September Ongoings

Chance x The Colorado Trust: Blackpackers

Back in June we wrote about our work with The Colorado Trust on a video story about the group Blackpackers and the impact they’re making on the community. See the full video below!

Chance x The Colorado Trust: Young Farmers

The current population of farmers is aging out and the next generation is not adequately replacing them. Because unused agricultural land often gets sold to developers, this loss impacts plant life, soil health and our local food systems. We’ve been following Reiden and Dennis, two young farmers in Colorado who are in the midst of navigating an agricultural system that has many barriers to entry, including access to land, water rights, infrastructure and funding. They’ve both found support, however, through formal programming. The existence of farming incubator programs and the Northern Colorado Foodshed Project’s Farm Accelerator Business Program have helped them navigate their first few years in the industry. Incubator programs and accelerator business programs help break down the aforementioned barriers to entry and aim to provide new farmers with the support needed to succeed in the agricultural field long term.  Full video coming soon!

We're Back! June Projects

It’s been some time since we posted on our blog, but we aim to post more regularly moving forward, featuring current projects in development and final works that are now being used by our clients. May was a busy month, it feels like the video industry comes out of hibernation... Here’s a taste of some of things we’ve been working on.

Blackpackers

We’ve been working on a video story in partnership with The Colorado Trust about a nonprofit organization called Blackpackers. Blackpackers’ goal is to create economic equity in outdoor recreation by meeting individuals at the intersection of underrepresentation and economic vulnerability. In order to create more access and opportunity for these individuals to participate in indoor and outdoor recreational activities, they provide gear, outdoor excursions and outdoor education for free or at subsidized cost. And if participants want to take the next step, Blackpackers also connects them with volunteer opportunities, internships, jobs, and post-secondary education resources to create a pipeline from outdoor recreation to outdoor industry careers.

We’ve loved capturing video of kids and families participating in different activities–from rock climbing, to hiking, to skiing–and seeing them thrive and light up as they embark on new adventures. If you want to read more about their ongoing story and the history behind the organization, check out The Colorado Trust’s written piece about them in their online publication here.

And stay tuned for a published video!

Hidden Pigeon

James worked on a shoot that will be part of an ongoing series, and it’s bringing up quite a bit of nostalgia. The precious children’s book character Knuffle Bunny (sidekick to The Pigeon) created by author Mo Willems is traveling across America, being featured in 12 stories of kids’ lives and hometowns across the country. Knuffle Bunny is sent from child to child to witness and enjoy a day in their life, showcasing each individual story to others.

The project has felt close to home as the books have been a family favorite for many years. James captured one boys’ story in particular who showed Knuffle Bunny a typical Colorado adventure with climbing, hiking and a Tyrolean traverse (even for the family dog!). The series began releasing episodes on YouTube April 7th - stay tuned for the completed video! 

Recidivism in Colorado

Nationwide, approximately 50%-60% of all felons released from prison quickly return on a new charge or violation. On a state level, Colorado isn’t an exception with a recidivism rate of 54%. It is, however, unique in its response to this startling statistic. In 2014, the state legislature passed HB14-1355 which created the first community-based grant program to support people leaving prison through comprehensive reentry services. The bill reallocated funds from the Division of Adult Parole into community non-profits around the state so these community-based and run organizations could provide local support and resources in ways and in places that weren’t previously available. 

Telling personal stories inside of larger social issues is where we thrive, which is why we partnered with the Colorado Trust to explore the stories of several people who are transitioning out of incarceration with the support of these community-based organizations. As we interviewed individuals for this video, it was truly touching to see how the reentry services and community support has transformed their lives. And not just their lives, but also the lives of their kids, their families, their peers and for the community at large.

You can watch the full video published by The Colorado Trust here.

Farmer to Cup

Hi all, Things have been a little quiet lately on the blog because of a new project we’re working on, but we’re back online! We’ve been developing a new documentary with with a unique window into tea production practices in Kenya, the world export leader of black tea.

We spent the last couple of weeks in production in Kenya, meeting new people and discovering new stories on small tea farms. We are learning about the tea trade and synthesizing that information for a new media and storytelling platform. It’s exciting stuff! Not only are we capturing a unique story that has yet to be told in this light, but the way it’s going to be shared with viewers will be completely new.

We can’t wait to share these new stories with you! Until then, here are some pictures from the recent trip.

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