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

LSU Alexandria is a public university that is committed to student success. Within the university is the Division of Strategic Communications, who specialize in content that highlights students and university milestones and sharing the mission of LSUA with the community. Our focus is authentic storytelling.

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

We believe that everyone has a story and that every story matters. Our goal is to make every student, faculty, staff and supporter know that they are seen, valued, and represented.

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

Graduating students wrote and read heartfelt letters to their families, friends, and mentors. This was a special piece because college is not done alone. From long nights of studying to worrying about an exam, there is always someone there to encourage students. This was a way for them to give back and to thank their support system.

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

I’m most proud of how genuine the piece became. I did not read the letters before recording. I trusted that the students would relay a wonderful message to their support system. The biggest challenge faced was that we filmed the video during the busiest time of year, finals week. We scheduled around the students’ exams, projects, and other commitments. We were proud to offer a place for the students to relax and present their authentic messages to their supporters.

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

One student in the video wrote a note to her mom, who was graduating with her nursing degree just a few days before her daughter was receiving her degree in communications. A mother and a daughter who support each other throughout their college journey. By the end of the letter, things were a bit blurry from all of the tears!

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

This piece was published to the university social media pages and also shown at graduation, where thousands of people were able to experience it together. For many of the families, graduation was the first time for them to hear the students letter, which made it even more meaningful. On social media, it sparked celebratory comments and shares from family and friends of the graduates.

Complete this sentence: ‘Great video storytelling is…’

… authentic and able to connect with people.