Shadow Puppet Films

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder-President of SAFA and NGO working In India on women Livelihoods & Education. We are working since 2009 in over 170 slums in Hyderabad and currently work of 20 projects with over 90 employees. We have created innovative social enterprise models & work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders across projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Shadow Puppet Films?

Our organisation works in a hybrid model which is a combination of a not for profit & for profit . We also work with the most marginalised communities & are about breaking stereotypes with positive stories of impact. We get many opportunities to showcase our work with multi national corporates in Hyderabad.

For this purpose we get extremely short time slots & we usually go for short films which only skilled & clued in movie makers can do. Also we are active on social media & capturing the essence of some of our most striking women stories does get a lot of traction.

The trick remains to tell a compelling story in a short span & with the soul of the story remaining intact. We have hired Shadow Puppet many times as listed below :

• Organisation Vision film
• Fund raiser films - 3
• Case study of a lac bangle worker
• Showcase of a social enterprise- Community kitchen

What were your goals for this project?

1. Organisation vision film - It was for the website to depict our vision & has been used repeatedly as we give our organisation introduction/ orientation to guests, prospective partners, volunteers.
2. Fundraiser - Raising funds for educating children from underprivileged homes
3. Fundraiser - To raise awareness on the importance of basic adult literacy
4. Fundraiser - To raise funds for sewing machines for illiterate women as a source of income for their families
5. Case study - To showcase the life of an expolited lac bangle single mother & her transition to another source of livelihood
6. Social enterprise showcase- We run a kitchen as a livelihood for underprivileged single women & the same is an innovative concept as we are catering to on line food/party orders .

The uniqueness is the authentic traditional cuisine women are trained to make. We were doing a soft launch on a Face book Foodie group which has over 125000 members and a short film was done to introduce the concept & brand the program

SOLUTION

How did you select Shadow Puppet Films?

We were introduced to Shadow Puppet through a common collgeue who had used their services .

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

There were a number of meetings in which the vision of the founders & the organisation were exchanged. Field trips to the area of work / interactions with beneficiaries & their children , the pulse of the community & the dynamics there were all understodd in details with maximum investment of time.

Interviews of concerned teams who worked on the project were also conducted. The entire process began with a deep & engaged understanding of the objective we were trying to achieve. The viewers & their expectations were also discussed.

Post the understanding a choice of 2-3 themes was given in a short script format & was also discussed. Initially we selected the themes but after more interactions & result oriented engaging films ,we let the movie makers use their creativity.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

A 4-5 person filming crew with the high end equipment was allocated & as we usually have restrictions on budgets ,suggestions were given to us around how adding on more resources could capture better footage or what could be eliminated to match our budgets.

The entire process was transparent & engaging for us with creative inputs coming in all the time . The engagement of the decision maker in the company was at all levels and his discerning eye for detail is praise worthy. Aspects that we missed were redone by them.

Most of the times we worked on tight short notice films & their schedules to fulfill the time lines & deliver were appreciable. We have also asked for pro bono work on short notices to which they have obliged by sharing ideas and doing some work out of their interest as they love the art of story telling through films.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We have won an award at the RIFF film festival (California USA) for the year 2017 in the category of social films. We have raised Rs900000 for the fundraisers all at one go in a span of 30 minutes from employees of a multinational known company. Engagement on social media platforms raised 110% on movie posts.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The understanding was perfect Time was invested in understanding the need for the film Objectives of the film were throroughly reviewd multiple times Schedules given on time Preparation for the shoot & readiness on ground understood & planned perfectly TIMELINES adhered to always Follow ups & reviews taken frequently

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The skills & commitment to the art & craft of movie making & their commitment to create value for the client is the most impressive. they are movie-makers with a soul & go about their work professionally.

Their creativity & connect to the film is seen once the movie is completed. Comprehending situations & objectives, audience mind set is also at the forefront.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We got the results that we were looking for & more than that we now know whom to go to when we need a impactful film ! Their marketing efforts for their growth have been lacking as I feel that they can amp it up .

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director of KVSSL, a multi-state cooperative society focused on promoting sustainable agriculture and prioritizing the welfare of farmers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Shadow Puppet Films?

We needed help with video production.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Shadow Puppet Films helped us with our project and brand videos. The team was responsible for scripting, shooting in eight states, editing, and delivering different videos. The videos were explanatory about our work and the projects we executed.

What was the team composition? 

We worked with three teammates from Shadow Puppet Films.

How did you come to work with Shadow Puppet Films?

We found them through a referral. We chose them because we saw their tremendous work with different NGOs and agricultural companies.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January–June 2025.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Shadow Puppet Films showed the procedure and, in some cases, the success of our projects. The videos showed the transformation in the lives of farmers, especially in their income.

How did Shadow Puppet Films perform from a project management standpoint?

Shadow Puppet Films delivered on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Shadow Puppet Films' dedication to their work was impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Providing more details initially could have helped us since it was our first time doing a project like this.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief Functionary of Sikshasandhan

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We work with Indigenous and marginalized communities in Odisha, India. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Shadow Puppet Films to accomplish?

• To document our organizational journey over the last three decades.

SOLUTION

How did you find Shadow Puppet Films?

Referral

Why did you select Shadow Puppet Films over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Shadow Puppet Films were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The film's main purpose was to document Sikshansandhan’s journey over the last three decades. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The film has received positive feedback and has garned a large number of views in a short amount of time.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Shadow Puppet Films delivered an excellent film, capturing succinctly our journey over the last three decades. They are committed and creative, with the right blend of professional expertise and social responsibility.

What was your primary form of communication with Shadow Puppet Films?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their commitment to timelines and regular updates helped us understand the progress of the film on the ground. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something Shadow Puppet Films could have done differently?

Factoring in unexpected challenges on the ground when scheduling.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Addverb, its a mobile robotics company & I am heading brand management here.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Shadow Puppet Films, and what were your goals?

To build a video for the independence day campaign from script writing to the final video production

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Came across through some online aggregator platform. Script was good & they shared it quickly, given the limited time frame we went ahead with them

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

Script finalization pre-production works Live shooting music composition post production works Final video deliverable

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

Shyam They shared the original draft, we gave feedback & the final draft was shared. 3/4 rounds of f/b loops.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

On time deliverables & responisove

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Through emails, collaborative working style & overall friendly approach. Tried their best to get the best o/p within the limited time frame.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their punctuality and transparency were impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a leading Glass Processing Unit in India. Am one of the Directors of the Company. Inception.... till Date.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Shadow Puppet Films?

We were looking for a agency to get us off the ground. We had just started and were looking to create some content to create awareness in our target market. Shadow Puppet stepped in and delivered.

What were your goals for this project?

Brand Awareness. Being the youngest kid on the block , we needed to create content, which would be noticed

SOLUTION

How did you select Shadow Puppet Films?

Shadow Puppet films already had a reputation for creating what we needed and were referred by our inner circle

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Corporate Film. Had multiple sittings, before we tied up the story board. The concept was sketched in detail.

What was the team composition?

worked directly with their Creative Director/CEO.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We were able to accomplish our objectives. The film did its work thanks to the team.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had regular conversations throughout the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Creative and Committed to the client.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Film making is a ever evolving stream. Hope they keep pace technically.