This is Illinois Humanities

Project Overview

Commissioned to celebrate Illinois Humanities’ statewide impact, This is Illinois Humanities serves as a flagship identity piece introducing the organization’s mission, programs, and values to a broad public audience. The three-minute video blends archival material, community photography, and contemporary footage to reflect a living portrait of the humanities in Illinois — inclusive, diverse, and intensely local.

My Role

Creative Direction, Script Collaboration, Editing, Motion Design, and Sound Design.

I worked closely with the Illinois Humanities team to translate their written narrative into an emotional and accessible on-screen experience. The pacing, text design, and imagery were crafted to reflect the organization’s warmth and civic spirit while maintaining clarity for web and social audiences.

Approach

The tone needed to be warm, informed, and human-centered — emphasizing community connection without feeling institutional.

Challenges & Solutions

The challenge was unifying decades of work into a cohesive, three-minute narrative without losing nuance. I approached this through a modular edit — framing each story as a vignette with clear visual identity while using a consistent rhythm and voiceover tone to bind the film together.

Impact

The piece now anchors Illinois Humanities’ digital storytelling and anniversary outreach. It’s used across their website, grant pages, and social channels as an evergreen introduction to who they are — helping audiences understand why the humanities matter in daily civic life.