Madisonfilm, Inc. is pleased to respond to Vital Strategies’ Request for Proposals for
Rewriting the Narrative: New Jersey’s Harm Reduction Story
As a seasoned and socially conscious media firm with deep experience in public health storytelling, we are uniquely positioned to execute this vision with the creativity, technical expertise, and cultural sensitivity it demands. Madisonfilm is committed to helping Vital Strategies and its partners tell that story in a way that honors the communities it serves, informs public discourse, and strengthens support for harm reduction as an essential, evidence-based approach to public health.
The following samples exemplify Madisonfilm’s ability to address deeply personal and culturally sensitive topics with empathy, cinematic quality, and community trust.
PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNICATIONS
For over two decades, Madisonfilm has been a trusted media production partner to the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its outreach and communications offices. Our work has supported major federal efforts to advance health literacy, combat opioid stigma, and promote community-based interventions through accessible, engaging media.
Project “TORDS”: Technology Outreach to Reduce Health Disparities
This video profile, documents Project TORDS—an NLM-funded initiative focused on expanding access to health technology literacy in rural and medically underserved communities across southern West Virginia, a region disproportionately affected by opioid addiction and health inequities.
Through interviews, field footage, and community storytelling, the video explores how digital tools and training can empower residents to better navigate health resources, challenge stigma, and engage with harm reduction and treatment services.
The Empathy Lens Project
Millions of Americans have substance use disorders and a primary barrier to accessing treatment is stigma. This video highlights a novel project at the University of Washington that aims to combat stigma through the publication of a free stock photo library of realistic and humanizing imagery related to substance abuse.
After Foster Care, Empowering Youths with Personal Health Records
With NLM grant funding, Dr. Judith Dexheimer of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center is helping empower youths aging out of the foster care system to access their personal health records. Using the Health Hero online platform, Dr. Dexheimer is providing emancipated youths with access and control over their own personal health records, improving health outcomes.
The Moby Bookmobile: Delivering Literacy to the Reservation
This profile of an NIH outreach grant highlights a project that aims to provide books and other library materials to residents of the Wind River Reservation, especially those with limited access to traditional library services or internet access.
Háblame Bebé: Promoting Bilingualism in Infants
This profile of an NIH-funded grant at Florida International University highlights an phone application intervention to support Hispanic children’s early language environments and bilingualism.
The video was produced in English and in Spanish.
Photography Samples
SOCIAL IMPACT DOCUMENTARIES
OF SAINTS AND EXILES
Of Saints and Exiles: Damien, Marianne, and the Last Lepers of Kalaupapa is a longitudinal documentary currently in production that chronicles the final years of Kalaupapa, a secluded Hawaiian settlement where thousands of people with Hansen’s disease (leprosy) were forcibly exiled for over a century. Told through the voices of the last remaining patients and their devoted caretakers, the film offers a deeply personal and dignified account of stigma, survival, and cultural memory.
Recognized for its spiritual depth and human rights significance, Of Saints and Exiles has been praised for its intimate portrayal of resilience in the face of historic injustice. The project stands as a testament to the power of narrative to illuminate public health history and restore visibility to lives too long marginalized.
NEGOTIATING AMERICA: VEGETABLE SOUP AND TELEVISION’S ATTEMPT TO END RACISM
Negotiating America: Vegetable Soup and Television’s Attempt to End Racism uncovers the story of a groundbreaking 1970s children’s TV show that sought to reshape America’s views on race and inclusion, using it as a lens to explore the country’s complex racial landscape, the culture wars that persist to this day, and the power of media to teach empathy and challenge prejudice in a deeply divided society.
DC HOME RULE AT 50
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the District of Columbia’s limited self-governance, Madisonfilm produced a short-form documentary celebrating the legacy and ongoing impact of Home Rule. The video features firsthand reflections from the leaders, activists, and public servants who helped shape and sustain the District’s evolving governance.
Released during a critical moment in the city’s political history, the film explores the milestones and challenges of Home Rule with dignity and urgency—reminding viewers how far the District has come, and how far it still must go, in the pursuit of full self-determination. The project exemplifies Madisonfilm’s strength in distilling civic history into emotionally resonant media that informs, uplifts, and drives dialogue.
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