The Nonantum Resort: Raising People Up

The Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport is more than a storied waterfront icon: they are rewriting the playbook on what hospitality can do for a community. We teamed up with them to tell the story of "Raising People Up", an employment initiative that breaks down barriers and offers genuine second chances.

The program steps in where traditional employers often step back, providing stable jobs and vital wrap-around support like housing and transportation to individuals transitioning out of the justice system, those in recovery, and refugees starting over in Maine.

Instead of relying on polished marketing scripts, we let the real stories do the heavy lifting. We balanced the perspectives of the resort’s leadership with deeply personal, raw testimonies from the participants themselves, giving people like Tara the space to share their journeys toward stability. Filmed right on-site, the visuals contrast the beautiful, scenic backdrop of the resort with the everyday dignity of the work happening behind the scenes.

The final film serves as both a celebration of The Nonantum team and a compelling proof-of-concept for other business leaders, proving that investing in human potential is a talent model that creates generational change.

We handled this project from the ground up, directing the creative flow, capturing the documentary-style cinematography on-site, and conducting the multi-subject interviews. Our post-production team brought it all together through dedicated editing, sound design, and color grading to make sure the emotional weight of the project hit home perfectly.