Empowering Communities Through Storytelling: ECHO Asia

ECHO works globally to equip small-scale farmers with sustainable agricultural techniques, providing knowledge, seeds, and training to combat food insecurity. While ECHO operates on a large scale, much of its impact is achieved through partnerships with local organizations that extend their reach into underserved communities. For their Southeast Asia branch, ECHO sought a video that would highlight the unique partnership model they use to share agricultural knowledge, focusing on the perspectives of the individuals and communities they serve.

1. Expand Knowledge Sharing

Illustrate how ECHO shares technical resources both on-site and through their digital platform, ECHOcommunity.org.

2. Promote Sustainable Agriculture

Showcase how ECHO equips communities with sustainable agricultural practices that enhance food security.

3. Increase Global Impact

Highlight ECHO’s regional training centers and their role in advancing agricultural knowledge.

4. Foster Community Connections

Emphasize ECHO’s collaborative model, where they work alongside NGOs, local organizations, and farmers to multiply their impact.

Authentic Storytelling from Beneficiaries

Green Light Studio chose a beneficiary-led narrative over a traditional, top-down organizational focus. Instead of spotlighting ECHO’s internal operations, the video featured personal stories from individuals and communities directly impacted by ECHO’s work. This approach allowed the video to convey ECHO’s value through relatable, real-world success stories that emotionally resonate with viewers.

Scaled-Down Production

Working with a tight timeline and budget, we prioritized essential shots and captured footage on location. The team accompanied ECHO to various sites around Chiang Mai, including training on biochar production and water filtration, to show ECHO’s work in action. This on-the-ground perspective reinforced the grassroots nature of ECHO’s mission.

Production Challenges

Due to last-minute health challenges, some ECHO and GLS team members were unavailable for parts of the shoot. Green Light Studio used innovative editing to maintain continuity in the video narrative without requiring reshoots, allowing us to keep the project on budget and schedule.

Health and Logistical Issues: Illness affected both ECHO and Green Light Studio team members, requiring flexibility in team roles and responsibilities. The team adapted by reshuffling tasks and moving forward with a revised plan, ensuring filming remained on track.

Transportation and Remote Locations: The rural settings required precise planning to coordinate logistics and minimize disruptions to ECHO’s ongoing training activities. The team managed this by working with ECHO to create a detailed shot list and collaborating closely with ECHO staff to optimize timing.

Flexible Content Creation: ECHO’s precise narrative required real-time adjustments to the storyline and content focus. Green Light Studio worked closely with ECHO to adapt content as the shoot progressed, ensuring alignment with their mission while keeping production efficient.

Increased Donor Engagement: The video offered a clear, relatable view of ECHO’s impact, enhancing donor understanding of ECHO’s mission and encouraging continued support.
Strengthened Brand Trust: By focusing on the experiences of beneficiaries, the video underscored ECHO’s community-centered values, strengthening viewer trust and appreciation for their approach.
Budget and Timeline Compliance: Despite logistical challenges, Green Light Studio delivered the project on schedule and within budget, thanks to adaptive strategies and close client collaboration.