The entire project was filmed on Blackmagic Design cameras including the Pocket 6K and the URSA 12K. Every frame was edited and color graded in DaVinci Resolve which kept the entire creative process inside one unified space. I wanted the film to feel patient and grounded so most of the visuals were built around static shots. Stillness became a way to honor the mural. It allows the viewer to settle into the environment and feel the presence of the work.
Camera movement was used only when it carried emotional weight. A transition from thought into action. A human connection. Nothing is moving just to move. Every push, pull, or drift has intention behind it.
Lighting inside The Upton also became a major part of the visual language. The space gives off warm and natural tones and much of the film leans into that honesty. Instead of reshaping the environment, the goal was to capture the atmosphere as it lived during the project. Real sunlight. Real shadows. Real texture on the walls. It keeps the story grounded and reflects the truth of how the mural came to life.
The intention behind the project was simple. Let the viewer feel like they are standing inside the room with Lacey. Everything in the process served that goal.
“While filming Grounded in Your Light, I found myself slowing down in ways I did not expect. The mural taught me that creative work unfolds on its own clock and that my job as a filmmaker was to honor that pace. I wanted every frame to feel grounded and present. I wanted the audience to feel the warmth of the room, the texture of the walls, and the quiet determination in Lacey’s movements. This project reminded me that stillness can reveal more truth than motion ever could.” - Brandersen
The trailer for Grounded in Your Light was designed to feel like a quiet breath inside the world of the film. It opens with a personal line that places the viewer beside the artist and sets the tone through patience and presence.
Every soundbite guides the audience emotionally rather than narrating the story. The visuals stay grounded and still while the voices move the viewer forward. The teaser reveals only pieces of the mural, inviting curiosity and hinting at the deeper emotional layers that shape the film.
The intention behind this project was to create a documentary that reflects the highest level of what we do at WLVES. As an award winning production company, we hold ourselves to a standard of storytelling that feels honest, intentional, and visually moving, and Grounded in Your Light became a chance to push that standard even further. This film allowed us to slow down, lean into our craft, and build something with the level of care and detail that defines our best work.
We plan to take this film through festivals and introduce it to audiences who value thoughtful and emotionally grounded stories. Our hope is that Grounded in Your Light becomes a landmark project for our company a piece that not only represents who we are today, but also points toward the future of what we aim to create. It stands as a reminder that when we commit fully to a story, the work has the power to reach far beyond the walls where it was made.
Grounded in Your Light is a short documentary that follows the creation of a large scale mural inside The Upton. What began as a simple idea grew into a project that reshaped the space and everyone involved
The film centers on artist Lacey Longino as she pours herself into the work with full commitment. Her process is raw and expressive and she treats the project like her Olympics. Through her voice and presence, the story becomes personal and human.
The film also brings in the people who helped bring the mural to life. Webb Worthington shares the early vision for The Upton and how the project grew. Melania Armenta speaks about the power of beauty and how art changes the way people live. Lacey’s dad joins her during one of the most emotional sections of the project and becomes the heart of the story.
Grounded in Your Light is a film about connection. It shows how art can shape a space, how creativity brings people together, and how beauty can change the way we feel inside the places we call home.”