Family Strong 2

Five years ago, we embarked on a unique storytelling journey. At the height of the pandemic lockdown, we handed cameras to five American families and asked them to document their own lives—capturing the raw, unfiltered reality of navigating uncertainty, resilience, and hope. The result? Family Strong — a deeply personal, self-shot docuseries that earned five Telly Awards for its innovative storytelling.

 

Now, on the fifth anniversary of the pandemic, we’re reconnecting with all five families to see how their lives have unfolded. How did the pandemic impact them? What challenges remain, and what transformations took them by surprise? Take a peek at the teaser for a glimpse of what’s to come.

Series

Regardless of format, style, or topic, embracing multiple perspectives is crucial for gaining a comprehensive understanding of target markets. By leveraging insights and relationships from concurrent research studies, we can efficiently produce high-quality series that precisely address our clients’ needs.

 

Our in-house series Family Strong showcases the potential of the docuseries format. This longitudinal series follows American families navigating the uncertainty of life during the pandemic lockdown. We trained five families to film their own lives over six months at the height of COVID-19. The result is a raw, self-shot docuseries that provides an unvarnished look at American life during that uncertain time. The series earned multiple awards, including five Tellys, for its innovative storytelling and excellence in documentary filmmaking.

TRAILER: Family Strong

Family Strong is an award-winning documentary series that captures the lives of five diverse American families navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fluent Productions trained these families to document their own experiences over six months in 2020. The result is an intimate, longitudinal series that provides an unvarnished view through the eyes of each family, offering a unique and personal perspective on the struggles and resilience of the American family unit. After several months of filming, the trailer was released on September 28, 2020. Filming continued until the end of the year, producing 12 episodes.

 

This trailer earned a Silver W3 Award.

Episode 01: A Family Emergency

In this first episode of Family Strong, we meet Jenna and Jeremiah from Houston, Texas. Like many others, Jenna and Jeremiah have found that the pandemic has presented them with lots of opportunities for quality time with their two children, Isabella and Noah. However, they have also been presented with a number of challenges due to Noah’s rare genetic condition. In this episode, we’ll discover how the family has been spending their time together and how they manage to deal with a medical emergency in the middle of a pandemic. 

 

This episode earned a Communicator Award of Distinction in the “Documentary for Online Video” category.

Episode 02: Starting Anew

In this second installment of Family Strong, we meet Sam and Larry, a couple working to build a new life with their blended family in Tennessee. Prior to COVID-19, single mom Sam worked and lived in New York with her two children Carter and Amelia. That was until she met Larry at a wedding and moved to Tennessee to live with him and his daughter, Charlie. In this episode, we watch as Sam and Larry embark on their new life together in Tennessee, an active COVID hotspot, and see their worry grow as their children return to school.

Episode 03: Dream Interrupted

In episode three of Family Strong, we get to know Isabella, a college student from Miami, Florida. Isabella’s dream came true when she was accepted into the University of Southern California to study film. But, as classes moved online due to COVID-19, Isabella was forced to return to her family’s home in Miami. In this episode, we see how Isabella is adjusting to life with her parents and siblings. We also learn about her worries regarding her ability to juggle college, an internship, and working at her family’s business.

 

This episode earned a Davey Gold Award in the “Film/Video-Documentary” category.

Episode 04: Man About The House

In episode four of Family Strong, we meet Joe and his wife, Brandi, who are adjusting to a new dynamic following the loss of Joe’s job.Before COVID-19, Joe worked as a tradesman and was gigging around Houston, Texas, as a country singer. Now, Brandi has become the main breadwinner, thanks to her successful online store. In this episode, we see how the couple handles their role reversal.

Episode 05: Spread Thin

In episode five of Family Strong, we meet Ivy, an immunocompromised mom working hard to support her family. From working multiple jobs to support her children to helping her mom, dad, and brother, Ivy is used to being spread thin. But COVID-19 has presented new challenges as she puts herself in harm’s way every day to provide for her family.

Episode 06: Overload

In episode six of Family Strong, we return to Miami to see how college student Isabella is coping with the pressures of remote classes and a full-time job at her family’s business. The last time we saw Isabella, COVID-19 had forced her to give up her life at her dream school and move back home with her parents in Miami. This week, Isabella tries to keep up with college, while teaching at her family’s private school. But as she struggles with overwork, a budding relationship offers a chance to spread her wings.

Episode 07: The “Love” Thingy

In this episode of Family Strong, we rejoin Sam and Larry in Tennessee. In the first installment of their story, we learned about their new life together as a blended family and their fears for their children’s return to school. This week, we discover how the family’s attitude to in-person classes has changed and how they’re doing their best to live life to the fullest despite the circumstances. But is this pandemic bringing their family closer together?

 

This episode earned a Communicator Award of Excellence in “Directing for Branded Entertainment” and a Telly Bronze Award in the “Online: Documentary: Individual” category.

Episode 08: Spinning

When we first met the Maddix Family, they were facing a medical emergency involving their son Noah who lives with a rare genetic condition called Lowe Syndrome. In this episode, we find a family who is battling multiple stressors. Most pressingly, pre-teen daughter Isabella has been suffering from panic attacks which have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Will the family be able to overcome these new obstacles?

Episode 09: Health vs Wealth

In the first installment of her story, we learned how hardworking mom Ivy was more than willing to put herself in harm’s way to provide for her family during a pandemic. In this episode, Ivy continues to push herself by taking on a risky job to make more money while doing her best to cheer up her son, Tyson, who has been feeling lonely. Will Ivy be able to hold it together or will it all get too much?

Episode 10: Astray

The last time we met country singer Joe, he had been dealing with COVID-related job loss. In this episode, he and his wife Brandi are dealing with a new COVID-related problem as they discover Brandi’s 12-year-old daughter, Nikki, has been acting out and getting into trouble due to boredom. Will the family be able to curb Nikki’s behavior and how will they handle the issues this pandemic has brought to light?

Family Strong Season Finale: Bonding (Part 1)

In part one of the extended season finale of Family Strong, we check in with all five families as they navigate life during COVID. From quarantining and moving homes to serious emergencies, our families are facing a host of stressful situations. In this episode, Ivy’s health reaches a dangerous breaking point. The Maddix kids risk a return to school, while the Hosbey kids are quarantined and go virtual again. The Bailey family continues to manage COVID-induced family strife. And Isabella Escalona finds herself in a life-and-death situation in Wyoming.

Family Strong Season Finale: Bonding (Part 2)

In the final episode of Season 1 of Family Strong, we rejoin our families where we left them last week to find out how their stories end.

 

Crashed on a cold Wyoming backroad, Isabella and her boyfriend Tim hunker down for the night while her family in Miami launches into action. In Virginia, Ivy gets a revealing diagnosis, while in Tennessee, Sam prepares to cut loose with a party for Larry and his friends. Meanwhile, in Texas, Joe has a long-awaited breakthrough, and the families look to 2021.

Meet Our Families

Jenna & Jeremiah

Jeremiah and Jenna live in Houston, Texas, with their children Isabella and Noah. Noah has autism and was born with a rare genetic disease. The pandemic has presented a number of challenges for the family around Noah’s condition but their strong bond is helping them navigate through the uncertainty.

Isabella

Isabella’s dream came true when she was accepted into the University of Southern California to study film. As classes moved online, Isabella was forced to return to her home in Miami where she now works with her mother, father, sister and brother at their family business.

Sam & Larry

Single mom Sam worked and lived in New York with two children Carter and Amelia. That was until she met Larry at a wedding and moved to Tennessee to live with him and his daughter, Charlie. The couple are working as a team to help their blended family adjust to life in a pandemic.

Joe & Brandi

Before Covid-19 Joe had two jobs. Working for the railroad and gigging around Texas as a country singer. Now, his wife, Brandi, has become the main breadwinner. With Joe’s teen daughter Gabrielle having just moved in following her mother’s death, and Brandi’s twins, Nikki and Blake, and the couple’s shared daughter, Kylie, also living in the home, Joe is having to adjust to spending a lot more time in a busy household.

Ivy

Ivy married Sean a year ago, bringing her child Tyson into a new home. From working multiple jobs and caring for Tyson to supporting her two older children who live out of the home, Ivy is used to being spread thin. But Covid-19 has presented new challenges for immunocompromised Ivy as she puts herself in harm’s way every day to support her family.