Published: March 30, 2022
It might be hard to look past everything that’s going on in the world when you examine the past year, but when we did, we realized that we had a lot of moments to smile about. There were so many cool projects for us that we decided to make a list of them. We’re calling them our favorite projects of 2021, but honestly if we listed all the cool stuff we’ve done, we’d crash the servers. Not every year leaves a legacy this large, so we’re gonna celebrate it.
Brian
Kishwaukee College Foundation Testimonials https://youtu.be/9OWdDi4BS9k
“I like how we were able to tell the whole story and reach multiple audiences by interviewing both the donor and recipient of the Kishwaukee College Foundation scholarships. The client shared with us how these touching stories brought tears to their eyes. The students’ stories even moved one donor to create an entirely new scholarship specifically because of these testimonials.”
Amy & Katie
Midwest Groundcovers Spring Video https://youtu.be/8MUXo4-if-4
Amy:
“I think my favorite from this past year has to be the music video we did for Midwest Groundcovers. They are always fun to work with, and they give us a lot of creative freedom when it comes to doing these projects for them. They go all in for every production, use so many of their staff, and are up for whatever crazy idea we throw their way. Because they are such a great creative partner, we were able to film it all in one day, and it was approved in one round of edits! That almost never happens. They even had us create a sing-along version to play at a conference where it will be seen by hundreds of people.”
Katie:
“I also love this project. First of all, the video is hilarious. The client is always really into it, and everyone says what a joy they are to work with on set. Even though I wasn’t part of this project, it’s so easy to see how invested everybody was. It’s great to have clients that put as much effort into their marketing as we do for them. They match our efforts, which is really appreciated. It just makes the whole thing lovely to behold.”
Leslie
Byers Brewing Sunny Skies Hard Seltzer Label
“I loved being able to bring hand-lettered type and illustrations to the design, really customizing it for the feel of the seltzer and the fun of summer. Seeing the design out in the wild at their brewery and the local farmer’s market was really cool!”
Sara
1. Byers Dark Label
“All of the labels we’ve created for Byers Brewing are so cool. I enjoy hearing customers remark about them while I’m hanging out there. I’m partial to the Byers Dark label being my favorite. That was my idea. I sketched it out, and Leslie brought it to life! It continues to be so rewarding.”
2. Hinckley Hub Website https://hinckleyhub.org/
“I liked the way the teamwork flowed all around with this from-scratch website project. Once the domain was created, everything came together. This was not our largest project, but it had so much heart. Their new website is a perfect way to showcase the hidden gems of this local town!”
Darren
1. Blains Farm and Fleet “Father’s Day” TV Commercial https://youtu.be/dDZHOQFuPO0
“Many small details went into this commercial with the help of several OC team members, including our accounting administrator who got involved by hand-painting key props. Those details helped the final project capture the exact feel we were hoping for. It was filmed really expertly, and the production locations were perfect. Overall, it was a successful outcome. Both the client and the team were thrilled.”
2. Kishwaukee YMCA “Ry and Keyonte” https://youtu.be/4jVFP5IUJ9s
“Ry and Keyonte are parents of 3 young kids, and they expressed their gratitude for the Kishwaukee YMCA being a “life changer” for their young family. They gave a great interview in our studio, talking about how helpful the YMCA has been for their family, and the footage we captured of them having fun at the YMCA really helped bring their story to life.”
Penelope
McHelp App Commercial https://youtu.be/u6RQu3qh_oo
“We conducted voiceovers in the studio, and then it was animated! Everyone did a really great job, and the end product captured the feeling the client was going for of approachability and reality in equal measures.”
Meredith
OC Monsters
“This was a project designed to show off and reintroduce the OC employees and contract workers in a fun and creative way. I got to illustrate unique monsters for each person and make them personalized to them using their favorite leisure activities and favorite colors. I also created a simple logo to go with the series as a way of introduction. It was perfect timing, because the last person was scheduled to be posted on our socials the week before Halloween, so I made a Halloween scene with everyone in it for the big finale!”
June
DeKalb Corn Classic Video https://youtu.be/RAzG7HNZp60
“It’s always a blast to be driving around in a golf cart getting photos and videos of the runners (and giving them high fives)! Rain or shine, we try to really capture the feel of the event, the enthusiasm of the participants, and the dedication of all the volunteers who make it happen.”
Rachel & Justin
Tails Humane Society Foster Care Videos
The video on this project is property of the client and not posted publicly.
Rachel:
“My favorite would have to be the videos that we did for Tails pet foster parents. We got to lend our voice talents to them, the content of the footage was really entertaining since it was a bunch of cute cats and pups, and I loved the lighthearted and playful editing I got to do.”
Justin:
“It was really great to lend some voice talent to this project. Even when the subject matter was a little unpleasant (gotta be prepared for every eventuality when fostering pets, you know), it feels good to be involved in teaching people how to give animals in need the proper care before they find a forever home. If we had done nothing else last year, this would still have been a worthy impact on the community and the lives of local shelter pets.”
And there you have it! We’re currently working on a ton of great projects that we’re sure to recall in next year’s list. Stay tuned!