With an Olympic-sized swimming pool, two NHL-sized ice rinks, a FIFA-sized indoor soccer field, a rock-climbing wall, an indoor water park, a spa, and much more, the St. James’s 450,000 sq ft facility in Northern Virginia is a gym the same way a Carnival cruise liner is a boat. Sure, it’s certainly that (and just stop by their three-story, state-of-the-art health club if you don’t believe us), but that hardly paints the picture. Simply put, they’re nothing more or less than the DC area’s premiere sports and wellness destination – committed to providing any and every resource imaginable to improve their members’ health and up their game. The Strivers app is the next evolution in that commitment, vaulting The St. James into the digital space, where its best-in-class instructors and coaches are now bringing 1,000+ hours of content to a vast audience.
Strivers Fitness App
When The St James approached us about building out the video content for their new digital coaching app Strivers, we knew, long before anyone laced up an ice skate or dribbled a basketball, that we’d need to get in shape. And after a marathon partnership spanning 13 months, 15 sports, and 330 classes, drills, and demonstrations, Strivers could officially relaunch on the App Store and Google Play, where it stands as a sleek, curated, all-encompassing coaching platform worthy of The St. James brand.
Stick to the Game Plan
We decided to use The St. James’s two locations as our backdrop, converting its unique spaces into Peloton-inspired studios. And each exercise and sport presented a unique set of challenges for our creative team – challenges with lighting, sound, and even the ground we stood on (ever try operating a camera rig while walking on an ice sheet?). With every weight room, yoga studio, and playing surface in high demand, our team knew we’d only have a limited amount of time to film in each space before the general public would come rushing back in. The challenges were great, and the clock was ticking. But, in the immortal words of Joe Gibbs, “A winning effort begins with preparation.” So, while Alexandria and Favata scouted out each location in advance, Chelsie drafted an exhaustive master spreadsheet to keep track of every single pushup, stretch, and dribble on set. Our team would hit the ground (or ice) running.
Producing Content is a Team Sport
The on-camera trainers for the app were none other than the coaches and training staff of The St. James, who not only showed themselves to be talented athletes but talented talent. Working closely with our producers and camera operators, they demonstrated each drill and taught each class with skill, clarity, and stage presence. Throughout the year, we conducted two-day filming sessions that yielded upwards of 85+ videos. Nearly everyone on our post-production team subbed in for some playing time to help complete the gargantuan task of cutting together, revising, and getting final approval for all 330 separate deliverables. And when that last video was finally sent out? The whole LAI team, like the dedicated athletes we’d just spent months filming, were ready and waiting for the next challenge.
David Catchings
David Catchings graduated from Old Dominion University in the spring of 2021, with a major in Marketing and minor in Business Analytics.
Chelsie Pennello
A recent graduate of Syracuse University’s film program and track and field team, Chelsie brought her love for video production and everybody’s least favorite physical activity to the LAI Video team.
Susy Shaw
Susy is a vice president of business development and also a bit of a sales ninja with experience in a variety of industries from Florida Real Estate to the On-line Advertising arena.
James Favata
James specializes in exploring new avenues, and who knows, together you may even end up off the map.
Tori Furphy
A mother of three and a work mother of a dozen—Tori operationalizes a perfectly rewarding client experience.
Jun Young Yang
Jun has been traveling everywhere (including a place called Anguilla) to document special events and create unique images for clients.
Donovan Randolph
Donovan Randolph joins LAI from Indigo Republic where a worked on a web series and a feature length film. He plans to bring his cinematic expertise and unique editing skills to Emmy-winning LAI Video team.
Justin Kelly
Justin Kelly brings an emotional fluency to our scripts that help us continue to deliver the wow factor that our clients have come to expect. He's always simmering with big ideas and a bottomless reserve of the latest industry trends.
Anthony Jacoway
Under his calm exterior, Anthony is simmering with big ideas and a bottomless reserve of the latest industry trends.
Alexandria Kelly
Coming to us from Hollywood, Alexandria brings a jet set, never-quit work ethic.
