Real Stories

Stories this powerful deserve more than the typical “talking heads” treatment.

In 2021, community members were chosen as the faces of Fresno County Department of Behavioral Health’s mental health awareness campaign.

I spent hours with each subject, condensing years of pain and loss into 30 powerful seconds. Working closely with my art director and motion graphics animator, I described scenes from their lives that didn’t make it into the script, to help capture their feelings of darkness and suffering.

I was also honored to interview more people who faced unimaginable loss, substance use disorders and other challenges — to share their stories and stop the stigma around mental health.

These 7 stories of hope can be found here.

2021 Telly Award Winner