Project Recap: Vance Thompson Vision
We’re back with a quick recap of a project Passenger recently completed for Vance Thompson Vision with MJM in Sioux Falls, SD.
The focus of this project was helping VTV share the importance of vision in the lives of the patients they serve. To do that, we created a series of 3- to 5-minute micro-documentaries covering each of the clinic’s three main surgeons, as well as the unique stories of three VTV patients. For those patients and many others, vision means more than just sight—it means being able to live life more fully. Our job was to help convey that reality.
The Look and the Gear
Vance Thompson places a priority on aesthetics and design. If vision is important, what you’re able to see with that vision is equally important. As a result, our films had to be of the highest visual quality. To achieve that, we chose to stylize the films with a cinematic look not normally seen in your typical client work setting.
Gear-wise, we used a the ARRI ALEXA XT, anamorphic and vintage lenses and a post-production workflow developed and honed through our feature film work. When it comes to our lens choices, the anamorphic lenses gave us a chance to do some things stylistically that helped these pieces really stand out. Primarily, we used the anamorphic augmented reality look for all of the in-clinic shots to provide a bit of a larger than life feeling. When switching to the outside, real-world shots, we used the Zeiss Superspeeds to contrast that dreaminess and give the outside world a tactile look.
Of course, all of this gear adjusting wasn’t without its challenges. Along with having to navigate large, heavy camera and lighting set-ups through a tight (and very active) office and surgical environment, we also had to take extra time with lens changes and equipment adjustments. But it was worth the extra effort if it meant getting the results we were looking for.
The People
We can’t say enough about the people we worked with on this project. The doctors we spent time with on the micro-documentaries were incredible and sincerely caring people. The patients’ overwhelming praise of the staff is definitely telling of the culture that Vance Thompson Vision has built.
Whether we were playing whiffle ball at Dr. Berdahl’s cabin, traveling to Dr. Thompson’s hometown of Gregory, SD, or visiting Dr. Tendler’s grandma’s house to hear her story, everyone was accommodating, friendly and passionate. Similarly, we enjoyed getting to know the patients we interviewed and hearing how powerfully Vance Thompson Vision had impacted their lives.
The Outcome
Along with the web-friendly, 3- to 5-minute micro-documentaries we crafted for each doctor and patient story, we were also able to do some other cool things with the finished pieces. To make the project as useful as possible for VTV, we used material from the long-form pieces to create 30-second, TV-ready commercial spots (one of which you can check out below). These spots maintained the cinematic integrity of the micro-docs while telling a complete, yet slimmed down, version of the main story. These complemented the long-form pieces and drove interest to the full micro-docs and other information on the Vance Thompson Vision website.
Wrapping Up
We want to thank everyone involved with making this such a fantastic project to be a part of. Our goal at Passenger is to get to the heart of every story we’re trying to tell—even in a clinical setting. In the case of Vance Thompson Vision, that meant digging beyond the clinical, surface level and sharing what truly makes VTV such an incredible place—the staff and their love for helping their patients. We appreciate VTV and the people there for giving us a chance to dig out and tell that story.