The Process — Tennison Films

The process: creating a story architecture

Every project starts with our story architecture process.

We bring an innate curiosity about human behavior and begin to learn your world, develop project keywords, identify our characters, and design natural scenarios where real moments can surface.

By the time we're filming, we already know what we're looking for. The structure is built in advance so that when we're in the room, we're free to follow the moment wherever it goes, knowing it already has a home in the larger story. That's why the films feel different.

Discovery

Before we pick up a camera, we spend time learning your world. We talk to your people, study your mission, and figure out what makes your organization tick. This is where we build the foundation and identify the story worth telling.

Keywords

From our discovery work, we distill a small set of project keywords that become the creative compass for everything we do. They guide how we film, what we focus on, and how we structure the final piece. Clients often tell us we know them better than they know themselves.

Characters

This is where everything clicks. We identify the people whose stories will carry the film. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes it takes digging. But once we know who our characters are, the scenarios design themselves. The right people in the right moments tell a story that could never be scripted.

Natural Scenarios

We design comfortable, real-world situations where authentic moments can surface on their own. A conversation over coffee, a walk through the facility, a team doing what they do every day. We set the stage and then we disappear.

"Your ability to take an idea, listen, think, and do is like no other.

I always have an idea in my head when I start something and your expertise has proven, time and time again, how you can meet it and exceed it."

Randy S.
Consultant & COO

The magic: solo filmmaking with purpose

Justin Tennison realized early in his career that bringing in a crew, a grip truck and a room full of equipment is the quickest way to strip a project of its heart and authenticity. A smaller footprint means faster trust. People forget he's there, which is exactly the point. And because he films and edits every project himself, nothing gets lost in translation between the moment and the final cut.

"Don't you need a crew for professional quality?"

Justin spent his early career on large crew productions, so he knows that world well. He scaled down on purpose because the work felt more true and meaningful when he did. He brings the same equipment and cinematography skills, just fewer people in the room, which leads to a more personal experience.

"What if we need something bigger?"

Building a story architecture means the planning happens well before filming, so Justin already knows exactly where to be and when. For projects that genuinely require it, trusted collaborators can be brought in.

"Do you travel for projects?"

Constantly. Justin travels coast to coast for clients with locations and customers in multiple states, and that's actually one of the biggest advantages of working with a solo filmmaker. The look, feel, and quality of the work stays consistent across every location instead of varying based on whatever local crew happens to be available.

"Can one person really handle all of the technical stuff required?"

Fifteen years ago Justin started his career as a photojournalist, which means he learned early how to work fast, read a room, handle every aspect of production, and get back to the edit suite with all of the ingredients for a compelling story. When everything flows through one creative mind, the final product is more cohesive and rich. All of the projects in our case studies were filmed this way. See the case studies →

"Everything you make feels so human. You have a gift..."

Chris C.
Author & business fixer

What happens next

Every project starts with a conversation. We'll talk about what you're trying to accomplish, who your audience is, and whether our process is the right fit. If it is, we'll build you a custom project site and start the discovery process together.

Please note that we take on a limited number of projects each year to ensure every client gets our full attention.

Start a conversation →