Finding the Heart of Operation Food Search

Before you read this post, please take the time to watch this video first. It’s important for context.

Capturing the heart of Operation Food Search, a major St. Louis food bank, was a year-long venture. We plunged ourselves into the world of the organization. We were there, from food distribution events and volunteer days to cooking classes and day-to-day happenings at the organization. We rode shotgun on trucks picking up food donations and experienced the gears and cogs of this well-oiled machine firsthand.

As with any flavorful stew, you need ingredients—about 15 to 20. These were our interviewees—volunteers, clients, staff, and leadership—each contributing their unique flavors to weave a compelling narrative.

Among these flavors, one stood out—Judy. From our first meeting, I sensed she was our secret ingredient, the backbone of our narrative. I found myself returning to her story, rewatching her interview—she embodied the spirit we aimed to convey. Her words—authentic and poignant—captured what no script could. And so, I made a bold move. In a kitchen full of ingredients, I chose to highlight just one—Judy.

Documentary filmmaking, much like cooking, thrives on daring choices. Safe routes might result in a satisfactory meal, but daring combinations create memorable flavors that resonate with the audience. This was no different.

As a photographer friend eloquently said, photography is an 'art of opportunity.' Documentary filmmaking is the same. The countless hours of filming, and the many interviews conducted—though not all footage found its way into the final cut, each moment was necessary. Only through this kind of immersion could Judy's story resonate, giving me the insight to let her voice be the sole narrator.

The beauty of working in documentaries is the opportunity to witness, capture, and share powerful narratives. The art lies in finding the one perfect story that pulls everything together, much like Judy's story for Operation Food Search.