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. “Rigor” follows an 18-month investigation by three NYT journalists into Donald Trump’s dubious tax schemes during the 1990s. After following an unfathomable paper trail, they revealed he had taken part in possible fraud and other misdemeanors. The spot was released at a time of overwhelming information (and misinformation), making it even more critical to reiterate the importance of the truth and the value of NYT journalism.

The film launched after Trump said the press was the “enemy of the people” following a meeting between himself and The New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger. The script is intended to put viewers in the reporters’ streams of consciousness, adopting their tones of voice while also maintaining The Times’s inimitable house style. The script, a connected thread of words that appears on screen, unravels the financial history, decade by decade, of America’s largest real estate empire.

“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.