MARIN CHARITABLE | THE FABRIC OF COMMUNITY

Founded over 60 years ago, Marin Charitable, a women-led all-volunteer charity has been supporting the network of non-profit organizations across Marin County that address acute issues of poverty, education, arts, recidivism, literacy, and food security in the community. The annual grants program provides micro-grants to support these programs. In 2024, they granted over a quarter-of-a-million dollars to 57 organizations that provide critical services to the youth of Marin County.

Runtime: 05:39

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Director of Photography: Jessey Dearing
Additional Cinematography: Andrew Hida
Cliet-side Producers: Jennifer Forbeck, Dawn Shalhoup
Editor: Andrew Hida
Cast: Heather Bell, Violet Bell, Angel, Rose Jennings-Newhouse, Dawn Shalhoup, Elise Boutet, Laura McDonnell, Gio
Colorist: Patrice Bowman
Sound Mix: Andrew Hida

Client: Marin Charitable
Services Provided: Creative Design, Producing, Directing, Post-Production
Publication Date: October 26, 2024

NATIONAL ECZEMA ASSOCIATION | FROM THE DESK OF

From the Desk of… is a video series that provides behind-the-scenes access to the minds (and desks) of world-class eczema experts who share their takes on the latest science and what it means for life with eczema. Tackling topics beyond the skin like allergies, food, sleep and mental health, the experts reveal new insights with sometimes surprising implications.

Runtime: 02:00

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Client Producer: Amber Whiteside, Lauren Hewett, Sam DeWys

ORLANDO UNIT
Director of Photography: Jessey Dearing
Assistant Camera: Christian Cotrone
Production Sound Mixer: Mike Fitzgerald
Gaffer: Frank Rishel
Key Grip: Ariel Bobbio, Michael Ruthardt
Hair and Makeup Artist: Maureen Burke
Production Assistant: Nestor Lopez

DENVER UNIT
Director of Photography: Jessey Dearing
Assistant Camera: Caitlin Kleiboer
Production Sound Mixer: Lee Frank
Gaffer: Mary Jeanes
Key Grip: Trevor Tietjen
Production Assistant: Madi Cover

POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Andrew Hida
GFX: Aaron Lee
Colorist: Sara Afridi
Sound Design and Mix: Louie Alfaro

Client: National Eczema Association
Services Provided: Directing, Producing, Editing
Publication Date: 2024

NATIONAL ECZEMA ASSOCIATION | S’MORE TIME WITH THE DOC

S’more Time with the Doc takes the doctor-patient and doctor-caregiver conversations out of the exam room and to the fire pit in order to break the power dynamic in medical care. Leading the conversation with deeply-held opinions on whether to char or not to char the marshmallow, the conversation evolves to explore topics that often get missed during office when navigating eczema care and treatment. This ongoing series aims to demystify the doctor-patient relationship.

Runtime: 03:00 + 60-second social cutdowns

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Client Producer: Amber Whiteside, Lauren Hewett, Sam DeWys

SEATTLE UNIT
Director of Photography: Todd Sheridan
Assistant Camera: Tim Matsui
Production Sound Mixer: Eric Reeves
Gaffer: Isaac Lane
Hair and Makeup Artist: Lindsey Watkins, Isabelle Anana
Production Assistant: Alicia Mackey

ORLANDO UNIT
Director of Photography: Jessey Dearing
Assistant Camera: Christian Cotrone
Production Sound Mixer: Mike Fitzgerald
Gaffer: Frank Rishel
Key Grip: Ariel Bobbio, Michael Ruthardt
Hair and Makeup Artist: Maureen Burke
Production Assistant: Nestor Lopez

DENVER UNIT
Director of Photography: Jessey Dearing
Assistant Camera: Caitlin Kleiboer
Production Sound Mixer: Lee Frank
Gaffer: Mary Jeanes
Key Grip: Trevor Tietjen
Production Assistant: Madi Cover

POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Andrew Hida
GFX: Aaron Lee
Colorist: Patrice Bowman
Sound Design and Mix: Louie Alfaro

Client: National Eczema Association
Services Provided: Directing, Producing, Editing
Publication Date: 2022 - 2024

NATIONAL ECZEMA ASSOCIATION | ECZEMA UNSCRIPTED

In unfiltered, honest, and sometimes challenging conversations, groups of moms, partners, young adults, and kids explore wide-ranging topics that are top-of-mind for eczema patients and caregivers. Entering these conversations as complete strangers, they leave as friends, bonded over a shared life experience and new understanding.

Runtime: 03:00 + 60-second social cutdowns

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Client Producer: Amber Whiteside, Lauren Hewett, Sam DeWys

SEATTLE UNIT
Director of Photography: Todd Sheridan
Assistant Camera: Tim Matsui
Production Sound Mixer: Mike Fitzgerald, Eric Reeves
Gaffer: Isaac Lane
Hair and Makeup Artist: Lindsey Watkins, Isabelle Anana
Production Assistant: Alicia Mackey

ORLANDO UNIT
Director of Photography: Jessey Dearing
Assistant Camera: Christian Cotrone
Production Sound Mixer: Mike Fitzgerald
Gaffer: Frank Rishel
Hair and Makeup Artist: Maureen Burke
Production Assistant: Nestor Lopez

POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Andrew Hida, David Wulzen
GFX: Aaron Lee
Colorist: Patrice Bowman
Sound Design and Mix: Louie Alfaro

Client: National Eczema Association
Services Provided: Directing, Producing, Editing
Publication Date: Various

META | VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER

Trends and innovation that were once thought to be years away have been accelerated by the massive disruption of 2020. Customer preferences and business models have changed forever. The future has arrived ahead of schedule.

As businesses rise to the occasion, so too are product builders of Meta Ads & Business Products who are transforming the platform and meeting the moment. These stories highlight inspiring businesses that are ushering in the new era: more nimble, more entrepreneurial, and more connected to their customers than ever before. Through increased awareness and understanding,

Runtime: 3:00

CREDITS

Executive Producer: Aidan Sullivan
LA Director: Andrew Hida
LA Director of Photography: Todd Sheridan
NYC Director of Photography: Rick Gershon
Editor: Andrew Hida
Colorists: Patrice Bowman, Michael Curry
Animator: Sara Afridi
Sound Design and Mix: Zack Wright

Client: Meta
Services Provided: Directing, Editing
Publication Date: Various

SIDE BY SIDE | SHORTS

We have partnered with Side by Side since 2018 to produce short documentaries that explore the full breadth of services and programs offered by the non-profit agency to youth in Marin, Alameda, Sonoma, and Napa Counties. As a direct-service provider, their programs are wide-ranging, providing support to the LGBTQIA+ community, behavioral and mental health services, special education, and transitional housing. Each year we work closely with the Marketing and Communications teams to identify client and provider pairs whose stories exemplify the impact of the agency’s work.

Runtime: Various

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Client Producer: Noelle Moss
Director of Photography: Andrew Hida
Cinematographers: Mimi Schiffman, Martin Turner, Tijana Petrović
Editor: Andrew Hida
Colorists: Patrice Bowman
Sound Design and Mix: Louie Alfaro, Zack Wright

Client: Side by Side
Services Provided: Directing, Producing, Editing
Publication Date: 2020 - 2023

SIDE BY SIDE | UNBROKEN

Youth turn to Side by Side when others have given up on them. Facing a variety of challenges in their lives–whether gang violence, emotional disabilities, or aging out of the foster care system–each program tailors their approach to address every client’s specific needs. Everyday youth are challenged to grow, challenged to shift their world view, and challenged to be great. Three youth find themselves rafting the American River, navigating motherhood, and finding a sense of belonging and self-worth at school.

Runtime: 09:33

ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Director of Photography: Andrew Hida, Clare Major, Mimi Schiffman
Producer: Amber Whiteside
Editor: Andrew Hida
Cast: Kiera Kidd, Chloe Lechuga, Angel Manrique, Adrian Maldonado, Alu Mikaio, Martin Tevaseu, Jenaha Whitt
Original Score: Ian McLeod (Cleod9 Music)
Sound Mix: Scotty Beam & Cleod9 Music

Client: Side by Side
Services Provided: Creative Design, Producing, Directing, Original Cinematography, Post-Production
Publication Date: October 21, 2019

ACCOLADES

Finalist, 2021 SIMA Awards, USA, 2021

UCLA | DATA THEORY

Over the last three decades the availability of computing power and big data has ushered in a new era of data science defined by advanced mathematics, statistics, and computer science. Big data has transformed the sciences, engineering and even the humanities, driven by a diverse set of application settings from genomic research, logistics and transportation, commerce, and government. The Data Theory major will push students beyond the various methods of data modeling, into a deeper understanding of the statistical and mathematical foundational concepts that underlie these methods to future-proof a new generation of data scientists to lead in their fields.

Runtime: 03:07

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Director of Photography: Todd Sheridan
Second Camera: Andrew Hida
Production Assistant: Roxy Valle
Editor: Andrew Hida
Cast: Rob Gould, Jamie Haddock, Jessica Li, Karen McKinnon, Deanna Needell, Stan Osher, Mason Porter, Rick Schoenberg, Josh Vendrow
Music: Nicolas Boscovic, Tom Hillock, Samuel Sylvain Leloup, Pru Vanessa Montin

Client: The Department of Statistics and the Department of Mathematics at UCLA
Services Provided: Creative Design, Directing, Original Cinematography, Post-Production
Publication Date: August 4, 2020

UCLA | CLIMATE SCIENCE

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing this generation. In 2019, The Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences at UCLA launched the new Climate Science major to train students to find solutions to manage and mitigate global climate change. This video is the centerpiece of the department’s branding and launch of the degree, the first of its kind at any major university.

Runtime: 02:17

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Director of Photography: Andrew Hida
Assistant Camera: Jessica Sun
Editor: Andrew Hida
Cast: Daniele Bianchi, Rong Fu, David Gonzalez, Alex Hall, Yasmin Nur, Chloe Whicker, Quinten Williams
Music: ANBR, Assaf Ayalon, Ian Post

Client: AOS at UCLA
Services Provided: Creative Design, Directing, Original Cinematography, Post-Production
Publication Date: April 27, 2019

IM/PERFECTION

Immigrating from Japan to Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961, Hitoshi Hida struggled to learn English as he excelled in math and painting during high school. Abandoning his desire to be an artist, Hida pursued a career in architecture. With the advent of three-dimensional renderings, Hida, 72, is one of only a handful of designers in Hawaii who still creates architectural renderings at a drafting table using color pencils, erasers, and rulers. Over the course of nearly 40 years, he has created thousands of hand-drawn architectural renderings, dedicating his life to the craft and pursuit of perfection.

Runtime: 12:00

ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT

CREDITS

Directed and Produced by: Andrew Hida
Featuring: Hitoshi Hida
Cinematography: Andrew Hida, Jessey Dearing
Editor: Andrew Hida
Animation: Drew Jordan
Illustrations: Hitoshi Hida
Associate Producer: Jennifer Moncayo
Original Music: Duncan Blickenstaff
Musicians: Mark Robertson, Josefina Vergara, Luke Maurer, Cameron Stone
Re-Recording and Score Mixer: Satoshi Noguchi
Mix Assistant: Colleen Lutz
Sound Designer: Sarah Brady Voll
Colorist: Michael Curry
Archival Photography: Hida Family, Group 70 International

FESTIVAL SCREENINGS

Vancouver Asian Film Festival, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2017

Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 2017

Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, Los Angeles, CA USA, 2017

Waimea Ocean Film Festival, Waimea, HI USA, 2017

Hawaii International Film Festival, Honolulu, HI USA, 2016, *World Premiere

ACCOLADES

Best Documentary Short, Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 2017

Best Film Short, Waimea Ocean Film Festival, Waimea, HI, USA, 2017

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

My father, Hitoshi Hida, 72, is an architectural designer and one of only a handful of people who still creates architectural renderings at a drafting table using color pencils, erasers, and rulers. With the advent of three-dimensional renderings, his craft is quickly disappearing in our increasingly digital world. Though he officially retired at the end of 2015 after a nearly 40-year career, he still continues to work freelance to practice and hone his craft.

As a child, I grew up in my dad’s office where both him and my mother worked into the night. I remember figuring out my math homework in the conference room while trying to sing song lyrics with my sister. I remember drawings rolled up into tubes tucked into corners of our house and in the back of closets. But what I don’t remember is watching my dad create any of these drawings.

Through this project, I was finally able to see my dad in his element. His movements are fluid and elegant–erasing a line, brushing away shavings and re-drawing that same line with precision. His eyes rarely leave the paper. His hand barely keeps up with his imagination, consumed with birds singing, children laughing, and water splashing. It’s like watching a choreographed dance that constantly changes and evolves.

My dad’s choice to pursue a career in architecture was one of pragmatism, leading to a successful career that spanned nearly four decades. Abandoning his dream to be a painter laid the foundation for my sister and I to pursue dreams and opportunities otherwise unavailable to him. Although not entirely unique to the immigrant experience in America, my dad’s story has never been shared with me in such honest and frank terms until now.

Im/Perfection honors my mother and father’s sacrifices. It traces my own history through my father’s life. It explores the beauty of my father’s craft. It mimics his pursuit of perfection. And it represents a window into his world through which he opened the opportunity for me to chase my dreams.

DIET COKE | UNLABELED

We live in a world full of labels. Some labels are earned, fought for, demanded, proudly owned. But, then there are labels that are imposed upon us, weapons aimed to limit. box us in, make us feel lesser than. But, imagine a world where we aren’t limited by the way others label us.

Runtime: Various

CREDITS

Unreasonable Studios Producers: Jon Legere, Hannah Bombelles, Sharon Shang, Shae Horton, and Jessica L. Ransom
Anomaly Producer: Cameron Ford
NYC Line Producer: Jessica Weiss
NYC Director: Gillian Laub
NYC Director of Photography: Peter Hutchens
Editor: Andrew Hida
Colorist: Oliver Eido
VFX Artists: The Underground
Audio: Margarita Mix

Client: Unreasonable for Diet Coke
Services Provided: Editing
Publication Date: July 15, 2019

AMERICAN EXPRESS | FROM PASSION TO PRACTICE

Every success has a unique story behind it. The dreams, the inspirations, aspirations and the support – all play an important role in the personal journey. Every trailblazer can remember their childhood ambitions and eureka moments. They remember tough decisions, have the ability to recognize their strengths and how key relationships helped them break through to the next level.

Runtime: Various

“If I have learned anything in my 4 decades in the industry, it is this: When you find someone with skills that you truly admire, that you are able to communicate clearly with, that you share a common visual language with, work with them and collaborate with them as much as you can.

Andrew and I have worked together for over 7 years and I would not take on a project without thinking of how he might play a part. Editor, Director, D.P., Andrew is talented in all and approaches each with flair and vision, and perhaps above all, with clarity and calm. As projects become more complex, you need to know that you have a team that is experienced, positive and fearless.

We have worked on so many projects together, from the promo reel for my company Verbatim to a series of profiles of entrepreneurs for American Express and Conde Nast: From Passion to Practice. The series was shot in three locations in the US back to back with tight deadlines and even tighter post production schedules. Andrew worked tirelessly to meet the often intricate editing requirements. Always there, always suggesting great edits and always with a reassuring calm and confidence.”

- Aidan Sullivan, CEO, Verbatim Visual Solutions

CREDITS

Director: Gillian Laub
Director of Photography: Peter Hutchens
Editor: Andrew Hida
Verbatim Producer: Aidan Sullivan
CNX Producers: Brooke Lunski, Sasha Smyslova, Sasha Stoecklein
Music: Moby Gratis, Asche & Spencer
Sound Mix: Andrew Hida

Client: CNX for American Express
Services Provided: Post-Production
Publication Date: June 4, 2019

NEW YORK MAGAZINE | SPARROW MART

Remember when most of NYC went bonkers at an all-felt bodega last year? British artist Lucy Sparrow was the mastermind behind the enterprise, and she’s going at it again this year with Sparrow Mart — an all-felt supermarket stocked with 31,000 squishy pieces. The show will run at The Standard, Downtown LA, from August 1 to 31. We took a sneak peak before it opened and caught Lucy in full felt-wrangling swing.

Runtime: 3:18

CREDITS

Producer and Writer: Samantha Lee
Editor: Samantha Lee
Director of Photography: Andrew Hida

Client: New York Magazine | The Cut
Services Provided: Original Cinematography
Publication Date: August 1, 2018

TALKING EYES MEDIA | GRAVITY’S PULL

More than 100 years after Albert Einstein published his iconic theory of general relativity, it is beginning to fray at the edges, according to Andrea Ghez, UCLA professor of physics and astronomy. On July 25, 2019, in the most comprehensive test of general relativity near the monstrous black hole at the center of our galaxy, Ghez and her research team report in the journal Science that Einstein’s theory of general relativity holds up.

Ghez’s research team was able to see the co-mingling of space and time near the supermassive black hole. “In Newton’s version of gravity, space and time are separate, and do not co-mingle; under Einstein, they get completely co-mingled near a black hole,” she said.

Keck Observatory Director Hilton Lewis called Ghez “one of our most passionate and tenacious Keck users.” “Her latest groundbreaking research,” he said, “is the culmination of unwavering commitment over the past two decades to unlock the mysteries of the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy.”

Press

“Extreme black hole vindicates Einstein (again),” NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SHORT FILM SHOWCASE Premiere

“Relativistic redshift of the star S0-2 orbiting the Galactic center supermassive black hole,” SCIENCE MAGAZINE

Runtime: 04:23

CREDITS

Director: Julie Winokur
Producer/Editor: Stephanie Khoury
Director of Photography: Andrew Hida
Colorist: Michael Curry
Post-Production Assistant: Eddie Mostert
Field Assistants: Jessica Sun, Tiffany Woo
Additional Footage: UCLA, Keck Observatory

Client: Talking Eyes Media for the Heising-Simons Foundation
Services Provided: Original Cinematography
Publication Date: July 25, 2019

VULTURE | SARAH CONNOR HAS ALWAYS BEEN AHEAD OF HER TIME

Thirty-five years ago, when Sarah Connor had her first run-in with Skynet in 1984’s The Terminator, there was no way to predict what she would eventually become: a pop-culture mainstay, the prototype for the modern action heroine, and a model of strength and femininity existing side by side. But behind those signature sunglasses is an actress who has continually been committed to making Sarah Connor as real and grounded as possible. Linda Hamilton is returning to her iconic role in 2019’s Terminator: Dark Fate, so Vulture sat down with her to discuss the evolution of Sarah Connor and what the character has taught the world about women in action cinema.

Runtime: 12:37

CREDITS

Producer and Writer: Granger Willson and Jordan Crucchiola
Editor: Granger Willson
Director of Photography: Andrew Hida

Client: Vulture
Services Provided: Original Cinematography
Publication Date: October 25, 2019

USPSA | VICTORY

Less than 20% of power soccer athletes in the United States are female. This minority of fierce, confident women are trailblazers in this young sport, determined and passionate to lead their teams to victory. This spot is part of a broader campaign to recruit women into the USPSA league.

Runtime: 01:10

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Director of Photography: Andrew Hida
Creative Director: Natalie Russo
Editor: Andrew Hida
Cast: Nikki Dwyer, Lindsay Muench, Natalie Russo, Ruby Shemaria
Music: Tristan Barton

Client: United States Power Soccer Association
Services Provided: Creative Design, Directing, Original Cinematography, Post-Production
Publication Date: August 19, 2019

SCHURIG CENTER | NEW NORMAL

Pam White was an active mother of two in West Virginia until her brain was infected by a virus. Jeff Kissell and Mary Ellen Kissell dreamed of retiring in a cabin in the woods until their lives were shattered when Jeff suffered a stroke while mountain biking. A single moment permanently set both Pam and Jeff's futures on intersecting paths in their search for hope and support.

Runtime: 08:19

"Working with Andrew to create a new video for our organization was a dream come true! His talent for film making coupled with his kind, compassionate nature, offered the perfect combination for the film he created for our organization. We needed a film for our annual gala fundraiser that would share the impact of our organization's services in the lives of our clients while also inspiring guests of our event to want to help make a difference through donating. This film, entitled 'New Normal', tells the story of two survivors and their families, with intimate footage captured by Andrew in the two days he spent with each family. He immersed himself in their lives, resulting in candid, emotional, inspirational and touching footage of lives changed and rediscovered. Andrew created connections with these families and they shared with us how much they enjoyed time with him during the filming. They felt respected, honored, and thoughtfully portrayed. We loved working with Andrew! His integrity, passion, commitment, professionalism and immense talent is a gift that we feel grateful for each day."

- Patricia Gill, Executive Director, Schurig Center for Brain Injury Recovery

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Cinematographer: Andrew Hida
Editor: Andrew Hida
Music: Michael Brook (under CC license)
Schurig Center Producer: Patricia Gill

Client: Schurig Center for Brain Injury Recovery
Services Provided: Directing, Cinematography, Editing
Publication Date: March 3, 2018

SIDE BY SIDE | DEAR TIMBERLIE

At the heart of Side by Side are the many relationships between clients and their providers forged with courage, dedication, and resiliency over many years. Four clients wrote letters to their providers describing the transformative power of these relationships on their lives. Then the providers wrote back.

Runtime: 04:30

"As part of a rebrand campaign for our 123 year old nonprofit, we engaged Andrew to create a video that would capture the essence of our work with vulnerable young people and cut through our long history and vast array of programs. What Andrew delivered was magic beyond anything we could’ve hoped for.

With an intuitive understanding of our work and the traumatic histories of our young people, Andrew developed a concept – letter writing between pairs of direct care staff and clients – that allowed the narrative to come directly from their words and experience. There was no scripting and no key messages, just the writing and reading of real letters between the young people and their providers to reveal the authentic depth of emotion in the relationship. Andrew established immediate and sustained trust with the staff and clients, some of whom were initially, and understandably, reticent to share their vulnerabilities in front of a camera. In the end, all of the participants felt their truth to be seen and honestly represented through the filming, and in the final product. As a result, the video has brought our organization closer together. And the quality of the production and the universally resonant narrative has enabled us to reach far beyond our current audience, building awareness and funds that will enable us to serve more vulnerable young people in years to come."

- Amber Whiteside, Director of Communications, Side by Side

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Cinematographer: Andrew Hida, Pete Bell
Editor: Andrew Hida
Music: Caleb Etheridge
Client-side Producer: Amber Whiteside

Client: Side by Side
Services Provided: Directing, Cinematography, Editing
Publication Date: July 23, 2018

BACKGROUND AND CHALLENGES

Founded in 1895, Sunny Hills Services is a non-profit organization that serves youth in the Bay Area providing a wide range of programming from substance abuse treatment and mental health services, to transitional housing support and LGBTQ programming. In 2018, Sunny Hills Services launched a massive campaign to unite the various stakeholders and programs of the organization under the new Side by Side brand.

Side by Side wanted to leverage the power of video to tell their story. But, how do you tell a single story that engages their extremely diverse clientele with locations spread across three counties? How do you simultaneously represent the organization’s breadth of programming and services while honoring the deep impact and transformative power of these programs on their clients?

IDEA AND RESULT

Through extensive conversations with the client it became clear that at the core of Side by Side’s work are the relationships between the providers and their youth clients. This became the guiding principle informing every design decision. I devised a concept centered around letter writing as a deeply personal process and a unique experience that we rarely share in today’s digital world.

This approach was a risk. Its success depended on thorough casting and vetting of the participants, the creation of a safe and respectful filming environment, and the confidence and buy-in of the client that the pay off would be tremendous.

The result is an authentic look at the passion that drives the providers in caring for youth, and the transformative impact that this care has had on individual clients. It is fully inspirational, yet embedded in the grittiness of the work, at times through the lens which society brands the most vulnerable. We created not only a powerful story, but a special experience that honored the youth for their courage and strength, and the staff for their compassion and expertise.

IMPACT

One week after publication, Dear Timberlie has well-over 125,000 views and has been syndicated by Upworthy across their channels. Dear Timberlie has become an indispensable tool for Side by Side’s fundraising campaigns and communications priorities.

EDUCATION SUPERHIGHWAY | ARKANSAS LEADS

Internet access isn’t just an option, it’s a necessity. Children cannot learn skills for tomorrow with dial-up speeds from the past. The state of Arkansas leads the nation in making digital learning a reality in every classroom, every day.

Runtime: 03:15

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Director of Photography: Nathan Lynch, Andrew Hida
Editor: Andrew Hida
Education Superhighway Producer: Victoria Holmes
Cast: Anna Cavnor, Asa Hutchinson, Jarrod Morris, Stanley Whisnant
Music: Marie Hines, SLPSTRM

Client: Verbatim for Education Superhighway
Services Provided: Creative Design, Directing, Original Cinematography, Post-Production
Publication Date: August 12, 2019

MINERVA SCHOOLS | GLOBAL IMMERSION SERIES

Founded in 2014, Minerva Schools is designed around a new vision of higher education that combines a reinvented curriculum, rigorous academic standards, innovative technology, and an immersive global experience. Students study in seven different cities over the course of four years, where they engage with local civic partners to apply classroom knowledge to practical, real-world problems. Each film in this series highlights how classroom curriculum extends into the urban fabric and shapes their personal, professional and academic growth.

Runtime: Various

SOCIAL MEDIA FEATURES

"We have worked with Andrew Hida on a range of productions — all of which contributed to telling our brand's fast-evolving story to various audiences. Not only is he an exceptional auteur, with the full compliment of capabilities, but he is adaptive, able to work in multiple modes and collaborative settings. He brings a deep understanding of narrative, pacing, and visual composition, which he drew on to create and direct the Global Immersion series. These skills, coupled with his knowledge of reportage and experience with live, documentary productions make Andrew both a consummate professional and a true pleasure to work with."

– Ayo Seligman, Creative Director,
Minerva Schools at KGI

CREDITS – Global Immersion: seoul

Director: Andrew Hida
Client Side Creative Director: Ayo Seligman
Director of Photography: Nils Clauss
Field Producer: Mini Kim
Editor: Andrew Hida
Composer: Jason Staczek

Client: Minerva Schools
Services Provided: Creative Design, Directing, Editing, Production
Publication Date: 2015 - 2018

BRIEF

The target audiences of this series are prospective students and the parents of these students who are seeking to better understand the Minerva global experience. We wanted the viewer to understand the full spectrum of daily life, from the demanding academics, to the immersive social and co-curricular activities. We needed to quickly convince the viewer why they belong at Minerva by telling the story of how the Minerva experience stands apart from that of the traditional university through personal stories of challenge and growth.

CHALLENGES AND RESULT

Over the course of two years, I have directed the first four short films in the Global Immersion series. Each subsequent episode pushes deeper into stories of personal and professional development as they come into their own. Instead of replicating the same mold for each episode, the storyline instead evolves in parallel to student growth and an evolving world view. This distinct approach enabled us to build on existing story and expand on emotional impact.

In order to achieve the authentic, cinematic documentary style that defines the Minerva brand, we assembled a team of cinematographers with a strong background in visual journalism. Weeks of creative design and pre-production proved essential to manage the complex timing and logistics of multiple shooters and photographers, navigating large, foreign cities.

Each episode was published to coincide with major application and admissions milestones. As part of a broader marketing campaign a series of 60-second cuts were also produced for social media engagement.

PREVIOUS EPISODES

GLOBAL IMMERSION: SAN FRANCISCO

Directors: Andrew Hida, Jessey Dearing
Director of Photography: Jessey Dearing
Cinematography: Jessey Dearing, Jon Kasbe, Bob Miller
Editors: Jessey Dearing, Andrew Hida
Composer: Jim Greer
Photography: Bob Miller
Photo Retouching: Michael Curry
Client Side Producer: Jules Shell

GLOBAL IMMERSION: BERLIN

Director: Andrew Hida
Director of Photography: Fabian Brennecke
Editor: Andrew Hida
Composer: Jim Greer
Producer: Annick Shen
Client Side Creative Director: Ayo Seligman

GLOBAL IMMERSION: BUENOS AIRES

Director: Andrew Hida
Director of Photography: Diego Alejandro Suarez
Field Producer: Agustina Santiago
Editor: Andrew Hida
Composer: Jim Greer
Project Manager: Annick Shen
Client Side Creative Director: Ayo Seligman

STARBUCKS | THE WAVE TO RECOVERY

Upstanders Season 2 is a collection of short stories celebrating ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. These stories of courage and humanity remind us that we all have the power to make a difference. In episode 2, The Wave to Recovery features Navy SEALs Alex West and Kyle Buckett who spend their nights and weekends designing specialized surfboards for wounded warriors, helping them find strength and confidence in the waves.

VIEW FULL PROJECT

CREDITS

Executive Producer: Howard Schultz
Client Side Producer and Writer: Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Director of Photography: Jessey Dearing
Cinematography: Jessey Dearing, Joshua Trujillo
Editors: Andrew Hida
Composer: Jason Staczek
Sound Mixer: Martin Feveyear
Starbucks Senior Producer: Colleen Davis

Client: Starbucks
Services Provided: Editing
Publication Date: October 9, 2017

MINERVA SCHOOLS | PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES

During their undergraduate years, Minerva students pursue a range of opportunities with top global organizations — from research institutes and NGOs to technology start-ups and multinational corporations — where they work on important projects with meaningful outcomes. The Professional Experiences series features three student work experiences as a VC Analyst at SVB Capital, a consultant on food systems sustainability at Zume Pizza, and impact assessment at the Autodesk Foundation.

Runtime: Various

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Director of Photography: Andrew Hida
Production Assistant: Olivia Luo
Editor: Andrew Hida
Composer: Jim Greer
Client Side Creative Director: Ayo Seligman

Client: Minerva Schools
Services Provided: Creative Design, Cinematography, Editing, Motion Graphics
Publication Date: September 25, 2017

IDEA & RESULT

Minerva takes a unique approach in providing work experience to its undergraduate students. Modeled after the world's most well-respected talent agencies, the Professional Development Agency helps to lay the foundation for students to succeed in their professional growth. The agency has placed Minerva students in elite internships to pursue meaningful work and jump start their careers.

Students have secured impressive positions that span functions industries and geographies at organizations as diverse as Autodesk, Humanity Action and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In this series, we featured three students driven by deeply personal experiences, working to address profound issues facing our society today. We wanted to not only highlight each student's growth, but also the unique contribution that each student brought to the organization as a result of their education at Minerva and personal drive.

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GREAT BIG STORY

Great Big Story is a video network dedicated to the untold, the overlooked and the flat-out amazing. Great Big Story is a video machine that churns out high-quality video content at break-neck speed, featuring a wide variety of stories on the human condition, new frontiers, the depths and heights of our planet, and the diverse flavors of foods across the globe.

Runtime: Various

CREDITS

The League of Mascots: San Francisco Giants

Producer: Andria May-Corsini
Director of Photography: Andrew Hida
Special Thanks: Joel Zimei

The Positivity Police

Producers: Connor Boals, Eben Hall
Director of Photography: Andrew Hida
Special Thanks: Ward Clapham, Supt Cameron Miller, Cst Gordon Nowicki, Cpl Jon Stuart

It's-A Me, Mario!

Producers: Mariano Carranza
Director of Photography: Andrew Hida
Hair and Makeup: Julie Dy
Special Thanks: Charles Martinet, Dustin Blackwell

Client: Great Big Story
Services Provided: Cinematography
Publication Date: 2016 - 2017

MINERVA SCHOOLS | ACHIEVING EXTRAORDINARY

Founded in 2014, Minerva Schools is designed around a new vision of higher education that combines a reinvented curriculum, rigorous academic standards, innovative technology, and an immersive global experience. Every year Minerva Schools attracts the most talented, intelligent and innovative students in the world. This video is part of the admissions package distributed to prospective students.

Runtime: 0:42

CREDITS

Creative Director: Ayo Seligman
Director of Photography: Andrew Hida
Camera Assistant: Ben Guez
Production Assistant: Olivia Luo
Editor: Andrew Hida
Music: Jim Greer
Actress and Voiceover Talent: Rebecca Mqamelo

Client: Minerva Schools
Services Provided: Creative Design, Cinematography, Editing
Publication Date: 2018

IDEA & RESULT

Minerva Schools was founded on the mission of innovating higher education. This philosophy extends through the student scholarship process, the innovative Active Learning Forum technology and the professional experiences program. Innovation even extends to the method that Minerva offers admission to prospective students.

Minerva wanted to expand its content package that is distributed to prospective students. The goal was to create a complimentary video to the initial notification-of-acceptance video that inspires students to finalize their decision to attend the university. We wanted to create a playful narrative that moved between the dream of the Minerva experience and the very real decision to make the first step in pursuing one's dreams.

Since its founding in 2014, the school has done an unprecedented job in documenting its growth through video and photography. Relying on this vast library of footage we created a dreamscape of possibilities and opportunities. Paired with original cinematic content the story forces any prospective student to see themselves in the same chair as our protagonist. The result is a 45-second video that engages the imagination and inspires an emotional response.

STARBUCKS | UPSTANDERS

Upstanders is an original collection of short stories, films and podcasts sharing the experiences of Upstanders – ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Produced by Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran, the Upstanders series helps inspire us to be better citizens.

VIEW FULL PROJECT

CREDITS

Executive Producer: Howard Schultz
Client Side Producer and Writer: Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Director of Photography: Jessey Dearing
Cinematography: Jessey Dearing, Andrew Hida, Joshua Trujillo
Editors: Andrew Hida, Jessey Dearing
Composer: Jim Greer
Starbucks Senior Producer: Colleen Davis
Photography: Jessey Dearing

Client: Starbucks
Services Provided: Cinematography, Editing
Publication Date: September 7, 2016

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VERSE | 2ND LOOK

Second Look is a branded series of highly immersive stories produced for the 2016 launch of Verse—Verse is a digital, non-linear storytelling platform and publication. Each project breaks down the mystery and misconception that veil each unique community and culture in New York City. The series highlights six stories: The debate over the legalization of mixed martial arts in New York state; the unique requirements of urban prepping in Manhattan; the dying legacy of wedding photography at Queens Borough Hall; the struggles of Major League prospects immigrating to East Brooklyn from the Dominican Republic; and the freaks of the sideshow world.

"Imagine being asked to create a multimedia project using interactive technology that was more conceptual than actual. Then imagine being asked to do it six times. That was the feat that Andrew Hida pulled off, along with collaborator Drew Jordan, when they signed up to work with our storytelling technology startup Verse. They created '2nd Look,' a six part series of character profiles, produced for the Verse interactive platform. In addition to leading the visual direction of the films, the editing for all six stories landed on the shoulders of Andrew. With a sophisticated eye and efficient technique, he moved through lengthy edits that included not just well-woven main narratives, but also extra features ranging from sidebars to Q and As. In other cases, we threw away the traditional approach all together and Andrew tackled non-linear, or 'choose your own adventure' storytelling with confidence. Throughout Andrew was transparent about where he was in the process, shared drafts, and was always open to input. In the end, each story has a unique feel and sophisticated air — Andrew does not rely on a storytelling formula. His thoroughness was evident throughout, along with his pleasant demeanor even when budget and revisions became challenging. I look forward to working with Andrew again."

— Meredith Hogan, Managing Editor, Verse

CREDITS

Camera: Andrew Hida, Drew Jordan
Second Camera: Andrew Maclean
Assistant Camera: Jason Greene
Editor: Andrew Hida
Associate Editor: Drew Jordan, Andrew Hida
Motion Graphics and Animation: Drew Jordan
Producer: Spēk Pictures
Music: Michael Brook (license), Klass D, Jacob Luecke
Additional Photography: Suriano Photo Studio
Additional Video: DVIDS, U.S. Department of Defense, Velvet Crayon

Client: Verse
Services Provided: Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor, Cinematography
Publication Date: June 23, 2016 (ongoing)

BACKGROUND

Best compared to the classic Choose Your Own Adventure novels of the 1980s and 90s, Verse is one of the first immersive digital publications and storytelling tools. Our challenge was to leverage the platform's set of interactive tools to create unique storytelling opportunities and stretch their functionality.

BRIEF

The Verse platform is designed in such a way that at any given point along the primary storyline, a viewer may be presented with the choice to explore additional content or to continue to watch the main narrative. Our challenge was to avoid mapping these choices as exit points, but rather as opportunities to capture the viewer's attention and to influence their choice to explore deeper.

Similarly, with the advent of non-linear, interactive storytelling, there is always the risk of creating content that is additive in nature, which distracts from the story and detracts from the viewer's experience. One of the greatest challenges was to craft feature content that provided real value to the viewer that explores peripheral themes, but does not dilute the primary story. We wanted the viewer's experience to be multi-dimensional and comprehensive.

RESULT

Second Look is a five-part, branded series featuring a 7 to 13-minute character-driven story, supported by immersive content. Although each story is a unique experience, the series is visually consistent in branding, cinematography, and storytelling.

The blueprint for each project was to provide additional storytelling opportunities unrealized in the main film that reflected back to the primary storyline. Our goal was to push the viewer to bore deeper into the sublayers of the content, thereby extending their breadth and depth of understanding of the story, themes, and subject matter.

Feature content was carefully crafted around each short film in the form of extended interviews, portraiture, interactives, animations, and infographics. Examples of this supportive content is the animated timeline that details the evolution of mixed martial arts in New York State; the diptych video portraits of essential items in each Prepper's bug out bag; and the collection of ten baseball cards, navigated by an interactive scorecard.

STOVETEAM INTERNATIONAL | CABALLO DE TROYA

Marco Guerra and his wife, Ana Luisa Herrera started the EcoComal factory near Antigua, Guatemala in 2008 to manufacture and distribute clean cookstoves. With little more than $80 in their pocket and the determination to succeed, they designed the Ecocina stove that has had cascading effects on their business’ vision. Their work has improved the health and safety of the surrounding community by transforming the traditional method of cooking from dangerous open fires to clean cookstoves.

Runtime: 05:27

"What fun it was to work closely with Andrew as he highlighted StoveTeam’s work in Guatemala. His film elegantly showed the problem of open cooking fires, and it was wonderful to hear the impact of clean cookstoves directly from stove recipients. Many films are made for an English speaking audience and for fund-raising, however this one was a specific challenge as it was for local mayors who speak Spanish.

Andrew and I worked closely both before and after our week in Guatemala, and although he had not previously been aware of the dangers of open cooking fires, he soon became an expert. His knowledge of Spanish was helpful, and he was appropriately kind, sympathetic and interested in the factory workers, women and children he interviewed.

Throughout it all, he insisted on top quality photography. The video has already generated both interest and new income for StoveTeam International. I can't hardly wait to work with Andrew again!"

– Nancy Hughes, President and Founder, StoveTeam International

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Cinematographer: Andrew Hida
Editor: Andrew Hida
Music: Michael Brook, Javier Freire Cano
Photography: Lynn Johnson
Field Translator: Sofia Letona
Translations: Mateo Corby
Client Side Producer: Nancy Hughes
Producer: Annie Griffiths, Ripple Effect Images

Client: Ripple Effect Images for StoveTeam International
Services Provided: Directing, Cinematography, Foreign Language Editing
Publication Date: April 12, 2016

BACKGROUND

Smoke from cooking fires is the deadliest threat to women and children under age 5 in the developing world. StoveTeam International assists local entrepreneurs in Latin America to establish self-sustaining businesses to produce safe, affordable, fuel-efficient cookstoves to replace dangerous open cooking fires. Local factories stimulate economic growth by sourcing local materials, employing workers in the community, and providing business opportunities to their customers using these clean cookstoves.

The EcoComal factory in San Antonio Aguas Calientes, Guatemala, exemplifies StoveTeam International’s model in clean cookstove manufacturing and distribution. The success of this factory largely rides on the broad vision of its owners to build partnerships with municipal governments, grow their customer base through education and awareness, and provide education and support to the children of many of their local customers.

IDEA AND RESULT

We produced a 5-minute short film to inspire future factory owners to create their own factories, and engage municipal governments to build partnerships with StoveTeam International’s network of factories. We wanted to spotlight the dangers and risks of traditional open cooking fires, to show the sustainable business model of StoveTeam International-sponsored factories, and to highlight the broader vision of the EcoComal factory to create an ecosystem surrounding their services.

Caballo de Troya (Trojan Horse) features the Ecocina stove as the protagonist and vehicle through which we understand StoveTeam International’s unique solution to this underreported public health issue and the partnerships their sponsored factories rely on to succeed. Through this approach we were able to weave together the numerous stories of Ecocina stove users, families at risk due to open cooking fires, and EcoComal’s unique approach to community outreach and education.

The film was featured in April 2016 for the launch of StoveTeam International’s “50 for $50” fundraising campaign to provide stoves to 50 women in need in rural Guatemala.

FROG IN A TENT | ONE CAREFREE NIGHT

The township of Manenberg stands twelve miles outside of Cape Town, South Africa. Formed under the apartheid regime in 1966 as a neighborhood for “Colourdes,” the South African word for citizens of mixed race, Manenberg lives under a legacy of racism defined by gang warfare, unemployment and drug addiction. Life as a gang member often prevails over education where high school graduation rates hover around 20 percent. However, within this bleak landscape, a small group of students defy those odds. Every year family and friends unite for the “matric dance” to celebrate their accomplishments, their matriculation (graduation) and hopes for a better future.

Runtime: 14:54

CREDITS

Executive Producers: Elles van Gelder, Ilvy Njiokiktjien
Director: Elles van Gelder
Video: Elles van Gelder
Photography: Ilvy Njiokiktjien
Editors: Jessey Dearing, Andrew Hida
Additional Video: Bram Janssen
Music: Dexter Britain, Generdyn, Chris Zabriskie

Client: Frog in a Tent
Services Provided: Editing
Publication Date: May 31, 2017

IDEA & RESULT

For three years, Elles van Gelder and Ilvy Njiokiktjien followed a group of students from Phoenix High School in Manenberg. Together they documented four high school students in photos and video through their final weeks of school leading up to their examinations and the matric dance. Upon completing filming and reporting, their team approached Jessey Dearing and I to support all stages of post-production.

We were so moved by our characters’ stories that we wanted our viewers to have the same experience. Our strategy was to craft an honest portrait about these teenagers founded in the universal coming of age experience. The story needed to balance a profound sense of pride and joy without discounting the bleak reality and daily challenges that face the youth of Manenberg.

The result was a 15-minute short film that elegantly weaves together four teenagers’ stories of survival, determination and discipline to become the first generation in their families to graduate high school. One Carefree Night has received high praises in multiple film festivals and has been published internationally. Even though the matric dance has come and gone, the story continues to challenge viewers and inspire hope.

SOLAR SISTER | SISTER TO SISTER. STOVE BY STOVE.

Fatma Hodari is a mother of four and a Solar Sister entrepreneur in Mforo village, Tanzania. For six months she has owned and run her own business selling solar lights and clean cook stoves to her neighbors and community to provide access to clean energy and to improve the health and livelihoods of her neighbors. She has become a leader and part of a sisterhood of clean energy entrepreneurs bringing safe cookstoves to their communities.

Runtime: 05:02

"Andrew was delightful and a natural collaborator. From the very first, he took direction with grace and consideration, always doing what was best for the project. He instantly fit in with the rest of the team and worked well on location. In the end, Andrew was an invaluable part of the finished film, and we at Ripple are excited to work with him on projects in the future."

– Annie Griffiths, Executive Director, Ripple Effect Images

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Cinematographer: Andrew Hida
Editor: Andrew Hida
Music: Boris Nonte, Gregg Lehrman, MP Soundcraft, Mark Russell
Photography: Joanna Pinneo
Field Assistant and Translations: John Nyallu
Field Producer: Fatma Muzo, Solar Sister
Producer: Annie Griffiths, Ripple Effect Images

Client: Ripple Effect Images for Solar Sister
Services Provided: Directing, Cinematography, Foreign Language Editing
Publication Date: February 17, 2016

BACKGROUND

Three billion people in the world rely on traditional cookstoves to cook their daily meals – stoves that require large quantities of solid fuels, like wood and charcoal. Toxic smoke from cooking fires causes more than four million deaths per year and is the single leading cause of death for women and for children under age five in the developing world. The World Health Organization estimates that smoke-related illnesses kill more people each year than malaria or tuberculosis. The problem is especially acute in rural Africa, where more than 80% of the population uses traditional stoves.

BRIEF

Solar Sister is an American NGO transforming the landscape of clean energy access by empowering over 2000 entrepreneurs in Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda to sell solar powered lanterns and clean cookstoves to their communities. Solar Sister wanted to tell a passionate, character-driven story to highlight the critical role of the entrepreneurs in distributing this technology to their communities and in changing the status quo for women in rural Africa while creating economic opportunities for themselves.

CHALLENGES AND RESULT

We invested a week in the field with two entrepreneurs, Julieth Mollel in Arusha, and Fatma Hodari in Moshi, in Northern Tanzania. We dove deep into their personal stories to get to the heart of their dedication to this grueling and challenging work that is driving a clean energy revolution.

Dust, smoke and heat proved to be logistical challenges in the field. The remote locations also provided logistical challenges in access to power and transportation, further underlining the real issues facing these communities that we were striving to illustrate.

Sister to Sister. Stove by Stove. is a a 5-minute character-driven short film featuring Fatma Hodari’s passionate story of empowerment. The film was published in February 2016 to showcase the power of women entrepreneurs and to coincide with Solar Sister's clean cookstove month.

VERBATIM | VISUAL. GLOBAL. STORYTELLING.

The Verbatim Agency is a new and unique photo agency launched in 2017, with offices based in New York City and London. Split into two core services Verbatim provides commercial visual solutions, and partners with brands and organizations to amplify social impact initiatives. The ten award-winning photojournalists and documentary filmmakers craft powerful, journalistically-driven narratives around social responsibility, philanthropic, and advocacy initiatives.

Runtime: 01:34

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Interview: Leandro Badalotti
Editor: Andrew Hida
Video: Rick Gershon, Gillian Laub, John Moore, Toby Smith, Shaul Schwarz, Tom Stoddart, Jonathan Torgovnik,
Photography: Lynsey Addario, Peter Dench, Veronique de Viguerie, Marco DiLauro, Gillian Laub, Shaul Schwarz, Toby Smith, Brent Stirton, Tom Stoddart, Jonathan Torgovnik
Interviews: Getty Images
Music: Chad Lawson
Client Side Producer: Lauren Steel
Executive Producer: Aidan Sullivan

Client: The Verbatim Agency
Services Provided: Directing, Producing, Editing
Publication Date: April 19, 2017

BRIEF

It has never been more relevant for brands to connect with their audiences through their own stories of social responsibility. The Verbatim Agency builds partnerships with companies and organizations to craft authentic, transformative visual stories around their social impact initiatives. With the 2017 launch of the agency, Verbatim needed a video to showcase the expansive visual currency of their elite roster of photographers and filmmakers. The video would tell Verbatim's story succinctly and eloquently, speak directly to its clientele's needs and be visually arresting. This video would serve as the main conduit into the corporate social responsibility arm of the Verbatim Agency.

IDEA AND RESULT

The project was informed by two descriptors: "simplicity" and "gravitas." We needed to feature the award-winning work of Verbatim's talent, while highlighting the fundamental principles that guide their work: authenticity, journalism, sensitivity and impact. Essential to our success was building a sophisticated relationship between the visuals and the messaging that informed and did not distract. Simplification proved most powerful in leading us to the heart of Verbatim's mission.

Pulling from a tremendous visual archive of still photography and video, we told the story of Verbatim's brand in 90-seconds. We made the decision early-on to carry the messaging through first-person testimony by Aidan Sullivan, CEO and Founder, and supported by two Verbatim photographers, Lynsey Addario and Brent Stirton. As a result, their voices are truly revealing of the values behind the agency's work: compassion, authenticity and drive.

THE NEW YORK TIMES | 36 HOURS

A traveler’s guide to a city’s most delicious, adventurous and fascinating must-see destinations when you only have 36 hours. What began as a weekly column in 2002, 36 Hours is a weekend staple of The New York Times travel section. Since August 2014, it has quickly become a weekday phenomenon with its newest addition of fast-paced, mouth-drooling, enticing videos that highlight three places to eat, see, and go out in each destination. The weekly video series is curated, crafted, and produced by Fritzie Andrade. The series has gained such popularity that it will soon be adapted into a 30-minute TV show on the Travel Channel.

CREDITS

Director and Producer: Fritzie Andrade
Cinematography: Jessey Dearing, Andrew Hida, Ava Benjamin
Sound: Louie Alfaro, Sarah Brady Voll
Editor: Will Lloyd, Aaron Wolfe

Client: The New York Times

Services Provided: Cinematography

Publication Date: 2015

MINERVA INSTITUTE | VISIONARY FUTURES

The Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship was established to support brilliant, deserving scholars everywhere. Despite dramatically reduced tuition costs to attend Minerva Schools, more than 80% of students in the graduating class of 2019 required some form of aid to attend. Minerva students come from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. The student body is not only geographically diverse in origin, but their personal stories that have led them to Minerva are equally diverse. This is the story of three of these students.

Runtime: 04:52

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Cinematography: Jessey Dearing, Andrew Hida
Editors: Jessey Dearing, Andrew Hida
Composer: Jim Greer
Featured Students: Coby Anderson, Dorotea Deshishku, Fabiola Kabera
Client Side Producer: Jules Shell

Client: Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship
Services Provided: Director, Production, Editing, Cinematography
Publication Date: February 24, 2016

BACKGROUND

The non-profit Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship supports qualified students to pursue educations at Minerva Schools through the administration of scholarships. The institute also facilitates and advocates for reform in higher education. Even with tuition costs at a fraction that of peer academic institutions, there is a tremendous worldwide need for financial support to attend. Minerva does not participate in the Federal student loan program and has instead developed an innovative financial assistance model that not only provides financial assistance through scholarships, but also provides real-world work experience as a component of the aid package.

BRIEF

The goal for this project was to not only highlight the unique model of financial assistance developed by Minerva, but also to place a face on the students that receive this support. The film is intended to be used as a tool to engage the support of philanthropists and inspire them to continue to donate and fund the work of the Minerva Institute in providing equal access to to quality education.

RESULT

Directed and produced by Hida Visuals Inc, Visionary Futures is a short film about three students’ experiences that have ignited their passions and inspired their trajectories in academics. These personal stories are just a sliver of the diverse, wide-reaching and common stories of need that resonate throughout the entire student body. We wanted to humanize the need and build a relationship between these deserving students and the philanthropists who will directly support them.

Shot in the cinematic documentary style that has come to define the Minerva brand, this film steps into the private side of these students' lives, resulting in a heart-felt and inspiring story.

SOLAR SISTER | LIGHT. HOPE. OPPORTUNITY.

Solar Sister eradicates energy poverty by empowering women with economic opportunity. Combining the breakthrough potential of solar technology and clean cookstoves with a women-led direct sales network, they bring light, hope and opportunity to even the most remote communities in rural Africa. Solar Sister creates sustainable businesses, powered by smart investment in women entrepreneurs. When you invest in a woman, you invest in the future.

Runtime: 02:51

CREDITS

Director: Andrew Hida
Cinematographer: Andrew Hida
Editor: Andrew Hida
Narrator: Paloma Guzman
Scripting: Carolyn Lucey, Solar Sister
Additional Video: Michael Davie
Music: Al Stone, Michael Walton
Photography: Joanna Pinneo
Field Assistant and Translations: John Nyallu
Field Producer: Fatma Muzo, Solar Sister
Producer: Annie Griffiths, Ripple Effect Images

Client: Ripple Effect Images for Solar Sister
Services Provided: Directing, Cinematography, Foreign Language Editing
Publication Date: April 26, 2016

BACKGROUND

Solar Sister is an American NGO working to eradicate energy poverty in East Africa by empowering women with economic opportunity. Founded on the guiding principle that women are the vital bridges connecting communities to clean energy technology, Solar Sister has developed a sisterhood of over 2000 entrepreneurs on the ground in three countries. More than 300,000 people have benefited from solar power and clean cookstoves, which have helped to increase gender equality, reduce exposure to toxic fumes and injury from open fires, protect the environment by reducing dependency on firewood, and expanding women’s economic opportunities.

BRIEF

Solar Sister needed a compact video that illustrated their model and familiarizes their audience with their mission–essentially, a crash course on Solar Sister. Solar Sister wanted an upbeat and inspiring tone that focused on their mission and vision, and less on the issues. The video would be used to fill a critical gap in their communication strategy to introduce their organization to new donors, engage new audiences and increase conversion.

IDEA AND RESULT

We invested a week in the field in Northern Tanzania with two entrepreneurs, Julieth Mollel in Arusha, and Fatma Hodari in Moshi. We expanded coverage of Solar Sister’s activities by incorporating footage from a prior shoot by Ripple Effect Images in Rwanda, featuring a third entrepreneur, Chantal Uwingabire.

We constructed the narrative around Solar Sister’s simple motto: Light. Hope. Opportunity. These three principles guided the story and laid the framework within which to explore the mission, vision, and impact of Solar Sister’s unique business model.

AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE | ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE

“On the Road: Khushi’s Story” explores the challenges that threatened to push Khushi Prajapati into lasting poverty and an unwanted, early marriage—and how a driving program helped her steer her life in a new direction. Set in Delhi, India, this short film highlights the impact of Azad Foundation’s “Women on Wheels” program. With financial support from American Jewish World Service, Azad is able to train low-income women with limited education to become taxi drivers, helping them break into a profitable, traditionally all-male profession.

VIEW FULL PROJECT

Runtime: 06:41

"AJWS wanted to tell true stories about child marriage that were emotionally captivating, but also showed the strength and strategies of the remarkable people we support in India. Andrew's editing talent and thoughtful collaboration was absolutely crucial to bringing that vision to the screen. He helped us unearth a unique feel and narrative structure for each video, crafting beautiful scenes driven not just by our footage, but by his carefully selected mix of music and natural sound.

His close attention to the details paid off, and I think the results speak for themselves. Moreover, he was such a pleasure to work with throughout post-production, even when facing some tight deadlines. He listened to us every step of the way, patiently working through feedback and ideas with us and rapidly coming up with creative solutions. AJWS is so thrilled with how these videos turned out."

– Elizabeth Daube, Research Communications Manager, American Jewish World Service, 2016

Photography and Videography: Jonathan Torgovnik
Editor: Andrew Hida
AJWS Producer: Elizabeth Daube
AJWS Project Manager: Dan Bloch
AJWS Vice President for Communications: Stuart Schear
Graphic Design: Elizabeth Leih

Client: American Jewish World Service
Services Provided: Foreign Language Editing
Publication Date: February 10, 2016

BACKGROUND

The American Jewish World Service is committed to ending poverty and promoting human rights in the developing world by supporting NGOs and non-profit organizations. Each year, 14 million girls worldwide are married before the age of 18. As part of a campaign to end child marriage, AJWS launched a microsite dedicated to telling the stories of the positive work carried out by their partner grantees in India.

BRIEF

The target audience of the video series is potential donors and the general public to generate donations and create public awareness of this important human rights issue. The videos would be sent out through social media and email channels to drive traffic to the microsite, as well as to generate interest in the media for additional syndication. Above all, AJWS wanted to produce a series of character-driven narratives that told emotional stories at the core of the grantees' mission: transforming adolescent girls’ lives on the ground by empowering them through opportunity and education of their rights.

RESULT

In collaboration with Jonathan Torgovnik and AJWS, we produced a two-part short web documentary series that told the success stories of Sonali Khatun, a young girl in West Bengal, India, and Khushi Prajapati a young cab driver in Delhi, India. Through their personal narratives we look at the cultural and social norms necessary to understand the prolific practice of child marriage in India, the scope of MBBCDS and Azad's work with women and girls, and the impact that these organizations have had in transforming young Indian women's lives.

The result are two emotional short films featured on the AJWS microsite, syndicated by Refinery 29 and Women in the World (a New York Times affiliate), and garnered much interest by the media, including Al Jazeera Media Network.

MINERVA SCHOOLS | THE ACTIVE LEARNING FORUM: A NEW WAY TO LEARN

Minerva Schools is designed around a new vision of higher education founded upon decades of research into the science of learning. At the core of its approach to education is the Active Learning Forum (ALF) where the school’s rigorous pedagogy and innovative technology meet to create an advanced learning environment designed to facilitate face-to-face interaction between professors and classmates. This short film tells the story of three students and a professor as they come together on the platform during a typical seminar at Minerva.

Runtime: 05:20

CREDITS

Directors: Jessey Dearing, Andrew Hida
Cinematography: Jessey Dearing, Andrew Hida
Editors: Jessey Dearing, Andrew Hida
Animation: Jeremy Solterbeck
Composer: Jim Greer
Featured Students: Sultanna Krispil, Guillaume Picard, Haziq Azizi Ahmad Zakir
Featured Professors: Vicki Chandler, Stephen Kosslyn
Client Side Producer: Jules Shell
Production Intern: Eynat Grof

Client: Minerva Schools
Services Provided: Director, Production, Editing, Cinematography
Publication Date: April 23, 2015

BACKGROUND

Minerva Schools is an accredited four-year liberal arts university. In its second academic year, Minerva’s enrollment has more than quadrupled. As interest in the school explodes, Minerva often receives questions from prospective students and parents about how they conduct their seminars. This film aims to break the misconception that Minerva is an online university (which it is not) and to distinguish itself from massive open online courses (MOOCs).

BRIEF

The goal was to re-invent the typical tech product video by telling the story around the product through four main characters that is experiential at its core and informative at its periphery. In addition, we needed to feature the advanced set of tools at the hands of both the professors and students, feature the dynamic and flexible student-to-student and professor-to-student interaction, highlight the rigorous academics, and most importantly, show that the virtual environment is an incredibly powerful model for instruction and learning inaccessible in the traditional classroom of typical universities.

RESULT

Produced by Hida Visuals Inc and co-directed with Jessey Dearing, The Active Learning Forum: A new way to learn is a dynamic 5.5-minute short film (with an abridged companion version) featured in one of four main verticals on Minerva Schools’ website for prospective students. In addition, the film will be used for corporate presentations and student orientation events.

Minerva required the authentic, cinematic documentary style of shooting and storytelling that has come to define their brand. As a result, we decided to shoot a real class seminar to capture genuine moments and real interactions. The logistics required to shoot four students and a professor simultaneously proved incredibly complex. The two months of pre-production leading up to the shoot set us up for success in the field and laid the foundation for an intricate edit combining live action and animation.

The result is a film that tells the story of the impact that the Active Learning Forum has on student learning and professor instruction. We explore not only the depth and breadth of the platform tools, but also highlight the real relationships that develop both inside and outside the classroom.

MSNBC | THE FENCE

Photographer Charles Ommanney drove nearly 2000 miles along the US-Mexico border from Brownsville, TX to San Diego, CA where he photographed and filmed the border fence, and gathered testimony from US citizens along the border. The result is a unique perspective on the immigration debate through a conceptual exploration of the economic, political, environmental, and humanitarian costs of the construction of this fence.

Runtime: 10:08

CREDITS

Photography: Charles Ommanney
Video: Charles Ommanney
Editor and Producer: Andrew Hida
Graphics: Andrew Hida
Motion Graphic Map: Meagan Choi, Andrew Hida, Mina Liu
Executive Producers: Richard Wolffe and Amy Pereira

Client: MSNBC

Services Provided: Multimedia Production, Graphics

Publication Date: June 30, 2014

BRIEF

The photography department of MSNBC wanted to produce a 3-part series of short docs with the photography and video shot by photographer Charles Ommanney. The three videos needed to be produced in an intentionally cohesive visual style. However, each video also needed to stand alone in content and context since they would be published independently over three weeks.

IDEA AND RESULT

The Fence is a branded 3-part MSNBC Original series that explores three important themes surrounding the debate over the US-Mexico border fence: The Human Toll, The Financial Cost, and The Environmental Impact. Each video tackles a complicated issue through a series of personal anecdotes that explore the complex relationship between the people and the land that they live on.

We decided on a conceptual approach to the editing and storytelling where voices do not necessarily represent nor coincide with the visuals. The result was a refreshing break from the traditional narrative structure and felt more experiential.

In order to create a consistent visual identity, each video is preceded by a driving 21-second bumper: a montage of voices and video from the project. To distinguish the chapters, following the bumper, the viewer was presented with a set of data and contextual information to position the particular video in the complex political, and historical landscape surrounding the US-Mexico border fence.

ACCOLADES

2015. World Press Photo Multimedia Contest, 2nd Prize Long Feature

FOLLOW MY STEPS

Andrew Cunningham is a typical 13 year-old. He complains about studying, and spends hours playing on Xbox Live with friends. The only difference is he is in a powered wheelchair. Born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, Andrew relies on his father Tom for nearly everything. As Andrew enters the roller coaster of adolescence, he must deal with growing pains, as well as his struggle with independence, and the uncertainties of his disease. Andrew finds a brother in 21-year-old Tony Reuter, born with brittle bone disease. Finding his way out of a difficult childhood, Tony guides Andrew towards normalcy as they both approach milestones in their lives.

Runtime: 16:12

CREDITS

Director, Producer and Editor: Andrew Hida
Cinematography: Andrew Hida
Colorist: Michael Curry
Advisors: Seth Gitner, Eric Maierson, Bruce Strong

Publication Date: January 22, 2012

ACCOLADES

2014. Katherine Schneider Journalism Award for Excellence in Reporting on Disability, Finalist.

2013. AI-AP International Motion Art Awards
SELECTED.

2013. The San Francisco International Festival of Short Films
Special Recognition for Documentary.

2013. NPPA Best of Photojournalism
2nd Place Documentary Multimedia Story.

2013. Northern Short Course Contest
2nd Place Longform Multimedia.

2012. SyRECuse Film Festival
1st Place Student Film.

SCREENINGS

2013. AI-AP Motion Art Awards
2013. DOC NYC Film Festival
2013. Reel Health International Health Short Film Festival
2013. San Francisco International Festival of Short Films
2013. Athens International Film + Video Festival
2013. Invited to present at the Society for Disability Studies 26th Annual Convention

REPORTAGE BY GETTY IMAGES | GOD'S IVORY

Award-winning photojournalist Brent Stirton reveals the shocking and tragic reality of the illegal ivory trade. Despite the CITES Treaty of 1989, which banned the global trade of ivory and rhino horn, the unlawful business of killing elephants continues, resulting in the slaughter of thousands of endangered elephants in Africa. Following a three-year investigation with writer Bryan Christy into this corrupt multimillion-dollar industry, this documentary exposes the influence of religion in fueling the demand for ivory, which has led to the greatest elephant-poaching crisis in history.

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Runtime: 14:56

CREDITS

Photography: Brent Stirton
Reporting and Video: Bryan Christy
Editor and Producer: Andrew Hida
Interviews: Andrew Hida
Archival Photographs: Tom Stoddart

Client: Reportage by Getty Images

Services Provided: Motion Graphics, Multimedia Production, Original Reporting

Publication Date: April 26, 2013

BRIEF

Reportage by Getty Images wanted to produce a short documentary on the global ivory trade based on staff photographer Brent Stirton’s photographs and writer Bryan Christy’s three-year investigation of the issue. This documentary would be featured in the first issue of Journal, a quarterly digital magazine that showcases the work of Reportage by Getty Images photographers.

CHALLENGES

Stirton and Christy’s work on the illegal ivory trade was originally published in the October 2012 issue of National Geographic in a story called “Blood Ivory.” The main challenge with this documentary was the need to produce a video that drew upon the facts and issues reported in the print article but through a separate and distinct story. The goal of the video was to provide an additional layer of understanding on the global ivory trade, not to simply recreate the print story in video form.
Working with such a large topic, it was important to simplify this complex issue. With multiple moving parts all interconnected, what information needed to be included and what could be excluded? How would I provide greater understanding of a global issue while at the same time scaling it down into a consumable video? Ultimately, many of these decisions came down to how well the visuals and narrative could interweave, and how effective the visuals could elevate the messaging of the narrative.

RESULT

The end result is a 15-minute video told through the eyes of the principle investigators. Through a dynamic back and forth between Brent Stirton and Bryan Christy, their voices carefully shape the narrative to provide a comprehensive understanding of the global ivory trade. They deliver first-hand anecdotes recalling what they witnessed, placing the viewer in the belly of the ivory factories, in the obsessions of the collectors, and at ground zero of the mass killing grounds of elephants in Africa. 

The video provides an in-depth and visceral experience for the viewer, sustained visually by a mix of audio, video, photographs, and motion graphics. The story is driven by a selection of music paired with the carefully paced narrative content. The result is a high-impact, sophisticated, personal story that forces the viewer to question the very policies and cultural practices that have allowed the global ivory trade lead to the greatest massacre of African elephants in history.

ACCOLADES

2014. Nominee, The Webby Awards: Individual Documentary Episode

2014. Northern Short Course Contest: 3rd Place Team Multimedia

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