DC Education Fund wanted to include the whole DCPS community in this year’s Standing Ovation. Their goal required a product that could be shown twice: once on a live stream during school hours, and once at an in-person event later in the evening. Alexandria and Favata worked stylized segments that could be cut or adjusted for the different viewing formats, while also ensuring all essential marketing content could be easily distributed apart from the events.
Standing Ovation Awards
LAI Video recently completed our fifth collaboration with DC Education Fund to celebrate the accomplishments of DCPS educators. After the success of 2021’s fully virtual show, DCEF decided to maintain the virtual format — less for safety precautions and more for accessibility. Melinda, Alexandria, and Favata pitched a complete show experience that would allow awardees to celebrate with their school communities and allow DCPS to unveil some of its most exciting new initiatives. Featured interviews were full of emotion; short documentaries redefined the school system’s mission; and special host Kal Penn brought it all together in one outstanding 45-minute show.
So Good, They Showed it Twice
Dual-purpose Documentaries
Standing Ovation 2022 marked the beginning of a new school year, and a new era, for DCPS, as they launched “DCPS Becoming” program. Presented as one of two special presentations within the Standing Ovation, our short documentary allowed leadership and educators to explain the intentions behind the ambitious whole-child and anti-racist approach to education. This featurette, along with a second short doc on DCPS’s ongoing Redesign work, debuted within Standing Ovation and continue to play to specific audiences across the District.
The Honor At Hand
While the focus of Standing Ovation was much broader this year, the program still honors extraordinary achievements in education. This year, 23 DCPS teachers, principals, and staff were given “of the year” status for their contributions to their schools. Over a two-day filming session, Alexandria, Megan, and Henry filmed all honorees in our studio, giving them a chance to humbly speak on the responsibilities of the job. Throughout the final program, these five compilations offered words of wisdom and inspiration to viewers, while also giving each awardee their much-earned standing ovation.
A Finish to Remember
To close the program, we pitched a “big finish” ending that embodied the energy of a pep rally. Alexandria, Favata, Donovan, and Jun joined Eastern High School’s esteemed Blue and White Marching Machine on their daily practice route through the community, capturing the booming roll calls and brass. The band wrote a tune just for the performance, and our team took to the streets to highlight the talented band and dance team. The closing fanfare became a defining moment on-screen and in-person, giving DCPS some serious reasons to cheer.
Alexandria Kelly
Coming to us from Hollywood, Alexandria brings a jet set, never-quit work ethic.
James Favata
As the Vice President of Creative at LAI Video, James offers his docu-style and motion graphics expertise to transform brands and campaigns. He’s won numerous accolades, including two Emmy® Awards as a Director, for his incredible storytelling and vision.
Melinda Foscato
Melinda brings more than 15 years of broadcast, digital, and production experience to her role as VP of Business Development and Creative Strategy. She builds strong, fruitful relationships and supports clients with a passion for storytelling and media strategy.
Justin Kelly
As LAI Video’s Senior Writer and Editor, Justin moves people to action with his impeccable command of language and narrative. With a decade of experience in technical writing, editing, and project management, Justin balances detail and emotion to create award-winning videos.
Jun Young Yang
Jun is the Director of Photography for LAI Video. His sharp eye and even sharper focus have earned him a reputation as an industry-leading cinematographer. He started his career freelancing before becoming a staple on the LAI Video team.
Anthony Jacoway
Anthony is LAI Video's Director of Technical Services and an integral part of our Emmy® Award-winning team. Depending where and when he is needed, you can find Anthony editing, animating, color-correcting, filming, directing, designing, or generally making our team better.
Mike Clinger
Mike is LAI Video's Motion Graphics Designer and an integral part of all animation and design projects. His knack for style and storyboards helps our clients visualize their project and build successful brands.
Megan Grantier
Organized, dependable, and absolutely essential, Megan keeps our team on track as a Production Coordinator. She joins LAI Video from the University of Georgia, where she studied Journalism and Film.
Henry Smith
A champion for clients and creators alike, Henry is LAI Video's Associate Producer & Project Manager. With a thorough background in freelance production and multimedia, he's quick to solve our client's problems and keep projects on track.
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.
Brittany Conley
As our Operations Manager, Brittany is the backbone of LAI Video. She ensures our team is working at maximum efficiency and streamlines workflows for on-time delivery. With more than ten years of operations experience, Brittany makes managing a 20-person team look easy.
James Loizou
James Loizou leads the team at LAI Video, building the Emmy® Award-Winning agency from scratch over the last 15 years. His innate balance of creativity and methodology guides our team forever forward towards innovation.