Whether or not you are a student or a parent of students yourself, you have undoubtedly noticed that the time has rolled around once again for children to return to school. For me, the awareness came a little late (after all, September is almost over already!) thanks to the schoolbus stop kitty-corner to my house, and the resulting flock of kids that gather there. It is an interesting time of year, and can lead any adult to reflect on their own schoolday experiences.

And today there are so many choices! Public… private… charter… homeschool…alternative… religious… and of course distance and online schooling. Reflecting back on your education (or maybe you are still a student), what stood out as having shaped you the most? And how did the variables such as class size, learning style, and environment affect you?

Here is a look at one school, Fairview Christian School out of Seattle, where their mission is “to educate and empower children to become healthy, intellectually capable and vital living witnesses to the love, justice and grace of God through Jesus Christ.” They serve kids as young as 6 weeks in their child care program, and school children through 8th grade. As someone who bounced through many different schools, imagining a stable experience such as that is very fascinating! Would love to hear YOUR reaction to the piece and to your school experience in the comments below!

~Andy Warhol

We Nonfictioners have always had a soft spot for agriculture and sharing the stories of our farmers and those who contribute to our food systems. This summer, that passion has been keeping us quite busy indeed! From projects with our own Washington State Department of Agriculture, to USDA’s National Resources Conservation Service program, to a special trip to the Oregon State Fair…

That’s right, do you remember our “inside look” at the egg production operation at Willamette Egg Farms? The video won a Telly in the “Information” category a while back and has been proudly showcased on the farm’s website as part of their transparency to promote healthy hens and good business. Well, the piece was recently screened as part of the first annual Down to Earth Film Festival, hosted at the Oregon State Fair. The festival featured 10 select shorts by northwest filmmakers, to “tell the fascinating stories surrounding Oregon agriculture.”

Excerpt from The Daily Digger:

“Our goal is to stimulate and perpetuate the creative talent of aspiring and professional filmmakers, while telling the fascinating stories surrounding Oregon agriculture and its ability to be economically, environmentally and socially responsible neighbors of the greater community,” ABC Executive Director Geoff Horning said. 

Judges voted the North by Northwest Productions film “Willamette Egg Farms” as the runner-up, while the film also won the Audience Choice Award by those in attendance. David Tanner, producer and director of the “Willamette Egg Farms” film, announced at the festival that he would be donating his winnings ($1,500) to the Oregon Food Bank.

In addition to Dave’s ag film fest excitement in Salem, Kim has been hard at work editing a series of educational farm tour videos with our WSDA clients, while Val and Megan were off in Tacoma and Seattle shooting a recruitment video for the WSDA Grain Inspection Program! From late-night time lapse, to climbing atop a transport train, to capturing insights into the expertise and responsibilities of our State’s grain inspectors, it was a very dynamic and educational project (see below):

But our most involved agriculture adventure this summer has to be our sizable project with California’s NRCS office, including the production of 8 individual documentary-style videos for the web highlighting key conservation practices on farms and properties around the state.

According to Jim Cairns of the NRCS office in Davis, CA, who accompanied Dave and Tomás on the shoot, “The primary purpose of the videos is to enhance outreach opportunities to producers with short educational and informational videos that will motivate them to learn more about certain practices.”

The videos were shot over a five-day period in various locations such as Durham, Galt, Nevada City, Sacramento, Sunol, Yuba City and Yolo County. The featured conservation practices ranged from pollinator habitats, irrigation water management, waste storage options, and conservation planning among others.

While these videos are still in post, we leave you with this thought: 70% of the land in the United States is privately owned. Not just farmers, but rather all land owners have a responsibility to be good stewards… to protect and preserve lands as we would a piece of art, as Andy Warhol suggests in his quote above. I for one didn’t fully understand the services provided by the NRCS, or that they have offices in nearly every county in the country! If you are a land owner, and would like to learn more about improving soil, water, air, plants, wildlife, and energy use in your area, visit the USDA’s NRCS Website to find out how they can help you help the land.

DID YOU KNOW: We have a section on our website dedicated to our agriculture work? Check it out and watch it grow!

Another exciting development, as some of you may know, is the addition of our new Interactive Division. It is thanks to them that we have an incredible new website and revitalized branding, and we can now offer those same and extended services to our clients: intelligent solutions to web presence, blending the practices of strategy, design, technology and branding to create usable, creative and modern interactive systems. It is an exciting time, indeed.

For our part, Nonfiction has a new webpage as well, with an updated demo that we are quite pleased with, showcasing our more recent storytelling and travels. Check out the video below, and stop by our new webpage and let us know what you think!

Stay tuned for new video updates, and keep enjoying the nice weather while it lasts!

“Everything is funny as long as it is happening to Somebody Else.”

~ Will Rogers (1879 – 1935), Illiterate Digest (1924)

Happy Earth Day! With the sun shining here in Spokane, and our thoughts on conservation and other “green” things in recognition of Mother Earth, it is easy to empower ourselves to grab our shovels and get to planting! No better idea, and no better time, right? Sieze the day! Well…

We’d like to introduce you to some offbeat characters, who are here to inform you about the importance of calling 811 before digging – ANY kind of digging: Even well-intentioned, tree-loving digging. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did.

Meet “Treelover”:

… And this isn’t just for homeowners. Contractors and other professionals should observe this law as well, and call to have all underground utilities marked at least two business days before any digging job:

Meet “Bob”:

You get the picture. This campaign of dark comedy PSAs follow the plights of three characters, “confessing” to the incidents  and social backlash that resulted when they didn’t call 811. Each character stars in their own PSA, and a fourth character joins them in a “group therapy” session. Commissioned by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, they serve as an important reminder as we enter landscaping season!

The shoot itself was a total hoot. Our talent was excellent, and our crew worked their magic to create an atmosphere both coldly serious and lightly comedic, and our client was a joy to work with. We can’t ask for more than that.  :)

Here are the final two spots…

Meet “Sportslover”:

Join “Group Therapy”:

We’d love to know what you think of the campaign, and to hear if YOU have any personal stories of digging projects gone awry or calling 811. Leave us a note in the comments below, and don’t forget…

Well, it is that time of year again, when we hold our breath to FINALLY hear back on the fate of our entries and the determination of the judges, in the annual Telly Awards.

This year, we are proud to turn the spotlight onto four of our 2010 projects, and our amazing clients with whom we collaborated. Each of these award-winning programs is distinctively different, and 3 out of 4 were with first-time clients!

So without further ado, the 32nd Annual Telly Award winners are…

In the Public Relations category:

Title: “Celebrating 25 Years”

Client: Pride Foundation 

In the Charitable/ Not-for-Profit Category:

Title: “Great Food, Better Lives” or “Outreach 2010″  

Client: FareStart

Remember our post “Health Without a Home”? I promised we’d get back to you with more on that project… well here you go.

In the Health and Wellness Category:

Title: “Stop Germs” or “Health Without a Home”

Client: Public Health – Seattle & King County 

… and in the Religion Category:

Title: “Transitions: An Exploration of Vocation and Calling”

Client: Whitworth University

OK, I know the last one wasn’t a video embed, sorry about that! We are thrilled to say that we’ve won a Telly for a documentary program so new that we literally can’t share it with you yet! Whitworth University is still finalizing their approach to the distribution of the program, but we’ll be able to show more soon!  There’s a lot going on right now, and we Nonfictioners have got plenty more to share… so thanks as always for journeying with us!

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“May your walls know joy; May every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility.”

~Mary Anne Radmacher

We were recently given the opportunity to share in the joyful and inspiring story of Bobby, a remarkable young man who lives in L’Arche Tahoma Hope’s Ananda House, where he’s been cared for since 1994. For those unfamiliar, L’Arche Tahoma Hope is made up of women and men, young and old, married and single, religious and lay, from different faiths and cultural affiliations, who have chosen to come together to create homes with people with developmental disabilities. These homes celebrate the unique value of every person and live in recognition of our need for one another.

As is immediately apparent to anyone who meets Bobby, he is an incredibly joyful and positive individual. When we came in to film, starting with his morning wake-up, breakfast, and stretches…. from these first moments, his presence was heartwarming and peaceful all at once.

Kai Hoffman, a poet and student who worked for a time as a live-in assistant at the Ananda House with Bobby, shared these thoughts with us:

In Kai’s words

“To look into his eyes is like looking into a sunrise. His gaze is always new, the enjoyment always fresh.” These words were spoken by my father when he came to visit the Tacoma L’Arche community in 2009, a quote that captures how Bobby is an example of what Jean Vanier, the founder of L’Arche, calls “the theology of presence.” Bobby is unable to do almost anything on his own: eat, drink, change clothes, shower, go to the bathroom. Within the hierarchy of our culture, a hierarchy that places such priority on academic, financial, and material achievements, Bobby is as low as a person could get. But in terms of presence—a presence that will meet another’s directly, honestly, and with kindness—Bobby is far advanced from most of us. He is an example, as good as I have ever known, of the grace vulnerability can bring.

His life is one act of receiving help after another. Living with him shaped how I understand my own limitations, not as something to simply overcome, but as a vehicle towards the Holy. I hope, in some small or large way, this video conveys the goodness that so many of us who know Bobby have experienced.”

It was an honor to meet Bobby, and to have the chance to share his story, along with Stacie, and those who currently live and work and carry on the sense of family at the Ananda house. It was a beautiful experience, and a great reminder of the ‘Infinite Worth’ that we all represent…

As you go through your day, may you remember Bobby’s story, and the mantra this handy little card declares (courtesy of Kent Hoffman):

“We love our video!”

-Terry Pottmeyer, Chief of Program Operations

Last Friday, at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue, WA, Friends of Youth hosted their 6^th Annual Luncheon, “Celebration of Youth.” The event served as both a joyous culmination, and a new fundraising benchmark… as well as hosting the premiere screening of our newest long form video collaboration:

Our Seattle-based executive producer, Val Thomas-Matson, shares a bit about the experience:

“Imagine the clamor of over 500 people gathered in the modern-day Hyatt Regency Grand Ballroom; poised to hear about the success of young people recovering from the obstacles of homelessness, drug addiction and teen parenting. You can hear the warm laughter and the busy sound of silverware on china.  Soon, the Master of Ceremonies returns to the microphone to regale everyone’s attention. It reminds me of my parents turning down the volume on my old record player, while I’m dancing around and singing my heart out- and screeeeetch-stillness! Everything comes to a jolting stop. And then came the magic; the new Friends of Youth Video began. The audience fell into a hush, as cozy as snuggling up into a down comforter.”

If you couldn’t tell, we love having the opportunity to see our video productions put to use, especially at an anticipated premiere event. There is nothing like seeing those reactions firsthand. Not to mention, watching that reaction further motivate people’s generosity: Friday’s fundraising event generated over $150,000!

Reflecting back on the shooting experience, producer Kim Cosgrove had this to say:

“With Friends of Youth, the variety of services that they make available, and the diversity of youth that they support is just incredible. And the people behind-the-scenes at Friends of Youth are so dedicated, it has been such a privilege to collaborate with them.”

We’ve had a great relationship with Friends of Youth, creating two videos for them over the past year with a third in development. Here are a few Friends of Youth staff reactions to seeing the video:

“The video was engaging; it was tight and told the Friends of Youth story in a cohesive, positive and personal way.”

– Asa Irwin, Major Donor Officer

“The video made it easy to share our story with our guests. It outlined our mission, shared our history. It helped our audience to see and experience what we are asking them to support”

-Zoe Finkelstin, Development Associate

Here is their previous video, completed in March 2010:

Friends of Youth is located on the East Side of King County, and this year they plan on supporting over 6000 youth. They generously provide: Homeless Youth Services, Residential Youth Treatment, Youth and Family Services and Healthy Start, a program for teen moms. Find out more at: www.friendsofyouth.org

Even with the best of maps and instruments, we can never fully chart our journeys.

~ Gail Pool (Literary Journalist)

Happy March, everyone! We have crossed the threshold into the first month of spring (I know it doesn’t officially begin until March 20th, but we’re being optimistic here)! Looking back on the past month, February sure had us out and traveling despite the winter chill! This was due, in the most part, to our current project with the National Park Service, highlighting the partnerships and planning along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. From Omaha one week, to Great Falls the next, it has been quite the journey!

Omaha, NE

Tomás capturing Trail Headquarters

The week of Valentine’s Day found us Nonfictioners in Nebraska (and a little bit of Iowa), while shooting at the National Headquarters for the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Compared to home in Spokane, WA, it was practically balmy with temperatures in the high 50s.

Capturing important interviews with National Park Service staff as well as Trail partners, the story of the Trail and its outlook for the future has begun to take shape. We are eager to get back to the edit suite and begin cutting down the hours of interview material into the final >20min story.

But first… we’d head off to Great Falls for a more hands-on experience of the Trail, at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center!

Great Falls, MT

Montana had a different welcome for us last week… in the form of fresh snow, harsh winds, and temperatures ranging from -5 to -25 degrees!

The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, if you’ve never been, is certainly worth a visit! Operated by knowledgeable and friendly staff and volunteers, the Center is brimming with experiential learning opportunities engaging for kids and adults alike, from period costuming to try on, regional animal pelts to pet, a simulated portage to pull… the list goes on. The facility was incredible.

Overlooking a depiction of the Great Falls portage... an effort that took the Corps 31 days to accomplish! Midway through the portage, they celebrated July 4th by finishing off their whiskey supply.

A true highlight of the trip was speaking with Hasan Davis and capturing his performance as York to an auditorium of enthralled guests. His mission is to share the unique voice and perspective of William Clark’s body servant, York, who contributed invaluable though unacknowledged efforts to the Corps of Discovery… only to return to slavery at the end of the grueling journey home. Hasan’s thought-provoking and powerful portrayal will surely be a favorite in the final video as well.

Hasan Davis during his captivating performance as York

Replicas of the 89 "Peace Medals" that the Corps brought with them to give as formal peace offerings for the tribes that they encountered along the Trail

We took the time to capture footage of Montana’s incredible scenery between Great Falls and Helena, and tried to imagine what it would have been like to live in or travel through this region over 200 years ago. Luckily, Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery made it through this area in June… not February.

With one more interview shoot ahead of us at home in Spokane, the production of this project is coming to a close, but the post-production is just beginning! Something tells me in another week’s time, we’ll be in the edit suite, thinking fondly of our time on the road… and by then, hopefully our fingers will have thawed!

Kim and Crew ready to head home!

QUESTION: Where have your winter journeys taken you? Hawaii or some other warm destination? Or have distant ski slopes beckoned? Tell us in the comments below!

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person… think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”

— Albert Schweitzer

With 2011 upon us, it is easy to play between the extremes of excitement for the coming year and nostalgia for the year that is passing. 2010 was full to the brim with engaging stories. Many of those stories reflected the undeniable perseverance of the human spirit, as our subjects faced the struggles of unemployment, homelessness, intolerance, and loss. Still, we witnessed these challenges being met again and again with poise and hope.

In fact, no fewer than four of our productions this year dealt with issues of homelessness, which is sure to humble anyone as we weigh the burden of our own struggles. These stories of challenges and aspirations, public service and private struggles, have been both inspiring and eye opening. Seeing the hopes that we all hold is an opportunity to appreciate the human experience.

In the Nonfiction Division, we have the privilege to work with so many diverse and inspiring clients, people with the drive and passion to make a very real difference in the world, in the areas of public safety, social services, education, healthcare, agriculture, natural resource conservation, and many more. We’ve had the opportunity to share some of 2010′s stories already, throughout the posts this past year (feel free to click the links if you’d like to revisit them): Friends of Youth, FareStart, Pride Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Common Ground Alliance, Public Health of Seattle / King County, among others. These projects have led us to interview some of the most resourceful and inspiring individuals we’ve ever had the privilege to meet.

One project we’ve not yet taken the opportunity to share, seems perfectly timed to offer to you now. Beside all of the important and weighty topics tackled this year, this piece shines as an especially uplifting display of innocence, imagination, and the courage to dream big. We hope you enjoy:

This is the second piece we’ve produced for Panhandle Alliance for Education, and it was a great opportunity to give voice to Northern Idahoan kids and invite their community to rally around their dreams. We’re thankful that we’ve gotten to enjoy so many years of working with nonprofit, socially responsible for-profit, and education organizations, as well as state government agencies, creating captivating pieces featuring real human stories.

Non profit organizations face operational and budgetary challenges everyday that are often daunting, however, times of challenge also inspire ingenuity and adaptability, and we are pleased to say we’ve watched our clients succeed again and again. Making the choice to invest in promoting awareness with a tailored video that grabs attention and tugs heartstrings can make a significant difference in meeting fundraising or outreach goals, especially with today’s accessible audiences and viral possibilities. As always, we love being available to collaborate and brainstorm with you on ways to share your messages for the best impact on your cause.

Kicking off 2011, we are excited to be exploring a new door that’s been opened for us, in the form of two video projects for federal agencies: The National Park Service, for a piece on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, covering the story of natural resource conservation in California agriculture. We look forward to sharing more about those adventures in the new year as they unfold, as well as other important stories we have the privilege to encounter.

So, lastly, in the traditional fashion, here are some of our New Year’s Resolutions for 2011… We’d love to hear any of yours in the comments below!

1. Count our blessings

2. Stretch our creativity

3. Support our community

4. Inspire our audience

5. Exceed your expectations

Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday, and all the best in the New Year! Cheers to life!

Hanging out in a school gym, watching kids play basketball, freeze tag, dodgeball, jumprope, and other recess classics certainly isn’t an average “day at the office,” but it was a fantastic way to spend a Monday! Yesterday found us Nonfictioners shooting our second commercial with the gentlemen from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana (watch the first video here). But unlike our last shoot, we shot this commercial in our own backyard, at Assumption Catholic School here in Spokane.

We were able to utilize the elementary school’s  snowy driveway and classic wood-and-brick gym, as well as their 4th and 5th grade kids, who were great sports and played actively for us for about 2 hours of shooting!

Nonfiction producers and clients gather around the field monitor.

The commercial will be about energizing your life through fun and interactive exercise, reminiscent of days when running around during recess was the most exciting part of the day, and encouraging adults to find that playful enthusiasm for healthy activity in their lives once again.

Danny and Tomás hard at work covering the fun!

QUESTION: So, what is your favorite way to stay active in this wintry season? Do you brave the elements to continue your outdoor recreation, or do you move indoors onto your favorite equipment or meet friends at your local gym?

Check back soon to see the finished video!