Videos are a powerful tool nonprofits can use for fundraising, marketing, and to introduce themselves to new audiences. While the technology necessary to create videos is getting easier to use, having the right strategy and messaging is necessary to take a video to the next level.
Reflection Films does video storytelling and content creation for mission driven organizations. On a recent Talking Nonprofits with Teak Media videocast, Teak Media Founder and President Jackie Russell talked to Reflection Films President Rachel Jellinek for tips on crafting a nonprofit video with real impact.
Q: What do you love about working with mission-driven organizations?
A: I love the people, the passion, and the impact we can help them make. It’s personally and professionally rewarding. We get involved in the organizations more deeply than just doing video storytelling for them. We work with them and in many cases, even volunteer with them.
Q: What are some common problems nonprofits encounter when creating videos?
A: Often when nonprofits are telling their clients stories, they focus on the worst experience their client might have had, such as an illness, domestic violence, food insecurity or experiencing homelessness. Focusing on tragedy reduces that person to a more limited dimension of who they are, and doesn’t allow the person to be centered as the solution and part of their own success.
Q: How do you help nonprofits overcome this challenge?
A: We start by asking nonprofits if there are any myths or misperceptions about their organization they want the video to help them overcome. We work this knowledge into a strategic framework that addresses what they want people to know, feel and do. We help them identify a variety of people impacted by the organization who can provide full versions of themselves to express how the nonprofit has helped them overcome their challenges. It’s important that people have agency telling their own stories, recognize they are part of the solution, and showcase how resilience and pride is part of their story.
Q: I love that. I’m sure the nonprofits value that.
A: They really appreciate it because it gets them to think about how other people might perceive them. Helping nonprofits think through how to tell stories in a way that shows partnership between them and the clients whom they serve is a great model that is better than making it seem like the nonprofit is saving their clients.
Q: What results do you help nonprofits achieve through their video work?
A: We want the nonprofit’s videos to have as great an impact and reach as possible, to showcase their clients as leaders in their own success, and help them tell their stories in a way that resonates with their different audiences and increases impact. It can come in the form of broadening awareness of what they do, getting people involved in their advocacy efforts, bringing in more donations, and recruiting volunteers. It’s exciting personally and professionally to know we’re working in partnership with these organizations to make the world a better place.
Q: How long should a nonprofit video be?
A: We recommend creating a library of shorter videos the organizations can use over time for different channels and audiences. I tell them less is more, not in number, but each video should be shorter. For events, we typically aim for three to five minutes. The goal is to leave people wanting to learn more and engage further, rather than including everything in one video. Web videos are often two minutes or less, and a social media video length varies by platform. We work with organizations to add video to their editorial calendar so there’s video that their audience is seeing on a regular basis over time and fresh videos for their website
Q: What else should people know about Reflection Films?
A: We are very relational, deeply invested, and committed to the causes we support. We really like partnering with people and making connections for them. We are also a certified women-owned business and actively support other women-owned and historically marginalized businesses. We have our own supplier diversity program that is important to us.
Reflection Films is celebrating its twentieth anniversary in 2026. To see the full video of the conversation click here.
