OBJECTIVE
LA Tech hosted a company retreat designed to strengthen internal culture and celebrate team connection. My role, through IntersectLA, was to create a high-energy social media recap that captured the most engaging, memorable moments from the event and presented them in a format optimized for Instagram, LinkedIn, and other online platforms.
The recap needed to feel fast, energetic, and authentic, while still maintaining a polished, professional brand presence suitable for a tech nonprofit.
PROJECT SCOPE
I worked on-site as a full production operator, capturing the retreat from multiple angles:
• Event videography
• High-quality audio capture for interviews
• On-site photography for cross-platform use
• Candid and cinematic b-roll
• Conducting interviews with staff and leadership
• Assisting with lighting adjustments
• Delivering organized footage for fast-turnaround editing
• The final deliverable was a short-form recap designed to stop scrolling and highlight LA Tech’s culture instantly.
PROCESS & INSPIRATION
The creative direction centered around crafting a recap that felt fast, energetic, and authentic, taking cues from modern social media storytelling. I approached the retreat with a documentary mindset — blending purposeful coverage with spontaneous, candid moments that showed the heart of the event.
My workflow involved moving fluidly across activities: filming team-building exercises, grabbing reaction shots, documenting quiet exchanges, and conducting short interviews that added a human voice to the recap. I used warm natural light and close, handheld compositions inspired by contemporary “day-in-the-life” content and corporate culture reels.
Because the video needed to feel native to social media, I intentionally focused on moments with movement, laughter, collaboration, or emotional resonance. Lighting setups changed frequently depending on indoor vs. outdoor locations, so I supported the team by adjusting gear on the fly and ensuring consistency across shots.
The final edit, built from the footage and audio I captured, combines snappy pacing with naturally expressive visuals — a style shaped by fast-cut recap videos, upbeat tech content, and short-form Instagram Reels aesthetics.
