The vision was clear: Create an anthem video that conveys the core strengths of NC State’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS) in an authentic, natural and meaningful way. That’s exactly what the college achieved when it partnered with film studies alumnus Kieran Moreira to bring the video to life.

Moreira provided a perspective shaped by firsthand experience and an understanding of the college’s mission, purpose, people and impact. The result is a visually engaging and emotionally effective narrative that highlights the college’s commitment to human-centered problem-solving and ensures solutions benefit communities and the planet.

The video project is part of the college’s new brand refresh and activation strategy to better define its distinct value at NC State, across North Carolina and beyond. Its values-driven messaging places the human experience at the heart of education and innovation — and underscores the college’s commitment to addressing today’s most pressing challenges through empathy, insight and action.

“Kieran brought more than technical skills to the project,” said Deanna Dannels, dean of CHASS. “He brought heart and history, and as someone who had once walked the same halls and sat in the same classrooms, he knew how to capture the college’s distinctive spirit in a way that was grounded, honest and unmistakably human – the very focus the college seeks to elevate.”

The college’s communications and marketing team partnered with Moreira, who runs Negative Split Films, a film production company. The 2011 graduate also works as manager of brand media and associate creative director at Red Hat. The project was a team effort, with Negative Split producers Shawn Goldberg and Carla Hendrix, scriptwriters NC Jones and Moreira, and director of photography Josh Steadman all playing key roles in shaping the final product.

The collaboration produced one main video and three supplementary cuts that tell CHASS’s story through the perspective of three students: Mason Baker, Meaghan Hebert and Tishera Owens. Their voices and experiences anchor the narrative in the present, showing how the college’s values are lived every day. 

“Kieran brought more than technical skills to the project,” said Deanna Dannels, dean of CHASS. “He brought heart and history.”

Together, the videos invite viewers to see the humanities and social sciences not just as academic disciplines, but as powerful tools for enabling deeper understanding, fostering connections and driving meaningful change. As important, the videos also celebrate how people – past and present – make the humanities and social sciences come alive.

We caught up with Moreira to hear more about what drew him to the project, what the experience meant to him personally and professionally, and what he learned from working with today’s students. Here’s what he shared.

Why did you decide to work with the college on the video?

I love opportunities where I get to help shape the creative direction from the start. The college came to us with a solid project brief and thoughtful insights, but they also trusted our team to build on that and evolve the concept together.

Personally, as an NC State alum, this project felt like a full-circle moment- getting to elevate the place where I first discovered my creative vocation.

What was it like to return to your alma mater to help tell its story?

In some ways, it feels like I never really left NC State. I live and work in Raleigh. One of my regular running routes passes the Belltower. So, it’s easy to overlay my day-to-day with memories of campus life.

But the college itself is always evolving. I’m just grateful I got to help spotlight a new generation of students who are already finding smart, compassionate ways to impact the world. 

How did your student experience influence your approach to the project?

When you’re working on a doc-style project with real people, it’s important to connect on a personal level – especially when you’re showing up with lights, cameras and a whole crew.

Having a shared background made that connection easier. We’d taken some of the same classes, studied in the same buildings, and joined similar clubs. That familiarity helped me build trust quickly. And on a practical level, I already knew which locations around campus would best help us tell the story visually.

What did you learn about today’s students?

Mason, Meaghan and Tishera blew me away from the start. In our pre-interviews, it was immediately clear how thoughtful, passionate, and purpose-driven they all are. Meaghan’s work applying psychology to the future of autonomous vehicles really stuck with me. It was both deeply technical and deeply human. Coming from the film studies side of the college, I sometimes forget how wide-ranging the disciplines are. But the throughline is clear: empathy, curiosity and creative problem-solving. 

Was there a particular moment during the filming that stayed with you?

Production days can be chaotic. There’s always a shot list to get through, and real life rarely sticks to the plan. But this shoot was the opposite.

We had a clear vision for what these anthem videos needed to be, and everything just clicked. The team was supportive, the students were amazing, and the weather held up! It was just one of those productions that felt smooth and genuinely fun. 

How did it feel to work on a project that reflects your professional skills and gives back to your alma mater?

The best creative work happens when you feel personally invested. And while I always give 100% to any project, there are some where tapping into that passion and drive comes naturally.

This was one of those. The motivation to get it right, on both a creative and emotional level, was on another level.

Describe the spirit of CHASS.

Altruistic, driven and full of optimism.

What do you hope viewers take away from the video?

One of the best takeaways from our early conversations with the NC State creative team was this idea: We didn’t need to defend the value of the humanities and social sciences; we needed to showcase it.

There’s so much pride in the work happening here. The students’ stories speak for themselves. We wanted that optimism and confidence to come through tonally in the video, which helped inform creative decisions like music and pacing. I hope viewers walk away feeling inspired, and potential students can see themselves in these stories.