Pine Point School
Campaigns — Branded Content
the concept
Wonder. Joy. Engagement. These are the hallmarks of a Pine Point education. And as the Stonington, CT-based school embarked on its 75th year, we sought to bring these qualities to life in a way that would reach beyond the school’s new website, inviting viewers into the classroom from anywhere in the world.
Our idea stemmed from Pine Point School’s philosophy of educating the whole student. Different from traditional schools, they encourage the development of a strong academic and ethical core, while also inspiring lifelong curiosity, holding classes in and outside the classroom. There’s a headline on their website: “This is what school should look like”. Bingo. That would serve as our foundation.
Director: Matt Andrew + Hillary Federico
Producer: Hillary Federico
DP: Matt Andrew
Client: Pine Point School
Camera Operators: Matt Andrew + Dan Fish
Editor: Alex Cannata
the approach
Pine Point School caters to students from kindergarten to 9th grade, so our challenge was to marry the diverse interests and stages of each group with the school’s founding philosophy in a way that was both compelling and accurate.
But after a scout, it became obvious to us that the school’s essence wasn’t necessarily built on the curriculum or the school grounds. It is the people who make it what it is. So, why not celebrate the individuality of each one and hear directly from them in an unscripted, organic way?
Cameras in hand, we got to work embedding ourselves into their day-to-day lives. If they were playing soccer, we were in the middle of the field with them. Searching for aquatic life at the pond? We were there, too (actually IN the water, in fact). By engaging with them as they involved in the act of learning, we were able to position ourselves to capture their authentic reactions without the need to pre-script or manufacture them.
