Somebody's Daughter

DOCUMENTARY AND MUSIC VIDEOS DVD | CASE STUDY

THE CHALLENGE

This project would have been easier if we were talking about a tangible product like flooring or appliances. But this was an intangible product—one often buried in secrecy or shame—as well as an emotional powder keg.

Our client, Music for the Soul, is a Nashville, TN, faith-based organization dedicated to producing and providing topic-specific-original music that therapeutically addresses life issues. Music for the Soul knew it needed to add value and relevance to its products for sustainability within a visually oriented marketplace. They desired a visual component that could communicate their message and complement their music. Our challenge was to communicate the staggering statistics of pornography and its impact on families, but in a way that tells a story and connects with the viewer. We also needed to create a sub-storyline carrying the viewer along the journey, but it needed to be done without triggering the addiction through tempting visuals. All the pieces had to be artistically combined in a compelling package that would impact lives and effect changes in behavior. This presented another challenge: to visually communicate a subject matter without showing any images of that very subject. We were asked to produce a documentary about pornography addictions.

THE STRATEGY

Through proprietary study and research, we knew the message had to accomplish three objectives:

1. To speak to those individuals who were suffering the fallout of a pornography addiction—individuals who could relate to our interviewee’s and attempting some form of restoration.

2. To speak to the individual currently steeped in the addiction, feeling trapped, and not knowing how to get out.

3. To wave a metaphoric warning flag for those dabbling with pornography and not seeing the potential dangers.

While introducing the metaphor on the front end, we wanted the interviews to unfold documentary-style and the content to be affirmed by strategically placed video vignettes (shorts) of an actual person (actor) secretly viewing porn while at home with the family. The metaphor, the vignettes and interviews would all tie together by four music videos interspersed throughout the program. The resulting product would be unique in its combination of original music, interviews, music videos and a documentary all harmoniously designed to teach and inspire.

THE EXECUTION

Our creative team developed a solid solution for the metaphor; filming a mouse roaming through an abandoned building in search of the bait (cheese) … on a mousetrap. The cheese looks and smells good, but pressed too far … can have serious consequences. The toughest part of our approach was finding couples willing to share their stories and vulnerabilities. Our production manager found three individuals and one couple from Utah, Florida, and Colorado. We decided to film their interviews in a debris-ridden warehouse for it’s unique site lines and subliminal message. To film the vignettes, we hired actors to represent a typical family. It was important that the family looked “together” on the surface, but the the addict’s struggle threatened to tear apart the ones he loved.

We created several scenes that depicted the struggle both at home and while on the road. The final scene confronts the addiction head-on when the addict’s wife catches him in the middle of the night. The vignettes were strategically placed throughout the documentary as “breathing” points. With the topic generating serious and heavy content, we felt the viewer needed occasional opportunities to catch their breath and digest what was being said. The vignettes purposely had no dialogue. This helped provide quiet affirmation and continuity while the viewer connected the dots. Finally, we created four powerful music videos from Music for the Soul’s existing song portfolio. The production included such set ups as an actual speeding freight train, burning a large field, a man falling through the floor in a convenience store (enhanced with special effects), and underwater filming, to name a few.




In post production, we carefully interwove the filmed elements and tied them together with delicately placed music and sound design. We layered in special effects, and color-corrected the entire film. With Music for the Soul’s final approval, we moved forward with DVD authoring and cover artwork. The final product was released Fall, 2008. Music for the Soul was extremely happy with the end product. It has since been featured on several nationally broadcast television and syndicated radio programs. It’s now being distributed worldwide. One music video alone from the documentary has been downloaded over 1,000,000 times.