The Creative Split: Branded Work vs. Unfiltered Expression

At Monolith, we live at the intersection of art and strategy. We’re a production company rooted in intention—one that understands when to break the rules and when to honor the brief. And nowhere is this duality more clear than in the creative split between branded work and unfiltered expression.

This isn’t just about project types—it’s about creative identity, clarity of intent, and understanding where a story lives.

The Rick Rubin Principle

Recently, Andrew Huberman referenced a concept from his friend Rick Rubin that’s stuck with us. Rubin, known for guiding early work from some of the most iconic artists in history, tends to work with creatives at the beginning of their careers—not the middle. Why?

Because that’s when the ideas are pure.
Before the weight of perception.
Before the feedback loop of audience reaction begins to shape the work.

Rubin called it a kind of pre-creative consciousness—a raw state where ideas haven’t been filtered through the lens of public expectation. It’s powerful. And if you’re a creative, you’ve probably felt it. That phase where you’re not thinking about what people want—you’re just creating from instinct.

We believe in that place. We’ve built a division of Monolith—The Horizon—to protect it.

Why This Matters

There’s a distinction to be made, especially for a company like ours, where we serve clients with real goals, real KPIs, and real stakeholders.

On one side:

• Brand Films, social cutdowns, product launches.

• Corporate messaging with polish and purpose.

• Videos that drive revenue, recruitment, or reputation.

On the other side:

• Experimental music visuals.

• Creative short films made in 4 hours in the rain.

• Character-driven docs with no clear end point.

Both are important. But they are not the same.

Branded Work: Strategy Meets Story

Branded video is where story serves purpose. Every shot has a reason. Every word connects to a broader objective.

It’s still art—but it’s art under constraint.
We work directly with CMOs, brand managers, and founders to understand audience psychology, performance metrics, and campaign goals. The creative presentation we deliver is not abstract. It’s built around what matters to your business.

And it’s why our corporate and branding pillars—The Framework and The Beacon—exist. They’re built for clarity. For business. For results.

Unfiltered Work: Instinct Over Expectation

But then there’s the other kind of creative. The kind that isn’t built around conversions or clickthrough rates. The kind that speaks before it’s been asked to.

This is The Horizon—our space to experiment, to explore, to take on passion projects, films, music videos, or narratives that don’t yet have a home.

We don’t pitch this work to corporate clients, but it matters deeply to who we are. Because the creative instincts that make these pieces memorable? They sharpen our client work too.

Why We’re Drawing the Line

We’re not trying to confuse our audience. A business looking for testimonial videos and social content deserves a production partner that communicates clearly, executes efficiently, and understands professional expectations.

At the same time, we’re not pretending every video we make is for marketing.

So we’ve drawn a line—not to divide our company, but to clarify our purpose.

Each project gets what it deserves:

• Branded work gets intentional strategy and polished delivery.

• Unfiltered work gets the space to breathe.

Both matter. And both make Monolith what it is.

Final Word

If you’re looking for a video partner that understands both sides of the creative spectrum—someone who knows when to break the rules and when to build within them—you’re in the right place.

Whether your story lives in strategy or instinct, we’re here to help you tell it.