Testimonials
“Working with Clare was an absolute pleasure. She possesses a true talent for translating thoughts and ideas into a visual story that captivates an audience. Clare was engaging and presented her ideas in a professional and responsive manner. She was open to feedback and incorporated the viewpoints of various stakeholders. Throughout the process Clare ensured that the project’s key messages were thoughtfully represented and any deviations were intentional. Clare was patient and kind with a welcoming demeanor that immediately puts you at ease. I would recommend Clare to anyone looking to create a visual representation of their product through storytelling and tasteful artistry.”
Megan McDonald, Operations Manager, Public Health, Alberta Health Services
“I have found Clare’s video narratives to be powerful tools to share patient and caregiver experiences with advanced kidney failure. They capture beautifully the patient’s complex journey and the difficult choices patients face moving beyond their diagnosis. When I watch these videos, I have an opportunity to reflect on the work we do in healthcare and why it matters. These stories have allowed us to connect our patients and families with healthcare providers on a new emotional level, resulting in far more meaningful conversations about end-of-life issues than we had previously achieved through more traditional means.
Clare creates a safe and sensitive environment for her subjects, filming them in their preferred space, where they can express themselves openly, thereby capturing multiple layers of personal and emotional experiences. She worked very closely with us throughout the process to ensure key messages were communicated effectively.”
Dr. Sara Davison, Professor of Medicine, Director, Kidney Supportive Care Research Group
“Our project contracted with Clare to create two videos, both turned out excellent! We couldn’t be more happy with the products and our experience working with Clare. Her ability to take our vague ideas/wishes and turn them into an organized, professional video is extraordinary. Her patience with our project as we hit many barriers and delays was also amazing. We will certainly be contracting with her again for future projects”
Jennifer Terpstra, MPH, PhD, Senior Consultant, Vascular Risk Reduction, Cardiovascular Health & Stroke Strategic Clinical Network
"It was a pleasure to work with Dr. Gibson at Allegorical Alchemy. She brings a thoughtful and careful approach to science communication that makes it easy to communicate and share. She bridges the gap between scientific communication and artistic expression, and is an asset to our knowledge translation goals."
Dr. Anna Taylor, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta
“I really love working with Dr. Gibson of Allegorical Alchemy. She understands health research much more than any filmmaker that I've ever met. She pays close attention to the key messages and always brings a patient perspective. I plan to work with her on all of my knowledge translation initiatives.”
PROFESSOR ROSS TSUYUKI,PROFESSOR & CHAIR OF PHARMACOLOGY, PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE, & DIRECTOR OF EPICORE, UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
“Dr. Gibson has a very unique skill set. She's not only a great filmmaker, she also has a very deep understanding of health research. Such a combination makes her the perfect candidate for making science and health research movies. When we were recording she made me feel at ease and I felt like we were having a conversation and forgot about the cameras and that's why the video came out very natural. Her attention to details is second to none. She takes pride with everything that she does and that's what makes her video very special. I will definitely work with her on any of my film/knowledge translation initiatives”
Yazid N. Al Hamarneh, BSc (Pharm), PhD, CDM, CAC, Assistant Professor, Associate Director & Scientific Officer. Alberta SPOR Support Unit, EPICORE Centre &Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta
“It is often difficult to capture the stories of those living with dementia or those they care for in a real, but hopeful way. Clare did a wonderful job of portraying the emotions, vulnerabilities and realities of living with dementia through the stories she filmed of those facing the diagnosis. When the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories reached out to Clare, she was both thoughtful and professional in her approach to the project. She worked with our staff and clients to ensure everyone was comfortable, and at the same time, demonstrated her compassion, her understanding and her ability to bring each person’s experience to life, painting a picture of how living with dementia affects the lives of many. The films Clare produced for the Society have enabled us create awareness of the impacts of dementia, and the work of our Society, through the stories she captured so beautifully.”
Christene Gordon, Executive Director, Dementia Supportive Communities, Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories
“Our department worked with Clare to film short videos describing our work so my video was about my teaching philosophy and the courses I teach in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Alberta. Clare provided prompting questions in a relaxed atmosphere to produce sound bites that were edited into a final video. She asked for my feedback on the video and incorporated graphics from my lecture slides, all of which told a story summarizing my overall objective in teaching and highlights interesting aspects of the courses I teach. I am very pleased with the result and I would highly recommend Clare's talents to those looking to produce online content to promote their work.”
dr myron zwozdesky, assistant professor, department of pharmacology, university of alberta
“When Clare came to film a documentary about our story, I found her to be respectful, sensitive to the subject matter, and flexible. Her experience in the medical field was helpful, since the documentary was about navigating the healthcare system for a child with a mental health disorder. She put a great deal of effort into the final product and I would work with her again.”
Cynthia Wandler, Advocate for Children with Brain Health Disorders
“Clare was instrumental in helping us produce a video that was informative and compelling. Clare was easy to work with and consulted with us throughout the process. She put the researchers and the interviewee at ease. Clare understood our research and goals by clearly identifying the aim, audiences and key messages for the video. I really like how well structured the production was, from concept development to finished product, and Clare's focus on audience learning needs. The video exemplifies the participant's experience and is an important part of our knowledge translation plan. Thanks, Clare.”
Brenda Leung, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Lethbridge
“Working with Clare was delightful. We met at my workplace to discuss the project at large and understand the importance of highlighting the experiences of families and children living with complex mental health conditions. Meeting me at my workplace was so important! Clare was very accommodating with our schedules throughout the project.
Clare know how to engage with people, her ethics around partnering with the patients and families is impeccable, and empathy towards them is admirable. Her understanding in filming is stellar. The combination of her personality, work ethics and engagement attitude have contributed to a terrific product, Cynthia's Story. I will keep working with Clare!”
Maria Santana, MPharm, PhD, Assistant Professor, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
“I am so pleased with the final short film created by Allegorical Alchemy to showcase the work I am doing to help health professionals cope with shame and medical errors. Clare’s keen ability to tease out the essence of my message and put the film together in a creative way made for a professional and compelling end product.”
Dr. Diane Aubin, Diane Aubin Consulting, Supporting Health Professionals & Advancing Patient Safety
“I'm incredibly happy with the film Allegorical Alchemy made about my practice. As an artist who works in public, I've been on camera often, and have some years of practice in front of a lens, being interviewed by local, national and international outlets, and frequently producing my own videos about my work and my life. This video made me feel 'seen' in a way that I don't often feel when I see myself on camera, frankly even in the videos I produce myself. Clare's skills are in the human connection - her interview questions were thoughtful and well considered, which put me at ease and made it easy to share. I didn't feel rushed, and she took the time to ask follow up questions so I could explain myself more thoroughly. She was a pro on the technical side, and through the editing process, did a great job of summarizing my thoughts - she really listened to what I was trying to get across and then worked to amplify that. It feels like the film that Allegorical Alchemy created accurately captures my ideas, so I know I'll get a lot of value out of sharing it, but I'm also excited about the opportunity to look back on it in the future and see an honest reflection of my practice and thought process at this time. Really impressed with the outcome of this project!”