Authenticity Over Everything: How Helm Content's Real People are Crafting Real Narratives
As their name would suggest, Helm Content is firmly in command of their creative output, regardless of genre. With authenticity acting as their guiding light, the California-based production house's talent traverse filmmaking genres, motivated by a hunger to experiment with every available format.
Founded in 2023 by executive producers Melanie Baines and Patrick Degan, the commercial and branded entertainment company works closely with directors from across the creative sphere. Describing their roster of filmmakers as 'exceptionally accomplished', Melanie and Patrick are excited to explore the versatility of their new offering.
“We are known for bringing authenticity to advertising through our combined 30 years of experience working with real people and actors, sometimes both in the same campaign,” explains Patrick. “Knowing the nuances of documentary-style content is embedded in our culture, and helping brands tap into that is where we thrive. Each of our directors brings a unique style to their work based on their individual pedigrees and it shows in the end result.”
Boasting an array of skill sets and signature styles, the ability to dig deep and find the universal truth at the heart of any story is the common thread that unifies Helm’s diverse roster. Having established long-lasting relationships during collaborations on a range of branded and commercial projects, Melanie and Patrick have curated their dream team of directors who are capable of delivering everything agencies and clients could possibly need.
Speaking with three of their talented filmmakers, LBB’s April Summers learns more about the multifaceted qualities of Helm Content’s directors.
Nico Carbonaro
Formerly the Creative Lead at Google’s in-house creative studio, Nico Carbonaro is an award-winning filmmaker whose approach to storytelling is based firmly in his keen investigations, observations and appreciation for unconsidered perspectives. Business Class, his latest episodic project produced by Helm Content, is available to stream on Amazon Prime.
LBB> Tell us a bit about the process of shooting Business Class – how is it different from other projects you’ve worked on?
Nico> This project was completely unlike anything I've ever done before. We basically shot a TV show - 11 episodes over a combined six months of production, in 12 cities across six countries - about the day-to-day struggles and triumphs of entrepreneurs.
To pull this off, we had months of planning before the first camera rolled; casting, script writing, shot-listing, and story producing, not to mention all of the logistical work it took to undertake such an epic round-the-world endeavour.
But day to day, our shoots felt as familiar as any other documentary project I've ever taken on. We were stepping into the (extremely busy) lives of business owners the world over in a bid to understand their story. To do that, within the limited time, we had to create an environment of trust that allowed us to get to the universal truths at the heart of their stories.
In post, we had a full TV edit squad with multiple editors, story producers, and associate producers working day in and day out to find the diamonds in the rough, pulling it all together to make the final series.
All of us at Helm Content felt very lucky that AMEX and Dentsu had a crystal clear idea of what they were after which served as our guiding light throughout the process. When you’re crafting over 2.5 hours of content, you need a team that is in lockstep, and it was a pleasure to have that every step of the way.
LBB> Can you tell us the ways in which this project helped you hone your craft?
Nico> One word: Endurance. Coming from a background of directing short form documentary and branded work, I learned so much about the stamina it requires to touch down in a new city each week, scout, shoot, wrap and do it all over again the next week, for months on end.
The beautiful part of this process was the ability to learn from each shoot, and apply those learnings almost instantly to the next one - this rarely happens. We had a small but nimble team and were able to basically read one another's minds; as a result, our production process felt a lot like an intuitively choreographed ballet.
Jessica Yu
Director, writer and producer, Jessica Yu, has worked on major TV shows like Billions, The Morning Show and ER. Drawn to genres she hasn’t yet had the chance to explore, the recent release of sister-led feature film, Quiz Lady, sees Jessica turn her attention to the comedy genre. Having debuted at this year’s TIFF, Quiz Lady is available to stream on Disney+
LBB> Congratulations on Quiz Lady, it’s brilliant! Can you remember when you were first approached to work on this project?
Jessica> I was approached to direct Quiz Lady after Awkwafina and Sandra Oh were already attached so I was hooked even before reading the script. Jen D’Angelo’s script was very funny and big-hearted, which made it the complete package. We don’t get to see a lot of comedies about sisterhood, and the fact that the story is about Asian American sisters makes it unique. Anyone with a sibling can relate to the wildly shifting ratio of affection-to-exasperation they feel for each other.
LBB> What was your reaction to the final cut?
Jessica> We had a fantastic post team that loved the film and I was embedded in the post process throughout. It’s always tricky cutting down time, but I was really pleased that we were able to sharpen the comedy while retaining the heart of the story. It’s a little embarrassing, but there are moments at the end where I still tear up! Every. Single. Time.
LBB> And what was the reaction at TIFF? Do you have a favourite piece of feedback?
Jessica> TIFF was such a blast! We had two packed screenings at a 1400-seat theatre. It was so joyous to sit amongst a happy crowd and watch the film together. The audience response was warm and loud, sometimes drowning out the next joke - but I’ll take that any day! My favourite response is laughter, especially when we get big laughs in places we didn’t anticipate. I also love hearing people say, “I have to watch this with my sister/brother.” That and hearing people say they cried, so I don’t feel quite as alone in my teary response...
Mariano Carranza
From hearty street food to beautifully orchestrated haute cuisine, Emmy Award-nominated director and producer Mariano Carranza captures the unifying aspects of food from around the world. His latest feature film, Pachacútec, the Improbable School, recently premiered at the San Sebastian Culinary Zinema.
LBB> Why did you feel compelled to tell this story? And what are you most proud of about the final film?
Mariano> This story came to me almost by coincidence, then it became part of me and I felt compelled to tell it. The legendary chef Gastón Acurio, who is credited as the Godfather of Peruvian gastronomy, reached out directly to me and sent me a message after he saw my episode of Street Food on Netflix.
Acurio told me that he wanted to create a documentary film about his cooking school, Pachacútec, which has provided a culinary education for around 15 years, empowering a generation of over 400 students from underprivileged conditions - in some cases extreme poverty. The three stories we tell in the film are a testament of how cooking has the power to drastically change lives for the better.
LBB> How did you know you wanted to specifically focus on these three alumni for this film? Why did you want to tell their stories?
Mariano> I talked to over 30 alumni of the school and it was incredibly inspiring to hear everyone's stories. These are such talented folks who are taking cooking to the next level, not only in Peru, but in countries all over the world: from the Middle East to Europe to the Americas. It was really hard to choose only three stories because all of them are powerful. I ended up choosing these three because I felt they demonstrated a good balance of skill sets - an entrepreneur/restaurateur, a chef de cuisine, and a pastry chef - a good balance of geography - Peru, California, and Luxembourg - and gender. Ultimately though, it’s because these three characters are engaging, loveable, passionate and unique.
LBB> A quote from the trailer stood out to me: "Cooking is really powerful and sometimes we are not fully aware of the power that it has." When did you, as a filmmaker, realise the power of cooking and your natural affinity for capturing its essence on film?
Mariano> That quote is from Joan Roca, one of the best chefs in the world and a huge inspiration throughout the film! To me, cooking is a vehicle by which we tell meaningful and important stories. Cooking and food have the power to capture audiences’ imaginations and emotions in a way that very few other things have. We can then use this vehicle as an excuse to tell bigger stories. To me, cooking and food have the power to tell stories about hopes and dreams, therapy, and redemption. Food is community and passion. Food is about who we are, our roots, our identity – it is about where we come from and where we are heading.
Find out more about Helm Content by visiting their website or browsing their work on LBB
