Kemba Financial Credit Union

What Matters Most

Kemba Financial Credit Union was a blast to work on! Location shoots that include giraffes always are. This was a two-day shoot filmed around Ohio with a fifteen-person crew. Our first step was figuring out how to accomplish this unique shoot with a giraffe and make it happen in budget.

  • Agency

    • Holden Ellis

  • Team

    • Director: Josh Fitzwater (Holden Ellis)
    • Producer: Andy Eggert
    • Production Manager: Gail Mezey
    • Director of Photography: Jason Hambach
    • AC: Greyson Mack
    • Audio Engineer: Jay Alton
    • Lead Props Master: Trent Rambo
    • Assistant Props: Mo Kehoe
    • Gaffer: Brad Keplinger
    • Key Grip: Victor Beck-Hale
    • Swing: Elijah Jimenez
    • HMU: Kelley Marginean
    • Editor: Andy Eggert
    • Colorist: Jason Hambach
    • Audio Mixing & Mastering: Jay Alton
    • Camera Rental: CenCam
    • Grip & Eletric: Central Grip & Lighting

Suburban Charm to Exotic Adventures

Our first scout was finding a house that worked well for the client and their brand. Finally, we found the right one 20 minutes north of Columbus, Ohio. Our second location was The Wilds, about an hour and a half southeast of our first location. The goal was to find a place that was exotic feeling and didn’t scream “Ohio” to help tell the story of a girl taking the trip of a lifetime that her parents have saved for. The Wilds was a perfect location and let us meet Tuffy, the giraffe, who is fearless of the camera.

 

Braving the Elements

The forecast on day two had mixed weather reviews, but we decided to push through. We found an hour window to film with the actors and Tuffy that morning. So our crew headed out in two custom safari-style trucks. We took only the essential gear: a camera, a wireless monitor, radios & audio. Once we were in The Wilds, we couldn’t get out of our vehicles due to safety, so we had one shot.

Filming with Tuffy the Giraffe

From filming to capturing audio, it was a tough one. We approached this documentary style, knowing we didn’t have control of Tuffy. We had the truck positioned just right, made sure the lettuce was ready, and the camera was rolling before we were even locked in position. We are glad we did because Tuffy was ready to eat!

Outcomes & Deliverables

We worked through challenges and celebrated big wins to create 15-second and 30-second commercial spots that have been airing in the Ohio market for the past few years. This was all made possible by the hard work, skill, and dedication of our amazing team. Their effort and focus helped us deliver high-quality work that connected with the audience and made a real impact.