776 SUMMER STREET, BOSTON

How does a developer honor the past, while planning for the future? 

Boston Virtual Imaging partnered with Hilco Redevelopment Partners, CBRE and Pilot Agency to produce a capital fundraising video for the redevelopment of the former Boston Edison power plant. 

The client’s need for this video was to visualize the master plan of the future mixed-use development, in order to gain capital funding from private investors to break ground on construction. It was important that we educate the viewer on its proximity to the Seaport and Boston’s world class education, technology and life science institutions. It was also crucial that we highlight the historical significance of the power plant site. It was home to Thomas Edison’s century old electric turbines, a source of energy and employment to greater Boston. The overall timeline for this project was three weeks. 

In order to tell this story to an audience of capital investors, Boston Virtual Imaging worked directly with Hilco and CBRE to understand the location and the target audience. We collaborated with Pilot agency to learn more about the branding of the future site, as well as develop a voiceover script and storyboard. We then captured aerial footage of the site and surrounding area using a drone and from a helicopter. 3D animations were embedded into some of the aerial footage to visualize the master plan of the development. 2D architectural renderings were provided by Design Distill to highlight the architectural details of the site. Neighborhood footage was filmed to capture the vibrancy of the Seaport. The script was recorded by a professional voiceover artist, and 2D text graphics were animated to music to deliver information to the viewer.  

I was instantly connected to this project, after we scouted the abandoned power plant and learned more about its historical significance. I couldn’t help but think of Shutter Island, while walking the old turbine halls. Water dripping from the ceiling - lights flickering. The location offered a lot of room for creativity since our client gave us permission to tap into its past as much as its future. I enjoyed exploring how time can influence a place’s future. Also, did you know that this site was the backdrop to a scene in Good Will Hunting?