When Pattie Noonan and Amy Gaumer Erickson, co-creators of the College and Career Competency Framework, sought a partner to produce an educational video series on essential social-emotional skills, they turned to PUREi. The project’s goal was ambitious: create a comprehensive video series designed to teach middle and high school teachers how to teach students practical skills in self-regulation, self-efficacy, assertiveness, and conflict management. PUREi was tasked with scripting, storyboarding, production, and post-production for 32 instructional videos, each aiming to make a real impact in classrooms across the country.
Building the Framework: Scripting and Storyboarding
The project began with PUREi’s scriptwriting and storyboarding team, who meticulously developed content for each of the 32 videos. The scripts covered specific lessons for four key competencies—self-regulation, self-efficacy, assertiveness, and conflict management. Working from lesson plans provided by the College and Career Competency Framework, PUREi ensured that each script was true to the curriculum while engaging and accessible for teachers. The team crafted storyboards that depicted each scene in detail, helping visualize the flow of each lesson to maintain an engaging pace that would keep young viewers’ attention.
Each video was structured around a single lesson or activity, making the content both manageable and impactful. This attention to structured, clear storytelling allowed PUREi to create a series that would seamlessly integrate into classroom instruction, giving teachers a reliable tool for supporting students’ social-emotional development.
Navigating the Challenges of Production
With the pre-production phase complete, PUREi began the intensive task of filming. Each video had to feel authentic and relatable, with real classroom scenarios depicting middle and high school settings. To achieve this, PUREi selected an empty school in the Chicago metro area and coordinated eight days of weekend shoots.
Casting was a key challenge for this project. PUREi sought two lead actors to play teachers who would be comfortable using ear prompters, allowing them to deliver lines as if they were naturally guiding a classroom discussion. This approach ensured that the videos had an organic, “live instruction” feel. Additionally, PUREi cast 14 student actors—seven middle schoolers and seven high schoolers—who could portray realistic classroom interactions.
The logistics of coordinating 16 actors, setting up complex lighting and audio, and managing two to three cameras per scene demanded precision and organization. PUREi’s four-person crew, including a director, two camera operators, and an audio technician, worked diligently to capture every detail across 32 different lessons, ensuring each scene had the visual and audio quality required for effective educational content.
Bringing It All Together in Post-Production
After filming wrapped, PUREi’s post-production team got to work, refining each video to deliver a professional, polished final product. With 32 videos, post-production was extensive and required rigorous attention to consistency across the series. The team edited each video in stages—rough, fine, and final cuts—while incorporating motion graphics, titling, and animations to clarify key points and make each lesson visually engaging.
Selecting appropriate music and stock media for background elements added an extra layer of professionalism and polish to each video. PUREi ensured that each video was optimized for web delivery, making it accessible to schools and organizations using the College and Career Competency Framework.
Overcoming Unique Project Challenges
Several unique challenges added complexity to the Noonan and Gaumer Erickson’s video series. Coordinating weekend filming at an empty school location meant PUREi had to secure an ideal environment and operate within strict time constraints. The team also faced the challenge of managing and directing a large cast of young actors, creating an authentic classroom experience that was natural and engaging.
In the end, PUREi’s expertise in educational video production, combined with strategic planning and on-the-ground flexibility, allowed the team to deliver a series of high-quality instructional videos that effectively teach social-emotional skills to students.
Results and Impact
The completed video series now serves as a valuable tool for educators implementing the College and Career Competency Framework’s social-emotional curriculum. The series not only reflects Noonan and Gaumer Erickson’s vision for empowering students with essential life skills but also exemplifies PUREi’s commitment to creating meaningful, impactful educational content. Through clear storytelling, relatable classroom settings, and engaging visuals, the videos provide teachers and students with accessible, practical lessons in social-emotional development that will make a lasting impact in classrooms nationwide.