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

United Way California Capital Region has been serving the greater Sacramento area for more than 100 years. In the film and video space, our focus is on community-centered storytelling. We take the work we do in housing, education, financial security, and community resilience and translate it into stories that are visual, human, and inspiring. Our specialty is making impact feel real on screen.

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

Our ethos is storytelling with purpose. Every project we make is tied to creating change. We are not just producing content, we are showing people why this work matters and how it touches real lives. What sets us apart is how we combine professional production quality with the authenticity of community voices.

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

Visit yourlocalunitedway.org or follow @UnitedWayCCR on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

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

Future Forward was created to launch a new era for our brand. We wanted to show how small acts of support can ripple out and build a stronger community. The commercial introduced our updated mission and served as a call to action for people to get involved. It was about showing hope, impact, and possibility in just 30 seconds.

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

I am most proud that it feels both cinematic and personal. The challenge was figuring out how to represent all four of our impact pillars in a short spot. We solved it by using hands with symbolic objects like books, keys, and care packages, and creating seamless transitions that tied everything together.

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

Lean into creative constraints. They will often push you toward more unique ideas. For us, the decision to only mainly hands gave the piece a distinct look and message that people remembered.

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

A fun fact is that nearly everyone you see on screen is part of our team. The adults are our staff and the kids are their children, which gave the piece an authentic, personal touch.

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

One person said that it was a clear and concise message about the work we’re doing in the community.

Complete this sentence: ‘Great video storytelling is…’

… simple, authentic, and emotionally true.