Doing Great Things Together
An emotional, cinematic campaign for First Bank that celebrated the transformative power of community, told through the legacy of Richmond Civic Theatre and the people who keep it alive.
The Ask
What We Did
- Creative Direction
- Producing
- Locations
- Production
- Editorial
- Color
- Sound Design
- Finishing
First Bank wanted a campaign that felt larger than finance. They wanted to celebrate the role they play in building community and show how their support extends beyond banking into the lives of the people they serve. Richmond Civic Theatre, with its inspiring 80-year legacy, became the perfect backdrop to tell that story.
The challenge was to capture both the heritage of the institution and the human spirit that keeps it thriving today. The campaign had to feel cinematic and emotional, yet still rooted in the approachable identity of First Bank.
Industries
Financial Services, Community
- Commercial
- Branded Content
Approach
We built the campaign around a parallel story. On one side, a young man steps into the Richmond Civic Theatre to audition for a play. Nervous at first, he finds camaraderie and encouragement in the cast around him. On the other side, theatre leadership finds that same sense of support in First Bank, whose partnership helps sustain the theatre’s 80-year legacy.
The goal was to tell a story that felt as much about community as it did about theatre or finance. By linking the personal journey of one young actor with the broader relationship between the theatre and its bank, the campaign showed how support at every level allows people and communities to thrive together.
Stills
How it happened
LENSING
We chose to shoot anamorphic, which is not typical for a bank spot. The format widened the frame and added gentle character to light and space, which helped the theatre feel larger than life without losing intimacy. It influenced how we blocked scenes, how we composed close-ups, and how we let moments breathe. The result was a look that felt warm, human, and worthy of a place with eighty years of history.
PERFORMANCE
The story hinged on our lead. He had to carry the arc from nerves to belonging in a way that felt natural and believable. We directed him toward small, authentic beats like a hesitant glance, a shift in body language, or a quiet smile that communicated the change without words. Those subtle choices grounded the film and gave the audience a clear emotional thread to follow.
MIXED MEDIA
To truly honor the Richmond Civic Theatre’s history, we dug into the archives. Hours of old footage were scanned and carefully woven into the cut. The mix of past and present grounded the spot, reminding viewers that this wasn’t only about one production but about an eighty-year tradition of creativity, resilience, and community. It gave the campaign a sense of roots that tied perfectly to First Bank’s support.
“As a marketing agency, we work with many vendors to help us produce the best results possible for our clients. While most of these vendors simply execute on a tactic, Paragon goes far beyond that - bringing their experience and expertise with video to add another level of value for us. They just don't execute our ideas, they help us develop ideas - moving them from the realm of simply a vendor - to a partner.”
Jeff Richards
IronGate Creative
