task

With “Best of California,” Blue Shield, along with Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, trusted DOMO Director Chantal Anderson to craft a portrait of the state told through its people. The campaign, led by Creative Director Robyn Tenenbaum, hinged on authentically capturing the real communities who benefit from programs like Medi-Cal — folks who are the backbone of our workforce and make up the fabric of California, but who aren’t often highlighted.

Drawing on her background in photography and portraiture, Anderson jumped at the opportunity to ground the work in real stories and real people, and set out to capture not only each person’s essence, but also the textures and environments of their everyday lives — those elements that would deeply connect the audience to these subjects and allow them to be seen as heroes. 

process

Inspired by Tenenbaum’s script and supported by DOMO’s experienced production team, Anderson helmed the project with her powerful vision, grounded in authenticity. The team partnered with Nimzo Casting to seek out faces that told a story in their expression, people with a look in their eye that drew you in, and who brought with them an implicit sense of place. In order to create a meaningful connection to the subject, Anderson stripped back the style, minimizing camera moves and focusing instead on composition. As an artist known for her use of color, shooting in black and white was an exciting challenge for the director, and she thought of each scene like a painting, collaborating with DP Drew Bienemann and Editor Stephania Dulowski in order to prioritize shapes and textures and bring a thoughtful composition to each scene. She explains, “When we’re on set I’m not asking them to perform, I’m creating an experience that is crafted and deeply connected. One that allows intimate moments to naturally emerge.”

The team supported Anderson’s characteristic sense of openness with every layer of production, so when the perfect shaft of light would fall on a subject’s face, or a ladybug would land on one’s hand, the entire team was prepared and excited to capture it. Anderson shares, “It’s about intentionally making sure every person on set is ready for these experiences and open to whatever each unique subject brings to set each day.”