To watch the full film visit the Newport News Public Library Youtube page here.
Founded in 1908, Whittaker Memorial Hospital was the first hospital created by and for African-Americans in Newport News.
Hear about the hospital and its unique legacy in the Southeast community in this short form, educational documentary commissioned by the the Newport News Main Street Library as part of their on-going program, Say It Loud.
This was our first time working on a short form documentary and we are grateful to the library for trusting us to honor this story.
The climate crisis that our world is facing is only capable of being addressed through a collective effort and on-going actions. This short film speaks to the power to enact change in all its forms.
Created during the 2020 pandemic, this film combines original footage, crowdsourced home movies, and stock footage to share a message of urgency and hope.
Made in partnership with Milkbox NY.
Client
BayWa r.e. USA
Agency
Noetic Consultants
Directed and Produced by
Milkbox NY
Departure Point
Filming by
Departure Point
Milkbox NY
Crowdsourced Footage
Production Assistant
Dana Ollestad
Edit and Color by
Departure Point
Sound Design by
Richard Spooner
In September 2020 five youth leaders created an interactive mural in Richmond, VA with Performing Statistics calling for a future without youth incarceration. See behind the scenes in this short film and hear their vision for a better future.
Client
Performing Statistics
Directed, Produced, and Edited by
Departure Point
Additional Sound & Camera Work
Dana Ollestad
Additional Process Footage
Mark Strandquist
In 1971, Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. made a transformational gift of art to the City of Norfolk. The objects ranged from ancient Egyptian sculpture and Roman glass to contemporary works by Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol and found their new home at the Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences. The institution, which opened in 1933, was renamed in Chrysler’s honor.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of this gift, we worked closely with the Chrysler Museum of Art to create a 9-minute film that chronicles the early life of Walter Chrysler, how his art came to the museum, and how his remarkable collection continues to serve as a catalyst for growth in the Norfolk region. Additionally, we created a lively :60 promotional commercial that showcases the breadth of the collection and the museum’s accessibility.
Client
Chrysler Museum of Art
Filmed and Edited By
Departure Point
Camera & Lighting Assistants
Monica Escamilla
Dana Ollestad
Museum Visitor Footage
Flagship Visuals Co.
Distinguished by the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah Valley is one of the most beautiful areas in the state of Virginia. Residents of the valley share their appreciation for the region and their local electricity provider, Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative in this short film.
Client
Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative
Agency
TFB Agency
Directed, Produced, and Edited by
Departure Point
Location Sound
Dana Ollestad
Production Assistant
Kei Omotaka
Sound Design by
Richard Spooner
With the charge of making a “glorious how-to film”, we documented the process of artist A. Blair Clemo turning a block of clay into a functional object.
The film is permanently on view in the Hofheimer Collection of Worcester Porcelain at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, VA.
Client
Chrysler Museum of Art
Filmed and Edited By
Departure Point
Featuring
A. Blair Clemo
Production Assistants
Dana Ollestad
Kei Omotaka
Music By
Eric Kinny, Tiny Music, and Paul Mottram
Special Thanks
VCUarts and the department of Craft/Material Studies
Carolyn Swan Needell
Our friends at Milkbox NY invited us to join their team as they set out to create a new brand anthem film for Red Boat Fish Sauce. We acted as half of the filming crew over the course of nine days in Vietnam and were the principal editors on the project. The final product included five versions of two different storylines: shorter cut-downs for Vietnamese TV broadcast, longer versions for the Red Boat website, and social media cuts that all helped tell Red Boat’s story and why they are the preferred fish sauce of chefs and home cooks alike.
Client
Red Boat Fish Sauce
Directed and Produced By
Milkbox NY
Production Team
Milkbox NY
Zachary Mills
Departure Point
Edit and Color By
Departure Point
Sound Design By
Richard Spooner
Shaesta Waiz is not only a record setter, but an inspirational icon. During her global fight which gave her the title of “youngest woman to complete a solo flight around the world in a single engine aircraft”, she also visited 22 countries to meet young girls and boys and inspire them to pursue STEM and aviation careers.
For her remarkable achievements, Shaesta Waiz was awarded the 2018 Current Achievement Trophy Award from the Smithonsian National Air and Space Museum. This film premiered at the Trophy Award gala and now lives on the National Air and Space Museum website where they recognize all winners of this prestigious award.
Client
National Air and Space Museum
Sound Recordist
Dana Ollestad
Production Assistant
Kei Omotaka
Sound Designer
Richard Spooner
Special Thanks
Jill Meyers
Lou Seno
Sheltair
Opportunity@Work is rewiring the U.S. labor market so that all individuals Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) can work, learn, and earn to their full potential.
In this short profile, LaShana Lewis, consultant, coder, and self-proclaimed computer geek, shares the barriers she faced without having a college degree but how she was able to overcome them through the support of people who valued skills over pedigree.
Client
Opportunity@Work
Directed, Produced, and Edited by
Departure Point
Every year the Richmond SPCA saves the lives of thousands of homeless pets through their donor supported Cinderella Fund.
This immersive behind-the-scenes story follows Mr. T, a three-year-old yorkie who was surrendered unable to use his back legs, and the extensive rehab he received on his journey to adoption.
The film premiered at the Richmond SPCA’s virtual Fur Ball event in November 2020, helping them to raise over $420,000.
Client
Richmond SPCA
Directed, Produced, and Edited by
Departure Point
Location Sound
Dana Ollestad
Departure Point created this video in partnership with Jill’s House, a non-profit, short-term care center for children with intellectual disabilities. It provides a glimpse into the daily activities at the Jill’s House flagship location in Vienna, Virginia. Children are engaged in a myriad of fun and creative activities that help foster relationships, while providing respite to the families of the children they serve.
Client
Jill's House
Sound Designer
Richard Spooner
Location Sound Recordist
Dana Ollestad
Gaffer and Key Grip
Elaine Odell
An explosive and mesmerizing visual story for our friends at Milkbox NY to accompany the rebranding of Cherubic Tea. The short film visualizes the immersive and transportive experience that Cherubic offers their customers.
Client
Cherubic Tea
Agency
TELL-IGNITE
Directed, Filmed, and Produced by
Milkbox NY
Edit, Color, & Sound Design by
Departure Point
Two high energy promotional edits created for Milkbox NY to illustrate the Millennium Hilton’s prime location in Lower Manhattan.
Client
Millennium Hilton Hotel
Directed, Filmed, and Produced by
Milkbox NY
Edit & Color by
Departure Point
Sound Design by
Richard Spooner
Dennis Winston elevates ordinary moments through his personal, thoughtful, and time intensive hand burnished woodcuts.
This is the third video in a series of artist profiles focusing specifically on artists in Richmond, VA commissioned by LookSEE. Learn more about LookSEE at lookthensee.com
Client
LookSEE
Executive Producer
Caroline Cobb Wright
To launch the ICA’s annual commission series, Provocations, artist Rashid Johnson was invited to create a new, large-scale work that responded to the soaring, light-filled expanse of the ICA’s top-floor exhibition space. This project was also heavily programmed with weekly performances and engagements from community members.
The Provocations series takes its name from Steven Holl’s design intention for the ICA’s top-floor gallery space, which he calls “a provocation for artists to engage.”
Monument by Rashid Johnson ran from October 17, 2018 - July 14, 2019.
Client
ICA at VCU
Location Sound Recordist
Dana Ollestad
Production Assistant
John Henry Katinas
Using the structure of a dynamic map, this short film showcases the neighborhood of Westlake Heights’ proximity to places to dine, shop, and be active within the city of Richmond, VA.
Client
Ryan Homes
Directed, Produced, and Edited by
Departure Point
Production Assistant
Dana Ollestad
Sound Design by
Richard Spooner
A brief teaser of Anderson Mikalson’s Score for the Big Bang as performed at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond, VA.
“Mikalson collaborated with University of Virginia Professor of Astronomy Dr. Mark Whittle and Pulitzer-Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw, to translate the sound waves that coursed through the infant universe into a score for voice and pipe organ.
Performed by members of Handel Choir of Baltimore, Third Practice, Richmond Symphony Chorus and the VCU Commonwealth Singers, with organist Daniel Sanez, and conducted by Erin Freeman. Choral direction by Brian Bartoldus and Erin Freeman. Dedicated in loving memory of Rebecca Tyree.”
Client
Ander Mikalson
Location Sound Recordist
Curt Blankenship
Camera Operators
Tyler Kirby
Janelle Proulx
Dana Ollestad
Production Assistant
John Henry Katinas
Special Thanks
Daniel Sanez
For the exhibition Shadows Are To Shade, artist Corin Hewitt creates a “parafiction” that plays across two sites - the ICA at VCU and his home located in The Fan in Richmond, VA. This installation conflates his family’s daily life at his home with that of the family of the last recorded landowner of the site, prior to the building’s construction in 1915.
Shadows Are To Shade is the first phase of an ongoing project; through it Hewitt joins a long history of artists transforming their homes and/or studios into immersive and evolving works of art.
Client
ICA at VCU
Location Sound Recordist
Dana Ollestad
With one of the most basic words as her muse, Susan Iverson employs the powerful nuances of color to summon a multitude of interpretations of the word informed by personal experiences and our volatile political climate.
This is the sixth video in a series of artist profiles focusing specifically on artists in Richmond, VA commissioned by LookSEE. Learn more about LookSEE at lookthensee.com
Client
LookSEE
Executive Producer
Caroline Cobb Wright
Departure Point partnered with the VCUarts Dance and Choreography Department to create this video with the goal of attracting incoming students to their program.
Having produced promotional films for various departments, we decided to take a new approach to this video. Through preliminary meetings and discussions we discovered that all the components the department wanted to highlight (community, diversity, facilities, modern and ballet technique, live musical accompaniment and more) could be shown visually. Thus, we decided to forego an interview driven approach and allow the visuals to carry the message: that VCUarts Dance and Choreography is inclusive, rigorous, and allows for technical prowess as well as creative exploration.
Client
VCUarts Communications
The incredible story of a Jill's House family: Lee White and his son Nick who was diagnosed with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (LNS).
Client
Jill's House
Sound Designer
Richard Spooner
Location Sound Recordist
Dana Ollestad
Each year, on the Friday in December closest to First Flight Day, the Aero Club of Washington hosts the Wright Memorial Dinner, honoring that year’s recipient of the National Aeronautic Association’s Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy.
The Trophy is presented to a “living American who has contributed significant public service of enduring value to aviation in the United States”, and has been awarded to some of aviation’s greatest: Senator John Glenn, Harrison Ford, and Neil Armstrong to name a few.
The 2017 recipient was General John R. Dailey, the Director of The National Air and Space Museum, and we were both excited and honored to produce the tribute film to be screened at the dinner. Departure Point worked closely with the National Air and Space Museum staff to interview employees, friends, and colleagues of General Dailey who all had nothing but utmost respect and adoration for their museum’s longest serving Director.
Client
The Aero Club of Washington
Location Sound Recordist
Dana Ollestad
Production Assistant
Kei Omotaka
Combining his material and historical knowledge of ceramics, Blair Clemo creates works that question the information seemingly vernacular objects transmit.
This is the fourth video in a series of artist profiles focusing specifically on artists in Richmond, VA commissioned by LookSEE. Learn more about LookSEE at lookthensee.com
Client
LookSEE
Executive Producer
Caroline Cobb Wright
Although Thomas Van Auken paints from real life, his work pivots from traditional plein air painting with a distinctly nocturne style.
This is the second video in a series of artist profiles focusing specifically on artists in Richmond, VA commissioned by LookSEE. Learn more about LookSEE at lookthensee.com
Client
LookSEE
Executive Producer
Caroline Cobb Wright
Stills of Work
David Hunter Hale
"34 artists.
70+ works.
1 brand new building.
Free and open to all.
The new Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University opened on April 21, 2018, with a bold, building-wide exhibition, Declaration.”
Client
ICA at VCU
Location Sound Recordist
Dana Ollestad
Festival of the River Footage Courtesy Of
UFOCreative LLC
Filming over the course of the Spring 2016 semester, Departure Point created this video for VCUarts Communications & the VCU Fashion Department. It showcases current seniors in the Fashion Design + Merchandising programs, as well as two faculty members. The video portrays the exciting energy of the VCU Fashion Department, along with the creativity, hard work, and dedication, that leads to the annual student-run fashion show.
Client
VCUarts Communications
We were asked by our friend Christina Dick of TFB Agency to partner on a video for Dr. Wiley's home visit pediatric practice, At Your Door Pediatrics. The unique benefits of having a on-call pediatrician are highlighted through interviews with Dr. Wiley and three of the families he serves.
Client
At Your Door Pediatrics
Editor
David Riley
Sound Designer
Richard Spooner
Sound Recordist
Dana Ollestad
Production Assistant
John Henry Katinas
Original content filmed with local talent, custom animated graphics, informative text, energetic music, and stock footage come together to show the potential for endless fun at an upcoming Ryan Homes community in Chesapeake, VA.
Client
Ryan Homes
Art Direction/Production Design
Dana Ollestad
Kei Omotaka
Talent
Liquid Talent
Production Assistant
Dylan Dow
Compelled by wanderlust and her family narrative, Amie Oliver manipulates ink, paper and water to create drawings and paintings that "catalog time, weather, and the subtle and profound impact of the elements on our material world".
This is the fifth video in a series of artist profiles focusing specifically on artists in Richmond, VA commissioned by LookSEE. Learn more about LookSEE at lookthensee.com
Client
LookSEE
Executive Producer
Caroline Cobb Wright
Special Thanks
Second Street Gallery
A zippy and fun compare and contrast of renting in Richmond vs. owning a Ryan Homes townhome within the city limits.
Client
Ryan Homes
Directed, Produced, and Edited by
Departure Point
Production Design
Dana Ollestad
Kei Omotaka
Talent Agency
Liquid Talent
featuring Edward and Ashlyn
Sound Design by
Richard Spooner
Before the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU became a reality, Beverly W. Reynolds had a vision. As a local gallery owner/director, she knew how much Richmond could benefit from a contemporary art center and thus rallied her friends, colleagues and associates leading up to the founding of the ICA. She passed away in 2014 shortly after VCU broke ground on the Markel Center, home of the ICA. This is her story as shared by her family and friends.
Client
Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU
Bev Reynolds Interview & ICA Model Footage Courtesy Of
Milkbox NY
Special Thanks
Lisa Freiman
Carol Anne Baker Lajoie
Chelsea Neal
Susan Norkus
Roberta Oster Sachs
Rachel Southard
Anita Yearwood
John Henry Blatter
Jill Ware
Departure Point worked with Producer and Content Strategist, Annette Tully at Milkbox NY, to tell the story of Menokin, a National Historic Landmark undergoing renovation in Warsaw, VA. The Menokin Foundation was embarking on a major fundraising campaign to restore Menokin, and wanted a video to excite and inform donors, while expressing the long-lasting benefit of their restoration project.
Client
The Menokin Foundation
Produced and Written by
Annette Tully, Milkbox NY
Cinematography by
Departure Point Films
Edited by
Hunter Brumfield
Motion Graphics and VFX by
Departure Point
Sound Design by
Clean Cuts
Jill's House Weekend Adventures brings the experience of camp to children with intellectual disabilities all across the country. Departure Point helped capture the positive energy, excitement, group activities, and excellent care provided to encourage registration for both campers and volunteers.
Client
Jill's House
This video was created for The Visual Arts Center of Richmond, and highlights the work of Philadelphia based artist Emily E. Erb. Departure Point visited with Emily in her studio to get a close look at her techniques, inspiration, and process behind her silk paintings. This video was shown in conjunction with Erb’s exhibition at the center which ran from June 10 to August 28, 2016.
Client
Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Edited by
Hunter Brumfield
