Hope Network One in Five Relay Promo Video That Made Winter Feel Like Summer

The Challenge

Hope Network needed the One in Five Relay to feel bright, expansive, and full of summer momentum. The deliverables were not just one hero cut. We were building a main promotional anthem, social cutdowns, and a post-event recap meant to help the race keep growing.

The problem was timing. The production window landed during brutal Michigan winter weather, with punishing windchill and landscapes that looked nothing like the warm relay story the campaign needed. We had to erase winter on camera, sell the feeling of scale across multiple locations, and do it without burning money on location fees.

Our Approach

We Built Scale Without a Location Budget

We secured three distinct environments for free: a private farm, a Michigan beach, and downtown Grand Rapids. That gave the promo rural, coastal, and urban texture without inflating the budget. One runner could now move through a visual world that felt much bigger than one route or one neighborhood.

We Did the Ugly Work That Made Summer Possible

Winter locations never look warm by accident. We raked roads and trails, cleared away salt and dead debris, and kept talent bundled in coats and gloves between takes so summer wardrobe only hit the cold for the seconds the camera actually rolled. That hands-on prep protected the illusion before the edit even began.

We Used Camera Science and Grit to Finish the Illusion

We shot on the ARRI Alexa Mini and leaned on its Log-C latitude to push the image toward amber morning warmth in post. On set, MoVI operator Adam Gregory carried the stabilized rig while 1st AC Henry Joy held remote focus through freezing conditions. That let us keep the runner sharp, fluid, and cinematic even while the cold pushed back on the crew and the gear.

The Impact

The finished promo gave Hope Network a campaign that felt active, hopeful, and statewide instead of weather-limited. Viewers saw movement, sunlight, and momentum. They did not see the winter fight happening just outside the frame.

The response gave the work weight. The main promo earned more than 7.1K Facebook views, the event recap added another 1.6K, and the 2018 race jumped from roughly 1,000 participants the year before to more than 1,400 live runners. The campaign also helped widen the relay's footprint, drawing virtual participants from Canada, Japan, and Australia.

This project was part of our multi-year partnership with Hope Network. That longer relationship mattered. It let us move beyond standard race coverage and build a sharper promotional story that helped the One in Five Relay grow from a regional event into an international one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of video did SALT create for Hope Network?

We created a promotional event film package for the One in Five Relay, anchored by a main anthem cut and supported by social cutdowns and a recap. The goal was to make the relay feel energizing, hopeful, and worth joining.

Why was this production especially difficult?

The campaign needed a warm summer look, but the shoot window landed during brutal Michigan winter weather. We had to hide the season, protect talent from the cold, and still make the footage feel expansive and inviting.

How did SALT make winter footage feel like summer?

We handled that in layers. We cleaned locations by hand, styled wardrobe around quick shooting windows, then used the ARRI Alexa Mini's color latitude to push the footage toward warmer tones in post.

Did SALT charge for location scouting on this project?

We kept the scouting footprint resourceful and lean. By securing a farm, a beach, and a downtown setting for zero dollars, we gave the campaign a bigger visual world without spending the budget on location fees.

What gear helped SALT film a runner at speed?

This shoot depended on a stabilized cinema build. The ARRI Alexa Mini, a MoVI gimbal, and a wireless focus system let us track the runner smoothly while still holding sharp focus in difficult winter conditions.

Can SALT build similar event promos for nonprofits or cause-driven brands?

Yes. This project shows how we handle mission-driven campaigns when the visuals matter and the conditions fight back. If the goal is turnout, belief, and emotional lift, we know how to build that on camera.

Where is SALT located?

We are a woman-owned creative video company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We make documentary, branded, and event-driven work locally, nationally, and internationally.