Project Lightyear | United Therapeutics

United Therapeutics embarked on the construction of their groundbreaking Net Zero, Clean Energy facility. We were asked to document and provide insight into this complex journey. Specifically, we were tasked with transforming the technical intricacies of a 12-month construction project into a captivating film. To do this, we used an innovative approach to ensure that every stage was flawlessly captured through an array of video and photo assets. To help turn the complexities into easily digestible forms, we successfully crafted engaging narratives that not only resonated with audiences but also impressed key stakeholders, including the CEO and investors, showcasing a remarkable blend of expertise and creativity in content strategy for United Therapeutics' newest achievement.

United Therapeutics was set to build a facility that not only stood as a testament to sustainable development but also as a beacon of innovation in clean energy. Our challenge was to capture what made the project revolutionary (its Net Zero energy use, cutting-edge technology, and advanced engineering) while making the construction and project accessible to a general audience. The narrative had to be carefully crafted to highlight the groundbreaking aspects of the facility while ensuring it didn't get lost in the technical jargon. It required a delicate balance between showcasing the sophistication of the construction and making the information accessible to stakeholders, employees, and the community at large. We had to be as innovative as the facility itself.

We used visuals to their advantage, creating a filmic language that could communicate without words, another way to help turn the complex simple. We avoided technical jargon, opting instead for a narrative that was relatable and human-centric. We faced the challenge of translating the technical processes and advanced systems behind the construction of the United Therapeutics facility into a story audiences could understand We had to find the human angle, the story behind the structure. It wasn't just about capturing steel and concrete; it was about the vision, the people, and the impact. The goal was to take what was on blueprints and in technical documents and turn it into a narrative that would captivate and inform.

Simplicity is an art, especially when it comes to complex ideas. So, to achieve simplicity, we strove to create a story that looked beyond the construction site, towards that which the building represents. We asked questions about the buildings significance; why it matters — what it meant for UT to create “the world’s first net-zero, carbon-zero pharmaceutical logistics facility, operating entirely without on-site fossil fuels or diesel backup generators.”

This perspective and the answers to these questions shaped our filmmaking. They led us to seek out moments that conveyed the project’s broader significance, while making sure to never lose site of the broader interest in construction. Alongside footage of the building taking shape, we filmed the surrounding landscape and captured UT employees’ kids placing painted handprints on the topping out beam before it was raised to the highest point of the structure. These moments, we hope, remind viewers that the facility is more than an engineering achievement.

In addition to showing more personal and thoughtful footage, we also used our own custom graphics to help bring in a more artistic and personal touch to the project. The graphics we created were inspired from the collage style of an UT Annual Report. These graphics, together with the construction footage and contextual scenes, helped round out the story we wanted to tell while highlighting our creative vision and our ability to communicate beyond direct filming alone, especially when given the creative freedom to do so.

We told the story of UT's cutting-edge facility in a way that was not only engaging but also resonated with the very people who mattered most. Investors, board members, and the CEO were presented with a compelling narrative that highlighted the company's commitment to innovation and sustainability. Through the videos and photos, stakeholders could see the tangible results of their support and investment, reinforcing their confidence in the project and in United Therapeutics' vision for the future.

By creating content with longevity in mind, the story of the facility could be revisited and retold, adapting to new contexts and objectives. Whether used for educational purposes, marketing campaigns, or investor relations, the content's versatility ensured that United Therapeutics could keep the conversation going. This strategic approach not only maximized the initial investment in content creation but also bolstered the company's content marketing arsenal for years to come. It proves that with the right content partner, a single project can yield endless storytelling opportunities.

• Documented a 12-month construction project
• Simplified complex Net Zero and clean-energy concepts into clear visual stories
• Captured key project milestones throughout construction
• Created multi-purpose content for investors, executives and marketing teams
• Produced a long-term content library to support ongoing stakeholder engagement