Shannon DiGrazio

Professor Haq
COM 220
31 March 2015

Production Plan
Project Title: HORSEPOWER Therapeutic Learning Center -Public Service Announcement:
(My own phrase):Be brave, Be confident, Feel empowered
Log line: This PSA shows a non-profit organization instilling confidence in individuals of all
ages with disabilities through riding horses. We can all benefit from experiencing this
bonding interaction between a rider and a horse; the feeling of accomplishment after riding a
horse is remarkable.
Visual Treatment: I envision my project to be unique, capturing different moments that take
place in the organization. I want to open with a video clip of a child riding a horse and
showing how happy he or she is, then transition to a teen then to an adult, in the same way
(this will be part of how my project is different because it will show the range of ages). In
these clips, one will be able to hear the sounds coming from the horse and see how the two
interact with each other. In addition, viewers will be able to hear him/her laughing and
having a good time with everyone who is helping with the ride cheering him/her on. From
this point on, music will be played in the background. Following the action of the horses and
riders, I want to have footage of an interview of the owner/director giving a general statement
on who they are and what the organization is. While they are speaking, more videos and
photos will appear on the screen, displaying the activities and images of the facility. When
footage of the horses are shown, I want either the director or therapist on sight to talk about
the horses there and what the process is each day in preparing them for the riders. I am then
going to focus on the disabled individuals and have them say what they want to say in
regards to how much they love it there or how much it has helped them. Possibly after, I
would like to have someone who is not disabled speak on their experience and how either
volunteering or bringing someone they know there has had an impact on himself/herself. I
would like the directors of the organizations, during their interviews, talk about their original
vision of starting this center and how it has grown into what they intended it to be. Also, I
would ask them why they wanted to do it, maybe getting more of a backstory in their life. I
plan to end the clip with the music gradually getting louder, and still photos of what goes on,
the horses, the riders, and any pictures with happy faces, showing the success in the
organization. The video will transition into a final image of their name on location:
HORSEPOWER Therapeutic Learning Center.
Purpose and Goals: HORSEPOWER Therapeutic Learning Center is a non-profit
organization serving the North Carolina Piedmont Triad community since 1995 and affiliated
with the Piedmont Saddle Club since 1998. They are a premiere PATH (Personal
Achievement Through Horses) International center providing therapeutic horseback riding
and other equine-assisted activities to over 300 individuals with disabilities, as well as ablebodied students, each year. Strongly believing that the world looks different on horse, their
purpose is to instill confidence in the disabled, making them feel empowered and on top of
the world, while also being a form of therapy or activity for individuals. My personal goals in

creating this project is to show not just how this therapy is successful, but to also show how
strong a connection and relationship is developed between the rider and the horse. I want to
show viewers how much this organization affects the wide range of disabled individuals as
well as those without disabilities. There are common connections and goals between my
personal aspirations and the organizations: we both want to show how confident a rider can
become, how this therapy can positively change their perspective and see the world from a
different angle (the horses back), and how it can affect everyonethe disabled and
nondisabled.
Audience Engagement: My target audience is going to consist of two groups: those who are
not disabled and those who are. In regards to engaging the nondisabled, I plan to show how
this activity positively changes ones look in life, appreciating everything they have. I am
planning to show footage of volunteers having a blast just as good as the riders on the horse,
and having interviews of people talking about how much it has changed their lives. This will
in return, engage my audience and make them interested in my project as well as the
organization. In regards to the disabled, I plan to engage them by showing videos of both
children and adults riding and having a good time, proving that there are only benefits from
this therapy. From this and the entire PSA announcement a whole, this audience will be
interested in possibly visiting this center to experience it first-hand.
Genre/Format/Approach: Im looking to make it more of an interview and live footage
kind of format and genre, showing more of a happier tone instead of a sad one. I will not be
talking in my video because I feel like that would take away from the emotional connection
that will already be set up and forming. Instead, when interviewing people, I will ask them
the questions off camera, then record them with their answers, restating the questions so the
viewers know what was asked. My approach involves individuals speaking from their own
point of views, and then clips of the interaction of the riders and horses in different areas of
the entire video.
Resources: Zoom recorder, cameras (video and possibly photo), and a tripod for interviews.
Team Members: Tori Labenberg, Asher Davis, Takasuke Tsuji, Liza Frazier, Alexandra
Root, and Angelique McKenna.
Each member is valuable and will contribute in their own ways using the skills they excel at
most. Some member are very good at thinking on the spot and forming questions to ask, so
therefore they would add value during the interviews. Others are very good at finding the
light, so they would help find an appropriate setting to film. Additionally, some members
are good with approaching people and can kindly talk to someone one on one, retrieving
information that will assist with the project as a whole. Overall, there are multiple ways in
which each person will hold value to the project and team. It will interesting to see the
teamwork from each member and the willingness to cooperate with one another for a good
cause. The role of each member is described down below.
Productions Anticipated Timeline: Due to the fact that HORSEPOWER Therapeutic
Learning Center is not that close and will take time to get to, my group will have to come up
with a mutual date(s) to visit that fits into everyones schedule. Going at least two weeks
prior to the due date of the project would be wise, so all the kinks are worked out and each
member is able to properly edit their own work. As of right now, my group plans to separate

into two groups to make two trips. Takasuke, Victoria, and I are going to go to an able-bodied
lesson and interview the two directors in charge on April 11th. Takasuke will videotape, I will
ask the questions, and Victoria will make up the interview questions. Angelique, Eliza, Alex
and Asher will go on April 14th. Angelique will make up the questions, Eliza will interview
the parent, Alex will interview the instructor and Asher will videotape.