The FM Area Foundation has long held a prestigious and important role in the community, connecting the non-profit sector with the community. And yet for those who don’t have a connection to the foundation, their team realized there was little education as to their role in the community.

Together we decided on a solution: create two compelling mini-films that inform the community about the work of the foundation, while inviting viewers to get involved. We identified their two audiences: donors and grantee recipients. Here’s a breakdown of the vision for each film:

With the donor film, we interviewed three prominent business leaders in the community; each of whom has had a fund at the Foundation for years. They spoke about the benefits of being a donor, setting up a foundation, and the ways that it is different from a one-time gift directly to a non-profit. We also interviewed a lawyer and financial agent who works closely with the Foundation, to include information on how the process works. Each interviewee was chosen by FMAF and interviewed by Team Tellwell.

We took what we call the “organic” route to this film, choosing to have a basic outline for the story but letting the interviews define the flow. Using beautiful B-Roll from the interviews and from our work with non-profits, we crafted a story that we believe is both informative and concludes with an emotional tug at the heartstrings — getting back to why it matters, and what it really means to leave a legacy.

The grantee film switches the perspective to show who is getting the funds from donors. The mini-film features two local non-profits; Audobon Dakota, and their work in  prairie restoration and education, and CHARISM, who provide a variety of community resources such as a grocery assistance program and a host of summer camps and after-school programs. We also feature Lexi from the FM Area Foundation, talking about the work the foundation is doing to fulfill their mission statement: Connecting people and purpose.

Our goal with this video was to highlight the impact that partners of the Foundation have on local non-profits; specifically, how it directly benefits the important work that they are doing. Again, we allowed the interviews to guide the flow of the story, using plenty of beautiful b-roll to accentuate the words being said.