If you look at See It Media today, you’ll see a boutique agency that thrives at the intersection of art and science. We’re obsessed with marrying the emotional impact of video production with the data of digital marketing. But like all great stories, ours didn’t start with AI-powered analytics or 8K cinema cameras.

It started with a VHS camcorder and a lot of passion.

The Spark: A Boombox and Two VCRs

See It Media’s founder, Matthew Stanton, didn’t just stumble into the world of video production – he grew up in it. From his early years standing side-by-side with his dad to help film family moments, to middle school where he edited together his very first music video using an old Apple IIe computer, a boombox, and two VCRs, the drive to tell a story visually was always there.

A young Matthew with his parents – his father with an RCA camcorder.

It was only natural that this childhood passion turned into a formal pursuit, leading Matthew to earn a master’s degree in media arts and cinema production. Around 2010, after years of honing his craft, Matthew began freelancing. Shortly after, the foundation for what would become See It Media was officially poured.

The See It Chicago Era: Proving Our Chops

By October 2014, Matthew was ready to push the boundaries of what local video content could be. He began planning a secondary brand called See It Chicago, an original culture and lifestyle video series. The mission was ambitious: to produce high-quality video segments highlighting the best of Chicago, using equipment and techniques that rivaled local broadcast stations.

The brand officially launched in May 2015 with eight original segments covering everything from crazy, over-the-top desserts to spotlights of venerable Chicago icons. The result? Just five short months later, Matthew was nominated for a Chicago Midwest Emmy award. Over its five-year run, See It Chicago produced over 60 forward-thinking videos, establishing us as a pioneering media influencer in the city and earning three Emmy nominations along the way.

2015 was also a pivotal year because it’s when Thomas Schabow came aboard. Bringing over two decades of experience in strategic operations, branding, and business development – not to mention his past life as an Epcot boat captain – Thomas was the missing puzzle piece the agency needed to scale.

The See It Chicago team at the 2016 Chicago Midwest Emmy Awards.

The “Better Together” Approach

As the media landscape began its rapid shift from TV to platforms like TikTok, we realized something crucial. Producing a beautiful, Emmy-caliber video is only half the battle. If a story isn’t reaching the right audience and driving action, it’s not reaching its full potential.

We made the strategic decision to retire the See It Chicago brand to focus all of our creative resources on See It Media. But we didn’t just re-focus; we expanded. We realized that high-end video production and strategic digital marketing are simply better together.

Today, Matthew drives the creative vision, ensuring every frame is visually captivating, while Thomas leads our digital initiatives – from SEO and website development to analytics and workflow automation – making sure those visuals drive leads, build brand awareness, and increase conversions.

Your Story, Our Passion

After 15 years of evolution, navigating the shift from traditional production to a digital-first world, our core belief remains exactly the same as it was back in the days of those two VCRs: Stories should be told properly.

We aren’t just a vendor. We operate as a direct extension of your team, handling the technical noise and the complexity of the digital landscape so you can stay focused on running your business. We’ve spent the last decade figuring out how to make art and science work perfectly together, so you don’t have to.

Ready to tell your story? Contact us today.