Phase 4 Media has a vision to use the powerful tool of media as a force for social change.  

We are filmmakers with a social mission, using documentary storytelling techniques to promote philanthropic and purpose-driven organizations and their causes, inform audiences about change-making initiatives and inspire viewers to take action.

We act as consultants and partners, advancing the mission of our clients by creating CONTENT that helps you communicate powerfully and effectively, engage wide audiences and ultimately impact change.

Phase 4 specializes in producing original film and video content for purpose-driven organizations...

including foundations, non-profits, NGOs, social enterprises, government agencies, educational organizations, purpose-driven businesses and socially positive corporate initiatives.

We provide a full range of production services, come to the table with a true understanding of social issue storytelling and approach every project with passion.

We Provide

Story Consulting

Creative Direction

Research & Script Writing

Documentary Style Filming & Interviewing

Commercial & PSA Style Production

Filming of Speeches & Events

Video Editing

Graphic Design & Animation

Audio Post-Production

Social Marketing Strategy

Outreach & Engagement Campaign Strategy

We Create

Videos for the Web & Social Marketing

Short Documentaries

Fundraising Videos

Videos for Conferences & Events

Commercials & PSAs

Video Storytelling & Evaluation

Videos for Internal Communication & Board Reports

Grantee Stories & Grantee Communication

Training Videos & Sharing Best Practices

Feature-length Documentaries

Topics of Expertise

Sustainable Agriculture

Food & Farming

Health

Anti-Hunger

Environment

Education

Women's Poverty

Economic Development

Human Rights

Africa

Community-Based Change

Philanthropy

Phase 4 Media was founded in 2008 by award-winning filmmaker, Sarah Hesterman, who has been producing CONTENT for BRANDS, foundations and non-profits for over 15 years.  

Over the course of ten years we have partnered with national non-profit, Fair Food Network, to produce numerous awareness campaigns to promote their mission of growing community health and wealth through food. In 2020 we produced three different content campaigns to promote Double Up Food Bucks in Michigan. In 2018 and 2019 we produced a campaign of original content for Fair Food Network and Michigan Good Food Fund highlighting farmers, families and good food entrepreneurs for digital and social media video and fundraising. In 2016, Phase 4 produced the TV and online video campaign for "Double Up Flint" to promote healthy food access in the wake of Flint's water crisis.   Our short film highlighting the success of Fair Food Network’s “Double Up Food Bucks” program in Detroit was a winner at the 2011 Michigan Good Food Film Festival.  In 2013, Phase 4 partnered with InternewsNEXT to produce a short documentary on the changing landscape of media and technology in the developing world.  In 2010, Phase 4 produced and directed the 20-minute documentary “Blessing or Curse: Oil and Uganda’s Future” which was distributed widely in Uganda in order to educate voters and parliament members on oil policy in their country. In 2009, we produced a six-part short documentary series on women’s poverty and philanthropy in association with the Headwaters Group for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Sarah’s 2004 film, Seeds of Hope: Feeding the World One Community at a Time, funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, is currently appearing on Link TV’s Viewchange.org, the social video portal funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The film won the Environment Award at the 2004 Media that Matters film festival, a Telly Award in the social issue category and aired on PBS and internationally.

Sarah grew up in East Lansing, Michigan and is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a B.F.A. in Film & Television. Sarah is dedicated to creating media that inspires, educates and engages audiences in critical social issues and her life goal is to raise awareness and understanding through film.

The team behind Phase 4 has a strong history producing change-making media for the following organizations:

Africa Institute for Energy Governance

Barnes & Noble

China Institute

City Parks Foundation

Cleveland Urban Agriculture Project

Community Food Resource Center

Community Food Security Coalition

Detroit Voices

Fair Food Network

Food Systems Leadership Network 

Girls Who Code

Headwaters Group 

Heifer International

Internews

Jeremy’s Heroes

JWT Ethos

Literacy for Environmental Justice

Michigan Good Food Fund

Ms. Foundation for Women

New American Farming Initiative

Partners for Change

Rolex Awards for Enterprise

Services for the Underserved

W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Wellspring Advisors

Winrock International

Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis

Women’s Foundation of California

Women’s Foundation of Colorado

Women’s Funding Network

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View Some of Our Work