Fitness & Fuel came to Floor 2 Creative with a clear business goal: generate quality leads among the 20-40s working professional crowd in Allston, Brighton, Cambridge, and Watertown, specifically those who are intimidated by traditional gym environments.
The vehicle would be a short, high-energy video built for Instagram, boosted on paid social with a two-week-trial CTA and a hard hook designed to beat the 3-second scroll.
The Ask: Create a short, high-impact hype video that communicates the gym’s small-group training model and welcoming community with enough energy to stop a thumb mid-scroll. Delivery: one week before a September 3 launch, timed directly to Boston’s peak fall move-in window.
My Role: I led every phase of the project from client intake and story development through production and final post. I wrote the interview question sets, developed the narrative strategy, conducted all on-camera interviews, operated the gimbal camera during workouts, and handled the edit, story assembly, and audio mix. I also worked closely with DP Billy Freeman on lighting, camera placement, and the overall visual approach.
Story Strategy: The story needed to do two things at once: convince skeptics that Fitness & Fuel is different, and show existing members as proof. We built the narrative architecture around three voices: Jack (founder), who would deliver the origin story and mission; Michaela (co-lead trainer), who could speak to the coaching philosophy with depth and warmth; and member testimonials that validated the experience from the inside out.
Interview question sets were developed for each subject type. Member questions centered on belonging and transformation (“How would you describe the vibe to someone intimidated by traditional gyms?”, “What’s something you can do now that you never thought you could?”). Staff questions pushed for hook-worthy responses, local identity, and impact stories. The footage from these interviews – entirely unscripted – became the editorial backbone of the piece.
Production Approach: To stay within budget without sacrificing quality, the crew was kept lean: myself and Billy Freeman of Surge Unlimited as DP. The shoot spanned one day structured around the gym’s live class schedule.
Phase 01
Morning Interviews
Member and staff interviews on a two-camera setup. Billy on A-cam; James conducted interviews and monitored a stationary B-cam.
Phase 02
Group Workout
Live class capture. Natural light plus Aputure 1200D bounced off the ceiling to amplify directional sunlight for maximum contrast.
Phase 03
Afternoon Interviews
Second interview block with key staff subjects: founder Jack and co-lead trainer Michaela for deeper origin and mission content.
Phase 04
Second Class
Additional b-roll capture during a later class. James on gimbal for movement shots — tracking alongside members to show physicality.
Post-Production: With no script to anchor the edit, post became a story-assembly challenge: sift through hours of unscripted interview material, find the through lines, and build a cohesive narrative that flows naturally alongside movement footage.
The edit prioritized three qualities:
- Showcasing the space
- Conveying the authenticity and rawness of the workout
- Communicating the warmth of the F&F community.
With multiple camera angles across two classes and multiple interview subjects, the cut required constant judgment calls about pacing, juxtaposition, and emotional arc. Final color was completed by Billy; audio mix was handled by myself.
The Impact: The video hit its primary KPIs and then some – crossing 10,000 views and becoming one of the gym’s most effective ongoing lead generation assets.
By combining the founder’s personal origin story with authentic member voices and kinetic workout footage, the piece communicates Fitness & Fuel’s differentiators: safety, community, and expert coaching without a line of scripted copy. It remains a key driver of new business.
