"The Reel of Pain" – End of Year Recap from Nadus Films on Vimeo.

We hope you enjoyed our “The Reel of Pain”! In addition to some comic relief, another goal in creating this year end video was to show you that stories do not slow down even when the world does. They just become that much harder to access. With the demand for content being higher than ever, Nadus Films has pressed forward and has told more stories this year than ever. 2021 provided an opportunity for us to step in and serve both existing and new partners, all of whom were navigating new waters.

We’ve nearly doubled our workload this last year and 2022 is looking to be even bigger. Our work falls into three categories.

1.) Commercial: Four years ago, Nadus Films began a for-profit side to the brand in order to serve commercial clients. This new focus has been wildly successful, and we’ve enjoyed flexing a different type of filmmaking muscle. We strived to deliver unique content, something different than what our clients are accustomed to, in order set them apart. Nadus Films has “cut its teeth” differently than most film production companies, and as a result, what we produce for our clients is different. We’re continuing to grow our commercial division while hiring additional staff to help manage and execute on our client needs.

2.) Documentary: Nadus Films began in 2005 by focusing on longform storytelling. Specifically, documentaries. Since the beginning, we’ve desired to make films that make a difference, especially on the lives of those that are voiceless and on the margins. Nadus Films has travelled the world multiple times, partnering with individuals and organizations who have a story to tell. We’ve taken on gangs, terrorism, human trafficking and other world issues. Like the commercial side to Nadus Films, documentary filmmaking has done anything but slowdown in 2021. We’re focusing on long-form projects in both the feature length and episodic formats this coming year. In fact, we have been greenlit on a multimillion-dollar docu-series and principal photography is scheduled to begin this Spring! We’ll be collaborating with multiple teams to execute on these stories as we continue to grow.

3.) Nadus Institute: In 2020, Nadus Films began building a suite of online, educational content called Nadus Institute. This powerful tool teaches nonprofits how to capture, edit and release their own videos. We’ve worked with nonprofits for over 16 years and recognize how challenging it is for them to raise funds and tell their story. Nadus Institute is designed to meet this need and be more self-sufficient. We’re excited to see how Nadus Institute will help support the mission of those working on the front lines. Nadus Institute can be purchased at www.NadusInstitute.com.

We hope you’ve had a great year despite all the challenges. We believe greater days are ahead and want to extend our thanks for your support. Blessings from the Nadus Film Crew!

Making Films that Make a Difference,
Coury Deeb
Director

The post “The Reel of Pain” – End of Year Recap appeared first on Nadus Films.

Despite the lack of togetherness, we at Nadus Films are thankful to have been active even while the world was quiet. We’ve been busy. Really busy. We want to take just a moment to celebrate with you, our closest friends and family, a few ways Nadus Films continued to “make films that make a difference” during the pandemic.

An online video course that teaches non-profit organizations everything we know

That’s right, over the past 1.5 years, Nadus Films has poured decades of knowledge into what is essentially a “master class”. Our target audience are small to mid-sized nonprofits who struggle to tell their story and engage their audience. Too often, nonprofits lack the understanding of how to tell their story and do not have the financial resources to produce professional, impact-driven videos to share that story. We wanted to address these common issues by creating an online class that not only teaches them how to tell their story properly, but film (even on smart phones), edit, and market these videos.

Most nonprofits aren’t telling their story. We’re changing that. Be on the lookout for a dedicated email with more info on how to access this course as well as ways to share it with others who you think would benefit of it.

A docu-series on fighting human trafficking

At the 11th hour, prior to the world closing its borders, Nadus Films and its international partners began production on what has been 4 years in the making. We’ve locked arms with frontline, anti-trafficking NGOs to arrest the wrong and rescue the right. Due to the sensitive nature of the subject and the fact that there are open cases still pending, we are limited on what we can share or show about this project. However, we can say that preparing for early 2022 operations are underway and that we can’t wait to further pursue this project. We have affectionately been referring to it as “a calling within a calling”. Assisting in the dismantling of criminal networks and helping rescue those being victimized, all while filming a TV-series, can produce triple, bottom-line impact. We’ll keep you posted as this project progresses.

Business as Mission

Nadus Films is about real, viable, and profitable business practices that leads to impacting culture, whether that be economically, socially, or spiritually. This is what “Business as Mission” means. This last year we experienced exponential growth on the commercial side of our business. This has not only helped us become more sustainable and healthier as an organization, but it has also allowed us to partner with other corporations to make content that you have come to expect of Nadus Films. Check out this branded documentary we recently created in partnership with EverTrue. It’s just one of many projects we’ve produced since last you heard from us.

We’re busy and so are you. Please forgive us for our lapse in communication as we continue to work toward good, true, and beautiful stories that impact our world for the better.

Stay healthy and safe!

The post A Slow Thaw Has Begun appeared first on Nadus Films.

SUMMARY

Under the direction of the Founder and Director, the Video Editor & Camera Operator’s primary responsibility is to develop, edit, and create content, from start to finish, that engages an audience and creates a buzz. A basic understanding of shooting on professional camera systems is plus. This position requires extensive international and domestic travel.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Pre-Production
– Stay abreast of trends and technology, specifically how it can aide in project deliverables;
– Keep an eye toward competitive work and ensure the brand stays ahead and pushes boundaries.

Production
– Serve as second shooter, when the production demands it, capturing compelling footage that will drive great storytelling;
– When necessary, assist with lighting, grip and capturing quality audio;
– Review dailies to confirm required shots are being captured according to the shot list and production schedule;
– Manage and safeguard all media, including performing daily digital image transfers.

Post-Production (Principal Role)
– In collaboration with the Director and other editor(s), ingest, organize, and edit video footage, audio, and music tracks according to tight scripts and storyboards or loose production guidelines;
– Work fluidly with other editor(s) as a support;
– Facilitate and address all agency and/or client cut changes throughout the approval process;
– Prepare projects to be handed off to other editor(s) for color grading and sound engineering;
– Concept and edit trailers, teasers, and company marketing material;
– Maintain proper file structure and approach allowing for future edits/adaptations;
– Maintain all editing equipment, troubleshoot problems, and actively facilitate repairs;
– Ensure the brand aesthetic is successfully translated into high quality visual assets.

JOB REQUIREMENTS
– Relocation to Louisville, KY required;
– Excited to travel and has the ability to be on production for extended periods of time;
– Adventure junkie;
– Is capable to work and film inside dangerous and risky environments;
– Proficient using non-linear editing software and After Effects;
– Highly creative and an out-of-the-box thinker that has worked in both the documentary and commercial filmmaking spheres;
– A team player that thrives in a collaborative environment;
– Maintains a positive attitude and performs well in stressful situations;
– Practices humility and is hungry to learn;
– Mad ping-pong skills.

TO APPLY: Send cover letter, resume, and a sample of your work showcasing your editing and shooting talent to info@nadusfilms.com. Include “Editor Camera & Operator” in the subject line. Apply on or before May 21, 2021. Only those candidates who are selected for interviews will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

The post We’re Hiring | Join Our Team! appeared first on Nadus Films.

But what does it take to create the magic that makes everyone and their Grandma hit “Share”?

First of all, remember a high number of views is not the same as going viral. Views can be bought through savvy promotion and advertising budgets. A viral video creates today’s “water cooler moments” by being talked about offline as well as on, and the truly great ones cross over into the zeitgeist. Some of the original viral videos like “Charlie Bit My Finger” or “David After Dentist” are still being quoted and mimicked over 10 years after they were first shared.

While there’s no perfect recipe for a viral promo, here’s 5 things that must be in place to get those views racked up, and then maximize the exposure.

1) Hit Them In The Feels.

Connecting with people’s emotions is absolutely key if you want to make a lasting impact. People need a reason to share something, and that reason is always going to be emotional.

It’s either got to make you laugh really hard, make you spontaneously burst into tears, or be so insanely beautiful that you just can’t keep that beauty to yourself.

I add the qualifiers for more than hyperbole. There are a lot of funny videos out there, stacks of sweet tear-jerkers, and whole instagram accounts dedicated to the beauty of the world; a viral video needs to have one or more of these things as well as…

2) A Compelling Story.

The Best Story Wins. Every time. The proof, if you needed one, is all over Instagram, with “Good News” accounts gaining millions of followers.

And you can’t fake it: We’re all familiar with click-bait and people know all too well when they’re being emotionally played.

With a promo the story could be the honest and relatable reason a company has started, the story of someone or something that is in the same field as the company, or the difference a company or product has made in someone’s life.

While everyone loves a story about personal triumph, few actually use it. Australian Media guru, Dr. Karen Nelson-Field did extensive research on the science of sharing:

“When a video included a creative story of personal triumph, it was shared more than other creative devices” (including baby/young child, animal, and dancing/singing)….

She added, “Interestingly, despite being a more applicable creative device for ensuring sharing success, personal triumph is rarely displayed in viral video content. In our sample of 800 videos, it appeared in less than 3 per cent of all videos.” She concluded, “Personal triumph therefore represents the best opportunity for marketers.”

3) Hide The Brand, or Make It Great.
People don’t like feeling sold to, and many will smile-and-skim-past an obvious Ad.

Companies have often chosen to put art over recognition, like this year’s Superbowl ad from Toyota. This told a story that bore little link to their brand, outside of its support of the Paralympics. Always stayed closer to home in 2014 with their “Like A Girl” campaign which, by highlighting something that struck a chord with all women, has been watched over 69 million times on YouTube.

If you’re going to be obvious about the product or brand you’re promoting, it’s got to be REALLY good.

While looked down upon by many in the marketing industry, two “talking head” campaigns – where someone is looking to the camera telling the viewer information about the company – stand out in my mind.

Dollar Shave Club launched itself into the stratosphere is a low-budget concept that combined humour, story and personal triumph in their 2014 ad that dropped the F-Bomb, but won over every post-pubescent male that watched it.

And then there’s Old Spice. “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” was a work of creative genius that totally relaunched a fading brand for a whole new demographic.

4) Back It Up:

To maximise the reach of a great video you also need a great marketing plan to surround it, and a great website to welcome your new customers.

DollarShaveClub.com is an example of how to do things properly. Within a day of the video going live, they had over 5,000 paying customers sign up. Why? Because they had a website which was designed to convert visitors into customers efficiently.

The worst thing to happen would be if you get a million clicks through to a 10 year old website that crashes on impact.

5) It’s All Luck.

Finally, remember what we said at the beginning; there is no perfect recipe for viral video success. The right share by the right person on the right platform on the right day is the X factor that can’t be taught. But if you put all the pieces in play… you’re in with a much better chance.

Which is your favourite viral video? And why did it make you want to hit share?

We’d love to help you take your business to the next level with story-led, beautiful and shareable content. Contact Nadus for more information.

The post Go Viral with your Promotional Video: 5 Marketing Musts appeared first on Nadus Films.

Filmmaking is our first love. Making a difference in the world is what gives us breath. Travel, adventure, and danger. That’s what brings us joy. And our production team has traveled all over the globe — jumping off the highest peak in the world, trekking up dangerous mountains, joining security teams in terrorist hot spots, shooting crimes in progress, wrestling tigers. Okay, we’ve never wrestled tigers, but we’ve ridden camels. Same same.

All this to say, we’ve been there, shot that. And we are here to say that out of all the places we’ve traveled around the world filmmaking, there are three places we think every filmmaker — now that travel is opening back up — should consider for the location for their next shoot.

1. INDIA

I love filming in India! As storytellers, it has everything you need for both inspiration and beauty.

The sights, the sounds, the smells, and the general chaos of the country fill me up to the point of sensory overload! Even without a camera in my hand, at the end of the day, I’m exhausted.

Whether you’re in the city or the country you’re bombarded with colors and smells – for better or for worse. In one moment, you could smell the worst thing you’ve ever known and then you can walk 50 yards and turn a corner, and all of a sudden the air is filled with spices and the most amazing aromas. Which tends to lead to amazing food – another reason to love the country!

For storytellers and filmmakers, India is perfect as there’s literally a story on every corner. The rich colors of the country look wonderful on film, and the people and the culture are gorgeous.

India is a big country with lots of rich landscapes from the urban grit of the cities, through rural farmland to the stunning mountains. Coury particularly likes North East India towards the border of Nepal, “It’s the foothills of the Himalayas. It has cleaner air, tea fields, mountains, hills and it’s absolutely gorgeous… And you can see Everest.”

All in all, India is the most self-contained unique culture in the world. If a project is looking for natural backdrops and doesn’t call for a lot of set designs and art department work, India is a natural organic set up to some of the richest content one could dream of capturing.

2. IRAQ

Second on the list, Iraq! We have loved filming in Iraq, for reasons that, on the surface can seem negative: The devastation that decades of war and unrest has brought on the country make for incredible visuals.

As a filmmaker, you’re not looking for everything polished and clean, you’re looking for grit and story, and for a story to be worthy, it’s got to have drama and conflict in it. From that story angle, Iraq is one of the greatest places to capture conflict drama in natural backdrops. There’s devastation all around, with blown-up buildings and burned churches. It’s very powerful imagery.

It also offers the opportunity to show the transformation and redemption that’s happening all around. Coury continued, “Plus it’s dangerous, so we like to calculate those risks. But there can be living in that kind of adventure.”

3. Tanzania

Finally, Tanzania is an incredible country teeming with beautiful cultures and amazing natural landscapes. It’s the only country in the world with all 7 ecosystems so you have the Desert, Grassland, Tropical Rainforest, Temperate forests, Tundra, Freshwater, and Marine, and all the animals and plant life that goes with them.

In Tanzania, there’s plenty of adventure. It’s got animals out the wazoo! With 21 national parks and 19 game reserves, this is the place to see wildlife in their natural habitat, and if you’re an outdoor enthusiast there’s Mt. Kilimanjaro (which Coury has jumped off).

With Tanzania, it’s all there. For humanitarian projects, for adventure, for hiking… the people, the wildlife, the landscape… it’s check! Check! Check! It’s all there.

Connect with us on socials to show us your team shooting in one of these beautiful places!

The post Nadus Films’ Top 3 Places in the World for Filmmaking appeared first on Nadus Films.

When you tell a story centered on people and community, it offers the viewer a narrative that money can’t buy: a human connection to your business.

In a nutshell, making a video in a documentary style helps the viewer connect with your business on an emotional level, and that makes them more likely to engage with your brand financially.

In this post we’ll explain what commercial documentaries are, how they elevate companies from the noise of marketing and advertising by using cinematic storytelling, and show you examples of excellence.

WHAT IS A COMMERCIAL OR BRANDED DOCUMENTARY?

Successful commercial documentaries capture human emotion by telling an authentic story that engages the audience and encourages action.

Documentaries have a huge appeal, as scrolling through your Netflix menu will prove. From the audience’s viewpoint there’s not much difference between a commercial documentary – one that has a desired outcome for the story to fulfill – and a non-commercial documentary – one that has no goal other than to tell the story. Great storytelling is the core of both.

The brand or commercial element should never feel forced: While funded by a client with a goal in mind, authenticity is key because it is that which has the potential to connect with the viewer. The story must come first. What moves people are genuine documentaries, not marketing pieces directed to feel like documentaries.

Finding the right story is what documentary makers do best. Delving deep into a brand’s identity and finding common threads with real-world beauty and struggles. The most powerful documentaries focus on a person who ceaselessly strives for their goal or quest, with something big on the line. That journey should intersect in some way with your brand’s mission or area of interest.

If the viewer is able to pull the client’s desired message without jeopardizing the human element of the story, it’s a win.
Why invest in a commercial documentary?
Story makes the world go round, and there are plenty of clients – corporations, small business, non-profits, start-ups – that are out there making a difference and deserve to have their story told in a longer format.

Both short-form and long-form formats are important. The difference between having a 90 second promotional spot versus a 10 to 90 minute documentary is allowing the viewer to get more immersed in the world the client wants them exposed to.

The return of investment in a well made branded documentary is huge. A story told well has the potential to impact hearts, change minds and open wallets. The right film can establish you in your market, your culture and your community as active participants with a message. It also provides an almost unlimited supply of campaign content deliverables, from stills for online and printed material, to segments of video for social media, gatherings and events.

4 EXAMPLES OF COMMERCIAL DOCUMENTARIES

Here are some examples of Commercial Documentaries done well.

1. Fast Company

In 2015 Church’s Chicken wanted to reach a new audience – young men. Instead of making another comedy-based promo spot, they commissioned an 8 part documentary on The World’s Fastest Drummer competition, because young men gravitate towards achievement-based videos. “It all starts with the drumsticks.”

In total, the eight webisodes generated 5 million views and 18 million impressions. The buzz from the events and films also drove a 12 percent increase in sales in a single weekend in Atlanta (where the national speed drumming event took place), and an 18 percent uptick in Nashville (where the world championships for speed drumming take place.)

2. Reinforcements
When non-profit organisation K9s For Warriors hired an ad agency to increase their fundraising reach, the agency realised they didn’t have the in-house capabilities to tell the story as it deserved. They reached out to NADUS films who came in and were able to structure, script and direct the 30 minute documentary.

3. Living off the Walls

Vans has been invested in documentary films for decades; its first documentary about skateboarder culture in Southern California was released in 2001.Currently they’re producing a series of docs following young artists and athletes who push boundaries and inspire others through their creative expression.

4. Spent

As part of it’s larger program showing the reality of financially underserved communities in the USA, American Express commissioned a documentary on the underbelly of the US financial systems. Exploring and exposing the horrors of payday lending, check-cashing services and other high-interest financial services, the documentary showed how working-class Americans are trapped beneath a system that was never meant for them.

Big Investment, Bigger Returns

Investing in longer form storytelling is a compelling way to separate you from your competitors, as most commercial, for-profit brands aren’t yet doing this. Why? Because it’s a bigger investment, and most ad agencies don’t have the in-house talent to offer the service.

The world is full of stories. Stories that can build, inspire and empower. Thinking outside the 90 second box can elevate your brand above the noise of the ordinary and into the stratosphere.

GET A QUOTE

Who’s telling your stories? Here at NADUS films, we are the architects, builders and deliverers of powerful stories that can help your brand surprise and engage its audience in new ways. That starts with a conversation.

Let’s talk.

The post What Is A Commercial Documentary? appeared first on Nadus Films.

Pretty Pictures Aren’t Enough

(And Why Writers Run the World)

While pictures may say a thousand words, only words strung craftily together can tell a story. In today’s digital entertainment and story-driven marketing world and just like in the Game of Thrones — story sits on the Iron Throne.

“Those who tell the stories rule the world.”

-Hopi Native American proverb

Storytellers — whether individuals, movie makers, or brands have a similar objective: to impact their audience. Robert McKee, the most sought-after screenwriting lecturer around the globe, says that we tell stories in order to cause “a meaningful emotional effect.”

Huh?

In simple terms, comedians write for laughs, drama writers want your tears, and copywriters are working to illicit any meaningful emotion, like a sense of urgency, adoration, motivation, etc. that will cause you to become loyal customers.

So, the degree to which the writer affects her audience is equivalent to the rate of conversion. The higher the emotional impact, the higher the chances are for your audience to transform.

Here’s five reasons why words are just as powerful as pictures.

1. People don’t buy because of the images they see; they buy because of words they read.

Donald Miller has created an entire empire around teaching the storytelling framework to marketers and brands with his online courses and live workshops called StoryBrand.

He argues that while graphic designers may have the superpower to represent your brand’s visual identity, writers (read: storytellers) have the ability to position your potential customers as the hero of their own story, and if they want to succeed, they will trust you as their guide.

2. Silent movies have a limited audience.

Okay, so silent movies have their place, for sure. Our second feature length film Grace Surpasses, though aimed to use imagery as the primary way to move the plot along, had to rely on some dialog, even though it was dramatically limited.

Silent movies were notoriously loud in the 20’s and 30’s, with the audience shouting out what they believed the story that was missing. With the invention of sound recording, movie production companies gained more control of their storytelling and audiences quieted down.

3. Subtitles aren’t for just foreign language viewers.

Digital marketing continues to change strategies as the digital space continues to change at lightning speed. One of the newest “must-do” video strategies is always including subtitles in your promotional videos.

Why?

First, because the way the audience consumes videos often includes being in spaces that are not conducive to sound. At work, on a train, or in class, digital audiences like the convenience of scanning the words while watching a video.

Second, videos with subtitles have a 15% higher share rate than non-subtitled videos.

Finally, captions also improve SEO, as well as increase comprehension rate of all listeners, whether they speak the language or not.

4. Sensory writing immerses the audience.

Of course, while images can evoke emotion, good writing can immerse its audience into a layered, complex, and bubbling (or searing) account of events. Sight alone can inevitably only be one-fifth effective as collective power of all five senses.

Words have the ability to capture all the senses at once and harness them to drag the audience to its most valuable conclusion: change.

Watch how it works:

Just with words, we smell freshly baked bread or a hint of honeysuckle on the breeze. We can feel the soft brush of his hand or the shocking strike of his fist. We taste the sweet gooey insides of a donut or the bile of rage that seeps into our mouths. Words can be like bread crumbs, leading us through the damp forest, straight into the witch’s oven. Listen to the tinkling bell! Its chiming can wake you up from a deep sleep.

5. Words imagine the future.

Words have the ability to direct the imagination toward what life can look like after change occurs. In the marketing world, we call this the aspirational identity. In movie making, we call this the resolution of the hero’s journey.

Words have “the power to reshape reality into undreamed possibilities.” -Robert McKee.

Images can capture what is. Words can capture what can be.

Though film making requires a variety of skills, from location scouting to editing and everything in between, a good production company spends its dollars on good writing.

At Nadus Films, our objective in film making isn’t only “pretty pictures”. Story is what ultimately matters. When quality writing locks arms with the right imagery, filmmaking is unstoppable.

Sarah Braud
sarah@braudcreative.com

Sarah Braud has collaborated with Nadus Films on countless projects. She is a writer, brand & marketing consultant, and keynote speaker who loves talking about how entrepreneurs and leaders can use storytelling devices to connect with audiences, spark interaction, and ignite their businesses.