Tele Team Takes Home Three Emmys
The 47th Annual Southeast Emmy Awards took place this past Saturday, June 18, in celebration of hard-earned work and excellence in craft. This year’s nominees proved their resiliency by continuing to push out award-winning material despite the hurdles of 2020. Telegraph’s own creative team was no exception, bringing home three Emmys for videos produced on behalf of YellaWood and in support of Bham Strong.
Our work would not be possible without our clients, who trust us to tell their stories with integrity and intentionality. Cheers to our clients, to our team of ideators, inventors and creators, and to continuing to execute on our mission to create art with a job to do.
Check out our award-winning work, and learn more about the creative process behind the scenes.
Creators: Ginnard Archibald, Catherine May, Shannon Long and Susan Elliott Reach
Video: We Are Magic
Category: Public Service Announcement – Single Spot
Creator: Ginnard Archibald
Video: We Are Magic
Category: Photographer – Short Form Content
As the pandemic became part of Birmingham’s reality in the Spring of 2020, the Telegraph team felt a calling to reconnect the community of the Magic City. The creative leaders got together, and the concept for an anthemic video was born. “The way it related to the PSA category is that it was a rallying cry for the community. The goal of the piece was to try and bring people together and encourage everyone to support local businesses,” said Director of Video Content Cat May, who worked as a key director and producer of the video.
Associate Creative Director Susan Elliott Reach was brought onto the project to craft a poetic script that would later be voiced-over by Mayor Woodfin in the final video. The words are a tribute to the city—a reminder that the people of Birmingham are truly what make the Magic City so special. “I love Birmingham, and the people here are what has made it feel like home for me. So when it was time to rally our community together in a difficult time, it hit me that ‘The Magic City’ has more than one meaning. The script and the imagery together create an ode to the resilient and courageous people that make Birmingham truly magical,” Susan said.
The team wanted to focus the video on local businesses as a way of encouraging Birmingham area residents to continue supporting small enterprises who were scrapping to survive. “The inspiration behind choosing the local businesses we highlight came from when I was walking the streets of Birmingham every day, shooting photography and picking up to-go food to try and support local shops,” said Director of Video Content Ginnard Archibald. Ginnard grabbed close-up shots of employees from each site to show the “resilience in their eyes.” His work earned him an Emmy as Photographer on this project.
As “We Are Magic” took shape, the team reached out to the Bham Strong Fund to find the best way to forward any funds and donations that may have been inspired by the video directly to them. The “We Are Magic” T-shirts were designed, and all funds were given to Bham Strong, and then funneled to local businesses.
Creator: Michael Southerland
Video: Optimist Creed
Category: Graphic Arts – Visual Effects
The “Optimist Creed” isn’t just a poem—it’s a lifestyle that informs the choices, values and attitude of Great Southern Wood Founder and CEO Jimmy Rane. Jimmy’s father introduced him to the poem at an early age, and the verses stuck with him. Today, the “Optimist Creed” is a mantra whose words Jimmy strives to live by, to pass down to his children, and to inspire his employees in their daily work at GSW.
Moved by the story behind the “Optimist Creed,” the creative team at Telegraph decided to use it as a key element in the YellaWood 50th anniversary campaign. “The original idea was to use B-roll over the voiceover of Jimmy reading the poem aloud,” said Cat. But after the first iteration was completed, the team felt it was missing something. Executive Creative Director Shannon Long suggested incorporating kinetic type, a technique that mixes motion and text to express ideas using video animation.
Post Production and 3D Designer Michael Southerland was brought in to add 3D elements that would raise the caliber of the project to new heights. “There are four big scenes in the video that are all composed of 3D elements, while other scenes are real footage that utilize tracked motion graphics,” said Michael. The added components gave new life to the words that are lived out by the GSW family every day.
Our team of creatives is in a constant state of evolution, imagining and reimagining how to best bring to life the work we do on behalf of our clients—and we couldn’t do it without them. Our dedication to collaboration, both internally and alongside our clients, is a testament to our obsession with finding the best possible ideas for our clients and their brands. We’re proud to celebrate our Emmy wins alongside them.