Flora Apothecary Campaign

Sooo... there was no way I could JUST post the video for this project. The amount of talent involved and the planning behind all of it deserved a closer look into not only my standard campaign process, but how exactly these ideas brew to the surface...

 1. Create Character // 

Alex May and I partnered up to dream up who this "Flora Femme Fatale" would be. We didn't base this on what our desires would be, but instead researched the visuals, the brand, and what words Nikki (my client + owner of Flora Apothecary) used to describe her process. I also had Nikki fill out a questionnaire and some of the words she used was "restoration, mysterious, mother nature, the Sacred Feminine, healthy.." Through all of this research, Alex and I decided that Flora needed to be the ultimate alchemist. Based on Nikki's summary, it felt like this character needed to come from the earth. That she created from the earth but had this air of ethereal mystery - a message of restoration and beauty.

2.  Assemble Team //

Because Flora Apothecary is product-based, I wanted to be sure to have a product stylist in addition to a creative stylist. Fawn created the most beautiful arrangements, incorporating the actual ingredients in Flora Apothecary's products. I also brought one of my favorite florists - Malori of Hoot & Holler - because she loves experimenting with blooms just as much as I do. Such a freaking talent! I was also lucky to snag Stephanie of SN Makeup on her busiest season :)

Here Alex is spraying water to create a "dripping" effect on the petals. I wanted to create a scene that the earth was waking our Flora Femme Fatale up with its drops of dew falling on her back.

Here, Stephanie is helping us create a "foraged hand" by mixing lipstick colors and loose petals on our model,  Taylor (from Ford Agency).

3. Storyboard //

This can only be made possible once the story/character is established. This is actually quite challenging because it isn't necessarily a "chronological" story. This was more of an establishment on what the Flora Apothecary brand is about and the mood, intention, and values of the company.  I do all of my storyboarding on Pinterest and specifically pin for 2 things: movement + art direction for my team. I want my team to know exactly the mood of the story by seeing the Pinterest board. After this, I pull specific images to create a seperate Storyboard that serves me as a "timeline guide."

4. Create + Communicate!

This is all about direction - which is one of the roles that I've realized is a huge part of what makes my work ... me. There's a particular way that I communicate to the model(s) I work with to get specific movements. I do this also with my team when communicating the story and character. This plays a huge role in the kind of props, fabric, and locations we use. But honestly, at the end of the day - I have to make it happen with the model. No prop or location can replace the connection I must establish with the person in front of my camera. But all of these things together? Oh, that's the magic...

With all of that said, here is the video portion of the campaign. One of my most eclectic and mysterious films to date...


A huge thanks to Mark Gabriel for post-production assistance and inspiring me to push the envelope on movement. AND a special thanks to Brooke, my studio manager, for the behind the scene photos and always ninja-style assistance the day of.

Now, you MUST MUST MUST visit Flora Apothecary (link) and try her Elixirs which are my personal favorite product in her shop. I promise, hands-down, it is one of the BEST items you can have with you for travel, yoga, nighttime routine, or for any smell-like-a-garden moment you crave :)

Le Secret d'Audrey - A Paris Elopement Film

If you count the day that Audrey first contacted me, this has actually been a year in the making.

The story? Oh, that's been in my head for the longest time. I will always gravitate to a love story. But an elopement in Paris?!! ... I could barely wrap my head around this. Audrey and I communicated over e-mails and long distance calls. I remember when I first heard her French accent over the phone I could BARELY contain myself. I'm such a dork!!

Actually, after hearing her voice - it immediately occurred to me that we needed to incorporate her speaking in French. Her target market is American brides and if *I* was freaking out about her accent, can you imagine listening to her speak in French?!

And that's how it all started. I filmed on the plane, the story tucked away in my head, anticipating other moments to film while Jose and I made a trip out of it. In the car, I filmed the buildings, the people on the street, even the noises in the cafe. Though I had an idea of the story, I needed to have enough content with me to give me options when I went home.

Audrey teamed up an incredible group of vendors, and when we arrived on set, I knew that day would always, always, always live in me. This truly, no doubt, was a day I dreamed of. After getting back to the U.S., I committed myself to not rushing this film and executing every idea I had. Narrative, voice over, sound effects... all of it. And I know this sounds crazy and dramatic, but this film changed me - it changed me as an artist. I'll have to explain another day.

Here it is guys, my heart is in my throat. Turn up your volume, and enjoy...