Black and white.

When you shoot in black and white, you strip the visual look of a film down to its essentials of light and shadow. It’s raw. It’s compelling. The eye is less distracted.

In this video we produced for Aid For Women, we were telling the emotional stories of women experiencing unplanned pregnancies, and we wanted viewers to connect with these sensitive situations as quickly as possible. So we shot the b-roll in black and white, but then we went a step further. When interviewing the Aid For Women clients who would be featured in the piece, the director sent the production crew out of the room, so it was just him, the interview subject and a microphone. He asked the women to close their eyes and tell their stories in the present tense — as if the experience were happening right now.

The results provide an immediacy and universality to their stories that showcases the ongoing mission of Aid For Women. The organization didn’t just help these specific women, it continues to assist women in these situations every day. As the video moves into the impact of Aid For Women’s support, color is restored and the mood of the piece brightens as a visual representation of hope and new life.

We have been blessed to work with Aid For Women for about five years now, and in that time we have always used RED cameras and other high quality gear. That paid off on this project, as we were able to integrate b-roll that had been gathered years ago without losing any visual quality in the footage. Quality gear makes a difference!