We envision a staged rollout as we work to secure funding and build the team.

The initial launch of the site will detail the approach we plan to take over the long term and include multiple ways for people to get involved in the project. We will solicit story ideas, present opportunities for funders and distribution partners, and recruit talent to join the storytelling effort.

As we work to secure funding, we will launch the project in stages and include the following initiatives:

All products for We The People will be presented on a website designed to showcase the stories produced on an on-going basis. 

Multimedia elements will be packaged together into branded interactive players that can be shared and embedded on other sites to increase distribution.

The website itself, along with the interactive elements and players, will be produced using the MediaStorm Platform.

This is an example of our approach built for the ICP Infinity Awards.

The showcase of each story will be a short film centered on a lead character’s life as told in their own words.

The spine of the film will be a narrative edited from an in-depth interview with the subject conducted by a producer.

The narrative will be supported by visual coverage of the subject’s life documented by the cinematographer and still photographer, as well as sourced from the subject’s personal archives.

Motion graphics will be used to enhance the cinematic feel to the film, and music will be added where appropriate for emotional resonance.

The power of still photography lies in its ability to capture a moment in time and convey a multitude of emotions through a single image. 

Photographs also transcend cultural and language barriers.

An impactful image can be understood and appreciated by people from different cultures and backgrounds, making it a powerful tool for communication.

An edited body of still images will accompany the short films to enhance the impact and inspire action.

The images captured for each story will also be used in other We The People products such as books and exhibits.

This is an example of a slideshow of historical images from the FSA program:

Each short film will be packaged in an interactive player alongside relevant elements such as text pages, slideshows, playlists of extra clips, maps and timelines.

The player can be shared and embedded by anyone with a website in a way that maintains the sophisticated packaging envisioned by the producers.

It will continue to carry the We The People branding wherever it is published. Our efforts to align with multiple media partners will help to amplify the message.

This is an example of an interactive player produced for CatchLight:

To launch the We The People website, we’ll produce and package six or more original stories that represent the breadth of subjects we hope to cover as we scale into the future.

The site will consist of a cinematic and highly-visual front end, with easy-to-use navigation to individual stories as well as groups stories based on themes. 

A prominent map interface will allow users to navigate to stories from selected regions.

Visitors will be able to search and find stories based on the name of subject, topic, region and other criteria. They will also be able to suggest stories and subjects to be covered.

The We The People Podcast will showcase select stories in their entirety, with a brief introduction by a host.

To be more transparent, we will include behind-the-scenes reporting to help our audience better understand our storytelling methodology.

Each podcast episode will be packaged along with the corresponding film and interactive elements in the story’s player, and it will contain visual annotations that link to material discussed.

An example created by Culture & Code of an annotated podcast powered by the unique capabilities of the MediaStorm Platform:

We will capture and create specialized presentations for XR (virtual and augmented reality) experiences targeting Apple Vision Pro and Meta headsets. VR has been deemed the ultimate empathy machine because it has the ability to put the viewer in the scene. We plan to have a dedicated XR producer in the field for each story to capture moments in 3D that will allow us to create dedicated immersive and spatial experiences.

We will employ MediaStorm’s time-tested model of reporting that focuses on gathering for multiple mediums so the work can be distributed in a variety of formats with maximum impact.

We will work to build relationships with media partners to gain valuable distribution and reach for our stories. Using our embeddable players we can support multiple partnerships.

If you are interested in a distribution partnership, please contact Brian Storm via brian@mediastorm.com.

Educational modules will demystify our unique approach to storytelling by leveraging the behind-the-scenes footage gathered while reporting stories, paired with recorded dialogue about how the projects were produced.

These modules will be similar to MediaStorm’s Online Training offering.

We The People will also leverage MediaStorm’s existing educational relationships by partnering with university programs to help students create films and interactive experiences.

These programs will use the MediaStorm Platform to package and distribute their work, and We The People will curate and publish the best of their stories.

This will provide a unique, more youthful, student-led storytelling component to the broader We The People effort.

We The People will organize its short films around themes to form an episodic series for distribution on streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Hulu, Disney and/or traditional broadcast outlets. 

These episodes will be organized into seasons around topics such as Economics in America, Race in America, or regional explorations such as The Heartland.

Securing this distribution will be critical for reach and additional financial resources to support the project.

We The People will hold regular online and in-person events where the general public will be able to interface with the reporting staff and story subjects.

In-person events will include panel discussions on various storytelling topics along with keynote speeches and workshops.

Online events will happen on a more regular basis and include discussions between producers and subjects, as well as Q&A sessions in which attendees can communicate directly with We The People staff and subjects.

A substantial amount of world class still photography will be gathered during production of each story by the reporting team’s photojournalist for use in the films and corresponding interactive experiences like slideshows, timelines and maps.

These still images will later be edited into photographic books with text about the subject’s story and quotes from them about their lives. QR Codes will be implemented in each story to drive audiences from the book to the website and the related interactive experiences.

The best photography shot during story production will be made available for sale during special in-person events at partner galleries, as well as in online print sale events promoted on the We The People website.

We The People will also offer NFTs to consumers by including them as linked items in a story’s interactive player and fulfilling purchases on existing marketplaces such as OpenSea, Rarible, or SuperRare.

These NFT’s will include photography from stories, promotional poster frame images and scenes from the films.

We The People will make special NFT’s that grant the owners special access to early screenings and other events.

The best story segments produced for the short films will be presented as a full-length feature film to be released theatrically.

If you are interested in helping with funding, distribution, or in-kind partnerships, please contact Brian Storm via brian@mediastorm.com.

If you are interested in collaborating on this ambitious project in the future we’d love to hear from you. Please share your details via this form.