Audiences like good stories, well told.

We do too. We like the poetry of vernacular speech juxtaposed with scenes that open the mind to new understanding.

That's the way we tell video stories, through the words and actions of our subjects. There's usually no script and no storyboard, just people talking about things they love and know well, and scenes that enrich the tale.

Since 1983 we've produced award-winning recruitment and fundraising videos for colleges and schools, having found that our experience as teachers gave us insight into how teaching and learning happen and how to capture them on film.

What we discovered along the way is that our documentary approach works in any situation in which people are engaged in what they do and have an interest in talking about it.

So our stories now include an artist explaining his technique; museum curators telling about their collection; a nonagenarian gardener presenting her arboretum; audio CDs of music field recordings; instruction in contra dancing and others.

Whatever the subject, however short the tale, a story links us to one another and feeds our hunger for experience.

And it begins with the teller.