Blue Chalk Media: where stunning visuals meet powerful stories
With pieces from India to Oregon, here is how a small video production company defines the meaning of good storytelling
Introduction
Nestled in the DUMBO district of Brooklyn, Blue Chalk Media produces over 65 films a year. Focusing on non-fiction, short-form documentaries, their work encompasses branded content, journalism and promotional content.
Driven by immense passion and conviction, Blue Chalk’s authenticity and commitment to good storytelling resonated deeply with a group of 13 journalism students from the University of Oregon.
After watching a short documentary — ‘First Sight’ — there was not a dry eye in the room. The film, produced for a WonderWork charity that aims to bring 20/20 vision to the 20 million in need, included close-ups of Anita and Sonia’s first moments of vision, as well as the pain and anguish experienced throughout by their mother. The film, which has been viewed over 12 million times online, showed a deep intelligence and deliberation before every edit.
The Space
Blue Chalk was founded by CEO Grey Moyer and COO Pam Huling after many years of working in the non-fiction video industry. A small, compartmentalized NY office houses a handful of employees, with others based on the west coast in Portland. Production work, however, takes place around the nation and the globe. An employee at Blue Chalk can be expected to multi-task and travel frequently.
The presentation began with both Greg Moyer and Creative Director Rob Finch join us via Skype from Washington D.C and Boise, Idaho respectively. As noted by Pam, Skype has been a huge enabler in the success of the company. Of all the employees, only two others are in the office that day.
Painted blue, a room with a set of computers and desks decked the corner of a brick building. While other startups occupy the neighboring offices, the culture of Blue Chalk is unique, innovative and vibrant. The company has carved out a niche market for itself, proving that compelling content can come in the form of journalistic storytelling.
So if humbling and inspiring can be consolidated into a singular experience, our visit to Blue Chalk was a revelation.
A key take-away from the experience was that startup culture is created by people and not by the system. The epitome of a place that respects its employees and is driven by its belief in the power of kindness, the Blue Chalk team decided to lead a workshop for us on negotiation strategies (pictured below). In the workshop, we were assigned professional positions that are reflective of the industry and asked to acquire and negotiate deals.
The Stories
Another characteristic of Blue Chalk is their ability to find hidden stories.
When discussing the origin of The Japanese War Brides, it was revealed that through contacts, recommendations and a network of passionate people, three women were selected to be part of the 26-minute documentary.
An uncharacteristic length for a company which typically produces 1–8 minute videos , the piece outlined the lives of the Japanese wives who came to America following the 1945 US occupation. It was told through the eyes of their American children.
Lauded as excellent journalism, the piece succeeded in powerfully capturing the complexity of identity-politics in America, a topic that is salient for today’s generation.
The Message
“If you have a vision or a passion, do more of it so people can see,” says Pam.
When Blue Chalk was founded, social impact stories were their platform and step by step, the company developed a distinctive voice.
Uniting around a common love for journalism, truth and people, Blue Chalk has rapidly became a force to be reckoned with. The founders knew what they had to offer to the world, and as they have shown, if you set your sights and goals high, then there are no boundaries to what you can achieve.
