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.

Mental Health In the Media

We wanted to share a media campaign that Cactus and Lyra Health partnered on recently that really impressed us. Presenting mental health in a physically alarming form to portray a strong message about the crippling affects of not addressing our mental health issues.

In our video storytelling journeys over the years, we've often been in spaces of discussing mental health issues and highlighting the stories of folks who are willing to be vulnerable about their health-related experiences. The landscape is changing in the realm of mental health and its associated stigma - more media is being released revealing just how prevalent mental health issues are, and more resources are being created for those that want to seek help. It all starts with talking about it openly and welcoming others into the conversation.

We're glad to see a widespread media campaign that speaks to the issue in such a striking, serious, yet lighthearted way to reach a wide audience of people and demand attention. What if our mental health problems were taken as seriously and treated as immediately as our worst physical ailments? It's the beginning of a big narrative shift around mental health stigma. 

Click to see full campaign

The Art of Listening: Why Isn't It Taught?

We came across this brilliant article written last week on one of our favorite publications, On Being, about a young man who walked 4,000 miles across the U.S. to listen. He carried a sign that read, "Walking to Listen," and that's precisely what he did - spending time with Americans from all walks of life in all different parts of the country. 

Listening is such an important part of our job as journalists, as filmmakers, because we have a duty to carry someone's story. We open people up through interviews, and it's only through real, curious, careful and attentive listening that those people feel comfortable talking to us. We ensure we're creating safe spaces for the interviewee to be able to open up. We listen in earnest, we listen not knowing the answer, we listen to gain perspective, and most importantly we listen with respect. 

We want to tell stories that bridge gaps and create a sort of ladder for people to climb the "empathy wall.." It's true that through authentic stories our minds can be changed, our hearts can be opened, we start to listen, we start to connect and the walls come down. To craft these stories we have to become vulnerable and create space for the the people with whom we're working to share. We receive, they give, and we in turn create a beautiful video or visual story to give to the community. It's a process and a journey, and it's not always smooth, but it is always worth the humanizing stories and tools that are created and sent into the world at the end.

We're inspired by this quote from the articled and how it applies to our storytelling: "Listening has a way of complicating any simplistic good-and-evil dichotomy in this way. When people entrusted me with their stories — their brokenness, their frailties and fallibilities — it made it impossible for me to hate them, even if I was deeply disturbed by some of the things they believed or had done. And when I didn’t hate them, and asked them questions without malice, they could remain open, and it is in this openness that transformation becomes possible."

We're so inspired by this individual and we hope to see more stories like this, of people getting out into the world and making connections, bridging gaps, operating with humility, in a cultural space that can sometimes feel reactive or disconnected. 

We'll leave with this quote from the article: "Listening with judgment, ready to defend and attack, is not the kind of listening I’m talking about. That’s critical thinking, argumentation, debate — important tools that most schools do a good job of teaching. What I’m talking about is listening, a commitment to exploring and building connection with others based on our shared humanity even when that kind of connection seems impossible."

Read the article