Case Study - Optum Health
Our client, mPulse Mobile came to us with a unique project for Optum Health. They wanted to create a series of documentary stories that would help inspire and support physical activity in non-traditional ways. These videos would support a larger educational course about diet and exercise for Optum members.
Casting is pivotal to any film project, but for documentaries, it’s a critical component. These characters are the vehicle to explore the relevant and impactful themes of a project.
After a design session with the mPulse team, we decided on a creative approach that would tell stories of people who’d achieved meaningful and positive life changes with exercise. Through our casting network, we found 4 people with diverse backgrounds, each with a unique approach to physical activity; bike racing, competitive fencing, ballroom dancing, and swimming.
Documentary stories really shine when people feel comfortable around the camera. Our production process is grounded in fostering an approachable and unintimidating, creative space.
We worked with each character to schedule time to capture an interview and exercise footage. Each shoot had its challenges but our small, flexible team was able to accommodate each unique location in way that helped our characters feel relaxed and at-ease with our production process.
In the shoot below, we rigged our camera to a bike and followed our character as he circled the track at over 25 mph. It was definitely one our more challenging projects but a challenge we embrace.
With great footage in the can, we started shaping each story in the edit suite. Our focus was to construct a powerful, cinematic narrative but one that didn’t overshadow the approachable, human quality of each character. Ultimately, we wanted to create stories that capture a strong sense of character, the challenges they face and successes they’ve achieved along the way.