Make-A-Wish Foundation — Mini-Doc

I had just wrapped up a project with Director Blaine Hogan when we got the opportunity to work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Sometimes you work on projects that don’t create much emotional attachment because the product or message being sold is more utilitarian in nature. But getting to produce this mini-doc felt so good because we knew we were making a tangible difference in someone’s life. We played a part in creating a magical moment designed to give a child and his family a much needed respite and distraction from the health struggles they faced.

Most of our small crew were Chicago based, so everyone was super jazzed about escaping our Chicago winter to film in The Sunshine State. It was great to have the chance to dig out the shorts and t-shirts and head south for a few days. Most of the work on my plate entailed funneling information, answering questions and lining up the logistics from all parties involved….and there were quite a few. Due to the run-and-gun nature of this in-the-moment shoot, we had to make sure all our ducks were in a row so that the big reveal moment wasn’t missed. It’s always gratifying when you get to see the positive outcome from the work you do. We often shoot, edit, and churn out work and never know how it affected those who viewed or experienced it. But we witnessed the tears in a mother’s eyes and a child’s glowing face first-hand as his dream to swim with dolphins came true. It made the entire experience incredibly meaningful to be a part of. 

Both Make-A-Wish and Discovery Cove are class acts. Shout out to Abraham Lopez at Discovery Cove for his incredible hospitality and extremely attentive facilitation of our time there. It was a pleasure to partner with both entities to make this project become a reality.