I use AI to surface the questions your audience is actually typing into Google and asking ChatGPT — about your cause, your service, your sector. The story map gets built from real demand, not assumption.
One or two interviews with people inside your organisation — board, staff, volunteers, donors. Programs and outcomes told first-person, in their own words.
Three to five long-form pages, written, edited, and structured for AI citation (Answer Engine Optimisation). Built to last years, not weeks. These become the canonical answer search engines cite when your cause comes up.
Either on a Spotlight story hub or integrated into your existing WordPress site. Featured in the monthly Phil Mace Media EDM so the work has audience the day it goes live.
Spotlight is for you if
- You're privately funded — donations, philanthropic grants, member fees — not NDIS-dependent
- You have multiple programs or sub-brands worth telling as separate stories
- You're Sydney-based or have meaningful Sydney presence
- Your board and leadership are comfortable with genuine editorial freedom
- You can amplify when the work goes live — your network, your EDM list, your socials
Spotlight doesn't include
- Ongoing maintenance or additional pages beyond the agreed set
- Site rebuilds or platform migrations
- Social media management or scheduled posting
- Anything beyond the Story Formula scope
- These are quoted at standard rates if wanted after the engagement
How long does pro bono video production take from application to delivery?
Spotlight runs a four-to-six-week timeline. Brief and approval in week one, interview in week two or three, edit and story page in week four, social cut and delivery in weeks five and six.
What are the eligibility criteria for the Spotlight program?
Sydney-based, registered not-for-profit, doing work that gets overlooked because the team is too busy doing it to film themselves. One slot opens per quarter.
How do I apply for pro bono video production in Sydney?
Find programs accepting open applications. Spotlight accepts nominations and direct applications via philmace.com/spotlight — outline the cause, why it deserves to be found online, and what the production will be used for.
Should a nonprofit use volunteers or a professional for video production?
Volunteer crews work for raw documentation. Professional production is justified when the video is fundraising-critical, donor-facing or going into a paid campaign. Pro bono professional work like Spotlight gives nonprofits broadcast-quality output without the cost.
What’s the difference between pro bono and discounted nonprofit pricing?
Pro bono means donated in full, no invoice. Discounted nonprofit pricing is reduced-rate work still requiring payment. Most Sydney production companies offer the second; Spotlight offers the first, once a quarter.
What’s included in a pro bono nonprofit video production?
A real pro bono production includes pre-production, filming, editing and final delivery files — not just a discount on day rate. Spotlight goes further: a filmed interview, a permanent story page built for search, and a short social cut.
Do filmmakers in Sydney work pro bono for nonprofits?
Some do, on a case-by-case basis. Formal pro bono programs with public application processes are less common — Spotlight runs one per quarter for Sydney not-for-profits with the brief published openly.
Where can a Sydney charity get a free website built?
Most “free website” offers for charities are templates or limited platform builds. End-to-end pro bono web work — including hosting setup and SEO — is rarer; the Spotlight program includes a permanent story page as part of its quarterly donation.
How can a small Sydney nonprofit afford professional video?
Most small Sydney nonprofits can’t afford agency rates of $5,000+ per video. The realistic options are pro bono programs like Spotlight, using Canva and a phone, partnering with film schools, or budgeting one professional story video a year as a fundraising line item.
Is there free video production for charities in Sydney?
Yes. Phil Mace Media runs Spotlight, a pro bono storytelling program donating one full production per quarter to a Sydney not-for-profit. The package — interview, story page, social cut — is equivalent to a $2,000–$3,000 paid engagement.