Hope is Back
Humanity, as a collective, unexpectedly came face to face with a global pandemic, among many other life-changing events, in 2020. When Hope College, located in Holland, Michigan, welcomed their students back to in-person learning in the Fall of 2021, their Campus Ministries department wanted to produce a video that fully encompassed that moment.
“Coming out of Covid, we had not been able to gather as a community in our Chapel for over a year…I wanted a video that honored what we had just come through, pointing to the residence and grit of students, while pointing our attention to the work ahead – the hope of our shared mission” said Dean of Chapel, Trygve Johnson.
Hope Campus Ministries wanted to work together with VSBL to produce a video that had larger implications than what they had done in the past. Johnson said “I reached out to VSBL because I love their work. They were previous partners that I knew could take the concept in my head, and create it into a visual experience for others…I have high aesthetic expectations and VSBL always meets them.” He wanted the piece to be “visually inviting, warm, but with an edge. I needed it to have scenes that capture the essence of Hope’s mission…I expected professional grade quality, and that is what I was given.”
With the initial proposal coming in around May 2021, and a premiere date during the last week of August 2021 – our team had to move quickly. Our producer, Katie Fox-Webb was three steps ahead of the game by making sure that themes and specific scenes were well planned out before a final script was even delivered, to maximize efficiency.
“The script required nearly 100 students as talent and multiple locations. Most students were not in Holland for the summer and the vibrant feel of a buzzing campus needed to be created” explained Fox-Webb, “we really leaned on the Hope College community and they showed up in a big way with talent and locations to film…We made the best use of our time and energy (in 97 degree heat) with a lean and adaptable crew.”
Fox-Webb’s mission for the piece from beginning to end was to convey the school’s wide array of students, programs, and community, while also acknowledging how the pandemic had changed the world of education and learning. “The final piece gave me chills. It truly embodied the community and vision of Hope College for the new school year. It was an honor to work with Trygve and everyone at Hope College” said Fox-Webb.
The response from Hope College was met with nothing but love. The community “leaned into this video as one that captured the cultural moment we were in – as well as, the essence of Hope as a learning community grounded in a living faith” said Johnson. Hope used the video in other places on their main website, including an on-air commercial for the Hope-Calvin basketball rivalry game.
Services Provided:
Creative Direction
Scriptwriting
Video Production
Video Editing
Original Music Composition
Graphic Design
