While a highly respected conservation organization, Openlands faced limited brand recognition and inconsistent messaging.  We sought to capture their broad scope of programmatic work in a clear, definitive way without losing sight of the larger narrative.  With a range of audiences from members, funders and volunteers to conservationists and “climate consumers,” we focused on connecting the core values of each group – building a more environmentally just future and the bonds between people and nature, the importance of collaboration and program innovation, and a focus on action-based education, training and volunteer programs.  Filming during the height of Covid, we worked with a limited crew with location access and talent shifting up to the very last minute.

These films were an opportunity to kickstart and grow the Openlands brand in a new messaging direction centered around land preservation, forestry and green solutions.  The result brought the Openlands community together virtually with a renewed appreciation for landscape preservation; inspired donors and volunteers to make actionable impact; helped audiences connect to the Amazon and Chicago’s green vision; and celebrated the leadership of two extraordinary women and the vital role of landscape preservation, both large and small, on conservation and on people. 

A 25-minute short-documentary piece captured the accomplishments and impact of Openlands in preserving and shaping landscapes, both large and small, throughout Illinois and the Chicago metro area.  We wanted to convey the importance of these landscapes and how they connect to one another and feed into the larger mission and model of Openlands while also capturing the stories of people directly impacted by the work – whether students, conservation easement owners, or volunteers.  The film inspired audiences to get outside with a renewed appreciation for green spaces of all sizes and knowledge of what it takes to preserve these landscapes. 

A 15-minute tribute film celebrating the life and work of Debby Moskovits, recipient of the 2020 Conservation Leadership Award, incorporated testimonials from colleagues at the Field Museum’s Action Science Center, Openlands leadership, and the year’s keynote speaker, Avecita Chiccón.   The Museum provided a generous supply of archival photography from Debby’s work in the Amazon, and we collaborated with Avecita on a script which was filmed remotely from her home in California.  

The film viscerally explored Debby’s work in the Andes-Amazon region while underlining the importance of Openlands in the Chicago area as its work it relates to global conservation.  We highlighted Debby’s work transforming how the Field Museum views and treats conservation as a strategic priority and the vital role of collaboration in conservation and climate change action.