NOT EVERYTHING CHANGES
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Director's Treatment
written by Taylor Robinson
This video will flirt with Samford's rich history, while driving home the "WHY" behind Samford's existence. We'll use archive photos and footage, along with current footage and pictures from the 170+ years of Samford's life.
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The best way for you to understand this concept it to read the script below. But, before you do, I would like to give you some inspiration.
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Now before you read any further, I request that you WATCH and READ on a desktop or laptop computer. Your phone won't do this idea justice...plus the script won't format correctly on your tiny screen. So please don't read any further until you're looking on a computer.
Inspiration
The best example of what I hope to accomplish can be summed up in this 2014 Super Bowl commercial that Chrysler made with Bob Dylan.
This idea is going to use dozens and dozens of archive photos and footage to accomplish the visuals. The pictures will come fast and really tell 1,000 stories a minute. This intro video to the 2010 BCS National Championship gives a great example of how I hope to use the pictures.
The Script
Now that you see the vibe I'm going for, here's the script. The following is a side-by-side script. What you see is on the left and what you will hear is on the right. The columns are meant to be consumed simultaneously. (This is the part you HAVE to read on a computer - your phone won't work.)
VISUALS
The stage in the Wright Center is empty, except for a single spot light center stage. From off screen walks on Dr. Westmoreland. He get’s to the center of the stage, settles, then speaks confidently to the camera.
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A simple marching song begins. Throughout the entire video the song slowly/constantly builds.
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We begin to see dozens and dozes of archival/historical photos from Samford’s past. They come at us so quickly that we can hardly keep up with all the images. Howard College. Past presidents. Old sports teams. Breaking ground. Etc.
More photos still. Graduations. Old fashioned classrooms. Old black and white. The move to Homewood. The building of the bell tower. Chapel in Reed. The opening of the law school. Diplomas. Caps. Gowns. Tons and tons of pics.
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Now we’re seeing footage of American progress. Cars. Old steel workers. Manufacturing. Churches. Flower power. The internet. FACEBOOK!
The song takes a small break…giving our audience a moment to breathe.
Now we’re back on Dr. Westmorland in the studio. After saying “but not everything.” He grins.
FULL SCREEN TEXT READS: “FOR GOD.”
As Westmoreland reads the text we begin to see dozens and dozens of photos and footage of Samford students engaging the world with their Faith. Chapel. Worship. Service. Missions. Prayer. Bible study.
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FULL SCREEN TEXT READS: “FOR LEARNING.”
Now we’re seeing footage and pictures of academics. Classrooms. Nursing labs. Outside Big Ben. Science experiments. Art classes. Music class. Football games. Etc.
FULL SCREEN TEXT READS: “FOREVER.”
Now we’re seeing doctors in hospitals. Lawyers in court. Service projects. Preachers. Teachers in classrooms. Bibles. Reed Chapel. Hodges murals. Children. The world. The Lost.
The song comes to a big explosion, then it calms.
Now we’re back with Westmoreland standing in the same place, and he is flanked on either side by 3 or 4 dozen students and faculty. Everyone is looking right at the camera. He grins again after "join us."
FULL SCREEN GRAPHIC:
“Samford University
For God.
For Learning.
Forever.”
AUDIO
Dr. Westmoreland:
When you think about the future…should you consider the past?
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At Samford…a lot has changed over the past 170-some-odd years.
We weathered the Civil War.
The Great Depression.
The Civil Rights Movement.
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Our curriculums have changed.
Our campus has grown. Not to mention the student body.
Faculty and staff have evolved with the times.
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On the outside - Industries have come and gone.
The culture has shifted.
And the world has gotten a lot...smaller.
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A lot has changed.
But not everything.
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For God.
He is worthy of our lives…And He deserves excellence in everything we endeavor to accomplish…
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For Learning:
This is not, nor has it ever been, just a place to get a diploma. Samford has always been and will always be a place where individuals are vigorously prepared for whatever might be next.
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Forever.
Simply put, the world is a better place because of Samford University. But, this is not our home. May God continue to use all of our efforts…past, present, and future…to save humanity through the life and death of his son Jesus Christ."
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We sit in the shade of trees we did not plant.
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Join us.
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Thanks for your time
To be honest, I labored over this last concept for a while. I just couldn't find a concept that felt original or even interesting. Then it all came at once, like a lighting bolt.
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Send questions or comments along.
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Cheers!
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Taylor Robinson
205.215.9288
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Audra Whaley
940.395.1330
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