Floating on a Dream

The WWU Men’s Rowing team needed to inspire. We created a gritty, emotionally charged film that spoke to students with something to prove. The result was a 96 percent increase in enrollment.

Deliverables

Hero Video

Photography Package

Services

Creative development

Pre-Production

Production

Post-Production

WWU Rowing Team Members

Emotional Goal

The emotional goal of this project was to challenge the individual and provoke something deep inside of them that made them want to test themselves.

The Mission

Faced with declining numbers and increased competition from other clubs, the WWU Men’s Rowing team needed more than just another promotional video. They needed to motivate. The goal wasn’t to explain the sport. It was to provoke the right kind of person to see themselves in it.

This was about tapping into a deeper truth: the drive to test your limits, to chase something difficult, and to prove you can endure what most people won’t.

Lake Whatcom, Washington

The Approach

Through conversations with current athletes, we uncovered a key insight. Many members of the team weren’t there because they had a background in rowing. They were there because they had something to prove to themselves.

From there, we built a script that captured the spirit of the sport: raw, physical, relentless. Inspired by the tone of classic Nike campaigns, we let the cadence of rowing shape the pacing of the narrative.

Distribution & Impact

The film was released digitally and used in on-campus student recruitment events. In 2020, the rowing team saw a 96 percent increase in enrollment. What started as a video became a filter. It helped the right people see what was possible and motivated them to pick up an oar.

Credits

Directors:
Cole Heilborn

Writer:
Lucas Johnson

Assistant Director:
Dennis Minor

Cinematography:
Chris Swoboda

Assistant Camera:
Sam Giffin

Field Audio:
Rory Reshovsky

Voice Over:
Rob Ricotta

Photographer:

Jake Warren

Colorist:
Anthony Fiorillo

Sound Designer:
Colton Jackson

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Be quick to listen, slow to speak

Give the audience a reason to care

Lead with empathy

Goal first, story second

Ask harder questions

Bellingham, WA
360.383.7721
cole@portsidepro.com
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