Ashworth Creative produces an informational, uplifting video

Several months after the coronavirus and the disease it carries, Covid-19, first garnered global attention, many Americans are still under lockdown. New York’s temporary ‘Pause’ went into effect in mid-March. At that time, the City of Poughkeepsie – like so many other Empire State cities – could have passed for a ghost town. Windows of many Main Street businesses looked into empty dining rooms or were papered over with signs of support for essential workers. 

But that was then. City officials recently announced a soft reopening – whereby a share of businesses can open while observing certain health-related guidelines. 

Generations from now, Poughkeepsie families are going to reflect on this period, when the city went dormant and emerged from lockdown. The City of Poughkeepsie wanted to contribute to and set a tone for this moment, a landmark for the Queen City of the Hudson and its residents. They approached Ashworth Creative to produce a two-minute video to usher residents through this transition. We called it “PKGO Forward,” and this is how we did it.

Poughkeepsie’s Plan to Reopen

On June 9, City of Poughkeepsie officials unveiled the PKGO Forward Economic Recovery Plan, which allows restaurants and retail businesses to increase their outdoor seating while following social distancing guidelines, according to a press release. The city said this initiative is designed to help business owners maintain their customer bases, which are expected to be affected by these guidelines. Expanded outdoor seating is just one item permitted under the state’s Phase 2 reopening, while indoor seating remains prohibited until Phase 3.  

Delivering Vital Information to Poughkeepsie Residents

So much of the Covid-19 pandemic is marked by uncertainty. We wanted to craft a message that reflected the public mood but at the same time wanted to frame a message of hope. Crucial information has to come from the top down. So the video opens with City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison to outline the stakes of this moment: “Poughkeepsie has been going for 333 years, and we’ve never had a year like this.” Rolison set priorities for opening, such as aiming to ensure residents’ access to: 

  • Food
  • Services
  • Municipal resources 
  • Work

Poughkeepsie Residents at the Center of the City’s Revival

Covid-19 taught us valuable lessons. Chiefly, we are – in fact – all in this together. While officials are capable of so much, the city’s many business owners, essential workers and residents also play a role. Ashworth Creative took extra care to capture moments of ordinary and extraordinary residents pitching in. Who better to spotlight than Reverend Jesse Bottoms of Beulah Baptist Church, or a mask-clad worker at Dutchess Outreach or patrons in a curbside pickup line? It is a short, 30-second montage, but the city’s communal spirit is on full display.

Poughkeepsie as a Character in its Own Story

There’s an art to wrapping up a video, especially a short one. Every second counts. So we trained our camera’s eye on the city itself, a small metro on the east bank of the Hudson River. We looked around and found it has so much to offer:  

  • World-class medical facilities and physicians
  • Parks and the Walkway Over the Hudson
  • Classic and contemporary neighborhoods
  • Easy access to commuter trains
  • A budding art scene

And that just scratches the surface.

A One-stop Marketing Video Shop

Why turn to Ashworth Creative to produce videos? Our team is firmly grounded in the best practices of storyboarding, scripting, filming, editing and post-production visual design. We are writers, designers and developers, and we are expanding. 

We Are Looking Forward

Ashworth Creative has called Poughkeepsie home for over a decade, and we have a personal stake in its success. Now more than ever, video is perhaps the best medium to tell stories. Invite our team to work with your’s. We’d love to partner with you.

 

See the video for yourself: