require all the key
Michael Schwarz (24:03.551)
And so it can be a struggle sometimes to put the whole story together in a way that it’s short, which is why, like you mentioned, sometimes our demand letters are pages and pages. And again, it’s enough they have to be, right? When we have adjusters that require all the key language and the keywords, but then you’re able to basically take that and create this powerful video that anybody who opens that file
Elizabeth Larrick (24:19.902)
language and the keywords, but then you’re able to basically take that and create this powerful video that anybody who opens that file most like what you’re going to do. You’re to go to the video first, right? Like any, we have any surveillance video, that’s show me that first before we do anything else. So, that is a great story as far as helping people get things done quickly that you gave us here about an email you got yesterday.
Michael Schwarz (24:29.517)
Most likely what you’re gonna do. You’re go video first, right? Like any surveillance video. Show me that first before we do anything else. that is a great story as far as helping people get things done quickly that you gave us here about the email you got yesterday. Yeah, and on top of that, I always forget this one. Evidence preservation is an extremely important part because like we have been getting more and more videos lately where we go and film right after the, so like right when
the lawyer takes on the client, they call us, we go and do kind of just day in the life and film the interviews. And that way they have it early on. And that way, even if it takes a, you know, six months or a year to get things done and their client is mostly healed now, but they’re back to work and, they missed three months of work and it was a really terrible time for them at that time. We have all that footage that showed their struggle right then and
It’s so much easier to tell the story when it’s happening as opposed to having them go back a year earlier and say, oh, that was a really tough time for us. And then you see them walking around great and fine, and it’s a little harder to, I’m not saying it’s impossible. It’s just, it’s so much easier. So lately we’ve been getting more and more clients that will hire us as soon as they get the client knowing that we’re gonna have a video done. It might not be six months from now.
but we’re gonna get it filmed now so we have a more powerful story.
Elizabeth Larrick (26:00.402)
Yeah, that’s a great idea too because jurors want to see video. They expect that we have video of the crash or the incident. They expect that there’s going to be video somewhere along the way. So that’s an, as an excellent idea to get you in early to go ahead and just start queuing in and creating a video database so that you can make that story video later on.
Michael Schwarz (26:23.185)
Exactly exactly
Elizabeth Larrick (26:27.504)
Awesome. Well, you gave us a little bit of an example so far, but could you mind just walking through a little bit more of an in-depth example of how a trial trailer helped a lawyer?
Michael Schwarz (26:28.045)
Sure, I’ll actually give the the most public one that I have it was a yeah, so and he would be more than happy to be a reference if you have any questions, so Taylor King law in Arkansas They hired us to do a wrongful death on Somebody in, Arkadelfia. His name was Max and he was killed in a trucking head-on collision. And they had us come in and interview all of his friends all of his family. And we put together I think that one was about 12 minutes just because his life was so Impactful. He worked in prisons helping Helping with faith and and he also like went with his golfing buddies and
He mentored the person that worked for her at his insurance company. His wife ended up having cancer and she was in remission. And so now she’s scared if it’s going to come back. She’s scared she’s going to lose the house. She’s scared she’s going to lose her own business that she started. So there was a lot of, a lot of story to that. And so we, we put this together and I, I don’t want to say I don’t remember, but I believe they sent the demand letter, just filed the case.
I can’t remember if they filed the case or they didn’t file the case. It’s one of the two, but they didn’t have to do depositions. Nothing. It was just our video with the, with a few of their other materials that they sent. but the main thing was the video and they settled for eight figures. and so that one, still like brings brings a tear to my eye every time I think about it, because that family could have been drugged through them, dragged through the mud for.
you know, two, three years, four years, but right off the bat, they were like, no, this is, this is, you are at fault. We barely even had to go into liability. I think the other side was already accepting liability or they were right on the edge. But our video was just like, no, you’re, and we actually heard from the insurance adjuster on that one who said, I see these videos all the time and I’ve never seen anything like this before. Your client story was empowering and so we’re gonna give you this it was obviously wasn’t a defense attorney because they would have never said that but but i don’t know i don’t know also that one day i know there’s some smart ones out there i’m not gonna discount all them i cannot wait for the day that a defense attorney gives us a compliment that would be great oh that’s gonna be that’s gonna be like a big banner that’s gonna pop up every time that you go to the website
Elizabeth Larrick (29:03.4)
It’s possible. Maybe. I know there’s some smart ones out there. I’m not going to discount all of them.
Elizabeth Larrick (29:16.86)
You gotta put that on the website if it does, okay?
Elizabeth Larrick (29:25.072)
Which leads me to ask, just because I know some people may be wondering, do you ever work with defense or defense or insurance companies?
Michael Schwarz (29:26.189)
Sure.
Michael Schwarz (29:32.31)
So that’s a great question. I have worked with a couple of defense attorneys, not on the personal injury side, but more of like, trying to think like drone footage or like we do drone site inspections, things like that. Not really, just more for evidence preservation. We’ve also done surveillance enhancements or like body cam, police body cam enhancements where we’ll take video.
gotten from a security camera or like I said police body cams and we will enhance them to either make them look a little bit better or We’ll take audio files and make dialogue appear more clear or like happen more clearly And so we do a lot of enhancements as well And that’s usually the type of work we do for defense attorneys, but we do that work all the time for plaintiff work as well I don’t really advertise to defense attorneys not because I don’t want to work with them, but just because
Elizabeth Larrick (30:26.312)
Thank
Michael Schwarz (30:31.309)
most of the bread and butter of what we do are obviously for plaintiff. And you have a total heart for the plaintiffs. That one. Yeah, that too. No, no. know that you do, if you go to the website, you do a little bit of real estate stuff. So you do some other type of work. So what I want to ask you about is Abandon Atlas Foundation. Tell us, there’s a little bit of a sidebar, but I it very interesting. So I think it’d be super
Elizabeth Larrick (30:35.596)
And you have a total heart for the Plaintiff’s work as well. No, no, I know that you do, if you go to the website, you do a little bit of real estate stuff. You do some other type of work. So what I want to ask you about is Abandoned Atlas Foundation. Tell us, there’s a little bit of a sidebar, but I found it so interesting, so I think it’d be super fun for people to know about you. Tell us about that.
Michael Schwarz (31:01.718)
Wow, okay, I love so I like to say we have two sides of our business we have the legal production side which is what we’ve been talking about and we have the Abandoned documentary side so we started a nonprofit called abandoned Atlas Foundation Because I loved in high school. I loved to explore old abandoned buildings and historic places that were really run down and creep creepy old hospitals and amusement parks that were grown up with trees. And it was really fun because you had all these historic places just completely abandoned. It used to be, I’m actually getting chills just talking about it because I love it so much. And over time, just like you being in the only space and being in an old hotel that still has beds and chandeliers and Persian rugs in it, and you’re the only one there.
and it hasn’t been stepped foot in for years. It’s just interesting. But after high school, I was like, man, I love abandoned building so much. I wonder how I can make a living off of it. So I figured out that with our documentary filmmaking, we can help shed light on some of these historic properties, starting a YouTube channel, working with developers to tell their story of how they restored an abandoned building. We also write articles.
On these historic places and they can be found at like abandoned ok.com abandoned AR like so we have now 24 states I think and we’re trying to find other photographers around those states to help document these important historic places that have that need a second chance and there are developers Everywhere that are always looking for their next restoration project. And so we’re hoping to create a huge database
of these places that have the full history, pictures of what it looks like and why it needs to be saved. We’ve worked with schools or like universities that have a design, interior design program where they’ll take old abandoned buildings and the students will draw up of how they would restore it if they had the chance looking at it. So there’s so many different things. And we’re even working on a series right now in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the fastest shrinking city in America and and that’s been really interesting it’s gotten 3.7 million views on YouTube and so when we talk about retention rate and how to captivate audiences we do that all the time with these abandoned buildings for a YouTube audience and so you know that’s how we can kind of apply it to both you know so yeah exactly
Elizabeth Larrick (33:45.724)
I love it, I love it. You’re staying in tune with what people want by, know, that is so awesome. So we will definitely leave a link to that as I know that you have a lot of passion for that.
Elizabeth Larrick (34:14.696)
That is so amazing that you have translated your passion to that. And I even know you’ve written a couple of books too as well about it. Oh, that’s right. Abandon Arkansas, Abandon Oklahoma. mean, you have a passion for this. What I love is just the historical aspect of these places that have just, you know, that are a piece of our history, but they just go by the wayside because they’ve been replaced.
Michael Schwarz (34:20.192)
yeah, you mean these? So we have a co- That’s right! Yeah.
Yep.
Michael Schwarz (34:34.093)
but the there was one particular building. It was called the Majestic Hotel in Hot Springs and we tried to save it. We were we were on a mission. I made it actually a feature link documentary about it.
Michael Schwarz (35:04.045)
In the city was trying to demolish it and we tried to save it. We ended up losing the battle, but I think it the The loss of that actually ended up saving other buildings in that town And so we’re trying to save some other buildings But anyways, the majestic was my favorite place because it was literally like you walked back in the 20s And everything was still there
Like the spas the the check-in desk that literally everything you would want in a historic hotel was still there in Almost like a museum you had to yourself and so I thought that could have been restored, but unfortunately the city had other ideas
Elizabeth Larrick (35:40.38)
That’s so cool.
Well, that’s okay. You preserved it for us so that we can go if you’re interested in, we will put a link in the show notes for that as well. So if we have some lawyers who are interested in just learning a little bit more about what you do as far as filmmaking and that kind of stuff, what’s the best place someone can go to learn about you?
Michael Schwarz (35:58.573)
best place someone can go to learn about you. That’s great. So if you just go to trialtrailer.com, it’ll take you to our website where you can learn it. There’s like three little categories down there. It’ll say legal impact videos, which is where our trial trailers demand impact videos would be. We have a couple of public samples that you can watch on that page. And then if you want to learn more about our historic
buildings are just interested in that. There’s a tab for that. And then you have the other category. We do so much that we just labeled everything else in other. So that would be realistic. Yeah, exactly. The two main things are the historic and the legal. Those are our two biggest things. So it’s good to have a passion. I appreciate that tie in to helping you with YouTube. So do you have a
Elizabeth Larrick (36:36.85)
then that’s okay, we’re talking to trial lawyers. we, you know, I totally, yeah. So if…
Elizabeth Larrick (36:45.991)
It’s good to have a passion and I appreciate that tie-in to to helping you with YouTube. So do you have a YouTube channel for the Prairie Creative Nation or Nation Creative Prairie? Let me just start over. Let me just start.
Michael Schwarz (36:55.213)
It’s okay it’s Yeah, so there’s one for Prairie Nation creative And I think it’s just at Prairie Nation creative. You could also just google Prairie Nation creative our thing will come up there There’s not like a YouTube channel in the standard sense where we are we’re like, hey guys, welcome back to our YouTube they’re usually filled with samples and just
Elizabeth Larrick (37:04.136)
Do you have a YouTube channel that we could look at too?
Michael Schwarz (37:23.502)
random stuff we might be doing for trial lawyers associations and things like that. It’s, it’s kind of, it’s not a YouTube channel that’s meant to be a YouTube channel. It’s more of just a demo reel for some things that you can go see. It’s, it’s full of just a bunch of random stuff, but shows what we can do. Wonderful videos that align with projects that maybe- Yeah, it’s full of, exactly. I, you are so much better. I’m just like, yeah, it’s just a YouTube channel for our stuff and-
Elizabeth Larrick (37:40.804)
wonderful videos that align with projects that may be random to a lawyer, but not random for you. Yeah, you’re good. we went. That’s right. That’s exactly right. No, Michael, you’ve been so lovely to have on as a guest. Is there anything I didn’t ask you that you think would be helpful for lawyers to know?
Michael Schwarz (37:52.587)
You’re like, you’re my personal chat GBT, know, like, no, you mean, what?
Yeah
Michael Schwarz (38:05.569)
Hmm. That’s a great question. you know, I think one of the one of the biggest reasons I do this too is because our team, get to work on one on one with your clients. and I think the, obviously this is not the only reason, but it’s interesting to be able to walk away from a shoot.
and interacting with clients and hearing them say, wow, that really felt like therapy. I’ve never actually said, like, sometimes I walk away and they’re like, I never thought I would ever say anything like that. cause I don’t show up like our team, don’t like show up with like a list of questions and we just kind of go down. Like we have kind of a pre-cong, it’s just engaging. It’s just like a conversation and we get to know them. We get to hear what their struggles are. And I don’t know. It’s just,
That’s what kind of motivates me to do what we do and then to see the final product really make a difference in someone’s life. I mean, why else do this job?
Elizabeth Larrick (39:11.336)
That is an amazing note to end on. Okay, so we’re gonna have all the contact for Michael and his company in the show notes along with a couple other links if you’re interested about the Abandoned Atlas Foundation. Until next time, thank you so much and again, thank you so much Michael for joining us.
Michael Schwarz (39:11.693)
That is an amazing note to end on.
Elizabeth Larrick:
The company in the show notes along with a couple other links if you’re interested about the Abandoned Atlas Foundation. Until next time, thank you so much and again thank you so much Michael for joining us.
Michael Schwarz: And thank you! You did a wonderful job. I’ve been watching your podcast and it’s been really great so I really appreciate you having me on as a guest. You do incredible work too so don’t discount that. Use her for your focus groups.
Elizabeth Larrick (39:41.916)
That’s right.
