GOVERNMENT COMMS

Not your average one-woman, creative storytellin' band.

Below are samples of my work for Alexandria, Virginia, in which I brainstormed, storyboarded, wrote scripts, shot and edited (sometimes from the field) unassisted.

I wanted to do this video after my stormwater engineers explained road shape is actually part of stormwater infrastructure. I didn't think that was common knowledge, so other people would be just as fascinated by this information. I was right - the video recorded 9,000 views in 24 hours and is still the most-watched video on the T&ES Instagram.

I created this motion graphic to let Alexandria residents know how submitting service requests through Alex311 helps resolve issues and track improvement plans. (July 2022)

Stormwater and ... donuts?

Yep.

I look for any way to insert my team into the conversation. For National Donut Day I played off the "donut/do not" pun to promote the Stormwater Management Division's mission to protect water quality. Graphics are fine, but I knew I could do better, so I created a stop motion video with a few donuts and some After Effects magic. (June 2022)

Because I'm embedded directly with my team, I pick up interesting story ideas when I overhear their conversations.

Oh, someone's coming out to fix a floating wetland next week? I'll be there.

This video, which highlights my team's commitment to protecting water quality in the city, is the most liked video post on the T&ES Instagram page of all time. (May 2022).

I wrote the script, filmed and edited this video to promote the city's water quality efforts to publish during Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week.

Before I joined the city, I had no idea a human goes around to inspect stormwater management facilities. As I learned about my colleague's job as the water quality compliance specialist, I knew other people would be just as fascinated, so I tagged along with him while he did an inspection. (April 2022)

I created this video to highlight flood mitigation work by Public Works Division engineers.

I created this reel with fun transitions and music to mark Earth Day. This was exclusive for Instagram because of the music's royalties. (April 2022)

A local Girl Scout group helps the Stormwater Management Division place markers on storm drains. (March 2022)

I created this video to highlight sanitary infrastructure work.

I created this dog poop PSA reel as a water quality message for my Stormwater Management Division team. This was exclusive to Instagram because of the music's royalties. (Mission Impossible theme song) (January 2022)

I wanted to create a post to celebrate my boss' appointment to a prestigious state flood mitigation advocacy group without being too squeazy and self-serving. I approached this like a reporter. I asked him how the group works to advocate for all Virginians, then used his response as the news hook. I edited his portrait in Photoshop and added text animation in After Effects. Cool way to celebrate my team and bring attention to my team's public service to all Virginians.

I created this Marie Kondo-inspired concept to bring attention to keeping storm drains free of debris.

I created this video to highlight the city's comprehensive approach to flood mitigation.

I produced this video to highlight a spot improvement project aimed to reduce flooding.

Fleet Services.

The forgotten heroes in literally any storm event. Hurricane knocked down trees? Rain storm flood roads? Snow covering hospital parking lots? Someone has to make sure emergency vehicles are prepared and ready to go when disaster strikes and that's where Fleet Services shines.

I spent an hour with a Fleet Services technician who was preparing a vehicle ahead of a snow storm.

Several residents were confused by the way the defined categories of roads, so I grabbed a snow commander to break it down and folded in B roll I shot from ride-alongs with snow plow drivers from snow operations. (January 2022)

I was blown away by how cool the city's traffic operations worked during a snow storm. I was surprised no one had ever done a video showing the public how the traffic operations team works, so I threw a mic on the director and asked him a few questions. I stuck around to shoot B roll in the center and edited this video in a few hours. It was online the same day I shot it.

I love this video because creating it was a challenge.

I was tasked with creating a video to answer common questions people ask about snow operations. The City didn't have a lot of archive material to work with for B roll, and the content it did have, wasn't up to standard, which is understandable since they didn't have someone with video/photography skills on staff previously.

I knew I didn't want a talking-head video because we'd lose viewers. So, I cut the video to have different shots, selected upbeat music and created kinetic typography to use for the graphics of the questions. They're small tactics, but pay off in a huge way.

I shot this video on iPhone with Beastgrip Pro equipment and Rode wireless mics. I set up a teleprompter for the script. Edited in Premiere Pro and After Effects.