Tell us a bit about your organization and what your specialty is in the film and video space.

Helm Creative Studio is a woman-owned, award-winning, impact-driven, and story-focused marketing and creative agency with a production house called The Story Factory in Philadelphia. Founded in 2015, Helm consists of strategic creatives who offer in-house services from video and photography to large-venue installations and event support. From Philadelphia to the rest of the world, Helm travels with their clients across industries, including military bases, national conventions, and stadiums. Individuals they have filmed include top military officials, former President Biden, celebrity chefs, professional sports players, along with world-renowned artists, dancers, and musicians. Helm has a distinct creative culture, problem-solving abilities, and commitment to value people over production. For every creative project completed, a portion of funds or in-kind donations are distributed towards positive social impact for nonprofits, youth development, and city-wide needs within Philadelphia, anticipated to reach a total amount of one million dollars within their ten years of operation.

In terms of videography, Helm specializes in commercial, event, episodic, short film and documentaries, event recap and PR reels, training and courses, and adventure photography, all while maintaining the standard of valuing people over production, honoring the stories featured, and celebrating the human connections we make while filming.

What is your organization’s ethos and how does it set you apart from industry competitors?

The significance of Helm Creative Studio’s mission to make creativity and social impact the industry standard is both in the actual structure and model of how we distribute resources to causes that we are passionate about but, also, in the way that we focus our storytelling efforts in multiplying the impact of our clients. One of our President Ashlee Hollis’ goals is to create a model of exponential growth with clients, to where their causes receive a greater platform through the content that Helm creates, emphasizing the human experience and importance of human connectivity, while also increasing the amount that Helm is able to distribute in their own right.

While corporations have publicly modeled giving a portion of their proceeds or products to causes important to them, Helm models a way in which every aspect of what they earn is given towards impact in some way, including their own creative time, energy, and services. The impact made, the donations received, and the conversations and awareness raised through these awards have transformed what’s possible for Helm’s clients.

How can people join or learn more about what you do?

Visit helmcreativestudio.com or email us at hello@helmcreativestudio.com.

Tell us about your Telly Award winning piece. What’s the story behind it?

One of the incredible clients we’ve worked with the longest is Robert Irvine Foundation, founded by world-class chef and entrepreneur, Chef Robert Irvine, and is an organization that prioritizes the health and wellness of veterans, service members, first responders, and their families. We’ve done incredible, impactful work together over the years and have filmed across the world together. In 2024, our Chief Storyteller, Elijah Hollis, was asked to film and document the Cateran YOMP, which is an event for veterans around the world in which they hike up to 54 miles in 24 hours through the Scottish Highlands. Through vigorous training for Elijah, in addition to preparation which included our entire team in terms of creative organization and materials, Elijah was able to complete 26 miles of the journey, with camera equipment and while mostly walking backwards through the tumultuous terrain, in order to capture the stories and unparalleled journeys of healing and connection found as veterans moved throughout the trek.

What are you most proud of about this piece? What was your biggest challenge during production and how did you solve it?

From Elijah: The thing that I’m most proud of with this piece, on top of the physical aspect, is the fact that I was able to capture the story as it unfolded while we were all there. In the midst of everything, I was able to dig and find the stories, including a powerful one from a veteran that, to this day, is making a positive impact and even saving lives. One story has the potential to do that and, on the YOMP, I didn’t want any of them to go uncaptured.

One of the biggest challenges I personally faced was completing the journey. In the last two and a half miles, my legs were giving out. And one of the guys helped me get through it. I couldn’t solve it on my own. I had to allow someone to help me and be able to feel and acknowledge my need for that support. And this experience was exactly what YOMP is about – helping your teammate, those you’ve served with or those on the journey with you – to be a part of a buddy system. It’s about not doing life alone. And, from a videography standpoint, one of the professional challenges was having to adjust to the trek while filming, even in planning and working through charging batteries while you’re on the go for all of those hours. And staying hydrated!

Do you have any advice to other filmmakers based on your career or your team’s approach to work?

From Elijah: My advice for filmmakers is don’t let the work be just work. Let it move you. Once you’re moved by it, you can create something that moves others. You can’t move others unless you’ve been moved by it yourself. And learn to lean on your team. I wouldn’t have been able to do the experience without the full support from our Helm team. We all worked together through Zoom calls and interviews, in preparation for the experience, the equipment needed, training, logistics, research, content, brainstorming solutions, and more. Don’t work alone.

Can you share a behind the scenes story or fun fact about the making of your piece?

From Elijah: One of the best BTS stories I have is of the time where I was doing my best to get a good shot on the trek. I had been walking backwards to be in front of Chef Robert, and nearly backed off a cliff! It happened a few times throughout the experience and, thankfully, someone was always there to pull me back before falling. I still have the veterans I met during the experience comment about the time they rescued me from the edge. And a fun fact is that I worked with personal trainers for six months prior to leaving for Scotland, in order to be able to manage the exertion of filming while carrying filming equipment!

Tell us about the most memorable response you got from this work.

From Elijah: The most memorable response has been the way that filming in 2024 set us up for an even greater level of storytelling in 2025. After veterans saw the piece, they understood the intention and extended a trust to our team that we don’t take for granted. Part of the process before the YOMP is for some of our Helm team to meet with some veterans and find out their stories. It’s a way to add some familiarity and comfort before we’re on the trek. The response we received as we once again prepared to go in 2025 was unbelievable. Our schedule was packed with interviews and the emotion, vulnerability, and personal stories or missions that the veterans gave us brought so much depth to the process. Because they could see the vision and heart for what we were doing and how it was already helping others, they were willing to be a part and add even more to the collective story. It blazed the trail to be open and be vulnerable. Having tears while being on a Zoom call was a new thing.

Complete this sentence: ‘Great video storytelling is…’

… doing whatever it takes to get the story. Going the extra smile and caring enough for the story to do whatever it takes to get it.