Kahani Pictures × E4E Relief
Enter Password
Incorrect password. Please try again.
Kahani Pictures × E4E Relief — A Proposal
A video time capsule for E4E Relief's 25th anniversary celebration. The film will be shown as a live reveal at the Charlotte event on September 24, 2026.
The vision
The film tells the story of E4E Relief from 2001 to today. It covers the major milestones in order. It shows the people and moments that shaped the organization. The focus is on relief, restoration, and rebuilding. Not on the disasters themselves.
The film is structured as a video essay. A narrator guides the audience through the story. Images, footage, quotes, and graphics support the narration. The film ends by pointing forward. E4E Relief's story is still being written.
"It's not about doom and the gloom. The aim is to highlight relief, restoration and rebuilding."Dee Worley, E4E Relief
Creative references
These four examples show the direction we are proposing. Two are about format. Two are about visual style. Together they give us a starting point for the storyboard conversation.
Format reference — Kahani Pictures
Canadian Fur Farms: Exposed
This is a video essay Kahani produced for The Fur-Bearers. It uses a narrator, archival footage, expert interviews, and on-screen text to make a clear case from start to finish. It won Best Documentary at the Alternative Film Festival in Toronto and Best Canadian Film at the Western Canadian International Film Festival in 2025. This is the standard of work we bring to the format.
Watch on YouTube →Format reference — video essay
Vox — "The Racial Wealth Gap Explained"
A well-known example of the video essay format at scale. A narrator leads the audience through the story using archival footage, motion graphics, statistics, quotes, and interview clips. The pace moves fast through dense history and slows down when a human moment needs time. Each segment can also stand on its own as a shorter clip.
Watch on YouTube →Visual style reference
Marco Polo Title Sequence
One possible visual treatment for milestones where no real footage exists. We are proposing this style, or a similar approach, for certain moments in the film. Which milestones get this treatment will be decided in the storyboard phase.
Watch on YouTube →Visual style reference
True Detective Season 1 Opening Credits
A second possible visual treatment for certain milestones. It layers two images in the same frame so people dissolve into landscapes. The tone here is dark. E4E's film is warm and hopeful. But the technique of blending the personal with the environmental is worth considering.
Watch on YouTube →The structure
The film uses three types of content. They work together to tell the story.
The narrative spine
A narrator guides the audience through all 18 to 20 milestones in order. This layer keeps the film moving. It includes motion graphics, archival news footage, statistics, and quotes. Most milestones will live here as short beats of about 20 to 30 seconds each.
Voiceover Motion graphics Archival news footage Stats and quotesVisual treatments
Some milestones will get a special visual treatment. Two options are shown in the references above: an ink-on-paper reveal style and a double-exposure layering style. These treatments are best used where no real footage exists, or where a moment deserves something more than a standard clip. Which milestones get which treatment will be decided together in the storyboard phase.
Ink and watercolour style Double exposure AI-generated imageryHuman stories
A small number of moments will slow down completely and let a real person speak. We already have three filmed stories from Hurricane Helene. Henry's story is one of them. He showed up to help others while going through a crisis himself. These stories give the film its emotional weight. The event interview booth on September 24 will add one more.
Filmed interviews Helene footage (existing) Event interview boothThree chapters
The film is divided into three chapters based on E4E Relief's own language for their history. The specific visual treatment for each chapter will be decided during the storyboard phase, once we review the full milestone list together.
Foundation
2001 – ~2010
Covers the launch of E4E Relief and the early years of the industry. Starts with 9/11. Includes the first grants and the first grantees.
Leveling Up
~2011 – 2020
Covers E4E Relief's growth. Major storms, international expansion, technology investments, and the ImpactStack launch.
Powering a New Era
2021 – Present
Covers the most recent years. COVID, Maui, Helene, Beryl, and Milton. Includes the filmed human stories. Ends by pointing forward.
Production timeline
Phase 1 — Weeks 1 to 3
Discovery and Storyboard
We review the full milestone list with E4E Relief. We decide which moments get more screen time. We write the voiceover script, build the shot list, and make visual treatment decisions. No production starts until the creative direction is agreed on.
Phase 2 — Weeks 4 to 8
Asset Gathering and Production
We research and gather archival footage. We produce the visual treatments. We generate AI imagery where needed. We conduct remote interviews (Option A) or travel to the filming location for an on-location shoot (Option B). Motion graphics are built.
Phase 3 — Weeks 9 to 13
Edit, Sound, and Review
We cut the full film. We complete two rounds of revisions with E4E Relief. We add sound design, music, and a professional voiceover. We deliver the event-ready master file.
Phase 4 — September 24
Event Reveal and Interview Booth
The film premieres at the Charlotte celebration. Kahani will liaise with the local team to ensure footage is captured from the event and interview booth for use in the final edit.
Production needs to start by mid-June to hit September 24.
Proposal options
Both options deliver the same 8 to 10 minute video essay. The difference is whether we travel to film new interviews on location or work with existing footage and remote capture only.
Option A
Existing Assets & Remote Production
Uses existing Helene footage and remote interviews. No travel required.
$18,500
USD
Option B
With On-Location Production
Includes a 2-day on-location shoot for new on-camera interviews.
$22,500 – $24,000
USD + travel actuals — est. $2,500–$4,000 for 2-person crew, 2 days
Kahani Pictures
Vancouver, BC · Prepared by Inder Nirwan & Tricia Stevens