Northwell Health is rolling out the red carpet for its latest venture, a film studio it’ll use to advance its brand storytelling work.
The New York-based health system unveiled Northwell Studios this week. The entity has signed onto a development deal with CreativeChaos vmg, an award-winning film and TV production company. Together, they’ll develop and co-produce both scripted and unscripted original films, all aimed at spotlighting various aspects of the healthcare ecosystem, from the challenges and triumphs of patients and clinicians to the inner workings of Northwell’s hospitals.
Through the collaboration with CreativeChaos, Northwell Studios already has five projects in production, according to Wednesday’s announcement.
Meanwhile, on top of the original content created through that partnership, the studio will also serve as a conduit for other filmmakers seeking access to Northwell’s facilities, medical experts and consenting patients for their own projects. Northwell Studios will work with those filmmakers on the development and production of those films and series, and it also pledged to partner with distributors to ensure their wide release.
“We recognize the immense power of storytelling to connect with audiences on a deeper level,” Ramon Soto, Northwell’s chief marketing officer, 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.”
This isn’t Northwell’s first foray into filmmaking. It has previously joined in with other production companies and filmmakers to lend its support and resources to making documentary films and series with a message.
To date, that work has encompassed five productions, including the recently released “One South: Portrait of a Psych Unit,” which is now streaming on HBO and offers a look inside the locked inpatient psychiatric unit at Zucker Hillside Hospital, and the film “Two Wars,” exposing how the Russian invasion of Ukraine impacted healthcare services there. Elsewhere, Northwell had a hand in a pair of Netflix series, “Lenox Hill” and “Emergency NYC,” and its “First Wave” documentary about the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic was shortlisted for an Academy Award.
“As New York’s largest healthcare provider, Northwell has a responsibility to lead not just in treating patients in our communities, but in addressing the critical social issues that impact our collective well-being,” Northwell CEO Michael Dowling said in the announcement. “Just as we’ve done with gun violence, mental health, and other urgent challenges, Northwell Studios will leverage the power of storytelling to change the conversation, spark dialogue, and inspire action on a global scale.”