Education Brand Storytelling
CASE STUDY
DIRECTING A PHASE CHANGE IN EDUCATION
There’s a revolution happening in our education system. Overwhelming evidence shows that social and emotional skills are the foundation for thriving in work and life. Learning isn’t just about passing a test. That’s pretty obvious by now, right? To truly learn, we need to understand ourselves, feel a sense of purpose, and connect & collaborate with others. Social and Emotional Learning (or SEL) is the movement that is shaping the future of the American education system.
But what is SEL? My challenge in directing this multi-year campaign was to answer that question for millions of educators and parents across the country. To do so, I built out the strategic narrative and identified the content areas or verticals that would best give shape to that narrative. Coordinating across a coalition of national education clients over a period of four years, I directed hundreds of short documentaries, instructional videos, ads, explainers, social campaigns, and cutdowns. This ecosystem of stories has helped to build the identity of one of the most important movements in modern education, and introduce SEL to a much broader audience.
Clients Include: The Aspen Institute, CASEL, Pure Edge, UNITE, KIPP, San Marcos CISD, Congressman Tim Ryan, America’s Promise Alliance
Impactful Short Docs
To capture the real stories of this movement, I directed a series of short documentaries in school districts across the country. Working with a complex set of stakeholders, I established the creative brief, conducted pre-interviews, led the production teams, and directed post-production. Throughout the process, I conducted nearly 200 filmed interviews with people from all over the education spectrum: superintendents, principals, teachers, students, parents, administrators, researchers, non-profit leaders, and policy-makers. These are the heroes who are transforming our education system.
Brand Films
Voices in Leadership
Unit(ED) Campaign
Educators have so much to teach their students, but what can they teach the rest of the country? This campaign asks our teachers to share essential skills and teach the rest of us how to implement them in our own lives. I produced this series of remote teacher interviews for UNITE during the COVID lock down.
Explainer Videos
What is SEL? What is mindfulness? How does the brain work? I directed dozens of animated and live-action informative videos to illuminate key concepts and strategies to improve the lives of educators and learners alike. Putting complex ideas into simple packages is one of my superpowers and favorite things to do!
Cultivating my Own Social and Emotional Skills
In today’s workplace, there’s a premium on ‘soft skills’ such as problem-solving, critical thinking and teamwork. This experience has allowed me to deepen my own social and emotional competencies. Through this work, I’ve gained insights and established practices to develop greater self-awareness, regulate my emotions, and communicate more effectively in a team.
