Relatu
Ree-LAH-two
From Latin Relatus:
"Relating of events"
We don't "tell" story, we relate story. We consider this an important distinction, for the line between "telling" and "yelling" has become blurred in our age.
We seek to foster true relatedness by sharing stories in a gentle, palatable way. We hope to draw people into communion with one another and with purpose-driven organizations like yours.
At our core, we are gentle heralds- relating messages of Truth and Goodness through beautiful media.
How? Through providing high quality video production and photography services to non-profits and small businesses across the Midwest (based in St. Louis, MO) and beyond.
Our "Who"
Matthew
Founder and Producer
Rachel
Production Assistant and Graphic Design
Grace
Associate Editor and Screenwriter
Trey
Audio Engineer and Music Producer
Ashley
Lead Graphic Design partner from Wisk Creative
Rickie
Cinematographer and Camera Operator
Our "Why"
We are gentle heralds of the Good . . .
Yes, that is Good with a capital ‘G’. We aim to advance the Good in all that we do. The Good is the will of God that He communicates to the human heart. We believe that each decision must start with a prayer of asking “Should I?” and not just “Can I?”. Our aim is to herald in a new, inspired vision for how media is perceived and consumed—and we cannot do that by ourselves. As much as we create, we also curate, because we know we cannot do it alone. We are co-discoverers of the Truth and aim to deepen our love of God through that discovery.
We inspire action . . .
We aim to inspire action. The content we create is a sign, a signal, and an indication of something bigger to be done. We believe that consumption must inspire action, otherwise it is an exercise in futility. If we do not awaken action—whether that be in heart, mind, or body— then we have failed. Traditional media tends to produce passive coach potatoes; we, on the other hand, aim to produce a bounty of action through the messages we promote. Our primary effect should be a tangible affect. Each minute of consumption that we develop must return tenfold of action in heart or labor. We strive to be always ready to obey His inspirations and Will, and want to help others become inspired, too!
We are a group effort . . .
We know what it’s like to feel as if you were the only person doing what you are doing. And we hate that feeling. No one should experience that aloneness and that is why we are a group effort. Our bigness is found in our combined littleness—doing the next right thing, the best we can, together. A mission must be shouldered on the strengths of each of us, and that is why each of our members are an integral part of the solution. We know our identity: we are not “the best” but rather do our best. We don’t promise the moon, but we’ll build a “rocket ship”—which, after takeoff, we pray will get eclipsed by God’s magnificence. Too wordy of a sentence? Maybe. True? Absolutely.
We direct, not distract . . .
We believe in a better model of media production and consumption. Media has become a means to distract, to escape and to ultimately eradicate meaningful action. When we separate our consumption from God’s will for us in the present moment, even consuming goodness can lead to emptiness. We want to engage a culture immersed in distractions by providing an antidote of intentionality. We seek to replace impulse with intention, distraction with direction, and thoughtlessness into thoughtfulness. We hope to promote a lifestyle that says "yes" to purpose in every second. Yet purpose does not mean constant activity. Rather, it means embracing God’s will in whatever way it manifests itself- from labor to leisure. Our whole mission can be summarized: “Recognize the designs and will of God in the present moment, and to help others do the same.”
We integrate so that we can radiate . . .
We aim to be an integral part of everything we partake in. Not integral as in "important," for we are not concerned with prestige. Rather, we seek to be integral in the sense that "our part meshes with and adds to the whole of those whom we work alongside." Whether it is an in-house project, partnership or a collaboration, we treat them all as an opportunity for unity and community. Integration for us means to encounter and accompany everyone we come in contact with, especially our clients, customers, and partners. We want to get into your mindset to understand what you believe and why. We absorb the ethos of each mission we participate in and then emanate those beliefs through our creative processes. We integrate so that we can radiate.
We are bold about modesty . . .
We believe that modesty promotes a culture of respect for the other. It is only when we are modest in both body and mind do we achieve a self-respect and self-worth, both of which immodesty prevents and ultimately destroys. We believe that only through modesty can we create an environment where respect and humility thrive. When we are modest with our entire person (not just our bodies), our true beauty can be seen. We believe that modesty is NOT a "covering up" but rather an emboldening freedom to be who we truly are and way to leave behind the facade and objectification that immodesty creates. Our objective is to never objectify. And that is why we are bold when it comes to modesty.
We are harmlessly eccentric . . .
We are an eccentric bunch, but our eccentricity is never flippant or foolish. We are spontaneous, but also sensible. Playful but prudent. And we infuse that playfulness into everything we do, because—put simply—life is more joyful that way. We see each of our oddities as characteristics that should not be summarily dismissed, but rather embraced if prudent. Sameness can be blandness. Just as the Saints of the Church are vastly different, so too are we with unique ways of communicating through camaraderie. Although some of our characteristics may be unorthodox, we are orthodox in our beliefs. We embrace our offshoots yet are firmly rooted in the Vine. We are harmlessly eccentric.
We are devoted and devout . . .
Everything we begin we see through to its end. We go the extra mile, burn the midnight oil and always deliver the highest value for our customers. This heartfelt devotedness has the added benefit of being an immunization to the lackluster and apathetic mindset that is so prevalent in our culture today. We never give mediocre a pass. We are devoted to our craft, but more importantly to our people and our God. We also realize that one can have a blind or misguided devotion, and so we ground our commitments to the Church and the wisdom of Her teachings. We are devout in our attitudes not merely out of practiced piety, but because our hearts are firmly set on God and His will for us. Will you join us in building the Kingdom?
Our Work
Here are only three of our favorites; click on the links below to see more!
Thank you Fullness of Truth Ministries for the opportunity to be a part of your amazing events!
Thank you JP II school for providing such a warm and welcoming community as we crafted this video!
This was a pro-bono passion project for the very talented spoken word poet Konner Kloster.
Shot in one day as a joint effort with our friends at Luxian Films
Our History
In 2015, Matthew realized that many of the top video search results involving important topics were out of date, aesthetically displeasing, or- at worse- intentionally misinforming. Our company is an attempt to rise up and meet the need for an increased quantity and quality of wholesome media.
In the years since, we've had the privilege of working on some amazing projects. On the journey, we've grown drastically in skill, resources, and openness to grace. We now offer not only a wide range of video production and photography services, but also magnanimous hearts on a mission!
Each project we choose to take on arises out of our belief that collaborating with a particular organization at a particular time is God's will for us; as such, we offer only our highest respect, work ethic, and service to those with whom we collaborate.
Our "Behind the Scenes"
Completely candid shots of where our projects and travels have brought us.
Want to collaborate?
If you would like to discuss the potential of working together, please use the contact form below to reach out. We look forward to hearing from you!
Blessed to have served many clients including:
Contact Us
To learn more about us or discuss a potential project, please fill out the form below.
Relatu Visual
Based in St. Louis, MO
Phone: (636) 410-8000
E-mail: Hello@Relatu.org