Video Marketing for Private Schools: ICA Cristo Rey Case Study

We had the honor of partnering with ICA Cristo Rey, a tuition-free, all-girls Catholic high school in the heart of the Mission in San Francisco.

This school is working to give young women from underserved communities access to a college-prep education and hands-on work experience through their incredible corporate work-study program. Each year, they host a luncheon to raise funds for their school-and this year, they wanted the event to feel elevated, emotional, and engaging.

That’s where we came in.

Bringing Their Mission to Life

The goal was simple: create video content that would move donors to give. But more specifically, they wanted to:

• Tell real student stories.

• Highlight their student-athletes and growing sports programs.

• Show how their corporate work-study program gives juniors and seniors a serious head start before college.

We approached it documentary-style (mostly unscripted interviews), with just a few guided prompts to keep things feeling natural but intentional.

4 Days, 3 Videos

What started as a two-day shoot turned into four. Between multiple student schedules, various locations (including law firms, pharma companies, and Boys & Girls Clubs), and rain delays...we had to stay flexible and be ready to pivot.

We filmed a mix of interviews and b-roll:

• Students and teachers on campus

• Sports games (including two big wins for volleyball and soccer—go ICA!)

• Work placements across San Francisco

• And some truly touching moments that only come when the camera’s rolling and people feel comfortable being themselves

At one point, we were filming Track & Field in the rain…my Assistant Director literally holding an umbrella over me so I could get the shot.

And when interview locations ended up being small show closets with bad lighting…we stepped in with on-the-spot set design and lighting tweaks to elevate the look and feel—ensuring each interview looked polished & cinematic.

Over $1-Million Raised

The videos premiered at their annual luncheon and helped them raise over $1-Million in Donor Funding.

The best part was that the content didn’t just live for one night. It’s become a long-term storytelling asset they’re now using for outreach, social media, and admissions.

This is the kind of video marketing for private schools that actually works—because it’s rooted in real people, real stories, and real results.