Amazing Athlete stories as part of UF Health’s 2024 master brand campaign

UF Health is one of only eight systems in the nation to be a health care provider for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Medical Network. UF Health is the first member in the Southeast, where many Team USA athletes live and train. Nationwide, the USOP Medical Network includes three National Medical Centers – of which UF Health is one – and five Regional Medical Centers. It is through the USOP Medical Network that Team USA athletes have access to an array of specialties, proven expertise and high-quality clinical care.

Throughout Spring 2024 I and my team had the opportunity to work directly with Grant, Grace and Faith (videos above) in producing long-form video profiles of each as part of a broader system brand campaign called Human Progress Has No Finish Line, for which we also shot footage used in the television commercials our ad agency, Devito Verdi (New York City) produced. You’ll see those commercials at the Human Progress Has No Finish Line link.

But for me and my team, the most exciting part of this massive production was working directly with these elite, world-class athletes in telling their human stories: overcoming adversity, persevering to be the best, and sharing their thoughts on what it means to have a network of supporters surrounding them, all to encourage our patients and their families through difficult times.

Serving as executive producer, I planned every aspect of these shoots: location scouting, contracting, scheduling, securing the gear we’d need for video and photo, securing extra production assistance, wardrobe/hair/makeup, catering, negotiating shot possibilities with the athletes’ agents, developing the shot lists, coordinating company moves, and everything else that goes along with leading productions of this magnitude. My production books were quite extensive! I also directed each shoot and the final edit, in addition to creating sound design. All in all, very rewarding. I cannot thank my small but mighty team of photographers, videographers, creative director and animator enough for their excellent work.

Below are some behind-the-scenes images from the various production shoots