Academic Institutions

ACADEMIC ADMISSIONS & BRANDING, VIDEO PRODUCTION, INSTITUTIONAL FUNDING & ADVOCACY

SDJA

Capturing the Soul of the Academic Community

The administration at San Diego Jewish Academy engaged me and JLS Video Agency to produce narrative driven video content that could accurately showcase the unique culture of their campus and student life. The primary goal was to capture the genuine connections between students and faculty, while placing a particular spotlight on graduating seniors who are aspiring to attend elite universities and secure ambitious future careers. SDJA needed a strategic visual tool that integrated past campus event coverage, authentic student interviews, and insightful teacher perspectives to demonstrate what it truly feels like to attend the academy, with the ultimate objective of driving admissions and boosting student enrollment.

I took on the comprehensive role of director, cinematographer, and creative consultant for this campaign. To authentically build the academy's story, I crafted a visual narrative that relied heavily on interviews where students and teachers alike shared exactly how their relationships thrive in and out of the classroom setting.

By blending cinematic b-roll of daily student life with the moments of graduation, I built an emotionally resonant suite of content. This content capsule vividly emphasizes the school’s core values of community, mentorship, and high level college preparation. The finalized content serves as an active enrollment engine for the academy, framing SDJA not merely as a school, but as a crucial foundation for long-term lifelong success.

Key Stats

  • 5+ Multi Channel Campaigns Produced

  • Thousands of video views by prospective families

  • Increase in digital enrollment inquiry click-through rates

  • 3x Social media engagement on admissions-focused content

San Ysidro School District

Visualizing Academic Needs and Opportunities

The San Ysidro School District was preparing a major advocacy campaign aimed at securing funding to expand its footprint, upgrade current academic curriculums, modernize aging school facilities, and providing essential resources. The district needed to clearly illustrate a specific story: the bright potential and vibrant daily lives of their students versus the real, physical limitations of their current infrastructure. They required content that could justify and win funding approval.

I stepped into this project alongside Prismedia as the assistant camera operator, taking responsibility for capturing the essence of student life and the current state of the district's physical campuses. While I did not conduct the student interviews directly, my focus was entirely on framing the human stories unfolding within the classrooms and recreational spaces.

I carefully documented the kids' learning environments alongside the specific facilities that are in need of modernization and expansion. By focusing heavily on authentic student movement and candid classroom interactions, my camerawork helped ground the district's larger funding proposal in human impact, providing the visual evidence necessary to demonstrate how updated facilities would directly elevate the community's future.

Key Stats

  • State and local capital funding secured

  • 5+ School campuses and community centers visually cataloged

  • 10+ Hours of documentary style b-roll delivered

Results

  • Increase Brand & District Awareness: Elevating San Diego Jewish Academy’s educational model to families seeking private education. Bringing widespread municipal attention to the critical infrastructure needs of the San Ysidro School District.

  • Brand & Institutional Elevation: Framing SDJA as a premier school that grows students for Ivy League Level universities. Legitimizing San Ysidro’s institutional request for upgraded facilities.

  • Drive Community Engagement: Inspiring parents, alumni, and local voters to engage with the educational content through extended watch times, localized shares, and active discussion regarding the future of San Diego student life.

  • Boost Student Enrollment: Directly contributing to a measurable increase in campus tour bookings, private consultations, and incoming enrollment applications for San Diego Jewish Academy's upcoming academic years.

  • Secure Institutional Funding: Delivering the critical, high-fidelity visual evidence required by the San Ysidro School District to successfully expand academic curriculums, and secure funding for new infrastructure.