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March 29, 2023

“Summit for Democracy” Film Produced by Dorst MediaWorks

The second Summit for Democracy kicked off this week, with the United States and more than 100 partner countries convening to highlight progress and renew efforts to build more resilient democracies.

We at Dorst MediaWorks are proud to have contributed. We produced a short film about the Advancing Digital Democracy initiative of the Unites States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Dorst MediaWorks is a boutique agency specializing in brand visual storytelling and Instagram conversion marketing. We especially love working with organizations that do good, and celebrate institutions that support democracy, equality, opportunity, and freedom — particularly the governments and civil society organizations working together this week at the Summit for Democracy.

We love this work ❤️ because we only work with clients who do good. This commitment shows in these top national rankings:

If you’re an organization that does good, we want to work with you. Our visual storytelling and social strategies protect the environment, enable economic prosperity and support a healthy and food-secure world. Get a video estimate for your project. Get a social media marketing estimate for your account.

Watch the live Summit for Democracy 2023. Click for a schedule of official events for the Summit for Democracy.

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August 2, 2020

Dorst MediaWorks Pivots During Pandemic, Embraces Clutch for Verified Reviews

Here at Dorst MediaWorks, we know that small businesses make the world go round. In the USA alone, there are 30 million small businesses employing almost 60 million workers. These days, times are tough, especially for small businesses.

We’re like a lot of small businesses: we don’t do a lot of marketing. Our marketing is our work. During the past 15 years, Dorst MediaWorks’ video teams have been to 50+ countries and made hundreds of documentary-style videos for organizations that do good.

But Covid-19 has been a nightmare. It put a stop to travel. Practically overnight, business stopped. We had a few stressful weeks. How could we make videos like we always had?

After all, we tell stories featuring real people: we travel, we spend time with people, we film them. But the pandemic made us explore our own resilience, imagination, and problem-solving to respond to these challenging times.

We had a hot minute to give our clients a good work-around. Some asked for videos made with Zoom interviews, but our initial results were insipid. It was like giving a 5-star chef a microwave for her birthday. It’s not innovative, it’s not special, it’s not good. So don’t do it.

How could we tell stories without spending time with beneficiaries on the ground? Well, check this out:

It turns out that a lot of our normal workflow with our clients at USAID, the World Bank, and other international organizations, is relevant whether we’re traveling the world or quarantined. We pivoted from travel to telling stories in new ways. We wrote scripts that didn’t require in-country footage. We moved our post-production from Premiere to After Effects. We favored photos over footage. We used narration over interviews.

In other words, we changed our identity and the way we work to respond to the unique and stringent constraints of Covid-19.

And it worked. Our last few jobs have had our clients so pleased that they offered to write reviews. For us, as a small business that doesn’t do much marketing, reviews are super important. Google and Yelp are a couple ways to do it. But something we’ve preferred of late is a verified platform like Clutch. They offer a holistic process that gives potential buyers a full look into how vendors operate.

As part of the process, Clutch reaches out to our clients for a 15-minute interview call. Clutch assesses the impact that Dorst MediaWorks has had. We are graded on quality, attention to deadlines, project management skills, and overall price. Then Clutch transcribes and distills the interview into an edited format. For example, take a look at our most recent reviews below:

Another free B2B resource we love is Clutch’s sister site, The Manifest, where you can browse through company projects and see business metrics.

We’re thrilled you’ve read this blog, and are interested in helping small businesses like us! Drop us a line if you’d like to talk about your next big video project. And above all, stay safe and healthy. 😀

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November 4, 2019

Introducing: Epic Animated Explainer Videos for Nonprofits & Organizations That Do Good

We’re proud to announce a new part of our business: animated explainer videos.

For more than 15 years, Dorst MediaWorks has specialized making documentary-style live-action videos for institutions that do good—primarily stories about sustainable development, environmental conservation, and humanitarian relief.

Now, for these same clients, we also make animated explainers. Here’s our most recent animated explainer video:

How did animated explainer videos get so big?

Explainer videos have caught on in a big way. One reason is they help you illustrate complex concepts in a succinct way.

In our clients’ world, the Girl Effect video gave birth to the genre in 2008:

A lot of our counterparts at USAID, the World Bank, and major international nonprofits loved that video, for its dynamism, colors, and upbeat music. At the time, it was novel and fun to watch. But it ushered in a lot of copycats.

We resisted for a long while. After all, who wants to read their videos? What’s the point of that?

Why make animated explainer videos now?

Our clients kept asking us to get in the game.

Why? A lot of the same creative process of a documentary video is what’s necessary to produce a good animated explainer video – including creative concepts, concise scripts, attention to detail, and audio mastering that makes the visuals come alive.

But it wasn’t until I understood that animated videos are superior to documentary-style — in some cases — that Dorst MediaWorks made the leap. I was meeting with the head of communications at a major international nonprofit. “In some stories, we prefer to protect people’s identity,” she explained. “And in others, we just don’t want viewers focusing on what they look like. Their race or nationality shouldn’t obscure the message.”

This was definitely the case for our most recent animated explainer video that we produced for the World Bank Group. The objective was to inspire African leaders to unite and invest in making Africa’s food systems more climate-resilient.

The problem was, Africa has more than 50 countries. So, if you’re using real people in a video, which countries do you represent? In this case, it was crucial not to show specific faces, which would suggest failures or famines in individual countries. Solution: animated explainer video.

Be original, not a commodity, with your animated explainer videos

The problem is, there’s a lot of low-end animated videos out there. They have two-dimensional stick-art and off-the-shelf design elements. Over time, not much seems original. It’s a bunch of copycat, commoditized videos. And for that reason, people don’t watch them.

In many cases, the design and animation look a lot like children’s cartoons, which doesn’t work for our clients. Their topics are climate change, international development, and humanitarian relief. Taking your message out to the world dressed up like a cartoon runs the risk that viewers won’t take your message seriously.

So our solution is to always come up with completely original design. We also favor original, unpredictable animation in a 3D space. The goal is to keep viewers tuned in. Hopefully, they’ll stick with us and learn a thing or two along the way.

It’s the same strategy as our documentary-style videos: we aim for cinematic visuals that keep people watching.

What does an original animated explainer video cost?

We position our animated explainer videos on the upper end. Yes, 3D animation costs more, because the development consists of several phases of design, modeling, texturing, lighting, and rendering.

Our animated explainer videos start at $10,000 for 60 seconds, with the promise that the final product will be one-of-a-kind. So, when it’s time to make an explainer video and it’s important for it to be unique, consider giving us a call.

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October 23, 2019

Hosting a Conference? Here Are 9 Steps to Produce a Lightning-Fast Video for Day #2 (Hint: It Features Participants!)

This article outlines how you can use video captured on day #1 of a conference to unite and inspire conference-goers on day #2.

At Dorst MediaWorks, we’re always looking for new ways that our videos can be useful and even inspire audiences.

Photo by The Climate Reality Project on Unsplash

Most of the time, that means transporting viewers to other countries with documentary-style storytelling—and immersing them in the lives of people that are benefiting from our clients’ projects.

In pursuit of that mission, we’ve left our home base of Washington, DC to go film in more than 50 countries in the past 15 years to tell stories about international development, environmental conservation, and humanitarian relief.

Often, these videos play at events and are meant to educate, raise funds, or inspire. But recently, we tried something completely new for us.

We interviewed people on day #1 of a conference, and then edited a video overnight—in less than 14 hours—with the goal of inspiring participants and building community. How’d we do it?

Here are 9 steps to turning around your own lightning-fast video to inspire participants on day #2 of your own conference. Here’s the video:

1. Make sure your video team knows the content and your point of view in advance

In April of last year, the Sexual Violence Research Initiative and the World Bank Group hosted the Development Marketplace Awards for Innovation in the prevention of gender-based violence. Hundreds of people from around the world attended.

They hired Dorst MediaWorks to produce some videos profiling the winners. As a result, our editorial team got familiar with the content and the way that the partners talk about the issue of gender-based violence. We completed those videos and they all played on day #1 of the conference.

This process helped us enormously, because we learned the content and messaging.

If your video team is coming in fresh to do an overnight video, you might want to write the script and do most of the edit in advance—and just leave placeholders for your interviews—much like a journalist on deadline will write most of an article and leave a few placeholders for quotes.

2. Interview Style: Ensure quality

We recognized that this was a rare opportunity to have leaders from all over the world together in one place. So we wanted to capture their perspectives. But what was the best style? During style discussions, it was suggested that we conduct brief stand-up interviews with people on-the-fly. We strongly resisted that idea, believing we could get better quality with a dedicated room and no ambient noise. This was the right decision.

3. Set up a professional interview room nearby

We sent a one-person crew (camera operator) to the World Bank on the first day of the conference. There, we set up an interview room near where participants were spending the afternoon. Our first priority was to have professional lighting and quality audio—thus the separate room. Then we tasked one World Bank staffer with asking the questions (he knew the content very well and could ask follow-ups if he wasn’t satisfied). A second staffer escorted interviewees to us, just when we needed them. It worked well, since participants had been forewarned and were happy to take part.

4. Keep the interviews short – and note the timecode of the best content

Our objective was to conduct brief, but substantive interviews with about a dozen experts. We asked each the same four questions. The cameraman, who was also the editor, noted the timecode for the best answers. This made editing go faster. (We didn’t follow a typical documentary workflow, where we transcribe all of the interviews and read everything. We chose one money quote from each person and called it a day.)

5. Approach: don’t let perfection be the enemy of the good

Even watching the video now, there are several things I’d improve, but our approach was to do our best given the time constraints. By the time we got back to the edit bay in the late afternoon, we had about 14 hours to do the editing.

6. Objective: Remember your goal

Our goal was to kick off day #2 with some energy and get people on the same page. That’s why we started the video with prominent text highlighting the big challenge: “Almost one billion women have suffered gender-based violence.” But we wanted to quickly transition to a more hopeful tone, thus the sudden sunrise footage and early musical peak: we wanted to wake people up and get them paying attention. The suggestion is that with all of these thoughtful, impactful people here working together, there’s hope.

7. Feature crowd favorites to build community

The next 30 seconds of the video featured sound bites from six experts from six countries around the globe. These are some of the leaders, and we chose them with the goal of building some community. Then we included footage and mentioned winners from the past few years to further create a sense of community. These were all people and projects most participants would recognize.

8. Cut to the music

The goal was to infuse some energy into the morning, so we decided to lay an upbeat music track throughout. This also made editing easier. The rhythm dictated the cut points for the editor.

9. Long-term value

This quick video was the first deliverable. Later, we got the interviews transcribed and our client used some of the best quotes in online articles. They also logged the two hours of interview footage into the organizational video database for future videos.

So there you go. When you organize your next conference, consider using video of participants to help inspire people on day #2. It’s a fast turnaround, but with these tips, you can do it.

More resources:

The 2020 Development Marketplace: Innovations to Address Gender-Based Violence Call for Proposals is now open.

Violence Against Women and Girls Resource Guide: http://www.vawgresourceguide.org

World Bank Group press release on Development Marketplace prizes: http://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/development-marketplace-innovations-to-address-gender-based-violence

Sexual Violence Research Initative: http://www.svri.org

World Health Organization report on violence against women: https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/9789241564625/en/

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September 16, 2019

Producing an International Video? Here Are 8 Criteria to Choose a Great Video Production Partner

Consider this scenario. You’re in the waiting room and you Google your doctor. You follow a few links and discover he graduated last in his class!

Or you’re in an airplane waiting on the runway when you overhear a flight attendant whispering that this is the young pilot’s first flight with the airline…

Not awesome! If you’re like me, you want capable and experienced.

If you’re producing an international video, then this article is for you. It gives you eight tips to help you select the best video production partner to tell your story.

#8. Major Organizations Say Yes

When evaluating a potential video production partner, ask who they’ve worked with lately. Have they worked with organizations like yours?

In the past year, Dorst MediaWorks has produced for major international organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, USAID, the World Bank Group, the World Resources Institute, and the World Wildlife Fund. If they trust us, you can trust us.

#7. International Expertise

If you want to make a video overseas, make sure your video production vendor has sufficient international video production expertise. Making a talking-head corporate video in Washington DC is straightforward; producing a documentary-style video in a foreign language in another country requires a different skillset. What countries have they worked in? What languages? What size crews? Can they do indie documentary video in foreign countries? International expertise: it makes a big difference.

In the last 12 months, Dorst MediaWorks has produced in eight countries on five continents. Producing complex international videos in multiple languages can be tough. But not for us. It’s what we do. All of these experiences help our problem-solving skills to be able to succeed on your project. In 2011 in Zimbabwe, why did I build a set to hang paintings? In 2014 in Afghanistan, did I do anything differently knowing the Taliban had just launched its Spring offensive?Which country examples did I use when speaking about storytelling to development professionals in Washington DC? How did I direct the USAID video production last year in Haiti to capture the best story?

Outside Manila, producing for the International Finance Corporation.

#6. Longevity

Does the company have a track record? Recent success is paramount, but longevity suggests that a video production company is resilient, that it is able to ride the ups and downs of the economy, that it can communicate well with multiple clients in diverse situations.

Since 2002, Dorst MediaWorks has produced 300+ videos for 50+ clients in 50+ countries. Every project presents different and unique challenges and makes us better at what we do.

#5. Documentary Style

What style of video does the video production company specialize in? Commercials, explainer videos, music videos, events, and PSAs? Or does it specialize in the documentary-style video that you want for your international story? Documentary style conveys a strong sense of character, era, and place. It’s often more credible and enduring, because the protagonists tell their own stories, rather than having a narrator.

About 90%+ of Dorst MediaWorks videos are documentary-style.

In Rio de Janeiro, producing for the Public Interest Registry

#4. Mission

Does your potential video production vendor have a higher objective?

Dorst MediaWorks’ mission is to be the world’s best video production studio for organizations that do good. On this journey, we hope to help make the world a more just, sustainable, and equal place. We make videos for organizations that do good — here and around the world. If you share that vision or need a video, drop us a line.

#3. Client focus

Is your potential video vendor all things to all people? Or is it specialized? If it is more specialized doing the kind of work you need, then that’s a plus!

Dorst MediaWorks only works with organizations that “do good,” primarily international organizations that work in sustainable development, humanitarian relief, and conservation.

#2. Cinematic Film Quality

Yes, budgets can be tight on these types of international video productions, but that’s no excuse for bad quality. When considering whether to work with a video production company or not, check out their portfolio. Is it quality footage? Is it lit well? Is it color-corrected? If you need talking heads, check out the interview compositions. Are they well done?

Founder and Creative Director Steve Dorst has directed and produced feature documentary films that played on PBS, DirecTV, iTunes, and Amazon Prime Video. On any budget, in any country, Dorst MediaWorks strives for cinematic film quality.

#1. 5-Star Service

Read the testimonials and reviews. Does the video production company have positive reviews from clients?

Dorst MediaWorks goes the extra mile to make sure we provide incredible service to our trusted clients during the collaborative process. Check out our 22 reviews on Google and our top-10 presence on Clutch!

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September 9, 2019

Washington DC Video Production to Prevent Conflict and Improve Lives

In rural Afghanistan, you play by the rules. Don’t look at women; stay in the armored vehicle unless given permission to exit; when you get out, stay close to your armed guard.

Life was on lockdown, and the culture cloaked behind the local languages of Dari and Pashto (which I don’t speak). I had only 20 minutes to film the women farmers and I could only interview one. Then, back to Kabul before dark.

I did my job and we exited the high-walled compound. Then, inexplicably, villagers from all angles began heading directly at me and my camera, like so many iron fillings attracted to a magnet.

What could they want? It was unnerving. I’d been to dozens of countries and found myself in lots of new situations, but Afghanistan was next-level. Then I heard a voice, familiar and in English. My Unit Producer, Najib Siawash, was hollering at me from a hilltop: these men wanted a photo! Of course.

That was how, in a dry, war-torn Afghan village, I got a portrait with a fighting dog, his trainer, a farmer, and a military man.

Producing Videos for Organizations That Work with Countries in Conflict

If you’re an international organization working in conflict-affected or war-torn areas, who do you trust to tell the story of your life-transforming work?

Dorst MediaWorks has produced for the International Executive Service Corps, the International Monetary Fund, USAID, USDA, the World Bank, Women for Women International, and other groups in countries in conflict or emerging from it: Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chad, Central African Republic, Colombia, Congo DRC, Lebanon, and Yemen.

Countries at peace have a much better chance to make steady social, economic, and political progress. Their people have a much better chance to flourish and lead more fulfilled, prosperous lives.

However, in an increasingly interconnected world, where conflict, violence, and extremism do not respect national borders, unprecedented numbers of people are at risk.

That is what motivates us as a Washington DC video production company to work with international organizations that are working in these difficult places. Videos about people living in fragility, conflict, and violence help to shine a light on what is happening, and help motivate diplomacy, security, and mediation to prevent violent conflict and bring peace and prosperity.

Here are some videos we’ve produced:

World Bank: Tackling Fragility, Conflict and Violence

Addressing the global challenge of fragility, conflict and violence is key to ending poverty and promoting shared prosperity. To tackle this complex landscape, the World Bank Group is taking a broader approach to fragility by focusing on prevention, and engaging during active conflict, transition and recovery. The organization is also helping forge partnerships between organizations that work on humanitarian aid, development, and peace initiatives, which explains the United Nations video interviews and footage we have in this one.

Sustainable Development Video Production: Afghanistan, Empowering Women Farmers

This video is what came from the footage I shot that day in rural Afghanistan. After the war, Afghan farmers — particularly women farmers — were getting virtually no support from the government. This is the story of how the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture improves how it does business, which helps farmers, spurs the economy, and contributes to stability. This is a program of the United States Department of Agriculture named CBCMP (Capacity Building and Change Management).

IFC: Strengthening Corporate Governance in Fragile and Conflict-affected Countries

This video production for the International Finance Corporation includes footage that Dorst MediaWorks traveled to Sarayevo, Bosnia to capture as well as footage sent to us from war-torn Yemen. Today many countries face political instability or are struggling to emerge from years of conflict. This threatens to destroy once vibrant businesses, sending more people into poverty. IFC works in fragile and conflict-affected countries to help businesses weather the difficulties through stronger corporate governance and by building up companies’ resilience, so they can emerge from crisis as powerful engines of economic growth, hiring people, and improving lives.

Washington DC USAID Video Production: Lebanon & Rabih’s Fishing Business

This is the story of Rabih, who struggles to make a living as a fisherman before buying a new boat and building his business. And the microfinance institution Al Majmoua, which is extending loans to rural entrepreneurs in Lebanon for the first time. Dorst MediaWorks produced this USAID video for USAID subcontractor International Executive Service Corps.

Washington DC USAID Video Production: Lebanon & Hala’s Flower Shop

This is the story of Hala, who had a passion for flower arranging and used to dream of starting her own business. And the microfinance institution Vitas, which is extending loans to women entrepreneurs in Lebanon for the first time. Since 1964, IESC has worked in 130 countries and helped to create or save over 1.5 million jobs.

Washington DC USAID Video Production: Expanding Microfinance in Rural Lebanon

This is the story of a USAID project, Lebanon Investment in Microfinance Program, which worked with nine microfinance institutions to improve access to finance and increase lending to business owners in rural Lebanon. The program awarded about $10 million in grants to microfinance partners, who then made 14,000 micro-loans totaling more than $30 million. In 2015, the nation’s first microfinance association was formed, which will better serve the needs of small business owners throughout Lebanon.

Washington DC Sustainable Development Video Production: Afghanistan, From Ledgers to Biometrics

This is the story of a transformation. After the war, the Afghanistan Ministry of Agriculture is in disarray. Staff stand in line for an hour to sign in for work (if they come at all) and accounts maintain paper records. Through a USDA program named CBCMP (Capacity Building and Change Management) the Ministry undergoes an array of productivity and process improvements. Since 1964, IESC has worked in 130 countries and helped to create or save over 1.5 million jobs. Directed, shot, and edited by Steve Dorst.

Washington DC Video Production: “A Peace Plan, Oil Shock, & Crisis” [#1/4] The IMF in Colombia

This is a four-part video story of Colombia’s resilience in the face of economic crisis, which allowed it to move forward during an historic peace process. Today, a 53-year civil war with the FARC is a thing of the past, and rural Colombia is enjoying new investment and opportunity. The International Monetary Fund engaged Dorst MediaWorks to tell deeper documentary stories about its work in Vietnam, Ireland, and Colombia.

Washington DC Video Production: “A Tax Reform Succeeds” [#2/4] The IMF in Colombia

Washington DC Video Production: “Peace is Good for Business” [#3/4] The IMF in Colombia

Washington DC Video Production: “Business Goes to Quibdó,” [#4/4] The IMF in Colombia

Since 2002, Dorst MediaWorks has been producing videos for international organizations. That journey has taken our team to 50+ countries. Our mission is to be the best video production company for organizations that do good and help make the world a more just, sustainable, and equal place. If you share that vision or need a video, drop us a line…

If you’d like to check out more videos, refer to this YouTube playlist featuring all seven videos that Dorst MediaWorks produced for the International Executive Service Corps and the USDA in Afghanistan during the conflict:

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July 29, 2019

USAID Video Production: Videos for the United States Agency for International Development

How much of the US budget goes to foreign aid? What do you think—5%, 10%, 20%?

In early 2015, the Kaiser Family Foundation asked 1,500 Americans the same question. The average answer was 26%. In the same poll, a majority of Americans thought we spent too much on foreign aid.

Foreign Aid: Only 1%

The real answer: less than 1%. In 2016, the US spent $38 billion on foreign aid, which was less than 1% of a $4 trillion national budget.

By another measure, in 2017, the USA’s foreign aid commitment from the U.S. State Department and USAID totaled $50.1 billion, or just over 1% of the budget (Wikipedia). Total military assistance was about $15 billion. Total economic assistance was about $35 billion.

The Wikipedia link breaks it down by country, which is incredibly instructive. Certain conflict-prone countries are getting a lot of our attention and money. One way to look at it is that this table reflects American priorities to help alleviate extreme poverty and help assist conflict-affected countries. Why do we do it? A combination of moral and self-interest, which is perhaps beyond the scope of this blog.

But whatever our reasons, it’s hard to make the argument that it’s a waste. It literally is an incredibly small investment to help some of the poorest, war-torn countries from getting worse.

How small? In 2017, the US GDP was about $19.4 trillion. Our national budget allotted $35 billion to foreign economic aid programs. Let’s break it down as if this was a person: If you make $60,000/year (which happens to be the GDP per person in 2017), then it’s the equivalent of you donating $108.

USAID is a force for good

USAID implemented about $20 billion of the $35 billion economic assistance. Based in Washington, DC, the United States Agency for International Development is the largest bilateral international development organization. USAID works to improve lives, strengthen communities, and advance democracy.

Video team in Haiti — On location in Port-au-Prince, Haiti for USAID.

We at Dorst MediaWorks are proud to have produced USAID videos on four continents, including recent USAID video productions in Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, and Lebanon.

As its website says, “USAID’s work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity; demonstrates American generosity; and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience.”

Typically large USAID subcontractors will hire Dorst MediaWorks to execute the video production and photography components of projects. We travel in country for filming and photography, and then work with project teams back in Washington DC to tell the best stories.

Washington DC USAID Video Production: Lebanon & Rabih’s Fishing Business

Dorst MediaWorks produced this USAID video for USAID subcontractor International Executive Service Corps. Since 1964, IESC has worked in 130 countries and helped to create or save over 1.5 million jobs.

Over multiple years, Dorst MediaWorks has produced 17 videos for IESC. Here they are:

Washington DC USAID Video Production: Haiti, Private Sector Development

This is the story of Hermine, one of many Haitians working hard to recover after 2010’s devastating earthquake. Hermine works at a clothing factory. When hercompany receives a grant from USAID to help expand operations, she is promoted. Today, she’s making progress in her dreams of building a house and helping her son pursue his education.

Dorst MediaWorks produced this USAID video for USAID subcontractor Nathan and Associates. Nathan is a private international economic and analytics consulting firm that works with government and commercial clients around the globe. It was founded in 1946 and has 40 program offices around the world.

Washington DC USAID Video Production: “Ghana & The Global Shea Alliance”

This is the story of Rita Dampson, a shea butter entrepreneur in Ghana who has built her cooperative up to more than 1,000 village women. USAID and the Global Shea Alliance partner to connect women from 21 African countries to the global marketplace.

Washington DC USAID Video Production: Ethiopia & Sara’s Handicraft Passion

This is the story of Sara, a fashion designer from Ethiopia. Not long ago, she had seven employees and was struggling to turn a profit in the local market. Today she has more than 400 employees and her designs appear in major retailers such as J. Crew. What was the difference? The support of USAID.

If you want to watch more of Dorst MediaWorks video production for USAID, check out our USAID YouTube playlist. USAID is a force for good in the world. We’ve seen it first hand.

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July 2, 2019

Video Production: Videos in Africa for Organizations Based in Washington DC

When I spent a year in Cameroon in the late 1990s on scholarship, I only could’ve hoped that years later I’d be filming stories all over the continent.

During this past year, I directed Dorst MediaWorks video productions in Ghana, Tanzania, Malawi, Ethiopia, and South Africa – vastly different countries with incredibly rich cultures, dynamic cities, and a lot to offer the world. I feel blessed to have worked with some amazing people in each place.

Dorst MediaWorks Director Steve Dorst on location in Malawi — Dorst MediaWorks Director / Camera Steve Dorst on location in Malawi

The topics of these videos in Africa were international development and conservation. In Ghana: promoting sustainable tuna fishing; Tanzania: creating safer journeys for schoolchildren; Ethiopia, life-changing family planning and empowerment for young women; Malawi, improving an electric grid and empowering women; and this one from Asiye eTafuleni (AeT), which is co-creating a more inclusive city in the markets of Warwick Junction, Durban, South Africa.

Dorst MediaWorks’ clients for these documentary-style video productions are our neighbors in Washington, DC. They are some of the most respected names in the business of international development and conservation: the World Wildlife Fund, the World Resources Institute’s Ross Center, the International Monetary Fund, the FAO, and SIGN Fracture Care International.

Dorst Mediaworks makes videos in Africa for organizations that do good

If you work for one of the many US-based international organizations that are active on the Africa continent, consider giving us a call to help tell your story. You’ll probably recognize in our work what you do to give voice to the voiceless and make the world a better place.

Washington DC Video Production Services: “SARSAI” (Ross Prize finalist)

SARSAI is a program by the non-profit Amend, is providing a safer walk to a brighter future for students in high-risk school areas across Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and other sub-Saharan African cities.

Washington DC USAID Video Production Services: Ghana & the Global Shea Alliance

This is the story of USAID’s work with the Global Shea Alliance to help 16 million women from 21 African countries to collect, harvest and sell shea products and thus earn more income. Rita Dampson is our protagonist, who works with shea collectors and processors in rural Ghana.

Washington DC Government Video Production Services: “Mary’s Story,” Millennium Challenge Corporation Malawi

This is the story of Mary’s new business and her improved quality of life. It’s also the story of how the Millennium Challenge Corporation helped Malawian women in river communities develop new economic opportunities that also protect the rivers that power 90% of the country’s electricity.

Washington DC USAID Video Production Services: Ethiopia & Sara’s Handicraft Passion

This is the story of Sara, a fashion designer from Ethiopia. Not long ago, she had 7 employees and only served the local market. Today she has more than 400 employees and her designs appear in major retailers such as J. Crew.

Washington DC Video Production Services: “Economic Stability is Like Fresh Air,” The IMF in Ghana

In early 2017 Ghana’s economy faced multiple challenges ranging from declining GDP to a high fiscal deficit. Find out how the IMF partnered with Ghana to face these challenges.

Washington DC Health Video Production – Zimbabwe: “Tich’s Story” for CRS

This is the story of the brave and immensely talented Tichaona Mudhobi, or “Tich.” And the story of Catholic Relief Services and its humanitarian arm benefiting HIV survivors in Zimbabwe. Where youth have been hardest hit, you sometimes find the greatest stories of hope. Directed, shot, and edited by Steve Dorst from the Dorst MediaWorks documentary studio in Washington DC.

Washington DC Video Production: “Emerging Senegal: Guaranteed,” MIGA in Africa

This is the story of the Dakar Port, and how Senegal got a world-class container terminal thanks to the investments of Dubai Port World. It’s also the story of Standard Chartered Bank and MIGA, the risk insurance arm of the World Bank Group, which worked together to finance this big-ticket infrastructure project. Today, the regional economy is benefiting, and any company that imports or exports is learning that “time is money.”

Washington DC Video Production: “Women Powering Africa,” MIGA’s Gender CEO Award

MIGA hosted its 2nd Gender CEO Award on International Women’s Day (March 8) to recognize the accomplishments of a CEO, or equivalent, from one of its clients with a record of seeking to create opportunities for women and promoting gender equality.

Washington DC Health Video Production Services: “Creating Equality of Fracture Care” SIGN Tanzania

By providing both surgical training and implants, SIGN enables skills surgeons in developing countries to provide immediate care for patients who suffer badly broken bones each and every day. Founded in 1999, the organization has trained more than 5,000 surgeons in 51 developing countries—with SIGN-trained surgeons having healed more than 237,000 patients.

Washington DC USAID Video Production: “Ethiopia’s Tikur Abay Targets America”

https://youtu.be/qULRhgIXjkM

This is the story of Abebe, who owns a shoe company in Ethiopia. Working with USAID, what can he do to break into the massive U.S. market? Since 1964, IESC has worked in 130 countries and helped to create or save over 1.5 million jobs.

Washington DC Government Video Production: “Powering Malawi,” The Millennium Challenge Corporation in Malawi

https://youtu.be/ahi_nKC8Dh0

This is the story of Malawi’s power sector reforms and how it is spurring economic growth and poverty reduction by by improving the availability, reliability and quality of the power supply.

Volcanic Sprint

In part from my experience living in Cameroon, I was motivated to make my first documentary film there, Volcanic Sprint. It’s a story about the world’s most extreme mountain race. When it premiered on iTunes, I was over the moon. You can also watch it on Amazon Prime.

One of my favorite memories in my life was going back to Buea, Cameroon the year after I finished Volcanic Sprint and arranging for a free screening in Molyko stadium. As the sun set, thousands of children packed the place. I walked around quietly and watched the light from the movie illuminate their faces—they were rapt, excited to see their own neighbors as heroes on the big screen.

Since then, the Dorst MediaWorks team has jumped at every opportunity to help tell stories for organizations that are working to do good on the African continent.

If you work for one of the many US-based international organizations that are active on the Africa continent, consider giving us a call to help tell your story.

Dorst MediaWorks Founder Steve Dorst in 1995 with Noah Ondongo Generaud, a mvet master and Steve’s teacher.

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April 15, 2019

Video on Sustainable Cities: One Minute of Happy!

The Washington, DC-based World Resources Institute hired the Dorst MediaWorks team to tell the stories of the five finalists for the inaugural $250,000 Ross Prize for Sustainable Cities.

As a result, we traveled to Medellin, Colombia to film Metrocable; to Pune, India to chronicle the work of SWaCH; to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for SARSAI; to Durban, South Africa for AeT; and Eskisehir, Turkey to film the city itself.

Here’s the highlight video that played at the New York City gala last week:

It was a privilege to go to four continents and craft stories from these five worthy finalists.

We did it documentary style, which had us interviewing and editing in Spanish, Marathi, Swahili, Zulu, and Turkish — and mastering to English.

So what do you think makes for a sustainable city? Which of the finalists do you like most? Who would you have picked for the grand prize?

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September 24, 2018

This USAID Video in Haiti Shows USAID is Working to End Poverty

Based in Washington, DC, USAID is the world’s premier international development agency. USAID works to help improve lives, strengthen communities, and advance democracy. As its website says, “USAID’s work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity; demonstrates American generosity; and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience.”

So we at Dorst MediaWorks were proud to have been selected to work with subcontractor Nathan Associates to tell the story of USAID’s investment in Haiti’s private sector.

Our Washington, D.C. video production team set off for Port-au-Prince to spend a week documenting Haiti’s progress. What we encountered was a country that is still mired in extreme poverty, but with certain bright spots of hope.

This video production shows the experience of one factory employee, Hermine, who after suffering the devastating effects of the Haiti earthquake, is one step closer to her dream of owning her own home and providing a solid education for her son.

Hermine’s company received a grant to upgrade its equipment and open up a new business unit making t-shirts for sale to American companies. As a result, our hero, Hermine, gets promoted and takes on more responsibility. We see her training staff on the production room floor. Ultimately, with her salary increase, Hermine buys a small plot of land (to replace the house that was destroyed in the earthquake).

USAID’s investments in Haiti’s private sector help empower women and youth. This creates trading partners for American companies and helps Haiti on its path to self-reliance.

Dorst MediaWorks | Videos for Good. We are a video production company in Washington, D.C. We make videos for US-based international organizations. We’ve been to more than 100 developing countries, and are committed to treating our clients, subjects, and crew kindly, especially across cultural and language barriers. We aspire to authentic character-based storytelling and exemplary service. So, when its time to raise awareness, do some fundraising, or simply show results, call Dorst MediaWorks. Let’s make some Videos for Good.

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February 27, 2017

Video Storytelling: Visual Primacy and the Hero’s Quest

I’m a lucky man. Yesterday, I got to talk about my two passions–documentary filmmaking and international development–as one of four panelists at the Society for International Development’s (SID) “Storytelling with Data” event in Washington, D.C.

SID’s DC chapter aims to be a “global town square” by convening development professionals from across the spectrum. Since I make videos for international development organizations, they invited me.

I kicked things off by asking people about their favorite documentaries, just to signal that my talk would be interactive (People mentioned the documentaries of Jeff Orlowski, Jenifer Siebel Newsom, and Michael Moore).

Then I showed them the Dorst MediaWorks reel. I wanted us all on the same page about what I do: documentary-style videos, with a focus on beneficiaries whose lives are improving–who most often tell the story through their own voices.

After we watched the reel, I wanted people to walk a mile in my shoes. What’s my approach to telling stories?

So I introduced a USAID project, Lebanese Investment in Microfinance (LIM), that I was hired to produce some videos for.

When the Sky’s the Limit, Where’s Your Story Start?

In five years, LIM awarded about $10 million in grants to nine microfinance partners in Lebanon, who then made 14,000 micro-loans totaling more than $30 million to thousands of rural entrepreneurs across the country.

“So, if you’re in Lebanon to tell this story, where do you start?” I asked. I paused. Nothing. Talk about drowning in data! 14,000 loans?

“What do you film? Where do you start?” I smiled. And waited…

If you remember one thing, take this with you: In your storytelling, first establish the person and passion, then the problem. Otherwise, nobody cares.

And then people began lobbing up ideas. “Successes and failures of the project,” one man offered. “Challenges the entrepreneurs faced,” said a woman up front. “Lives changed,” shouted somebody from the back.

Yes! For me, telling the Lebanese microfinance story meant that I needed to identify individuals who struggled against great odds and succeeded. I wanted to tell a character-based story that would show the benefits of the LIM program.

I spoke with Beirut-based program officers for IESC, USAID’s implementer. They helped me identify some possibilities and we narrowed it down from there.

Ultimately, I made three videos, about Hala’s Flower Shop, Sameer’s Cattle Business, and Rabih’s Fishing Business.

Rabbi’s Fishing Business

We watched the first minute of Rabih’s Fishing Business together. I wanted people to see how I approached the storytelling.

“What did you notice about the first minute of the video?” I asked.

One guy up front piped up immediately: “There’s nothing about microfinance or the project at all in the first minute.”

Exactly!

Then, we talked about two important storytelling pillars that often get lost when people make videos showing the good work of international organizations: The primacy of the visual and the importance of a hero’s quest.

Visual Primacy

I read somewhere that when we watch videos, what we remember is 80% visual.

Think about it: so many videomakers labor endlessly on crafting just the right narration or interview sound bites, but then fail to exercise such care when their editor slaps up some moderately relevant b-roll footage (a term I hate by the way).

As a result, viewers respond a thousand different ways, jumping to whatever vague or unrelated connotations these visuals inspire.

Or even worse, explainer videos or descendants of the (once innovative) Girl Effect require viewers to read, read, read like they’re at a PowerPoint convention.

No!

And that’s why so many short videos, particularly those cobbled together — without strong visual stories — make no impact. They are a waste of time and resources.

So back to Rabih. Who is he? Rabih is a fisherman who’s having trouble making ends meet, because he doesn’t own a boat and has to pay a lot to rent one. He gets a loan to buy a boat, then increases his income, which helps his family.

There were a lot of ideas from the extended project team about what I should shoot to tell this story: the microfinance institution, the training conferences that the microfinance lenders attended, and even the association of microfinance organizations that the project established.

I resisted.

I wanted a hero shot of Rabih and his boat to start the film. And that’s what I got.

For the first 10 seconds, there are no words. This is by design.

My opening here is a poor-man’s version of the kind of thing Alejandro Innárritu achieves to great effect in The Revenant. In one of these long takes, Director of Photography Emmanuel Lubezki follows Hugh Glass (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) into a natural cave, into the water, with the camera floating around him, gradually revealing his surroundings, a frightening perspective. (See the New York Times Anatomy of a Scene)

If I was making a feature with Rabih, I’d choreograph his departure to play out in one take. But this is low-budget documentary-style video and Rabih really is fishing and he’s in a hurry. So, I started behind Rabih’s head to get his point of view, so the viewer could inhabit his world, if only for a moment.

When I’m editing, I like to turn down the volume and see if the video is telling the story visually. That’s the ultimate test. This opening passes that test.

A Hero’s Quest

We connect with people with authentic passion.

I didn’t understand a word of Rabih’s interview, because it was in Arabic. But when I got the translated transcript a few days after meeting him, I absolutely loved what he said: “Since I was 10 years old, I’ve been a son of the sea … I saw fishermen and discovered my passion.”

These words vibed 100% with the commitment, agency, and persistence that I witnessed through my camera lens.

Who’s not immediately intrigued by an individual who is so passionate about what they do?

Then the whammy. A text block: “Today, Rabih will pay more than half his earnings to the boat owner.”

This is a BIG problem in need of a solution.

Voila! This explains why USAID established the microfinance project in the first place.

If you remember one thing, take this with you: In your storytelling, first establish the person and passion, then the problem. Otherwise, nobody cares.

Viewers can try to care. We all try to care about issues and their resolution. Rural poverty in Lebanon is an important issue. Yes.

But here, in a minute, is the power of story. The sort that goes straight to the heart, not the head.

We meet Rabih pre-dawn. We join him on his boat and learn of his lifelong passion to be a successful fisherman. We don’t have to try to care. We care, instinctively. Call it empathy. But its the storytelling gene built into us, refined over millennia.

As a result, we’re invested in a solution.

As the video unfolds, we meet Rabih’s microfinance loan officer and Rabih’s family. We see Rabih sell his fish at the market. His world gets a big bigger and we understand it a bit more. By the end, as Rabih is tidying up his boat at dusk, we learn that his dream is to buy a larger boat and grow his business.

His life is improving and the USAID project is part of it.

This is the hope and the promise of international development. Rabih embodies this success story. Strong visuals and Rabih’s passionate quest to succeed help us care.

Also on the Panel …

Dani Clark works in communications at the World Bank. Turns out Dani also blogs at Medium, where she’s currently writing a gripping true-crime serial about a Texas man on death row. I started the first one last night and couldn’t stop until I’d read them all.

Kunle Badmus owns Kowree, a start-up technology firm aimed at helping African governments and businesses access opinions of their citizens and customers. Its’ true innovation is simplifying the feedback loop for improved communications and performance.

Allen Carrol gave a riveting introduction to Story Maps, a browser-based interactive storytelling platform that lets you combine authoritative maps with narrative text, images, and multimedia content. For a visual person like me—who’s always looking for new and better ways to distribute video—I’m excited about the insane potential of Story Maps and can’t wait to start using it.

Thanks to Kenlee Ray and Riccardo de Marchi Trevisan for organizing the event (check out the Society for International Development’s DC chapter on Facebook). Stimulating event. Good times.

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December 21, 2016

The 6 Most Epic International Development Videos Ever

Here in Washington, DC, we have a lot of smart people working to make a difference in international development, and a cluster of global nonprofits, USAID subcontractors, and multilaterals.

With all this competition, it can be tough for you—a communications professional—to get the word out about your organization’s results.

As the founding producer of Dorst MediaWorks, I’ve specialized in video production for international development organizations since 2003. My primary counterparts are Directors of Communications, and we spend a lot of time brainstorming how to tell great stories.

Here are six international development videos that have animated our conversations and inspired us. Use the comments below to critique these choices, or add your own favorites!

“Still the Most Shocking Second a Day,” by Save the Children

Hands down the best video about the Syrian refugee crisis you’ll ever watch. It’s even better than its predecessor, “Most Shocking Second a Day,” whose message clearly struck a chord: “Just because it isn’t happening here, doesn’t mean it isn’t happening” (and surpassed 55 million views!). Maybe it gets to me because I’m a parent, with a daughter. But that’s the point: it brings the crisis home. The protagonist is our daughter, our neighbor. Emotionally, you can’t dismiss her, particularly given how it’s filmed, with her experience so front-center. Knowing that, Save the Children emphasizes via the YouTube description: “The refugee crisis isn’t just a story on the news – it’s happening here and it’s happening now. Please watch and share.” Moreover, at the 01:30 mark, an annotation reminds us to donate via text. Spectacular strategy, well-executed video, with a wraparound fundraising campaign. This is as good as it gets.

“Price tag lipdub by 500 women in Uganda,” by SYPO

The most entertaining microfinance video you’ll ever dance in your chair to! My face hurts from smiling ear-to-ear! Well-produced, the video has fun music, choreography, and mobile camerawork that takes us to meet hundreds of women beneficiaries of a microfinance project. The message, “We want the same things that you want,” really hits home, making a connection. And their lip-syncing refrain of “It’s not about the money, we just wanna make the world dance,” is a brilliant (and ironic) send-up by the Dutch NGO SYPO. The YouTube description reads, “Every single one of these strong and resourceful women has started a business of her own.” I’m a believer: happy, agents of change, dancing their way into our hearts. That’s results!

“The Source,” by Charity: Water

Immersive storytelling at its finest! Charity: Water is known for its successful outreach, so it’s no surprise they give us this. “The Source” is a Virtual Reality (VR) video, so get out your Google Cardboard, or at least watch it in the Chrome browser for the full 360 experience. At one level, this is traditional documentary storytelling: six days in the life of an Ethiopian girl Selam as a water well is constructed in her village. What distinguishes this video is the VR novelty that puts you in the driver’s seat. Scroll around and be part of Selam’s world! You decide what to look at. When these VR videos are done well, I find myself watching them several times, like this one. “The Source” is part of a first wave of immersive VR videos that will only get better as the technology continues to become more accessible and we filmmakers learn how to work in this new medium.

“Project Daniel,” by Not Impossible Labs

The best storytelling around innovation ever! I had the opportunity to shadow Mick Ebeling in New York City for a few days last month for an upcoming DirecTV documentary. He’s a charismatic guy whose Not Impossible Labs has, quite incredibly, won two consecutive SXSW innovation awards … Several years ago, I saw this video and loved it. And I’ve been taking it to my clients ever since. I like to watch it together because international development organizations love to talk about being innovative, but rarely manage to show it well, like “Project Daniel.”

I love a lot of things about this video, but here are three things in particular. First, the opening sequence tells the entire story visually in 10 seconds: A boy without an arm throws an object and smiles. Tremendous! No words required. I will never forget that scene. Second, the story structure plays with time to great effect: we start at the pinprick of transformation (Daniel throwing the object), then back to Daniel’s injury, then to Mick’s inspiration, then fast-forward to Mick “putting the plan in action” and finally, the breakthrough … where we started. It’s fun, unpredictable, and serves the story well. Third, Mick’s passion and perspective: Without Daniel, there is no transformation and no story. But without Mick, there is no connection. We are Mick. We get inside his head, and can’t help but be in awe of his determination. Unforgettable. That’s true innovation!

“Kony 2012,” by Invisible Children

The video that provoked a Thermidorian reaction! It’s hard to understate the widespread influence this video had, the allegiance it inspired—and when the pendulum swung back—the hate. Love it or hate it, Invisible Children brought Joseph Kony to the national consciousness; it helped shape policy; and it inspired a cohort of college students to think about conflict-affected people in Africa. Not too shabby! This should be on every list for the next generation. It was that influential.

“One Future, #ZeroHunger,” by World Food Programme

OK, so maybe this one isn’t “epic.” It’s nowhere near as inspiring as “Project Daniel,” tear-jerking as “Shocking,” or entertaining as “Lipdub,” but this video is effective nonetheless. Why? It has one idea and delivers. Visually, it’s strong and memorable. The script is concise, and refreshingly devoid of any wonky insider lingo. Watch it again: it’s all stock footage. It reminds us all that strategy always trumps budget, which is great news for comms departments with shrinking resources. Now that’s epic indeed!

So, what do you think? What do you think of these choices? What are your favorites? What’s inspired you?

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October 10, 2016

Flying the Phantom 4 in Senegal: 9 Reflections from the Trip

I flew the DJI Phantom 4 in Dakar, Senegal last week. Over a mosque, through a statue, hovering near curious children. It was a great experience and really elevated the production values of my international development video. This was my first trip to Senegal, but my 20th trip overseas to make a video for an international development organization, with my company Dorst MediaWorks.

Since I just bought the Phantom 4 last month and this was my first project using it, I wanted to share nine reflections from the trip.

1. Cinematic, yes

Bottom line, aerial shots take it to the next level. I’ve filmed in a lot of places in a lot of conditions, but I got truly excited when I put the Phantom 100 meters in the sky and started filming. Brilliant moving pictures.

2. Client love

At the first review session, my client loved the aerial footage. It was all they wanted to talk about. I spent 90% of my production days earthbound, shooting interviews and following characters, but the aerials garnered all the attention!

3. Content is still king

I was in Dakar to tell the story of how a newly renovated container terminal has helped Senegal’s economy, and how a unit of the World Bank helped make it a possibility. It’s a typical project for me, since I specialize in making videos for international development organizations, like subcontractors for USAID or partners of the World Bank Group. I bought the Phantom 4 because I knew it would be hard to show the sheer scale of operations from the ground—humongous cranes, massive containers flying through the air, rows of stacked containers. The copter was the perfect tool. If, by contrast, the story had been about an education project, the most I could have expected out of the copter would have been some transition shots. But on this gig, the Phantom gave pictures that were absolutely essential to the storytelling.

Here’s the finished film for the unit of the World Bank Group, MIGA:

4. Mohamed, thanks

Unit Producer Mohamed Srour was great. A white guy in West Africa already gets a lot of attention. Throw in camera equipment and a drone, and you get very curious crowds! Flying a drone in Africa is a magnet for attention. Mohamed has been plying his craft for almost 30 years and was a joy to work with. He allowed me to focus on the creative. If you ever need a fixer in Senegal, give him a shout: 011 221 776300208

5. Safety first

It was school vacation in Senegal, so loads of children were out playing during the day. Mohamed led us to some well-known spots to fly the drone, including the Mosque de Oukama. As soon as I sent the copter up, boys immediately started gathering around. I was glued to the DJI app on my phone, busy piloting, so the first time I looked up there were 30 boys crowded around me. As the sun set, the Phantom was about 300 meters west over the Atlantic. Suddenly, the app started beeping: the battery was running out! Even though I was pressed to land the thing immediately, I had the presence of mind to ask Mohamed to clear a safe landing area — the rotating blades can be very dangerous. Almost as soon as the Phantom landed on the sand, the envelope closed and all the boys crowded in again. We took a few photos, I high-fived everybody, and we wrapped for the evening.

6. Geofencing, ugh

This version of the Phantom has geofencing built in. I guess drunk guys flying drones onto the White House grounds didn’t help. The good news is that people can’t fly copters into the paths of airplanes. The bad news is that I can’t fly the thing in Arlington, Virginia where I live — or anywhere within an approximate 20-mile radius of the White House (that’s the big red circle). I can’t even take off. What surprised me was that in Dakar, there was similar geofencing around the airport there. DJI calls it a Geospatial Environment Online (GEO), which is continually updated and also includes other sensitive areas like prisons, power plants, major stadium events, etc. Good idea, but bad news if you just want to practice flying at the local park and you’re too close to a no-fly zone. Like me.

7. So Easy!

I bought the Phantom 1 when it came out in 2013. Unfortunately, it didn’t have a gimbal and the GoPro I rigged up yielded shaky, unusable footage. But on the plus side, I became a proficient pilot. So when Red Bull hired me to direct a few episodes for a TV series, I flew the Phantom 2 Vision Plus: in Portland, Oregon and the Florida Keys. Then I got hired to operate camera for a PBS documentary in Jamestown, Virginia and I also flew there. But I hadn’t flown a Phantom for about 18 months when I got this Senegal gig. Yet it is so easy to operate that I had no problems at all.

8. Great value

I spent $1,600 at Adorama for the DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter Aircraft With Pro accessory Bundle. This costs less than a Canon 70-200mm lens; less than a tripod; even less than my trusty Litepanel 1×1 I take everywhere! At this price, the Phantom 4 is a great value.

9. Just fly!

The Dakar story about the container terminal took me to a company that imports most of its product from Europe. I wanted to illustrate how a company became more profitable now that the container terminal is more efficient. “Time is money,” said the project manager in English (even though he speaks only French and Wolof!), which was exactly what I was hoping to hear. After the interview and some b-roll, I got out the Phantom (I always do it last in case people object). I figured I’d get a quick establishing shot and call it a day.

Suddenly, something special happened. The laborers went into hyper drive. With the copter overhead, I was able to see what I couldn’t see from the ground — they were all loading and unloading gas tanks in three independent dynamic assembly lines! Immediately, I lowered the copter to the far right of the scene and piloted a slow push left over a truck (see 00:12 – 00:23 in the video above). In one take, I was able to capture a beehive of activity that illustrated the project manager’s quotes perfectly. It was my favorite shot of the trip.

For more on the history of the DJI Phantom.

The History Of The DJI Phantom

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May 19, 2016

Sarajevo Shoot: International Development Video

When I touch down in Sarajevo for a film shoot for a World Bank Group project, I‘m mindful that this Olympic city suffered through the longest siege of a city in the history of modern warfare – 1,425 days long.

bosnia4 — This bridge is Šeher-Ćehajina ćuprija.

I’m here to make a video for an international development organization, but all I can think about is the Bosnian War, which ended 21 years ago. My driver, Chola, doesn’t have to point out the bullet holes pockmarking the exposed facades along the Miljacka River. When I learn he was Bosnian special forces, I imagine how these streets, for him, are more than just a vehicular grid. Buildings are tactical. They block artillery fire. Perhaps on this corner he lost a fellow soldier; or on that one, he returned fire.

Even two decades removed, how do you shake off war and just drive a car?

And how do you grow up in Yugoslavian brand of Communism, brave a four-year war, and then transition to capitalism on the margins of Europe?

This is running through my head as I load four pelican cases of video equipment in Chola’s car. Sarajevo has a long history as a cosmopolitan city, but post-war identity politics seem to be delaying the country’s pivot to Europe. It’s not like Bosnia isn’t capable. After all, in 1981, Sarajevo’s GDP was 133% the Yugoslav average. In 1984, it hosted the Winter Olympics. Moreover, during Communist days (pre-1992), Bosnia had a significant industrial base – all state-run of course. But since then, the country has had a hard time adapting to a market economy.

That’s why I’m here: to help with that transition. Dorst MediaWorks makes videos for international development organizations. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) hired me to chronicle a project of its Corporate Governance unit, which works with a local organization to help improve local companies’ corporate governance (Watch films I made for the same group in Colombia and Egypt).

What is corporate governance? It’s the processes and structures by which companies are directed and controlled. Here in Bosnia, most companies are young, family businesses. They lack formal structures, such as independent boards, defined succession planning, and other hallmarks of larger companies. As a result, they find it difficult to access capital and grow regionally and internationally.

We’re heading east of town now on a winding road to film a small-business owner. He’s operating out of the renovated site of a Bosnian weapons armory. Amila, a confident, bilingual staffer at the IFC is my Unit Producer for these three days. It’s May and it’s raining, and Amila calmly reconfigures our shooting schedule to accommodate my obsession with rare patches of sunshine.

We arrive at the business and I unpack. I’m excited to be using my new Sony FS7 abroad for the first time. I’m looking forward to putting it through its paces, and plan to do a full blog post later about how much I loved using it!

From a work perspective, my two days in Sarajevo and one day in Banja Luka are a success.

Personally, my absolute favorite part of my job is coming into contact with different cultures: meeting people, listening to their music, eating their food, learning about their hopes and fears, politics and history.

Sarajevo’s Old City is a joy. Much of it is a pedestrian zone, with small shops, ancient structures, a natural habitat for a coffee culture. I emerge at Vijecnica, which is both a library and City Hall. Fire-bombed by the Serbs during the war, it is recently rebuilt. Nearby, I stumble upon the Latin Bridge, where 102 years ago, a young Serb nationalist shot and killed Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand—and launched World War I. I meander up through parks and by mosques. Hungry, I stop for a hladno pivo (cold beer) and a cevapi (pita bread stuffed with grilled meat).

Back at my hotel, the day’s footage is definitely done cloning. It’s time to string out the interviews and upload an MP3 for the transcription service. I hope jet lag doesn’t keep me up too long tonight. And I’m praying for sunshine tomorrow.

bosnia5 — I’m in good hands with Chola and Amila. Great work team!

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February 24, 2016

“Super Humans Unmasked”: 1.7m Facebook views

In December, Doug Gritzmacher and I joined Producer T.J. Cooney for a few days in San Francisco to film a bunch of adults that dress up as superheroes.

It was one of our first projects under the banner of Z-Channel Films, our new company. Doug and I have been collaborating off and on for years, and we’ve finally decided to take the plunge and work together in this new initiative (more on our motivation and background).

As for the superheroes, I was skeptical. What was the catch? Were they Comicon junkies living out a suspended adolescence? Or bored middle-agers with aspirations to be cast in Kick-Ass 3?

As soon as I met Roxanne Cai, however, I got an immediate appreciation for her commitment and true motivation.

Since Roxanne founded the California branch of The Initiative, she’s led efforts to pick up used drug needles around the Mission District. Not just once in a while. But every week for four years. At last count: about 200 trips and about 7,000 needles off the streets.

That’s not all. About once a month, the group hosts a pop-up Street Boutique. They dress up as superheroes for fun and to attract attention to their good deeds. Then they hang up all the clothes on mobile racks so people can consider options in a dignified manner.

Meanwhile, Roxanne’s story is getting some interest on Facebook, with about 1.7 million views.

Way to go Roxanne! If we all followed your inspiring lead in the community, there’d be a lot less pain and suffering.

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September 27, 2013

Directing in Brazil: In a Favela, an Oasis

What is a favela? When I left Washington DC for a filming trip in Rio de Janeiro last week, I was apprehensive. It was my first trip to Latin America’s biggest country. And instead of filming a documentary film on the beaches of Ipanema or Copacabana, I’d be a director/producer on a commercial in some of Rio’s poorest slums (favelas). What would I find? (I took this crazy pic on accident as a wave crashed on me during a walk on Ipanema beach!).

To prepare, I read a book entitled “Culture is our Weapon,” by Patrick Neatte and Damian Platt. It chronicles the severe poverty, ubiquitous drug trafficking, and endemic violence of the favelas. It follows the birth of AfroReggae, a transformative nonprofit that gives at-risk youth opportunities to shine, primarily in art and music (samba, hip hop, dancing, drumming, etc).

At that point, I spy three teenage boys in shorts and flip flops—and automatic rifles slung over their shoulders.

I stayed in Ipanema with an old friend, Neil Breslin, who flew in from Luanda, Angola to be the Unit Producer. Neil runs a firm connecting businesspeople in and out of Angola and speaks perfect Portuguese. He also owns apartments in Rio, so it was a great change of pace to stay at a friend’s place rather than a hotel.

photo-mz — Wrapped AfroReggae shoot at AR21 concert, with AfroSamba lead singer LeCao Magalona and M’zée Fula-Ngenge. Leviano Bar in Lapa neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro.

The first morning, we turn inland to a favela called Vigário Geral. As the stunning seaside landscape recedes behind us, Rio is revealed as a sprawling mega-city. Most striking is the trajectory of the favelas, precipitous, straggling, and clinging to hillsides.

Our AfroReggae contact drives with us. Then outside Vigário, a local teenage boy meets us. He sits up front and is our ticket in. There’s one way in and out, a desolated and looping off ramp that issues to a main street blocked by two industrial trash containers. Culture is our Weapon describes why favela residents erect such blockades: to keep out overzealous police who have been known to rush in with assault vehicles, purportedly chasing drug traffickers, shoot with impunity, and leave just as quickly. It occurs to me that AfroReggae was established after the massacre of 21 innocents in August 1993, right where I am now.

At this point our genial driver, Elton, turns into a spider’s web of narrow alleyways. Homemade super-sized speed bumps pepper the route, so we top out at 5 mph, and Elton executes an exaggerated zigzag for several minutes. We trace a large “U” until we rejoin the main street again. We’re in.

At that point, I spy three teenage boys in shorts and flip flops—and automatic rifles slung over their shoulders. This sent a shudder through me. I tell my car mates this is freaking me out. That I’m only used to people in uniforms with guns. Neil counters that we’re actually safer here. The boys won’t harm us. They’re simply keeping the status quo (to protect their drug turf)—whereas if you get robbed in Ipanema or Copacabana, good luck getting justice.

I hadn’t filmed a frame yet and already my worldview was turning upside down. Safer neighborhoods with gun-toting teenagers? Citizen blockades to keep out police? Moreover, I was already seeing parts of Brazil that most Brazilians never see.

AfroReggae’s impressive, new four-story community center was built in 2010. It is clean and imposing, with a gaggle of children playing ping pong and foosball in the courtyard. It has all the collective good energy of a YMCA. A massive sculpture of a fist extends from the roof — is it a warning or an expression of pride?

The first person I meet is Anderson Sa, AfroReggae’s co-founder and the lead singer of AR21, formerly known as AfroReggae Band. I’d seen Favela Rising, an average documentary about a fascinating subject, where Sa factored prominently. I shot Sa in his recording studio, practicing with his band, and mentoring a younger singer, LeCao Magalona, who headlines the AfroReggae band AfroSamba. Both Sa and Magalona prove to be charismatic guys and very skilled musicians.

My client for this job is a private sector company based in Reston, Virginia. They are growing their business overseas, with Brazil one of the priority countries. So they hired me to make a series of spots that will be distributed in Brazil first and foremost. I’m shooting, directing, writing, and producing. I’ve already written the script. The voiceover is in Portuguese. The story needs to resonate with a local audience—which is a change for me. Usually when I travel to film overseas, the resulting film or video is to be viewed by Americans.

All this is going through my head at nightfall as I’m getting the last few shots. A plague’s worth of mosquitoes have descended on us from a nearby marsh and are harassing my young on-camera protagonist. The poor boy can’t concentrate on anything else. People are streaming home.

Both Sa and Magalona prove to be charismatic guys and very skilled musicians.

Since my morning encounter with the rifle-toting teenagers, this is the first evidence that Vigário is an unsafe, unhealthy place. The dozens of people I’ve met are authentic, nice, and all doing their own thing like anybody in any neighborhood. I played soccer with some boys and challenged a young man to a pull-up contest (I lost). I saw (and filmed) a steady stream of talented youth in violin lessons, samba classes, and all manner of dance practices—from ballet for little tots to African dance for seriously legit young adults.

AfroReggae has helped create an oasis.

Adany Lima runs the only youth dance troupe, Movimentos, in Cidade de Deos, a favela made famous by a movie of the same name.

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September 19, 2013

Directing “Saving Sally”

They say there’s freedom in structure. But how do you tell a story that spans 20 years in a traditional 60-second commercial spot? That was my challenge when Paul McKellips, President of FBR Media, asked me to direct “Saving Sally.” McKellips wanted to show the research and development that goes into developing life-saving medicine, with a focus on the people it saves.

First, I wrote the script with McKellips, who in a former life was a successful film and TV director and producer. Working with him went really smooth.

Visually, my solution was to shoot the spot with two distinct looks: For the bookend scenes with Sally’s family in the hospital room, I wanted to go more realistic and handheld. For the flashback to the years of discovery and progress, I’d do a dreamlike blue, exclusively dolly.

I also wanted to find a way to use visual FX during the compressed flashback scenes to convey complexity and chronology. The FX would be a secondary storyline. I knew the viewer wouldn’t be able to process all the FX in one pass, but that was kind of the point—there’s a lot that goes into developing medicine.

Then I storyboarded with my friend, Director of Photography Doug Gritzmacher. He did an amazing job visualizing all the scenes in advance—so we could think about how to integrate the visual FX in post.

In post, “Saving Sally” came alive. It was my first time collaborating with the insanely talented Peter Von Elling, whose visual FX wizardry exceeded my expectations.

As a documentary filmmaker, I tend to work on small teams. On location, there’s a lot more concern with reality — however that’s defined. When I’m director/camera on documentary shoots, I follow the action, concerned with emotion, interaction, human feelings. On the “Saving Sally” shoot, I spent days in advance working with a pretty big crew to ensure that we could conjure up emotion on set. It’s a big difference.

still paper copy — This is a good example of the collaboration we had on this project. DP Doug Gritzmacher and I coordinated on the framing of this shot. In the original, the paper is blank. Then Visual FX guru, Peter Von Elling, filled in the paper with “notes” and composited all the other elements as well.

On the day of the shoot, I left Washington, D.C. behind and went to Maryland. Line Producer Kurt Uebersax ran the set like a well-oiled machine. Carl Glorioso, director of the Frederick Film Office, hooked us up with an ideal location at Frederick Memorial Hospital—where we staged some incredibly realistic scenes without trucking in a boatload of extra props.

I knew it was going to be tight—9 scenes in a 12-hour day. With about 20 actors and scenes on three hospital floors, we were moving fast. But it was 10pm and I still had two scenes to shoot, with some serious overtime charges looming—for actors, hospital, etc, if we didn’t wrap soon. I was exhausted and my creative synapses weren’t firing (despite a fourth cup of coffee!). But Gritzmacher (and Gaffer Chris Walter) actually accelerated the pace. I got everything I needed.

In post, “Saving Sally” came alive. It was my first time collaborating with the insanely talented Peter Von Elling, whose visual FX wizardry exceeded my expectations.

Much of my work over the years has been documentary, where you get more time to let events unfold, and time to tell the tale. But this year I’ve been directing more commercials, where every second counts. I’m lucky to have established my video production company in Washington, D.C., where there are really so many talented people working in the business. They really helped “Saving Sally” come alive!

still2 copy — This is another good example of the collaboration we had. DP Doug Gritzmacher was sure to leave a lot of space on the left of this shot so that Visual FX Peter Von Elling could jazz up the shot with all the magical elements you see here.

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January 7, 2013

Happy New Year!

Really excited for 2013. Bench to Bedside, the new TV series that I’ve been DPing and editing for the past two years, was acquired by Australia Broadcasting Corporation for global distribution. Not sure what channel will see the program domestically. “The other” ABC seems to be one of the biggest players in the Pacific Rim, so interested to see what they’ll do with it.

Some fun shoots I’ve done lately include an interview Friday with World Champion figure skater Kimmie Meissner. For an elite athlete, she was really down-to-earth. The shoot posed its own unique challenges, as I found myself setting up lights and c-stands on ice. This was for a TV series distributed by Fox called The Real Winning Edge. I learned that Meissner co-founded the Cool Kids Campaign, an organization for kids with cancer. And she told me she’s going to NYC next week to do a show with Barry Manilow. So, will Barry be on ice skates?

Saturday night, I found myself stifling an urge to laugh. Not because I’m a killjoy, but because I didn’t want to shake my shot! At DC’s historic Lincoln Theater (within nose-shot of Ben Chili’s Bowl!), I was helping out old friend Chris Billing on his latest documentary. I followed Atlanta-based comedian Small Fire verité-style (Small Fire’s YouTube channel): to her green room, backstage, joking with the band while waiting in the wings, and finally on stage for a 40-minute set that had a SRO-crowd hooting and hollering. Small Fire riffed on her upbringing in the church (which I could identify with), although her church sounded a lot more fun than mine did!

2013, starting off real well!

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Fireworks photo by Rob Chandler, from: http://bit.ly/VlpjIK

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April 1, 2009

Harlem for Earth Institute

“We the rich are literally dumping on the poor,” said Lisa Sharper today while I was interviewing her for a short film that documents eco-hazards and eco-opportunities in Harlem. Sharper’s NY Faith and Justice group has collaborated with WeACT and Columbia University’s Center for the Study of Science and Religion to engage Harlem’s communities around the issue of environmental justice. This is a hot topic in a place where public health indicators suggest something very fishy: some communities in Harlem and the Bronx have the nation’s highest asthma rates, for example. Why? Well, as Sharper explained, there are no public dumps in Manhattan, but 40+ in the Bronx. And of the seven bus depots in Manhattan, six are in Harlem. So, every hour of every day, buses go though Harlem, creating these corridors of pollution that settles in clouds on schools, homes, children. Lots of it. WeACT is into its 12th year on an MTA Accountability Campaign, that’s trying to get the city to think more about the health of Harlem’s people. Having not seen or heard much about this story, I didn’t care much. But now that I’ve seen it with my own eyes, I have two reactions: first, I’m ashamed to live in a country that lets this happen; and I’m hopeful that progress can happen fast.

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December 4, 2008

Studio shoot @ Interface

Did a long studio shoot last night at Interface. Directed a crew of 11 people, and had about 15 actors. The Interface crew was great to work with.

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July 25, 2008

AmeriCares film wrapped

Finished a film today for AmeriCares, the international relief organization. Very interesting project they have based in Vietnam that is providing nutritional supplementation and mobile care clinics. In telling that story, it was another reminder of how the best projects have really solid partners. In this case, Americares relied on the Giao Diem Foundation for local implementation, and the big pharma company Abbott for donations of Pediasure for these undernourished children.

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July 9, 2008

Crisis Group Film Wrapped

Wrapped a film today for the International Crisis Group, which is a group that works to prevent and resolve deadly conflict. Featuring a slew of experts, including Madeleine Albright, Louise Arbour, Richard Armitage, Betty Bigombe, Colin Powell, Mary Robinson, Strobe Talbott, and Ernesto Zedillo, the film does a fine job showing the expertise and impact of the Crisis Group. Dan Evans helmed this one — great job Dan!

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May 21, 2008

Diversity is the Spice of Life

Well, sometimes the sheer diversity of a workday is kind of fun. I woke up early (still jetlagged from trip to Italy), and edited in the piano music I composed yesterday for the short film we’re producing for the Department of Justice. With a crew call of 7:30am, Dan picked me up so we could interview Congresswoman Lois Capps on Capitol Hill. This was for a short film we’re making for WomenHeart. This group is doing some great advocacy work for women with heart disease. Quickly back to the office for a fine-cut review of a short film I’m editing for American Red Cross’ measles program. They have been busy trying to provide emergency humanitarian aid for the tragedies in Myanmar and China, so this project has been delayed. But it’s a pleasure to be working with a group that does so much good. Then meeting with the client for a rough-cut review of a short film I’m editing for the World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific Region. They captured all the footage and photos in Vietnam, and I’m justing writing the script and editing. They came back with some good options for traditional music they recorded, so it made it fun. Hmm, pretty brain dead after this day, so what did I do but go home and watch the finale of American Idol. Good times!

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April 3, 2008

Southeast to a Senator

Today, wrapped shooting for a new film for Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School in Washington’s Ward 8 in Southeast. Highlights were: standing on my car directing an ebullient crowd of 300 students on the front yard; taking over the camera myself for some shooting around the school; and interviewing Senator Mary Landrieu on the Hill. A crucial advocate for the school, she proved articulate and charming. An incredible school full of passionate, committed people doing great things for the community.

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March 19, 2008

Mayor to General

Today, two interviews with very interesting former public officials. For a gala video for Thurgood Marshall Academy, we filmed former Mayor Tony Williams, who spoke about how nurturing such an innovative school in DC’s poorest community was key to improving the city. After a quick lunch, Dan and I headed down to interview General Colin Powell, who was most recently Secretary of State, before Condoleezza Rice. This shoot was part of a new film we’re making for the International Crisis Group, for whom we made a short film in 2006.

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March 13, 2008

Armitage Straight-Talker

Today we launched production for a new short film for the International Crisis Group. This group is one of the most important conflict-resolution outfits in the world, fiercely non-partisan, highly influential, respected across borders and party lines. Today was my first time to meet Dick Armitage, the former Deputy Secretary of State and current principal at Armitage International, based in Arlington. In the interview, he was sharp, frank, savvy, charming, and opinionated. I could understand how this former military man climbed the foreign policy ranks so adeptly and certainly wouldn’t bet against the success of his new company.

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March 12, 2008

Change of Pace

Today, we wrapped production on a two-day commercial shoot for Cernium, a video analytics firm based in Reston, VA. It was a fun change of pace, where I directed a four-person crew, with four actors, and we could micro-manage the most delicate of dolly moves and rack zooms amidst set-ups with 5-6 lights. Very non-documentary, and kind of fun.

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August 30, 2007

Montreal Protocol Film Wraps

Dorst MediaWorks finished our film for the Environmental Protection Agency today. “Montreal Protocol: 20 Years of Global Collaboration” will play at an event in Canada in a few weeks celebrating the 20th anniversary of the landmark international treaty that “saved” the ozone.

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July 31, 2007

All the World’s Scientists Speaking With One Voice?

Today, we interviewed Bob Watson at the World Bank Group. Coincidentally, this is his last day on the job before he moves back to England to assume three different positions in the academic and policy worlds. It is also the last of 12 people Dan and I have interviewed all over the country (10 cities, 7 states) for this film about the struggle to save the ozone layer. In Watson, we may have saved the best for last. Having spent the past 15 years or so at the World Bank Group, Watson may be the world’s foremost expert on the interface between sustainable development and environmental issues. Mack McFarland told us that Watson basically invented the notion of the international scientific assessment, which united the voices of scientists everywhere so they could have more credibility with politicians. This process, refined during the 1980s, was critical for reaching scientific consensus and political agreement on how to deal with ozone-depleting substance. Today, the process is even more mature—and with regard to the climate challenge, is the the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

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July 17, 2007

Linking Ozone and Climate

If you can get a job you like in Boulder, Colorado then run—don’t walk—to accept it. Driving into the city is not only absolutely beautiful, but also a lesson in urban planning: green mountains cradle this small-ish city within. It is obvious the city has set aside a lot of public space for parks, sports, and great views. This general sense of livability and work-life balance is reinforced by the number of mountain bikes and sandle-wearing scientists I see at NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I’m here to interview Susan Solomon, who led a vanguard expedition to Antarctica in 1986 that proved the science behind the hole in the ozone. Impressive. Solomon is also chair of one of the working groups of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change—so she gives incredible insight into the links between ozone and climate.

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Nobel #2: Working for good

At the University of California at San Diego with Dan Evans to interview Professor Mario Molina. This is my second interview of a Nobel Laureate in a month, so I’m starting to get the hang of it! Seriously, Dr. Molina is humble, direct, and has a great sense not only of the science, but complex policy issues. I’m impressed with his Centro Mario Molina that he established with his Nobel Prize money. The purpose: to help shape policy advances in the developing world that improve environmental condition. His first task was fighting air pollution in his native Mexico City. It was a pleasure, Dr. Molina.

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July 13, 2007

From Frank Lloyd Wright to Tokyo

I’m in Racine, Wisconsin today. Interviewing Scott Johnson from S.C. Johnson . Johnson is not from the dynasty of owner Johnsons, but he gives a great interview about the environmental leadership this company has displayed over time. Case in point: the decision to ban all propellant aerosols in 1976, a couple years before a government ban. And a photogenic location, too! S.C. Johnson HQ was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright—it’s a brick modernist experiment that is probably the coolest company building I’ve been in since I was in Panasonic’s world HQ in Tokyo for a film a few years ago. That had an all-wood meditation room and rock garden just off the penthouse-level conference room. Cool . . .

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July 10, 2007

At the Ozone-Industry-Policy Interface

The fact that I was up late yesterday drinking single malt and talking politics and real estate with my friend Ron Cathell didn’t douse my enthusiasm early this morning for a quick trip up to Dupont HQ in Dover, Delaware. The upside: I’d be interviewing Mack McFarland—one of the luminaries at the science-policy interface in the fight to protect the ozone during the past 30 years. The downside: I had to wake before 5am to get driving up Highway 95.

Dr. McFarland displayed a deep knowledge of the fluorocarbon science, as well as a pragmatism and authority that obviously swayed his industry colleagues toward substituting safe new products in place of old ozone-depleting substances. He’s going to be a key link in this film to help show the links between industry and policy, especially the transition years of 1985-86.

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June 27, 2007

The Alliance: Roots of Industry’s Greening

The plaque in the foyer announces Alcade & Fay. The view out of the 8th story high-rise in Arlington, Virginia is urban. Interviewing Kevin Fay for a short film about the fight to protect the ozone is a treat. He brings 25 years of perspective as an industry representative, who has wrangled corporate interests toward environmental responsibility. He was the initial leader of the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy. In the 1980s, he helped coordinate a united business front as American industry was struggling to find substitutes for dangerous ozone-depleting compounds. As American industry got behind the idea of a phaseout, the Alliance played a key role in supporting the EPA’s recommendations. Ultimately, Ronald Reagan (!) greenlighted a 95% phase-out approach and 50% initial phase-out. I’m starting to discover that there’s a lot of this sort of counterintuitive stuff in the drama of saving the ozone. . .

Currently, as the Executive Director of the International Climate Change Partnership, Fay continues to fight the good fight—but on climate issue. Off camera, he shared an astounding insight into the roots of America’s stumbling policy leadership on climate. After the Kyoto Protocol was negotiated and opened for signature in November 1997, the Clinton Administration had several years opportunity to make the landmark international treaty an early success in the US. But with Clinton’s Lewinsky difficulties and Gore’s move toward the center to position himself for the Presidential election, nobody in the White House championed it. As a result, no progress. No Kyoto. I wrote in this blog a couple months ago how much I loved Gore’s film, Inconvenient Truth. But I wonder: if he had worked more sincerely on the Kyoto Protocol when he had a chance, would climate news be so bad today?

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June 23, 2007

Nobel Prize . . . Thanks to the Stratosphere

At the University of California Irvine today interview Nobel Prize winning scientist Sheri Rowland for the short film we’re making for the Environmental Protection Agency. Rowland was the one who, in collaboration with Mario Molina, discovered the science behind the ozone hole. I didn’t quite understand much of the nitty-gritty, so I looked it up before interviewing him: Wikipedia: ozone depletion and read up even more on Rowland.

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June 21, 2007

Transamerica through a Veil

So Dan and I are on location in San Francisco today making a short film about the ozone layer for the Environmental Protection Agency. We interviewed Bill Reilly, former EPA Admnistrator. Reilly is our best interview so far, probably because he not only played such a big role in inspiring US leadership to protect the ozone back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but also because he’s still fighting the good fight today.

Reilly’s making big news: a few months ago, he led the biggest “green” private-equity buyout in history. He joined the board of TXU, which agreed to cancel the construction of eight future coal plants, and agreed to invest $400 million in energy-efficiency measures to meet a portion of future demand. The report on it from the NGO perspective: NRDC article; and from the corporate persective: TXU press release; and from the news media perspective: A Utility Buyout that Has Many Shades of Green.

The shoot went well, and we manage a pretty cool set-up with a background of the city’s iconic Transamerica building in silhouette behind a gossamer veil.

After interviewing Reilly, I walked away with the sense that this one man is a true connector, bridging the worlds of policy, government, finance, and environmental advocacy. May he continue the good work . . . . In the absence of any executive leadership the last six years, we sure need it.

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June 19, 2007

Taking the Ozone Train to Jacksonville

Today in Jacksonville, Florida. I interviewed Lee Thomas, former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. This was for a short film for the EPA on the history of the ozone challenge. My co-producer, Dan Evans, and I will interview 10-12 key players (in about 7-8 states around the country) who impacted the science, politics, and industry associated with ozone-depleting substance.

“Ozone-depleting substances!” What a drab phrase. A mouthful. Or I could write “all the chemicals that were first discovered to be burning a hole in the stratosphere, the presence of which scared the living daylights out of people in the early 1980s.”

Back to Lee Thomas. Southern gentleman, wicked smart, but humble. Currently in the private sector and serving on multiple “green” boards. Back in the 1980s, he had the unenviable task of convincing the Reagan Administration that it was high time to do something about the ozone. We interviewed David Doniger last week, who was a key player in NGO circles, filing lawsuits against the EPA, trying to urge them to work faster and do more to protect the environment. Well, what did Doniger think about Thomas? He called Thomas’ leadership “the most important in the last generation.”

Oh, and that includes current leadership on the climate change issue. More on that to come . . .

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Blog: Shorts

When the Sky’s the Limit, Where’s Your Story Start?

If you remember one thing, take this with you: In your storytelling, first establish the person and passion, then the problem. Otherwise, nobody cares.

Rabbi’s Fishing Business

Visual Primacy

A Hero’s Quest

Also on the Panel …

“Still the Most Shocking Second a Day,” by Save the Children

“Price tag lipdub by 500 women in Uganda,” by SYPO

“The Source,” by Charity: Water

“Project Daniel,” by Not Impossible Labs

“Kony 2012,” by Invisible Children

“One Future, #ZeroHunger,” by World Food Programme

1. Cinematic, yes

2. Client love

3. Content is still king

4. Mohamed, thanks

5. Safety first

6. Geofencing, ugh

7. So Easy!

8. Great value

9. Just fly!

At that point, I spy three teenage boys in shorts and flip flops—and automatic rifles slung over their shoulders.

Both Sa and Magalona prove to be charismatic guys and very skilled musicians.

In post, “Saving Sally” came alive. It was my first time collaborating with the insanely talented Peter Von Elling, whose visual FX wizardry exceeded my expectations.

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