Northwell Health launches film studio backed by Creative Artists Agency
Northwell Health has entered into an agreement with the Creative Artists Agency and film producers at CreativeChaos to develop content to “humanize” healthcare through the arts.
The New York City-based nonprofit health system will launch its own production company, Northwell Health, as part of the collaboration with the television and cinema creatives, with the aim of developing both documentary and scripted film projects that focus on hospitals, patients and the healthcare experience.
“We recognize the immense power of storytelling to connect with audiences on a deeper level,” Ramon Soto, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Northwell Health said in a statement. “Northwell Studios represents a natural evolution of our commitment to purpose-driven and movement thinking, a framework we’ve pioneered to translate brand purpose into impactful real-world initiatives. Through entertainment, we can break down the walls of our hospitals, amplify the voices of our frontline heroes, and shed light on critical health and societal issues.”
Northwell has been collaborating with filmmakers for projects since 2017, specifically on five documentaries, garnering six Emmy Awards. The list of credits includes Netflix documentaries "Lenox Hill" and "Emergency NYC," and the Academy Award-shortlisted COVID-19 documentary "First Wave."
Most recently, Northwell collaborated on "One South: Portrait of a Psych Unit," an HBO documentary that provides an “unflinching yet compassionate look at the lives of patients and staff within a locked inpatient psychiatric unit.”
Northwell said future projects will highlight the health system's commitment to patient safety and quality care delivery. A priority for their production studio is to ensure hospital operations and patient care are not negatively impacted by any film productions.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.