SEIU United Healthcare Workers
During a period of intense strain across the healthcare system, SEIU United Healthcare Workers launched a campaign to center the voices of those working on the front lines. The goal was not to rely on statistics or policy language, but to create space for healthcare workers to speak plainly about what they were experiencing inside hospitals and care facilities.
Working alongside a local agency, Lightbox Filmworks helped produce a multi-part video campaign grounded entirely in lived experience. The series captured a wide range of perspectives, from overwhelmed workers and patient advocates to messages directed at hospital leadership, all rooted in honesty, urgency, and trust.
This case study focuses on the United for All campaign and the process behind creating a flexible library of short-form storytelling assets.
The Challenge
Healthcare workers across California were facing understaffing, burnout, and increasingly unsafe working conditions. Many shared the same sentiment: they had never seen conditions as challenging as they were in that moment.
The challenge was twofold. First, the campaign needed to communicate urgency without exaggeration. Second, it needed to remain grounded in credibility, allowing workers to speak for themselves without scripting or spin.
The message had to feel real, immediate, and human.
The Approach
Instead of producing a single hero spot, the campaign was designed as a system of short-form pieces. In total, we profiled ten different healthcare workers to create a mix of 30-second and 15-second testimonial spots.
In addition to these individual profiles, the team developed six mash-style videos that blended multiple interviews together. Each mash focused on a specific theme, ranging from patient stories and overwhelmed workers to direct messages aimed at hospital executives.
By structuring the campaign this way, the content could adapt to different audiences and platforms while remaining cohesive in tone and intent.
Production & Collaboration
Production took place over three days in Oakland, California. A three-person Lightbox Filmworks crew traveled to Northern California to capture the campaign, working on-site alongside both the local agency and the client.
The agency led the interviews, while leaning on our team for overall creative feedback, performance direction, and pacing. This collaboration allowed for real-time adjustments on reads and ensured we captured everything needed for post-production.
At the same time, the client actively supported the members appearing on camera. Their presence helped create a respectful and comfortable environment, allowing participants to speak openly and honestly about their experiences. Together, this on-site collaboration kept the process efficient, grounded, and focused on the people at the center of the story.
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Post-Production & Campaign Assets
In post-production, the focus shifted to shaping a large volume of material into a clear and flexible set of deliverables. The edit emphasized restraint, allowing voices to land without interruption and giving each story room to breathe.
By carefully balancing individual stories with shared themes, the final set of videos maintained consistency while addressing different facets of the healthcare crisis. Each piece was designed to stand on its own while also contributing to the larger campaign narrative.
Healthcare Worker Stories
Collective Voices
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To Healthcare Executives |
Overwhelmed Workers |
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Patient Stories |
I’m Sorry |
The Outcome
The final campaign delivered a robust collection of short-form films rooted in lived experience and shared urgency. Rather than telling viewers what to think, the videos invite them to listen.
Together, the pieces reflect the realities facing healthcare workers and reinforce the importance of solidarity and collective action. The result is a campaign grounded in truth, clarity, and human connection. SEIU-UHW’s United for All campaign led to major wins across California’s healthcare sector. The effort culminated in a landmark contract covering more than 85,000 Kaiser Permanente workers and helped organize over 8,500 new healthcare workers statewide. These gains included meaningful wage increases, improved staffing commitments, and new union contracts at organizations such as Sharp HealthCare, Planned Parenthood, and Stanford.
This project reflects our broader Public Interest & Civic Impact work, particularly stories centered on labor, dignity, and frontline experience.
Client: SEIU United Healthcare Workers
Project: United for All
Industry: Public Interest / Labor & Healthcare
Location: California, USA
Services: Documentary-Style Video, Campaign Storytelling, Production, Post-Production
