This film looks to shed light on the rigor behind journalism and why it's all worth it. “The Truth Is Worth It” campaign makes a statement about the power of journalism today, with stories that have the potential to shift perceptions and culture. “Fearlessness” depicts the risk, guts and fearlessness shown by Rukmini Callimachi, the lead New York Times reporter covering the Islamic State. The film takes us on a journey through leads, sources and contacts across the world as Callimachi looks to understand the intricate details of how ISIS functions as an organization. Our connected thread of words leads us through this journey, carrying us to her groundbreaking discovery: a treasure trove of files that reveals the workings of one of the world’s most deadly terrorist organizations.

The film launched at a time of renewed discussion on ISIS, Syria and terrorism. The script had to bring to life this incendiary subject matter while balancing the journalistic integrity of The New York Times. The script puts us in the reporter’s stream of consciousness, adopting her tone of voice while also maintaining The Times’s inimitable house style. The script, a connected thread of words that appear on screen, was central to putting the viewer in Callimachi’s psyche as she forged deeper behind the lines of the world’s most feared terror organization.

“The Truth Is Worth It” stories were told with a combination of pre-existing elements, source material provided by New York Times reporters, stock footage and footage shot by the directors to fill in the story gaps where needed and match the tone of the archival footage. The directors(s) oversight included collaboration on every aspect of the films; the scripts, copy, graphics, visuals, voice recordings, sound design and edit. The film uses a single, creative-writing approach: a connected thread of animated words that appear on-screen as though a continuous writing and rewriting of headlines. The directing looks to bring together a unique visual approach, to put viewers in the shoes of the journalists, making them experience their stream of consciousness. It takes viewers through the journalists’ stories, mimicking their psyche, intentions and actions.