There is nothing more integral to effective storytelling than emotional intimacy.
It’s not just the core element to narratives that affect change, it’s a principal motivating force in all of our lives. The moments spent, both with ourselves and with our loved ones, that resonate and ring true.
Safeguarding this intimacy is at the very center of Human Centric Media’s work, especially when it came to capturing Ezra’s (successful!) proposal to Erika at Peninsula Park.
First, we spent time with Ezra learning about their deep love for Erika, how the pair met, and the things they hold dearly together. They made clear the deep respect they have for each other, the lightness they bring to each other’s lives, and the tender openness with which they hold each other’s growth.
This trip to Portland was special for the couple - not just for the surprise Ezra had in store, but because they’d be reuniting with their dear friend Jordan Del Valle Tonoian.
Jordan and I met several years ago, during HCM’s narrative development project with the City of Tigard. As a representative of the Westside Transportation Alliance, he brought a complex perspective on the systems that carry people across the region, and care for the human lives at the core of this work.
He became our liaison for the couple’s comings and goings - planning a route through the park to a carefully selected proposal location, and alerting us via covert text messages of their arrival time.
True to form, Jordan 😏
The warm friendship between the trio quickly became a bedrock of the experience, providing the couple with a safe container to celebrate and bask in this special moment in their lives, knowing their close friend was right there by their side.
When Human Centric Media tells stories about our community, we want every supportive element to be well-represented - not just the people, but the surrounding environment. Ezra and Erika’s engagement couldn’t have been better framed by the changing fall foliage, the relief of a celebratory vacation, even the steps that carried them up from the rose garden to the landing that would change both their lives forever.
The delicate nature of this work cannot be overstated. It’s not enough to stay out of the couple’s way, or make sure they’re merely comfortable. As stewards of their engagement story, we took very seriously our responsibility to depict them with a level of love and care that matches their love for each other.
People deserve this, fundamentally. Providing it is a privilege.
Community Storytelling Built Around Love 💖
