Communicating Impact Through Research-in-Action Videos

Challenge

Illinois Tech and CARNATIONS Research Center are advancing the future of navigation and transportation systems in collaboration with leading universities. Like many organizations, their important contributions were often hidden in long reports and technical web pages. The challenge was making their mission, goals, and impact visible and accessible to non-technical audiences including partners, students, and funding agencies.

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What We Did

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CARNATIONS partnered with 630 Studio because they needed more than a production crew, they needed a creative partner who could showcase their mission with clarity and impact. We worked closely with their team to design and deliver a series of videos that were both professional and engaging:

• Collaborated with leadership and researchers to shape a clear storyline that connected their work to real-world impact
• Directed interviews with confidence and warmth, helping speakers feel comfortable while keeping the messaging focused
• Captured the energy of research in action with on-site filming of labs, experiments, and team collaboration — using technical and creative expertise from drone cinematography to dynamic b-roll coverage
• Delivered polished, versatile content with editing, graphics, and text overlays that made the videos easy to use in presentations, grants, and outreach
• Aligned with their bigger goals by creating content that elevated the center’s visibility, credibility, and recruitment efforts

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Results

• Professional research-in-action videos now used in grants, recruitment, and outreach
• Clearer communication of mission and goals to stakeholders, funders, and students
• Improved visibility and credibility for the program at a national level

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Universal Takeaway
Any school, nonprofit, or organization can use video to bring their mission and impact out of text-heavy reports and into a format that’s professional, engaging, and easy to understand

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