Jon Ruby is a former addict who escaped the cycle of abuse and is now living to help others who are struggling.
Kwondoni
NAC, Creative manager
CHALLENGE
Case study Summary
How do you tell a transformational faith story in a way that transcends the norms of faith storytelling?
OUR SOLUTION
Case study Summary
Approach the project as artists, not videographers.
We used the incredible, inspiring story of one man’s journey of redemption through the hells of addiction and substance abuse as a blueprint to craft an emotive film with integrity, artistry, and impact. We created a moving and compelling short film to tell Jon Ruby’s incredible story of addiction, redemption, and hope in the face of overwhelming adversity.
STory
Case study Summary
A story too inspiring not to tell.
After hearing about Jon’s life of drugs, lies, crime, and salvation, we knew this story needed to be told. Two years later, it was finally time. Jon didn’t have a corporate budget, so we created the film pro bono.
lorem
Case study Summary
Rock bottom inspiration.
Rock bottom is where Jon’s journey towards redemption began, so that is the focus of the film and further emphasized by shooting most scenes in a far from luxurious hotel room. Instead of a professional actor, we cast someone who could relate to Jon’s story to play him in the film. Josh Taylor was the perfect candidate – he captured the essence of Jon’s story despite his lack of acting experience. His performance was so powerful that it has sparked a promising career in acting.
lorem
Case study Summary
The feeling of redemption.
We created the most stunning film possible to truly capture Jon’s extraordinary journey. We intentionally used time mapping to authentically recreate Jon’s experiences with drug abuse. The feverish pacing and use of darkness emulate Jon’s drug-fueled consciousness and confusion leading to the moment of clarity that would transform his life. We brought Jon and his family into our studio and had them sit on our famous black and gold French provincial to ensure that even the interviews were beautiful.
lorem
Case study Summary
What the naked truth sounds like.
We sacrificed audio quality for story integrity. The intimacy of a phone call brings a compelling dimension to the film. Jon’s voiceover in the film is from our very first call – we intentionally didn’t tell him we were recording. It would have been easy to bring him into the studio, but we wanted the audio to be real and raw, just like Jon’s story.
lorem
Case study Summary
We told Jon’s story to inspire others. Since its release, Jon has been contacted by dozens of organizations and individuals to tell him how incredibly powerful his story and film are. It’s created actual impact in the community – that’s what we always strive for. This film will always be one of our favourite projects for one of our favourite people: Jon Ruby.
Team credits
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