Commemorative to the Enslaved People's of Southern Maryland
St. Mary’s COllege of Maryland
Video Production / Video Editing / Sound Design / Motion Design
challenge
When St. Mary’s College of Maryland uncovered a direct connection to slavery, they saw an opportunity to reckon with their past and honor the resilience of those kept in bondage. They built a commemorative with the hopes of sparking a dialogue. They needed to bring people together to have those conversations—during a pandemic.
solution
With the onset of COVID-19, the Commemorative Dedication had to be completely reimagined. We developed website content, social media assets, and a feature-length dedication video for the virtual unveiling, bringing audiences closer to the story of the commemorative and the people it honors. St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s Commemorative project was rooted in discovery and through an immersive storytelling experience, we helped to jump-start the conversati0ns. I worked on nearly every part of this project from production to video-editing. I handled on-site art direction, coordination of day-of interviews, budgeting and securing film equipment, and delegating tasks during the post production process.
Commemorative Mini Doc – 9 mins
:40 sec social media teaser promo
THE RESULT
Made at idfive
The Commemorative videos helped turn the discovery of slave quarters on St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s campus into an immersive learning experience — one that makes the invisible visible and gives voice to those silenced by racism.
The virtual dedication ceremony received coverage from major media outlets, including NPR, PBS Newshour, The Guardian, The Washington Post, and The Baltimore Sun. It won a gold award and “Best in Show” designation at the 36th Annual Educational Advertising Awards, the largest educational advertising competition in the country.
View the full-length dedication video here.