Meet Stephanie Foerster of Ensemble Media in Uptown

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Foerster.

Stephanie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My passion for nonprofits and communications was sparked approximately twenty years ago, just a few blocks from where Ensemble Media’s studio now sits in Uptown. I was a volunteer interpreter for French-speaking refugees through the Kovler Center on Lawrence. That experience opened up a whole new world for me, and I decided to go back to graduate school to study international development. I didn’t know at the time I would wind up in communications and storytelling, but all the evidence was there–my dissertation incorporated audio-recorded interviews, photos, art, and poetry–the only thing missing was video!

When I completed my degree I worked in Senegal for two years as the head communications officer for an environmental organization. I produced my first documentary there, entitled “Trees and People”, and caught the filmmaking bug. I knew that whatever job I found needed to include video and storytelling. I next worked in DC as a communications officer for a large international nonprofit. The role was packed with experiences and competing priorities; I traveled across Africa documenting projects, training colleagues, and simultaneously wrote proposals, managed corporate communications and even did advocacy work on the Hill.

All the while, I was also producing an independent film called “Watch the Pallino” about the largest off-court bocce tournament in the U.S. (the tournament takes place every Labor Day in Toluca, IL). Editing that film was an incredible learning experience. When it was finished, I realized that what stimulates me creatively is the conceptual problem solving that goes into a project.

I decided to start my own production company in 2007. It first focused on documentary filmmaking, and over the years, our services have expanded to include web design, graphic design, strategy development, and branding. I moved Ensemble Media back to Chicago from DC four years ago, and am thrilled with our range of clients, projects and being part of such a diverse neighborhood. We work with everyone from the Smithsonian to education nonprofits like School-to-School International, as well as the Chicago Community Trust.

Everything Ensemble Media does educate, raises awareness or shows the impact of people and organizations making a real difference.

Has it been a smooth road?
It has been smooth for the most part, but certainly with some uphill struggles! Opening the doors right before the economic downturn was challenging, but I took a rather scrappy approach and knew that diversifying our services would enable us to do more work for more organizations.

Last year one of our most challenging projects was to produce a series of impact videos about a workforce development project in Tunisia. In three weeks we crisscrossed the country, capturing stories about everything from turkey farms, olive oil producers, and clothing factories. During filming, there were terrorist attacks and an incredible number of logistical obstacles. That said, lifelong friendships were made as a result!

Our most recent challenge was completing the office and studio renovation–that was a bit of a wild and protracted ride, but now we have a space that really meets our production and post-production needs. Ever-changing technology keeps us perpetually on our toes. This drives us to innovate and fine tune, and that keeps things interesting.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Ensemble Media story. Tell us more about the business.
Ensemble Media creates unique videos, animations, print collateral and interactive solutions. We act as a strategic partner to nonprofits, foundations, and companies, helping to tell compelling stories, educate, and advocate for important causes. We are known for our understanding of the outreach needs of nonprofit organizations, their audiences and how to amplify their voice. What sets us apart is our ability to harness the latest and greatest visual technologies and creative talent, and apply them to the social change and nonprofit space.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The use of virtual reality for nonprofit, educational and cause-based initiatives is increasing–we are watching that space and have been in talks to develop solutions with a few organizations. The other growth area is the use of mobile apps for development purposes. Crowd sourced information and experiences can really have an impact, particularly with the penetration of cell phones and smartphones in many developing countries.

The other exciting development is a simple fact that storytelling is now a recognized and valued skill–it has become a bit of a buzzword, and that makes us happy! Just ten years ago, the word had a more folksy connotation and now it is being used across industries.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://ensemble-media.com
• Email: info@ensemble-media.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ensemblemedia/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ensemblemedia/
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniefoerster/

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