How we’re bringing our experience to important Chicago stories

Today we’re excited to share the news of our recent Emmy Award for our work with Chicago’s PBS station WTTW telling the story of Covid’s impact on our local communities!

We also want to share some of the other special stories we’ve helped organizations, schools, and media outlets tell through video:

 

Co-Founder Pat Odom talks about his latest collaboration for Chicago’s PBS station WTTW

A powerful way to understand a problem is to see it from the inside out.

Poverty is a global problem. Can we understand it better if we experience it in a more personal way? WTTW Chicago believes we can. Through their series Firsthand, they produced 5 shows about people who are trying to survive at or below the poverty line, called Living in Poverty.

I was asked by WTTW Chicago to direct the series. I was excited to do so because poverty is such an important topic, and I knew it would also be a tremendous challenge. Poverty is a complex issue; the conditions that create and keep people in poverty run deep in our society.

My team and I spent two months researching the topic and seeking five Chicagoans willing to let us inside their lives to see their struggles firsthand. We owe much to our participants Andino, Patricia, Melissa, Gary and Dominetrius for their bravery, especially considering the stigma society places on those in poverty. Director of Photography Alejandro Marin and I spent 4 months filming their family life and daily conflicts. Gaining their trust was paramount to telling their personal stories. We were always cognizant of being sure they felt safe while being exposed to our cameras.

We filmed hundreds of hours of footage to develop five focused stories expertly crafted by my editor Jude Leak. You can view them online now. In addition to the documentaries you can view subject matter experts and panel discussions about poverty and the series.

We hope these stories will motivate discussions about alleviating poverty and create the change that will improve the lives of hundreds of thousands in the Chicagoland region.

Nonprofits keep serving Chicago, “despite a year of hell”

When we met with The Night Ministry to discuss a November video project, President and CEO Paul Hamann commented that “despite a year of hell”, the organization was truly grateful. Grateful because of the significant contributions of volunteers, donors, and staff, who all came together despite the pandemic to continue their work of providing housing, healthcare, and human connections to the poor and homeless of Chicago.

We were thankful to have this opportunity to be a part of The Night Ministry’s mission. Showing the story of this necessary and inspirational organization is a satisfying part of the work we do at StoryView.

Adriana Mourgelas, Director of Enrollment Management for GEMS World Academy Chicago describes her StoryView Experience

In pre-Covid days, once potential applicants came into the school and witnessed the incredible teaching and learning that takes place inside our classrooms, the deal was sealed. With new safety protocols in place, admission tours during school hours were no longer an option. We needed a professional video that would capture the unique aspects of GEMS preschool through twelfth grade programs.

Our admissions department shared some of the differentiators that make GEMS such a special place with the StoryView team. Top of a long list included the sense of community, the joy both teachers and students find inside GEMS, the connections between teachers and students, the engaging and authentic curriculum, the diversity in our student body, the Chicago Curriculum and Field Studies. Basically, we asked them to showcase the GEMS journey, and StoryView exceeded our expectations with the three videos they produced.

GEMS is truly a magical place; now the outside world can discover and feel the magic as they watch the beautiful videos StoryView created.

Check out our video portfolio for many more successful brand stories.

How can we help you today? Get in touch.

P.S. – Check out another story of how we’ve been working to create videos safely during the age of Covid for Chicago PBS.