We Are United Dredging

Project Overview

We Are United Dredging was a one-minute promotional ad created for social media distribution. The challenge was immediately apparent: how do you make dredging pits compelling enough to stop someone mid-scroll?

Dredging isn't typically considered exciting work. It's heavy machinery, mud, and methodical processes. But every industry has its own drama, its own intensity, and my job was to find it and amplify it. United Dredging needed a piece that would cut through the noise of social feeds and communicate their capabilities in under 60 seconds.

Without narration to rely on, the project became an exercise in pure audio-visual storytelling. Every frame, every cut, and every beat of music had to work together to create momentum and hold attention in an environment where viewers decide to keep watching or scroll away in the first three seconds.

Creative Approach

Making the Mundane Cinematic

The solution was to lean into contrast. If dredging isn't inherently dramatic, make the presentation dramatic. Treat industrial work like an action sequence.

Visual strategy:

• Aggressive editing pace - Fast cuts that matched the intensity of the music
• Title card rhythm - Quick-hitting text that appeared and disappeared in sync with audio beats
• Equipment as hero - Framed heavy machinery in ways that emphasized scale and power
• Gritty aesthetic - Embraced the dirt, mud, and raw nature of the work rather than trying to polish it
• Dynamic angles - Used varied perspectives to maintain visual interest across repetitive tasks

Audio design:

• Selected an overly dramatic music track that gave weight to every visual moment
• Built the entire edit around the music's rhythm and crescendos
• Let the track carry emotional intensity without competing voiceover

Pacing and structure:

• Hook in the first 3 seconds with the most visually striking moment
• Build intensity throughout the middle
• End with clear branding and call to action

"The goal wasn't to explain dredging. It was to make you feel the power and precision it requires."

Role & Collaboration

This was a client project where I handled all post-production and creative direction for the final ad.

My responsibilities included:

• Creative concept development
• Footage selection and organization
• Video editing and pacing
• Title card design and animation
• Music selection and audio mixing
• Color grading for gritty aesthetic
• Social media optimization (format, length, aspect ratio)
• Final delivery and revisions

Client collaboration:

• Worked with United Dredging to understand their brand identity and target audience
• Presented the dramatic approach concept and gained buy-in
• Delivered multiple format versions optimized for different social platforms

Technical considerations:

• One-minute runtime requirement for social media algorithms
• Designed for sound-on viewing while ensuring visual clarity if muted
• Optimized for mobile viewing where most social content is consumed

This project proved that with the right creative treatment, any subject matter can be made engaging. Sometimes the most unexpected industries benefit from bold, unconventional approaches.