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Case Studies

The proof, not just the pitch.

Anyone can promise a film will move donors. Here's how each one actually got built — and what it raised.

Esther's Story

Agape International Missions

Esther's Story

$5.9M raised at gala
$1,050,000 raised in year-end video

The Challenge

AIM fights child sex trafficking around the world. For their 2025 gala, they needed films that could carry the full weight of that mission into a room of donors — and translate it into gifts, not just goodwill.

Our Approach

Finding the Story

We spent time with AIM's team identifying which survivor stories carried the emotional weight to move a room of major donors, without exploiting the people at the center of them.

Writing

Scripts were built around three of AIM's core pillars, each structured to land at a specific moment in the gala program rather than as a standalone film.

Production Timeline

Production was timed backward from the gala date, with final cuts locked in time for tech rehearsal.

Deliverables

  • Private full-length gala film — not publicly available, screened for the donor room only
  • A version of the film created to grow Esther and Peter's ministry
  • A digital year-end adaptation, which helped raise $1,050,000

The Result

The gala raised over $5.9 million in donations — funding AIM's continued fight against trafficking and the restoration care that follows. A year-end adaptation of the story later helped raise an additional $1,050,000 in a digital campaign.

Agape International Missions

Chantrea

$4M gala + $400K+ from home events

This film is private due to the sensitive nature of the survivor story it features — the looping clip above is a preview, not the film itself.

The Challenge

AIM's 3-day gala event needed an emotional through-line connecting all three pillars of their work — Rescue, Heal, and Empower — into a single donor experience rather than three disconnected asks.

Our Approach

Finding the Story

Billy co-wrote the story with a team of writers. Having worked closely with AIM and survivors, he was able to direct toward the raw, honest emotion the film needed rather than a polished but distant retelling.

Writing

Structured as three chapters — Rescue, Heal, Empower — mirroring both the film's arc and the three days of the gala event itself.

Production Timeline

Produced ahead of the gala as a single cohesive piece, with Billy serving as executive producer and co-director alongside the writing team.

Deliverables

  • Private full-length gala film — not publicly available due to the sensitive nature of the survivor story

The Result

The gala secured $4 million in donations, with another $400,000+ from home events — together resulting in the purchase of a restoration home in Central America where girls could begin to heal from trauma.

Through My Window

Agape International Missions

Through My Window

$400,000+ raised in digital campaign

The Challenge

Gala night proves impact for one evening. AIM needed a way to show donors that the impact was real and ongoing, not a single moment — something that could carry the mission into an always-on digital fundraising campaign.

Our Approach

Finding the Story

We looked for proof points that demonstrated lasting impact rather than a single dramatic moment — evidence a donor could point to and say "it's still working."

Writing

Built as a standalone digital story, not tied to a live event — written to hold up in an inbox or a social feed on its own.

Production Timeline

Produced for an always-on digital fundraising campaign, separate from and following the gala calendar.

Deliverables

  • Digital campaign film for online fundraising

The Result

This story shows proof that impact is real and ongoing. The film was used in a digital fundraising campaign that raised over $400,000, allowing AIM to expand its mission and reach more children in crisis around the world.

Every Voice, Every Tongue

Every Language

Every Voice, Every Tongue

$150K+ raised in first month

The Challenge

Every Language works to bring Bible translation to communities without one in their own language — a mission that can be hard to make tangible to a first-time donor.

Our Approach

Finding the Story

We identified the moment that makes translation click for a first-time donor: hearing scripture in your own language for the first time.

Writing

The script was built to move quickly from problem to possibility, designed for a fast, high-conversion giving push rather than a slow build.

Production Timeline

Produced ahead of a campaign launch date, with church and social cuts ready alongside the main film.

Deliverables

  • Main campaign film for the website landing page, with a Give CTA
  • 3 social media teaser cuts linking back to the full film on the campaign landing page
  • Short version edited for church services, with a unique CTA inviting the congregation to partner
  • Evergreen version with no CTA, for ongoing use beyond the campaign

The Result

The campaign raised over $150,000 in its first month.

Because Justice Matters

Because Justice Matters

Because Justice Matters

$120K+ raised for girls' programs

The Challenge

The organization needed to fund direct programming for the girls in their care — and needed donors to see exactly what that funding would make possible.

Our Approach

Finding the Story

We looked for the specific outcomes — not the general mission — that would make a donor picture exactly where their gift goes.

Writing

Written as one of four films in a series, each built to move a donor from awareness to a concrete action.

Production Timeline

Produced as a coordinated four-film campaign rather than a single asset, released together.

Deliverables

  • Main campaign film for the website landing page, with a Give CTA
  • 3 social media teaser cuts linking back to the full film on the campaign landing page
  • Short version edited for church services, with a unique CTA inviting the congregation to partner
  • Evergreen version with no CTA, for ongoing use beyond the campaign

The Result

The campaign raised over $120,000 for girls' programs.

Super Izzy

Featuring Izzy Newswanger

Super Izzy

$50K+ raised at gala

The Challenge

Izzy Newswanger's family faced significant hospital bills and needed to raise meaningful funds from their community, on a tight production budget.

Our Approach

Finding the Story

We focused on Izzy himself — finding the parts of his story that would let a community see exactly who they were being asked to show up for.

Writing

Written as a single, emotionally compelling narrative arc rather than a campaign structure, built to premiere once at the gala.

Production Timeline

Produced on a tight budget and timeline ahead of the gala date, prioritizing story over production scale.

Deliverables

  • Full-length documentary film

The Result

The film helped raise over $50,000 from the Lancaster, PA community.

Am I Called

Sacramento Law Enforcement Chaplain Academy

Am I Called

$17K media grant secured

The Challenge

As the Academy expanded, they needed to recruit new volunteer chaplains — but had no clear campaign strategy, messaging, or way to move an interested viewer toward action.

Our Approach

Finding the Story

We worked with the Academy to find the chaplains and calls that best illustrated the weight and purpose of the work, rather than leading with statistics.

Writing

Messaging and script were built around a clear recruitment case, paired with custom landing page copy so every version had a next step.

Production Timeline

Strategy, production, and landing pages were built and launched together as a single recruitment push.

Deliverables

  • Main campaign film for the website landing page, with a Give CTA
  • 3 social media teaser cuts linking back to the full film on the campaign landing page
  • Short version edited for church services, with a unique CTA inviting the congregation to partner
  • Evergreen version with no CTA, for ongoing use beyond the campaign

The Result

The film helped the Academy secure a $17,000 grant to fund an entire year of outreach media — expanding their volunteer base to serve more people in crisis.

I Am A Missionary

Youth With A Mission

I Am A Missionary

Used for over a decade in global recruitment

The Challenge

Youth With A Mission is called to love God and love people, sharing the gospel and making disciples around the world — and needed a film that could carry that call into recruitment settings globally.

Our Approach

Finding the Story

We looked for a way to make the cost and the calling of missionary life feel personal rather than abstract, built to resonate across many cultures and languages.

Writing

Written as a standalone recruitment film built to hold up on its own, without a live speaker or event context required.

Production Timeline

Produced as a long-term asset rather than a campaign-dated piece, built to be shown for years rather than weeks.

Deliverables

  • Main campaign film for the website landing page, with a Give CTA
  • 3 social media teaser cuts linking back to the full film on the campaign landing page
  • Short version edited for church services, with a unique CTA inviting the congregation to partner
  • Evergreen version with no CTA, for ongoing use beyond the campaign

The Result

The film was used every time YWAM founder Loren Cunningham spoke, translated into multiple languages, and shared globally for over a decade.

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