Once Films is a

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

based commercial

video production Video production is the process of producing video content for video. It is the equivalent of filmmaking, but with video recorded either as analog signals on videotape, digitally in video tape or as computer files stored on optical discs, hard dri ...

company that creates documentary-style short films, brand films and commercial video content. They are noted for the Emmy and

Addy award The American Advertising Federation (AAF), headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the oldest national advertising trade association in the United States. The AAF also has 15 district operations, each located in and representing a different region o ...

winning short documentary film series The Spotlight Series. Spotlight is a collection of personal storytelling vignettes featuring craftsmen, artists, and entrepreneurs. Each story is a behind the scenes look at what it means to love what you do and do what you love.

Background

Founding and business model (2010-2011)

Once Films was founded in 2010 and went live with its first video project, a brand story for SPACE Architects, on December 22, 2010. Once Films worked to fill the need for corporate, non-profit and advertising brand films in a rich,

documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in te ...

style. A small group of

filmmakers Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, casti ...

with different talents, Once Films states that its mission is to “do projects we believe in” and be “fulfilled by helping those organizations we love find success.” The founders selected the name Once Films as a nod to “Once Upon a Time,” a subtle reminder that “all great stories begin with Once.”

Early growth (2012-2015)

In early 2013, the company launched the documentary short “Bob the Baker,” the first film in what would become the company's.iconic Spotlight Series Once Films would go on to produce 5 more films in the series in 2014 while growing its rolodex of clients and hiring several full-time staffers. By the end of 2015, Once Films had completed nearly 200 films for projects in the St. Louis area and across the country.

Recent developments (2016-present)

In June 2016, Once Films moved its offices to the city of St. Louis, setting up shop in the MidTown Alley Design District neighborhood. Once Films had won a variety of local and national industry awards over the years, including a National American Advertising Award for

Cinematography Cinematography (from ancient Greek κίνημα, ''kìnema'' "movement" and γράφειν, ''gràphein'' "to write") is the art of motion picture (and more recently, electronic video camera) photography. Cinematographers use a lens to foc ...

, an International CLIO Award for Advertising in Healthcare, 9 Mid-America Emmy Award wins in just 5 appearances.

Filmography

SPACE Architects - 2011

The St. Louis Public Library - 2013

The Farm at St. Joe’s - 2013

Tarlton - 2014

The Lamborghini Huracan - 2014

American Graduate Maxine Clark - 2015

The Forest Park Forever Campaign - 2015

The United Way of Greater St. Louis Campaign - 2015
* Porsche St. Louis - 2016
The Respite Care Program - 2016

Robust - 2016

The University of the Ozarks - 2016

LHM Three-Sixty Lounge STL - 2016

Pulitzer Arts Foundation: Medardo Rosso - 2016

Redefining Normal: Reclaim Renew - 2017
* The United Way of Greater St. Louis 2017 Campaign - 2017
My Town - 2017

What Is Modern Ag? - 2017

Mercy Mondays at the Ballpark - 2017

The Avera LIGHT Program - 2017

The Spotlight Series filmography

Bob the Baker - 2013

Signs - 2014

SUMP - 2014

Tattoo - 2014

Stone - 2014

Mwanzi - 2014

Arc - 2015

The Timekeeper - 2015

The Alchemy of Color - 2017

Barrel - 2017

Awards and nominations

2017

* Mid-America NATAS Emmy Award - Director - Post Production * Mid-America NATAS Emmy Award - Interstitial * Mid-America NATAS Emmy Nomination - Photographer - Program * Mid-America NATAS Emmy Nomination - Photographer - Program * Mid-America NATAS Emmy Nomination - Short Format - Program * 22nd AIGA STL Design Show - Video (2 Awards) * American Advertising Award (ADDY), District 9 Silver - Cinematography * American Advertising Award (ADDY), Saint Louis Regional Gold - Cinematography * American Advertising Award (ADDY), Saint Louis Regional Silver - Internet Commercial * Catholic Press Association Award, 2nd – Story & Photo Package * Telly Awards Silver - Craft: Cinematography * Telly Awards Bronze (4 Awards) - Categories: Health & Wellness, Hospital, Food & Beverage, Fund Raising

2016

* Mid-America NATAS Emmy Award - Community/Public Service - Campaign * Mid-America NATAS Emmy Award - Director - Post Production * Mid-America NATAS Emmy Award - Photographer - Program * Mid-America NATAS Emmy Award - Interstitial * Mid-America NATAS Emmy Nomination - Program Promo - Campaign (Non News) * Communication Arts Award of Excellence, Photography Annual 57 * American Advertising Award (National ADDY) – Cinematography * American Advertising Award (ADDY), District 9 Gold - Cinematography * American Advertising Award, Saint Louis Regional "Best of" - Cinematography * American Advertising Award, Saint Louis Regional Gold - Cinematography * American Advertising Award, Saint Louis Regional Silver - Television: Local Campaign

2015

* Mid-America NATAS Emmy Award – Human Interest, Program Feature Segment * Mid-America NATAS Emmy Award – Interstitial * Mid-America NATAS Emmy Nomination – Arts & Entertainment, Program Feature Segment * American Advertising Award (ADDY), District 9 Gold – Single Medium Campaign * American Advertising Award (ADDY), District 9 Gold – Cinematography * Communicator Awards - Award of Excellence - Online Video, Web Series * Communicator Awards - Award of Excellence - Film/Video * American Advertising Award, Saint Louis Regional, Judges Citation – Cinematography * American Advertising Award, Saint Louis Regional Gold – Cinematography * American Advertising Award, Saint Louis Regional Gold – Single Medium Campaign * American Advertising Award, Saint Louis Regional Silver – Cinematography * Catholic Press Association Award, 3rd – Best Multiple Picture Package

2014

* Mid-America NATAS Emmy Award – Interstitial * (3) Mid-America NATAS Emmy Nominations * American Advertising Award (National ADDY) – Cinematography * Communication Arts Award of Excellence, * Design Annual 55 – Self Promotion Series * American Advertising Award (ADDY), District 9 Gold – Cinematography * American Advertising Award, Saint Louis Regional Gold – Cinematography * American Advertising Award, Saint Louis Regional Silver – Branded Content * Best of NAMA NATIONAL FINALIST – Audio/Visual * Motorcycle Film Festival Official Selection * Tattoo Arts Film Festival - Canada Official Selection

2013 and Earlier

* 2013 International CLIO Award for Advertising in Healthcare – Film * 2013 St. Louis International Film Festival Selection * 2013 (2 Awards) National Agri-Marketing Award – Region II First Place * 2013 TAM Award SILVER * 2011, 2012, 2013 ADDY Awards for Cinematography & Branded Content, more than 60 seconds * 2011 (3 Awards), 2012 (6 Awards) Telly Awards for branding, editing, and cinematography * 2012, 2013 BMA/Target Marketing Awards * 2011 AIGA Award – Professional Promotion

References

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