Welcoming Students Home with Authentic Video Storytelling

Moving into a new residence is a huge moment for any student. It is full of excitement, but it can also be a little confusing. For the team at ADOWA Living Ellis Park, welcoming hundreds of new residents meant repeating the same essential information hundreds of times. They needed a way to guide students through the practicalities of residence life without losing the personal warmth that defines the ADOWA community.

We knew a standard corporate walkthrough would not capture the right spirit. ADOWA is about people, so we wanted the video to reflect that energy. We handled the entire production process, from writing the script to storyboarding every shot. Instead of hiring professional actors, we made a specific choice to work with actual students and non-professional models. This decision gave the video a genuine, African-centric feel that professional talent simply cannot fake. It allowed us to capture real smiles and honest interactions that potential residents can actually relate to.

The Challenge

• Reducing the heavy administrative workload involved in checking in hundreds of students at the start of the year.
• Ensuring the induction content felt welcoming and human rather than strict or boring.
• Communicating important residence rules clearly without dampening the excitement of moving in.

The final video acts as a friendly guide for every new arrival. It orients students around the residence, walking them through everything they need to know, from security procedures to finding the best spots to study. By putting this information into an engaging format, the ADOWA team can focus on building relationships with students instead of answering the same questions repeatedly.

The Success

• Simplifies the onboarding volume significantly for the ADOWA management team.
• Provides consistent, clear information to every single student to reduce confusion.
• Creates a sense of belonging from day one through authentic storytelling.

This project proved that practical information does not have to be dull. By using real people and focusing on the student experience, we created a tool that saves time and makes Ellis Park feel like home from the moment a student hits play.