Faces of The Forest
Faces of the Forest: Meet the DeFrees Family of Oregon
A Documentary-Style Film for the Paper and Packaging Industry
For more than 100 years, the DeFrees family has cared for its Oregon forestland and raised ponderosa pine. Today, fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-generation family members continue that legacy, combining generations of experience with a commitment to keeping the forest healthy and productive for the future.
Shields Films partnered with the Paper & Packaging Board’s How Life Unfolds campaign to produce Faces of the Forest: Meet the DeFrees Family of Oregon, a cinematic short documentary about family, forestry, and responsible land stewardship.
Rather than simply explaining how forest products are created, the film introduces viewers to the people behind the paper and packaging industry. Through personal interviews and observational footage, the DeFrees family shares what it means to care for the same land across multiple generations—and why they believe future generations will continue the work.
Capturing an Authentic Oregon Forestry Story
Our production team traveled to the DeFrees family ranch in Oregon to document their daily lives and their connection to the forest.
The production included:
Documentary-style interviews with multiple generations of the family
Natural, unscripted moments on the ranch
Forestry and land-management footage
Cinematic images of the surrounding landscape
Aerial drone cinematography
Professional editing, color grading and sound design
Filming on a working ranch required a flexible documentary approach. We followed the family through the property, captured real interactions and allowed the story to develop naturally rather than relying on heavily scripted scenes.
The result is an emotionally grounded film that feels personal and authentic while clearly communicating the broader importance of sustainable forestry and renewable forest products.
Connecting Consumers With the People Behind Paper and Packaging
Paper and packaging are part of everyday life, but most consumers rarely see where these materials begin.
Documentary storytelling helps close that gap.
By focusing on one family’s experience, the film gives the paper and packaging industry a relatable human face. Viewers are able to see that healthy forests, renewable materials and responsible forestry practices depend on people who have invested their lives in caring for the land.
The DeFrees family’s story communicates complex industry themes through a simple and memorable narrative: a family preserving its land, passing down its knowledge and preparing the next generation to continue the work.
Documentary Video Production for Industrial and Natural-Resource Organizations
Documentary-style brand films are especially effective for industries that need to build understanding, credibility and public trust.
Instead of relying on corporate claims or scripted marketing language, these films use real people and real experiences to demonstrate an organization’s values. They can help companies and industry associations explain technical subjects, highlight responsible practices and show the human impact behind their work.
Shields Films produces documentary and brand-story videos for organizations working in:
Paper and packaging
Forestry and natural resources
Manufacturing
Agriculture
Energy and utilities
Construction
Transportation
Environmental stewardship
Trade and industry associations
From remote locations and active industrial facilities to family-owned operations, we know how to work efficiently in real-world environments while capturing polished, cinematic footage.
Tell the Human Story Behind Your Industry
Your customers may understand what your organization produces, but they may not know the people, values and decisions behind it.
A documentary-style video can make that story visible.
Shields Films provides full-service documentary video production, including creative development, interviews, cinematography, drone filming, editing, color grading, sound design and final delivery for websites, campaigns, presentations and social media.
Contact Shields Films to discuss a documentary, industrial video or brand-story project.