On a bumpy, 8 hour bus ride through Zambia in 2007, it happened.

 

It was one of those rare moments in life when the proverbial clouds separated and a vision became clear: People in every corner of the world work tirelessly every day to help the sick, the underserved, and the vulnerable. However, these helpers are so busy helping they don’t have any leftover capacity to communicate their needs to the greater community.

Up to that point, Allan’s career aspirations involved sideline reporting for ESPN. Rather than use his creative abilities to tell the world about the next playoff game, Super Bowl, or the top draft pick, he would use those skills to connect inspiring people with those in need of inspiration. He decided to start a company with purpose of telling stories that stoke empathy, create human connection, and ultimately bring change to those who need it. When he shared this plan with Patty (his girlfriend at the time), she said, “that sounds idea great, but you’re not doing it without me.”

Inspired by the verse Acts 1:8, One:Eight Productions officially launched on January 8, 2011. With nothing more than college diplomas and the gut sense that it was what we were supposed to do, we started offering our services to ministries, organizations, businesses - really anyone doing something good. Since then, we have been repeatedly humbled and encouraged by the people we've had the privilege to work with. We’ve been married and running a business together for a decade now, and if you ask us, it just keeps getting better.

 

One:Eight Founders & Worker Bees

 

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Allan Thompson
BJ, MS Journalism - University of Missouri

Allan is a naturally outgoing and inquisitive person which makes him an excellent journalist. His brain moves a mile a minute, and he's always asking questions. He’s known with his clients for bringing out the best in interview subjects on camera. Not a day goes by that he doesn't come up with a brand new documentary idea that's "going to make it to Sundance, I swear." In his spare time he loves a good conversation around the fire pit, traveling the world, and mastering the art of grilling meat.

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Patty Thompson
BA Religious Studies, BS Psychology - University of Missouri       MS Communication - Texas Christian University

Patty has a knack for all things artistic, and she loves any opportunity to exercise creativity to help people. Her love of photography in particular began at a young age when her summer nanny taught her how to use a film SLR camera and develop black and white prints in a dark room. She loves reading, coffee, and most of all getting to spend most of her time these days at home with her two young daughters.

 

to give an idea of our culture, here are some groups we've worked with:

 
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we believe in preserving people's dignity.

Most often, we work with ministries and non-profit organizations who help people in vulnerable situations. Whether we are filming an interview with someone about a former domestic violence situation, or photographing someone with scars from illness, our primary goal is to preserve their humanity and make the end result something they would be proud to share. 

WE BELIEVE STORYTELLING IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL FORMS OF COMMUNICATION.

For whatever reason, people are wired to remember stories. Before the technological era, people passed important information down between generations through the use of stories. People love to get to know characters. We can remember the conflicts the main character faced, and can very quickly find a way to relate to his/her feelings. Stories, for at least a short time, transport us to a different time and place, allowing us to imagine what it's like in another person's shoes. If used well, storytelling is a powerful tool to get people to remember what you want them to know about your brand/cause. 

we believe the best way to tell a big story is to tell a small one.

Many of our clients work to address big problems that don't have easy or clear solutions, like child poverty, conflict, or illnesses. Something we often hear is, "This problem is bigger than any of us who work here. We may not see this resolved or even improved in our lifetime, but we're still going to do everything we can to address it." If the people working to end a major crisis feel that their effort is just a drop in the bucket, you can bet the audience they're trying to reach feels powerless to make any lasting change with any help they could offer. However, if you tell the story of one person you've helped, and show just how deeply their life has been impacted by that help, your audience will feel encouraged and empowered to help someone just like the person in your story.

Similarly, if you want your audience to understand a problem, it is best to show how one individual person's life has been impacted by it. That way, your audience learns to care for that person and remembers the circumstances that person has encountered. It means a whole lot more to people to hear that little Aiden couldn't go to school because his family was homeless and didn't have a permanent address than it does to hear that there are five thousand homeless children in his city.