Ben Van Hook: Dare To Listen

“To listen is risky. But not to listen is riskier.
We believe it’s time for Central Floridians to consider, think, explore, and question.
To appreciate our differences, and find our commonalities.
To reach across the fence, build the bridge, open our minds—to talk.
And most of all, to listen.”

With this powerful mission statement in hand, Orlando agency &BARR approached Wonderful Machine photographer Ben Van Hook to work on a pro bono project for Florida’s NPR radio station, WMFE. Ben couldn’t turn down the opportunity to work with a message as strong as the campaign, called Dare to Listen, which aimed to encourage active listening and civil discourse in the Central Florida community.

Ben set out to capture some movers and shakers from around central Florida. But, he wanted to make sure to fully realize the essence of the locale. Ben also aimed to achieve this by including some of the young, diverse people he associates with in the area. He brainstormed with creatives at the agency. Together, they put a list of around 25 people. They hoped these individuals would have interesting backstories or be vocal and active in the community.

Catherine Hayes of &BARR, who coordinated the talent over 3 days, was a key component in the project’s success. She ensured that they could be set up in one place. This decision also helped retain consistency across the photos and facilitated a smooth shooting process. For this piece, Ben decided to use the Phase One XF system for the first time. being able to stay in one place with it made things that much easier on the workflow.

This encompassed both a still image and a video shoot. The crew constructed a set with two setups, one with strobe lights and the other with hot lights for video. The agency also compiled and edited the footage into a video. Additionally, the CEO of WMFE provided a voice-over to complement it. They shot the video using a Canon C300 MKII with Cooke S4 prime lenses—a powerful combination. Each person had about 30 minutes of limited time. As a result, they positioned all the sets within feet of each other to maximize efficiency.

Moreover, the photos from the shoot were used in print ads and digital billboards all over Orlando. Large prints are in the works. In addition, they have even discussed using some of the footage for video projections onto buildings downtown.

I think part of the reason this really resonated with me personally, and so much with the locals, was because of the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub just 6 months before. The tragedy at Pulse ended up being the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. It has really brought our community together and opened up a dialogue regarding tolerance and love for our fellow men and women.

In today’s polarized political landscape, this kind of open dialogue is needed to keep communities together.  The photos received an immensely positive response, and Ben is proud to have been a part of this powerful project. What’s more, it was a dream job for him, being able to capture people opening up, being themselves, and in some cases, interacting with a camera for the first time. 

See more of Ben’s work on his website.

Further Reading
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