How it was created: Pre-production notes

The pitch: Wheaton’s great history will be understood and revealed through the editing of images and interviews with relevant sources. The reveal of Wheaton’s ongoing mission will be artistically and journalistically woven together for an original presentation.

The video is a final connecting point for guests attending The Promise of Wheaton banquets.
The video is designed to engage, inspire, and motivate - the final introduction to the president's message.

Invitation to the 2010 National Promise Events

The pitch: Upon engagement with Jimi Allen Productions we’ll schedule a meeting lock-in to walk through the process of scripting the banquet theme, message and production schedule. Our purpose and its outcome is to bridge the gap between art and advertising. People are constantly being told what to think and how to prioritize their resources. Therefore it is important to demonstrate 150 years of continuity of mission at Wheaton with an inspired and informative presentation that captures both the hearts and imaginations of your audience.

From the moment guests open the invitation it will be apparent that this is not a “typical banquet”. This is most assuredly the opposite of the banquet archetype where you listen, eat and write a check in a boxy hall of tables. This is an invitation to a gallery event ... not just a dinner or a presentation, but an experience.

MoGa

The pitch:
One main MoGa display with five double-sided, lighted panels strategically placed to provide an interesting and welcoming conversational centerpiece as guests arrive.

Context:
The exterior of MoGa will be alive with nostalgia and activity. Historic images will be chosen for their message and relational energy. New images will be created with historic markers as drivers, i.e., campus life, academic connections and mission. There will be a depth of information presented that can only be experienced.

The interior of MoGa is a balance of large campus building images and student interpersonal activity. Large graphic fonts will set off paragraph text to focus messaging of accomplishment and ongoing need.

As attendees enter the building they will be drawn to the MoGa installation by virtue of controlled room lighting and the natural brightness of the gallery. Two other panels will be strategically placed near the main gallery to orient the room for flow and spacing. The MoGa structure is the focal point of the environment. It is a departure point from the outside world; a vehicle of transportation because no one has seen anything like it before. People gravitate to this anchor point; their curiosity and social anxiety satiated by the art and message.

5 outside panels:
Celebrate 150 years/continuity of mission - “Then & Now”:
Historic photos juxtaposed against current campus photos showing “the same old Wheaton only better.”
Sesquicentennial Logo/150 years and beyond…
Wheaton mission statement
Wheaton’s global impact:
Highlight Wheaton alumni who are/have made a difference in the world for Christ
Photos of alumni engaged in interesting pursuits with brief stories and/or quotes
Showcase Wheaton students:
Current students with brief stories and/or quotes
“A day in the life of” a Wheaton student; Faculty working with students; Student athletes

5 Inside panels:
A walk through the Promise of Wheaton
Highlight: “enriching the academic experience”
Sciences – the new building, science faculty, faculty-student collaboration.
Visual and Performing Arts – renovations, students in action, and faculty-student engagement
Highlight: “extending opportunity”
The need to expand scholarship aid
Highlight: “shaping the whole student for Christ”
Beyond-the-Classroom opportunities, evangelism, faculty-student mentoring

The Response:
"The MoGa was a big hit at all of our events! We were so glad to have it displayed at the pre-event reception and the post-event dessert reception so people could see it twice and really get a chance to interact with it. Another huge hit were the centerpieces—everyone loved them. At the end of each event, most of the centerpieces were bare because the people had pulled off all the cards to look at them. Thanks again for all you did to make these events such a great success." - Genesis DeLong, Campaign Event Planner, Wheaton College

Invitation