The Chief of Staff Association: Member testimonials

About the film

For any organisation, from the biggest to the smallest, word of mouth is still one of the most powerful ways of marketing yourself. Social proof - proof that has been hard fought and won in the court of public opinion - cannot be overstated in its pivotal role in convincing someone that what you do is worth their time and attention.

Think about the last time you went to the movies or purchased a new phone. Likely, the opinions that swayed you the most were from those who shared things in common with you, who understood your needs and where you were coming from and often, were people known and trusted by you.

The CSA understood this when they engaged us to capture the testimonies of several of their members - from people who are veterans of the organisation, to those who had just begun. And the message was clear - in a role that can often feel misunderstood and isolating, the CSA is a place to call home. It’s the same story we’ve heard throughout the world as we’ve engaged with members of this organisation. The education and opportunity it provides you are second to none.

We wanted to create a film that captured that, focusing on the key messages that would help communicate this message to the world and Asia-Pacific specifically. Working closely with the CSA, we were able to achieve this by capturing a beautiful, clean and professional film, which enhanced the message that this is an association you want to be a part of.

Part of what it took to get this result was in the directing. Something I love about this job is getting to chat with some of the most interesting and unique people and helping them feel at ease in front of the camera. To some, this comes naturally. But to many others, talking in front of a camera is intimidating. Natural fears like ‘will I look awkward’, ‘will I sound weird’, ‘do I even know the answers to these questions’ and many others plague people as they sit in that chair. Trust me, I get it - I feel them too. That’s why I make it my goal to make people feel as comfortable as possible during the whole process. It’s such a joy! Especially when people express gratitude at the end for how well they felt, or when they realise how easy the whole process felt. On this particular shoot, we had a new member who was incredibly nervous but by the end, expressed how they had never felt more comfortable than they did during that shoot in front of a camera.

Testimonials give prospective members a chance to hear directly from people who have been in their position. There’s also room to take those stories further through individual films that explore how someone’s experience has changed their life.