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

University Marketing and Communications lead the visual and storytelling expression of the Bryant University brand. We are gritty determined colleagues who are determined to share the passion and energy that is the Bryant educational experience. My professional history in creating web documentary style videos started in 2004 working for the Rhode Island School of Design. Back then we partnered with a video firm called “Bravo Charlie Delta.”  And I’m glad to say that I am still working with on video projects like these with such a talented partner.

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

Our Mission in UMC: To serve as stewards of the Bryant brand and, through industry-leading strategies, tell the university’s authentic story on a global scale by engaging and inspiring our audiences, thereby enhancing Bryant’s reputation and renown.

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

We display as best we can on bryant.edu

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

The Bryant IDEA program is a signature design thinking and innovation course at Bryant. It helps build a campus-wide culture that advances design thinking, curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity to solve real- world problems. This video exemplifies the purposeful chaotic creative energy that goes into design-thinking, and the way Bryant students step up to the challenge.

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

The biggest challenge in a project like this is to find the teams that have the most energy and be able to move around from team to team to capture it. Students also have a cycle of energy that people my age struggle with so being able to keep up with that pacing was not easy. We had a nimble video crew from Bravo Charlie Delta – in particular their founder , Josh Backer, who didn’t stand still or sit down. I’m also glad to have a talented colleague in Kerri Rubino who was key to helping coordinate the best possible options as we filmed 3 days of the conference. It was cut in 3 sessions.

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

Be adaptable. Be kind. Be aware of the moments you are collecting. And be ruthless in leaving all the extraneous out of the cut.

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

I was actually working as “mentor” while coordinating the shoot. Mentoring involves working directly with the student cohorts on their projects for 12 hour days. In addition to producing this award winning video, one of the teams I coached won a 2nd place award out of 42 competing teams. Win-win! :-)

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

The program director of the IDEA program loved it and continues to use it to inspire the next incoming class. It’s a highlight in our admission tour as well.

Complete this sentence: ‘Great video storytelling is…’

… immersive and emotional.