Microdocumentary:
A Law Firm's Pro Bono Triumph
Debevoise created The Holloway Project to fight for criminal justice reform and to combat racial inequality. To date, they have secured sentence reductions totaling more than 1,100 years for over 30 incarcerated men.
To highlight their award-winning pro bono initiative, we produced a microdocumentary-style video featuring two of their clients and the two lead attorneys.
Created during the early days of the COVID lockdown, we faced the challenge of virtual filming, which was an emerging process and not something I had done before.
Deliverables:
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Creative direction
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Storyboarding and scripting
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Interview filming virtually over Zoom
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Editing and motion graphics
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Postproduction
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Thumbnail packaging design
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Title & description SEO/copywriting
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YouTube channel setup, publishing
The 3 clips below are pulled from the final 6-minute video
EXCERPTS: FIRM PARTNER JOHN GLEESON & LITIGATION ASSOCIATE MARISA TANEY
EXCERPTS: TODD ELLERBY'S STORY
EXCERPTS: KEVIN HAYNES' STORY
Planning & Pre-Production
To understand the case's complex laws, I consulted with the lawyers and reviewed numerous court documents, transcripts, and news articles.
Next, I developed a minimalist storyboard outline that emphasized essential legal procedures and incorporated published quotes from participants to ensure both accuracy and emotional resonance.
By consolidating all the gathered information into a storytelling script outline, this facilitated stakeholder feedback, pinpointed opportunities for b-roll and motion graphics, and established a strong foundation for editing.
DOCUMENT REVIEWS & DISCOVERY EXAMPLES
STORYBOARD OUTLINE EXAMPLE
Filming & Editing
Produced during the COVID lockdown, we interviewed and filmed each person separately over Zoom from their different locations. We also allocated extra time for interviews, allowing for improvisation and flexibility in editing.
Prior to recording, I created a PDF guide and consulted with each participant to locate neutral backgrounds and consistent camera framing and lighting as much as possible.
I made adjustments in post-production to improve quality, ensure visual continuity, and create an engaging story within the given constraints.
RAW FOOTAGE: 4 HOURS
FINAL EDIT: 6.5 MINUTES
COLOR CORRECTION & TOUCHUP
Publishing & Analytics
After approval, the final video was published on the client’s website, YouTube channel, and a short clip that featured Kevin was published on LinkedIn.
A condensed version was also created for the NLADA Beacon of Justice Award ceremony.
For YouTube, I set up the client's channel as a business brand and conducted SEO research for the title and description, which helped the video rank on Google’s first page for “The Holloway Project.” I monitored analytics to provide insights on the video's performance for future uploads.
