Shell Point Retirement Community offers retirement living in a resort-like environment, and one of the many amenities available in the community is Shell Point Television (SPTV), a closed circuit television station that produces a 30 minute show every day for residents, along with other special programming designed to enhance community life. The staff of SPTV recently received a Telly Award recognizing excellence in video production.
The Telly Awards have highlighted the very best in local, regional, and cable television programs since 1978. This year, SPTV was recognized in the Charitable/Not-for-Profit category for its production titled A Day in the Life
“The Human Resources department asked us to find a way to showcase employees and to demonstrate that their work is both noticed and appreciated. So, we got creative,” explained Jared Pike, SPTV supervisor.
To create this innovative film, the SPTV crew utilized a Drift HD helmet camera to shoot time-lapsed videos at one frame every 10 seconds. The camera was small enough to be positioned in a variety of inconspicuous places throughout the community. Each day throughout the month of November 2011, the crew would set up the camera in a new location and let it run for three hours. For example, one day the crew mounted the camera on the rearview mirror of a neighborhood tram, showing the driver interacting with passengers. On another day, the camera was mounted on the ceiling of the laundry room, showing the unbelievable amount of laundry that is processed in the facility in a mere matter of hours. That process continued throughout the month until the crew had a collection of 30-second videos from every department within the organization. They compiled the best shots from each video to create A Day in the Life – a four-minute video demonstrating a literal day in the life at fast-paced Shell Point.
The film was shown at the employee Christmas party in December of 2011, and following the reveal to employees, the TV crew posted the video on vimeo.com and sent links to employees so they could share A Day in the Life with their friends and families. The video then aired on Shell Point Today, allowing residents to gain a behind-the-scenes look at each department throughout the organization. The video also aired on the local Christian television network, WRXY, offering the general public a chance to see and experience A Day in the Life at Shell Point.
“We received a lot of positive feedback from employees who felt that the video refreshed their sense of pride for their work and the greater Shell Point community,” said Pike. “We also received numerous comments from residents who appreciated the behind-the-scenes views of various departmental operations.”
“While we are proud to receive an award from our peers in the industry, we are most honored by the positive feedback expressed by the staff and residents of Shell Point.”
In addition to writing, filming, and broadcasting the 30-minute daily show, the team also produces feature stories on residents at Shell Point, special events and functions, and news of general interest to senior adults such as health care and volunteerism. They also facilitate the live broadcast of the community’s church services each Sunday and record special concerts and performances in the community’s auditorium. During emergencies, such as hurricanes or severe weather, the group provides personalized emergency information to update the residents of the community.
Examples of several videos created by SPTV can be found on Shell Point’s website www.shellpoint.org.
Shell Point Retirement Community is a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community located in Fort Myers just off Summerlin Road and McGregor Boulevard, two miles before the Sanibel causeway. Shell Point has received national accreditation from CARF-CCAC, and is a nationally recognized leader in the retirement industry. The community offers retirement living in a resort-style environment with an 18-hole championship golf course, deep water boating access, and recreational and fitness facilities. To learn more about Shell Point, visit us at www.shellpoint.org or call 1-800-780-1131
