Corporate Video and Photography Services - Case Study for upGrad
A five-day cinematic production documenting UpGrad’s DBA Immersion in Singapore. 88 Productions created a wrap-up film, six testimonial interviews, a CEO segment, and full editorial event photography, blending documentary storytelling with corporate precision to capture the learners’ journeys and the energy of the academic experience.
CASE STUDY — UpGrad: 5-Day DBA Immersion (Event Film + Photography + Testimonial Series)
Client: UpGrad
Project: DBA Immersion – 5-Day Event Video & Photography
Deliverables:
1 Wrap-Up Event Film
6 Interview/Testimonial Films
Full Event Photography Coverage (5 days)
B-roll storytelling
CEO interview
Singapore outdoor shoot
🎯 THE CLIENT CHALLENGE
UpGrad Singapore held an intensive five-day DBA Immersion Program in February 2025, bringing together global professors, industry experts, visiting faculty, doctoral learners and the APAC leadership team.
The client needed:
A cinematic wrap-up film capturing the energy and learning experience
6 interview videos showcasing learner stories
Editorial-quality event photography over all 5 days
Footage that was authentic, human-focused, documentary-style
Interactions between professors, learners, leadership and guest speakers
A creative team that could work embedded inside the event while preserving the integrity of the learning environment
They wanted storytelling, not just documentation.
🎬 OUR APPROACH
We approached the project as a documentary production inside a corporate environment, focusing on:
1. Narrative Structure
Based on the multiple pre production meetings, we designed a narrative anchored on:
Learners’ journeys
Candid interactions
Professor-led sessions
Group work dynamics
The human and emotional side of professional learning
2. Multi-Day, Multi-Camera Coverage
We created a 5-day cinematic shooting plan, with a mix of:
Gimbal movement for dynamic energy
Tripod setups for lectures and consistency
Two-camera setups for interviews (CU + MS)
Portrait-style testimonials shot in vertically framed formats
3. Documentary Interview Setup
We filmed:
6 learner interviews
One CEO interview with Myleeta Aga Williams
B-roll overlays
Natural, conversational responses
Interviews were recorded with:
Two cameras
Professional lighting setup
A portable mic system
A natural backdrop (requested by UpGrad)
4. Real-time adaptability
The event included:
Learner presentations
Interactive icebreaker activities
Professor-led teaching
Registration & networking
A formal gala dinner
A Singapore city tour
We adjusted the filming plan daily to capture key moments.
5. Strategic Communications
We created a WhatsApp group with the UpGrad team for:
Daily agendas
Shot lists
Changing room allocations
Quick updates
Last-minute interview confirmations
This allowed seamless on-site production.
📸 WHAT WE CAPTURED
Event Photography
A cinematic, editorial-style visual record of:
Stage moments
Panels
Professors engaging with learners
One-to-one guidance
Emotional reactions
Group dynamics
Branding & environment
Singapore tour moments
Networking and gala dinner
Video Deliverables
Wrap-Up Film
A fast-paced, emotional, narrative-driven summary capturing the heart of the program.Six Learner Testimonial Films
Each featuring:Personal stories
Academic motivations
B-roll overlays
Thoughtful, emotional insights
CEO Interview Segment
Featuring leadership messaging and program vision.
🔥 THE RESULT
The UpGrad team received:
A polished cinematic wrap-up film
A collection of 6 personal testimonials for marketing & internal use
Over 800 high-quality images from all 5 days
Visual assets aligned with UpGrad’s global brand identity
A documentary-style portrayal of the learning journey
According to UpGrad’s feedback, the content:
Enhanced the storytelling value of the event
Helped future program marketing
Captured the diversity & humanity of the learners
Elevated the perceived prestige of the DBA Immersion
Was “exactly what they needed” in terms of authenticity and impact
Let’s Create Your Event Story
What I learned from the Theatre
In this deeply personal essay, filmmaker and director Theodora Voutsa shares how theatre shaped her philosophy on leadership, vulnerability and authentic storytelling. Drawing from her 25-year career and her legendary father’s legacy, she reveals how the stage taught her to live truthfully and how that same passion guides her work today, helping people be seen for who they truly are.
🎭 What I Learned from the Theatre
by Theodora Voutsa
“My name is Theodora, and I am an actress.”
From a young age, I knew what I wanted to do; I wanted to get paid to play.
But the fear of being compared to my father, Kostas Voutsas, an actor who became a Greek legend, starring in over a hundred films, with his own production company and known and loved wherever there are Greeks, didn’t allow me to say it out loud.
I kept that need hidden inside me, an unspoken truth that wanted to be expressed but was locked away by fear.
I was so afraid that the words would come out on their own that I began to “stuff” them down with food. By the time I was fourteen, I weighed 80 kilos. No one knew what I wanted, so no one could help me.
At fifteen, after my parents divorced, I found myself in a restaurant with my father to talk about my future.
This time, I could hide behind my size, behind the “shield” of my 80 kilos and finally say it: I want to become an actress.
Now, I know what my father already knew back then:
You don’t choose theatre, theatre chooses you.
Art is not a choice. If something can stop you from stepping on stage, then it’s not meant for you.
Knowing this, my father looked at me and said,
“You’re too short, too fat and too ugly to become an actress.”
In that moment, without realizing it, I chose love, love for my dream, my goals, and my life.
And love showed me the way.
At seventeen, I was in New York studying acting.
🌟 What Theatre Taught Me About Truth
Later, I understood that my father had always been my greatest supporter. When I would return to Athens from NY AND went to the theatre to see him (his dressing room being my favourite place in the world), everyone, from the cashier, to the ushers, the lighting technician, the woman at the bar would congratulate me on my successes or send their blessings when things weren’t going well.
That’s when I learned:
To be a successful actor, you must first be a successful human being.
You can’t express emotions on stage that you can’t feel in life.
How can you be sensual on stage if you can’t express sensuality in life?
Otherwise, you’re only pretending and that’s not art.
Theatre is built on truth.
To find truth in theatre, you must first find it in yourself.
People go to the theatre to watch others do what they’re too afraid to do.
Simply standing there, illuminated before an audience sitting in the dark, gives you power.
As Jerry Seinfeld put it, the greatest human fear is public speaking.
The second is death.
In other words, most people would rather be in the coffin than give the eulogy.
🪞 Knowledge, Self-Knowledge and Growth
Knowledge is power but self-knowledge is wisdom.
To last in theatre, you must know yourself.
The more I got to know myself, the more I appreciated myself.
The more I appreciated myself, the more I loved myself.
And the more I loved myself, the more I took care of myself; what I ate, read, watched and who I surrounded myself with.
I sought to be around the best, so I could learn from the best.
I learned my limits, so I could push beyond them.
I discovered what I truly wanted and I learned that the more specific you are about what you want, the easier it becomes to achieve it.
Theatre saved my life.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say:
Theatre taught me how to create the life I wanted to live.
🎬 Leadership, Choices, and Responsibility
To succeed in theatre, as in life, you must be a leader.
You must be dynamic, proactive and ready to make choices.
Everyone has talent. What differentiates a great actor from a good one is how they use it.
Marlon Brando said that what makes an actor a star is their choices, how they choose to interpret a role.
To have choices, you must love what you do and invest in your education.
The same applies to every profession. If you do not know what your options are, how can you choose?
A greengrocer is better than another if he opens first, closes last, cares for his customers, seeks the best produce and keeps learning. No one can do that for you.
You must become the leader of yourself, and convince yourself that you’re doing your best for you.
Once you believe in yourself, others will believe in you and they’ll follow you wherever you go.
🎭 Life Lessons from the Stage
Theatre taught me never to play the victim.
To take responsibility for my actions.
To stay flexible, if something doesn’t work, try another path.
To live in the now, the truth of the moment.
On stage, the most magical moments happen when you listen, just like in life.
To truly listen, you must be present, let go of your ego and give your full attention to the person before you.
Theatre taught me to ask:
“How can I help this situation and add to the solution?”
instead of
“What can I gain from this situation?”
🎭 Theatre as a Reflection of Life
I believe theatre is a miniature version of society.
If we applied its principles to our everyday lives, things might shift in perspective, perhaps even light up.
I’m not saying everyone should become an actor, after all, without an audience, there is no theatre!
But I do believe that business professionals should add art and theatre to their education.
To create spaces where they can experiment, connect, laugh and discover truth, both their own and that of others.
Because the secret to success, manifesting and attracting what you desire is joy.
And what better way to find joy than to play?
🎥 From Stage to Camera
This is exactly what I bring into my work today, whether I’m directing a documentary, a brand story or a portrait photoshoot.
When you work with me, you’ll experience the same process I’ve practiced for over 25 years; a blend of acting, storytelling and truth.
I help you discover your authentic presence, find the courage to be seen and create visuals that reflect your truth, your values and your light.
✨ Book a photoshoot or documentary session with me — and let’s create the visuals you truly deserve.
Photographing the LCCS gala with guest of honour the Minister of Education
Photographing a beautiful event organised by LCCS at The Fullerton Hotel with guest of honour the Minister of Education. Extra excitement as the two first episodes of the documentary series "Stories From 78" directed by Theodora Voutsa, were presented to the public for the first time.
Last night was Last night was the lccs.sg gala, with guest of honour Mr. Chan Chun Sing, Minister of Education.
I met the people at #LCCS a year ago when we started working on the documentary series #StoriesFrom78 . I was introduced to the work they do for the community and individuals in need, and I was amazed at their empathy, compassion and courage.
It was so beautiful and heart warming to see everyone together last night; all the people who work tirelessly, all the volunteers and supporters.
And extra excitement for seeing the first two episodes of the documentary series “Stories From 78” directed by Theodora Voutsa- Founder of 88 Productions- presented to the public and being received with such warmth.
Justin, Amanda and everyone in the amazing LCCS team Congratulations! Wishing you strength and courage to continue your amazing work for years to come!
See you on set in January, to film more amazing stories From 78!
(c) theodoravoutsa.com 2024
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Are you a Third Culture Kid? Are you raising a TCK?
TCK Documentary
Are you a Third Culture Kid?
Are you raising a TCK?
We want to hear your story.
“Where is Home?” is a documentary about Third Culture Kids. TCKs are children who have been raised in countries and cultures different from the ones of their parents’ passports.
The questions we ask are:
How do these mothers raise their kids? How do these mothers find balance in their own life? How do they create the sense of roots and home in their kids mind when they have to travel every few years and leave everything behind? How do they deal with loss? What effect does that have to the girls they are raising? What does that mean for the world of tomorrow?
We interview Singaporeans who have traveled the world and expats living in Singapore.
There is a very interesting article by Kate Mayberry from the BBC, where she talks about TCKs. Ms. Mayberry describes what happens to children at the end of their time at Garden International School in Kuala Lumpur. They receive a kit with a sour sweet, a length of ribbon, a paper clip, a sponge and a rubber band. These items are chose to prompt a discussion about what leaving means - bittersweet emotions, tying up loose ends, making memories. Every departing child is also recognised during school assembly. This way the school explains to them how important it is to say good bye. Just for Garden International School, 65% of its students have come from countries outside Malaysia and for many that is not their first experience living overseas.
“Third Culture Kids” is a term coined by US sociologist Ruth Hill Useem in the 1950s, for children who spend their formative years in places that are not their parents’ homeland. Globalisation has made TCKs more common; and with the rates of globalisation growth, TCKs will become more and more in the years to come.
TCKs are mostly children of expatriate workers, but they can come from transnational marriages or - as very commonly in Asia - attend an International school in their home country.