Winning on Time, Budget, and Making Things Look Pretty: Our 2023 National ADDY Award Journey

Mission to Milestone

We at Once Films, as a St. Louis-based creative production studio, have always been driven by a passion for storytelling. Our mission is to capture the spirit of our subjects, create compelling narratives, and deliver high-quality cinematic experiences. Today, we are incredibly proud to share that our commitment to this craft has led to another exciting achievement: winning a 2023 National ADDY Award for Cinematography.

About the 2023 National ADDY Awards

The American Advertising Federation (AAF) is a respected organization that represents the breadth of the advertising industry. Each year, AAF hosts the National ADDY Awards, an event that recognizes creative excellence in advertising. The competition receives more than 25,000 entries, and each national entry must have won at their local and district levels. These awards represent the pinnacle of recognition in our field, and it's an honor to have our work acknowledged at this level. We were entered in the Elements of Advertising - Cinematography category, a rather important component of our work and a testament to our team's extraordinary talent and dedication.

The Winning Project - John Beck Steel Documentary

The award-winning project that shone brightly in the ADDY's spotlight was a short documentary featuring the work and story of John Beck Steel. The man behind the eponymous brand is an artist and craftsman whose distinctive lighting designs have graced spaces from flagship Starbucks locations to high-end hotels and residences. His work is an interplay of creativity, precision, and industrial beauty.

Given our ethos of storytelling, we set out to create a film that would capture John's unique creative process and the spirit of his brand. However, the challenge lay not only in portraying the rich narrative but also in navigating a tight timeline and budget, without compromising on the quality of the output.

Our Methodology

The budget for the project was under $10,000 and the filming had to be completed within a tight span of 3 or so hours. That includes loading in, scouting, setting up and capturing the (hilarious) interview and all supporting footage. For many, this would have been a daunting task. But at Once Films, we think that limitations often breed creativity. It was a chance to prove that our light, nimble, and instinctive approach to editorial filmmaking could produce results that were both efficient and exceptional.

The key to our success was frictionless teamwork and an intimate understanding of our goals. We familiarized ourselves with John and his workspace beforehand, mostly via social media, which helped us visualize the potential shots, identify the best way to capture them, and plan an effective schedule that would maximize the limited shooting time. Our team took time at our studio to talk through creative ideas, and bring all the tools necessary to bring those ideas to life. For example, welding arcs strobe light at certain frequencies, and we knew we’d have to adjust our cameras to non-standard shutter speeds to compensate. Because of this meticulous preparation, when we arrived on set we operated like a well oiled machine.

Addressing Challenges

In an industry where production value is king, budget and time constraints often cause concerns for clients. They yearn for the perfect balance: high-quality work delivered on time and within budget. At Once Films, we've made it our mission to bridge this gap.

Our approach to the John Beck Steel project is a prime example. By leveraging our creative instincts, honing our planning process, and harnessing the power of a lean, agile crew, we were able to create a captivating piece that met the set timeline and budget without compromising on production value.

Our Past Wins and Future Plans

This isn't our first rodeo with the National ADDY Awards. In fact, it's our sixth time standing in the winner's circle, four times for Cinematography and twice for Editing. Each win is a validation of our commitment to our craft, but it doesn't mean we rest on our laurels. Each project, each story, is a new opportunity to push our boundaries and explore the depths of our creativity.

Though we’ll enjoy our latest accolade, we remain steadfast in our mission to continually refine our process, explore our craft, and create work that we, and our clients, are proud of. This award is not just a symbol of what we've achieved, but also a beacon that illuminates our path forward.