When the Devils Lake Chamber set out to create a campaign that would not only attract visitors, but inspire people to live, work, and thrive in the Lake Region, they called us in from the start. This wasn’t just a video project. It was a full-scale relocation campaign grounded in storytelling, strategy, and visuals that speak to real people. This project was built on our core values of collaboration, creativity, and authenticity.
Starting with Strategy
It kicked off with scripts, storyboards, and a shared vision. Our team worked closely with the Chamber to align messaging with heart, making sure every line, scene, and shot reflected the true rhythm of life in Devils Lake. From work and wellness to family and the outdoors, we wanted the content to feel lived-in and authentic, not staged.
We spent significant time refining scripts to balance informative messaging with emotional storytelling, ensuring viewers would both understand the opportunities and feel personally connected to the community. Storyboards helped us visualize the narrative flow and plan logistics across multiple locations and seasons. Throughout pre-production, collaboration was key! We regularly checked in with the Chamber, local talent, and residents to keep the project grounded and aligned with real-life experiences. This early investment in strategy laid the foundation for a seamless production and compelling final product.
If you’ve ever worked in the outdoor space, you know the struggle, weather has a mind of its own. We had sunny mornings turn cloudy in minutes and windy afternoons that forced last-minute shot changes. But that’s one thing about us… we stay nimble. We communicated constantly with business owners, talent, and community teams to shift locations, reschedule shots, and keep the momentum going.
Add to that a tight deadline: three shoots in three different seasons, the last one in June with a July 1st video delivery. We planned hard and worked even harder, balancing the creative vision with the realities of weather, schedules, and light.
Across those shoots, we captured real residents and genuine moments—early morning coffee runs, classrooms full of kids, live music on the lake, dental check-ups, afternoons on the water, and casual conversations on Main Street. Our crew moved fast and stayed local, making sure every frame connected back to the campaign’s heart: showing the “Good Life” in action.
In just seven months, what started as a script turned into a complete relocation toolkit:
Now, potential residents can experience the Lake Region before they ever set foot here – through visuals that are as intentional as they are inspiring.
At RAWfish, media is more than just content, it’s connection. This project was about more than checking boxes. It was about working side-by-side with a community, adapting when the skies changed, keeping the cameras rolling, and delivering a campaign that doesn’t just tell the story, it shows it. Our core values of creativity, collaboration, and execution guided us every step of the way.
