Video portfolio

Client, student and alumni stories

Roxy Caldbeck, a former SAMMinistries client, shares her story in the video “Roxy Caldbeck’s Journey of Hope.”

Your best proof is a person. Impact stories let clients, students and homeowners tell what was hard and what changed, in their own words. Meet the SAMMinistries clients in our Journeys of Hope series and the NPower graduates building careers in tech.

One person, in their own words

Our NPower alumni stories and SAMMinistries client stories each follow one person, an NPower graduate or a SAMMinistries client. Other videos here feature apprentices and their employers in our City of San Antonio series, students, parents and educators, and Ms. Herrera, a Home Rehab homeowner. Our interviews are unscripted, so each person tells it their own way.

NPower alum Geneva Knott smiles as two boys hug her in front of a colorful sugar skull mural. — Geneva Knott’s NPower alumni story. Watch Geneva’s story

We meet them first

Before the shoot, Steffi Ockenfels, our executive producer, talks with each person we plan to interview. It’s a conversation, with no crew or lights. On shoot day, they’re talking with someone they already know.

Each person picks English, Spanish or both, and signs a release that says how and where the video may be used. Our page on the people in your story explains how we prepare and protect them.

Ashley Keen helps a child swing from playground monkey bars in her SAMMinistries story. — Ashley Keen’s Journey of Hope. Watch Ashley’s story

Where these videos go

NPower’s alumni stories were made to help it grow enrollment. SAMMinistries’ client stories were made for its annual gala, and shorter cuts ran on its social media. Our videos for City of San Antonio Workforce Development put apprentices next to their employers to invite other employers to start programs. San Antonio Pets Alive! used our videos in grant applications to other nonprofits, such as Petco Love.

An orange tabby cat looks up from the arms of Cat Foster of the Year Beverly Oakes. — Beverly Oakes, Cat Foster of the Year for San Antonio Pets Alive! Watch Beverly’s story

Packages and pricing

One 60- to 90-second video fits our Impact Story rate for qualifying small nonprofits, from $4,500. Spotlight, from $6,000, lists client testimonials among its uses. Story Campaign, from $30,000, covers a 3- to 5-minute flagship video plus 3 to 4 shorter videos. Our NPower videos are the example on our rate card. See all our packages.

Common questions

What if someone doesn’t want to answer a question?

They just tell us, and we move on. They don’t have to say why.

Can the interview be in Spanish?

Yes. Each person picks the language, and mixing both is fine. Steffi leads our Spanish-language interviews.

How long is one person's story?

Our SAMMinistries client videos run from a minute and a half to about three minutes. NPower's alumni videos run up to three minutes, and several are told in 30 seconds. An Impact Story is one 60 to 90 second video. Plan on about one minute of screen time per person.

What happens in the pre-interview?

Steffi talks with each person usually at least a week before the shoot, by video call, phone or face to face. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes, with no crew and no lights. She asks which language they'd like to speak and explains where the video will be shared. She also sends the questions ahead of time, and our before your interview guide tells them what to wear and what to expect.

Who's in the room on shoot day?

Steffi and our founder, Carlos Javier, lead every shoot, sometimes with a few more crew members. An Impact Story is a concentrated 2 to 3 hour shoot with a director-cinematographer and a dedicated interviewer. The person talks with Steffi through an EyeDirect, a mirror in front of the lens, so on screen they look right at the viewer. The interview slot is 45 minutes, and most take about 30.

What does the Impact Story rate include?

One 60 to 90 second video from a concentrated 2 to 3 hour shoot, with a director-cinematographer and a dedicated interviewer. Before the shoot: discovery and narrative framing, key messages, choosing who to interview, pre-interviews, interview preparation, location scouting and B-roll planning. After it: narrative editing, color grading, sound mixing, licensed music and one round of revisions. It's for qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations with annual operating budgets under $500,000, with limited availability.

Does the person get to see the video before it goes public?

Yes. Each person can watch the finished video before it's shared in public. Before we film, they sign a release that says how and where the video may be used, in English or Spanish. Saying no to taking part won't change the help anyone gets from your organization.

Can students or anyone under 18 be in the video?

Yes, with a release signed by a parent or legal guardian. At schools, we also check which students have permission to appear on camera, and a parent or staff member stays nearby. The videos on this page include students, parents and educators.