Sisterhood & Service: Directing a Living Archive
The Potomac Chapter of The Links, Incorporated is built on decades of civil rights leadership, anti-apartheid advocacy, and DC community initiatives. Directed and story-produced Sisterhood & Service, the inaugural film launching their institutional docuseries: five long-form interviews, a four-person crew, and decades of historical records worked through to pull out the human stories. The result is a warm, intimate film that acts as both an archival piece for members and a positioning tool for funders.
Directorial Process & Creative Control
Spent weeks in the chapter archives before writing interview prompts, creating a comfortable space for members to share personal memories instead of canned talking points.
Paired high-definition footage with camcorder B-roll, archival photography, and warm music to give the film an intimate, familial feel rather than a rigid corporate tone.
Wrote the creative treatment, managed a four-person crew on set, selected the music score, and guided post-production editing to align with leadership's goals.
The film won an internal Links national storytelling competition and now serves as a key tool for private chapter screenings, community outreach, and donor engagement.
Humanizing Institutional History
- Turning History Into Story: Sifted through decades of records to find the human heart of the organization, proving institutional archives can feel warm and personal rather than dry.
- Multi-Purpose Impact: Created a dual-purpose piece that serves as an internal legacy record for members and a compelling external story for donors and partners.
- Full Creative Control: Maintained clear direction from initial historical research through set direction, music selection, and final edit cuts.