BELLA, a member startup of the Advanced Technology Development Center, will stream video content designed to reduce stress, improve mental health and well-being.
ATLANTA (April 9, 2020) – Following two years of research and customer discovery, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Felipe Barral has launched BELLA, a streaming service focused on the delivery of beautiful cinematic video content, starting with a series of one-minute motion pictures.
BELLA was originally conceived to deliver inspirational content to clients, caregivers, nurses and doctors on chemotherapy wards, dialysis centers and other shared spaces. “I wanted to offer an escape hatch from the confinement, stress, pain, anxiety, uncertainty and boredom facing to patients and caretakers by giving them visually restorative experiences,” Barral said.
The initial strategy was to stream a series of short films in celebration of the natural world, the arts and culture at medical centers. But once the ramifications of COVID-19 raised the specter of a mental health crisis among medical workers, first responders and anyone bearing witness to the devastation wrought by the pandemic, Barral chose to mitigate the damage by sharing BELLA’s library of original short videos via digital platforms.
Scientific research has validated the soothing effect of biophilia: a love of nature and living things. And studies have shown that 40 seconds of exposure to the natural world causes the brain to suspend critical thinking, reduce energy consumption, and amplify a sense of wellbeing.
“My understanding of biophilia, coupled with years of experience as a visual storyteller, informs the core mission of the biophilic storytelling we stream at BELLA,” Barral said.
On Thursday, April 9, the first of BELLA’s cinematic videos, or “bellos” as Barral calls them, will roll out via its platform, and stream for free everyday thereafter.
“This early rollout of BELLA content will be free to everyone. Our entire BELLA team hopes that this content will help healthcare workers in the United States and around the world, together with patients and individuals confined at home through this crisis,” Barral said. “Now, more than ever, meaningful and inspiring content is needed. I am proud of the fact that BELLA will populate mobile phones, computers, and video screens with rich content designed to soothe and comfort viewers. I’m not a doctor and I cannot heal sickness. But I hope these quietly profound meditations on beauty will inspire joy and awe worldwide among healthcare workers, patients and anyone confined to their home because of the coronavirus,” he added.
BELLA will continue to deliver long-form content and add all the features that Barral has envisioned for the full version of BELLA.
To experience BELLA follow us at:
Website: http://bella.endavomedia.net
Instagram: @bella.streaming
Twitter: @bella_streaming
Facebook: @bella.streaming
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bella-streaming
YouTube: BELLA Streaming (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSen5ax8C-ZkbLzqRpTUkJw)
About Felipe Barral
Felipe is an Emmy award-winning producer. He is also a filmmaker, artist, director, musician & writer. He is a journalist with a Masters degree in Philosophy. He is the Founder, CEO and Executive Producer of his own production company, IGNI Productions, and their digital channel for the arts “thegchannel.com”. He worked at CNN for 20 years, producing high quality content in English and Spanish. As a filmmaker and artist, he has released 7 short films, short and long format documentaries, three books of poetry, and has composed original scores for silent films and documentaries. In addition, Felipe has done several multimedia installations, and has performed live both in Chile and the United States. He also was recognized with Time Warner’s Richard D. Parsons Community Impact Award in 2014, for teaching storytelling to children.
For more information, visit www.fbarral.com
About IGNI Productions
IGNI Productions is a cinematic production company led by filmmaker and Emmy Award-Winning Producer, Felipe Barral, specialized in creative, engaging and promotional storytelling for the arts. Their services are clearly produced to increase engagement and make audiences feel awe. Among their growing portfolio of partners, they are thrilled to work with clients like: The Atlanta Opera, The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Alliance Theatre, Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre, The College of the Arts at Kennesaw State University, CNN and many others.
For more information, visit www.igniproductions.com