During the last week of February 2026, one of our clients approached us with an interesting assignment. They wanted us to create a Women's Day video featuring the women of their organisation.
There was just one catch.
We had barely twelve days to complete the project.
Thankfully, tight deadlines are nothing new to us. Over the years, we have produced several employee videos and testimonial videos within challenging timelines. Perhaps that's why the client was confident enough to hand over the responsibility to us.
The Process
The shoot took us across multiple locations in India.
People often tell me how lucky I am to travel for work. I agree. I genuinely love travelling. But travelling for a corporate video is different.
It begins with catching connecting flights, driving long distances from hotels to manufacturing facilities located inside SEZs, and reaching the interview location only to discover poor interiors, noisy surroundings or furniture that simply doesn't work on camera.
Over the years, I have stopped calling these problems.
They are simply part of the process.
In fact, setting up an interview feels like eighty percent of the job. Finding the right background, controlling the available light, eliminating distractions, positioning the camera, and most importantly, making the person sitting in front of it feel comfortable.
The Selection
And then comes my favourite part.
The conversation.
Unlike actors, employees do not arrive prepared with rehearsed expressions or polished dialogues. Most of them walk in because their HR team has asked them to. Some are nervous. Some apologise before saying their first sentence. Some keep asking if they are doing it right.
Every organisation has stories worth telling. You just have to listen.
This project was no different.
I interviewed fifty four women from different locations, departments and backgrounds. Some were naturally confident. Others needed a few minutes before they forgot the camera was even there.
The final film, however, had to be under three minutes.
That meant only twelve interviews eventually found their place in the edit.
The selection was based on several factors including presentability, clarity, confidence on camera, emotional connect and how well each story fit into the overall narrative.
The Stories
But the interviews I remember the most are the ones that never made it into the final film.
Not because they were any less meaningful. Simply because there wasn't enough time to include every story.
One young employee, Gayatri, paused during the interview and asked me, "Can I talk about my father in this Women's Day video?"
I smiled and said, "Of course."
Honestly, I wasn't sure whether that portion would finally make it into the edit. But I didn't want to stop her.
I wanted to listen.
She spoke about her father, an autorickshaw driver, who worked tirelessly to educate her. Even today, she said, he often drives past the office where she works. She spoke about him with such pride that, for a moment, the interview stopped being about Women's Day.
It became a story about gratitude.
Another woman had joined the company after the demise of her husband, who had worked there. She spoke about entering a workplace she knew nothing about, learning everything from scratch with the support of her colleagues, and gradually becoming independent enough to raise her children.
It was not a dramatic story.
It was a quietly inspiring one.
Then there was Usha, the gardener.
During the interview, she pointed towards one of the office buildings and said with a smile, "My daughter works in that building... in the accounts department."
A little later, I interviewed her daughter. She spoke with equal pride about her mother.
Watching both interviews reminded me that every organisation is full of stories waiting to be discovered. Most of them remain unheard simply because nobody takes the time to ask.
Real People Remember
This is exactly why I love working with non actors.
Actors perform.
Real people remember.
They pause while searching for the right words. They smile unexpectedly while talking about someone they love. Sometimes they drift away from the original question, and that is often where the most beautiful stories begin.
As filmmakers, we can plan the shots, perfect the lighting and refine the edit. But authenticity cannot be scripted.
After nearly two decades of making corporate videos, employee videos, testimonial videos and documentaries, I have realised that the most memorable moments are rarely the ones we plan.
They happen in between.
Between two questions. Between two smiles. Between someone trying to answer and someone simply opening up.
Every organisation has stories worth telling.
You just have to listen.
And perhaps that is what I enjoy the most about making corporate films.
