BEYOND BIRTH

The Challenge

Community-based doulas play a critical role in improving birth outcomes, particularly in underserved communities. Yet many healthcare providers lack a clear understanding of their role, which can limit collaboration within clinical environments.

The research team at the Medical College of Wisconsin needed a way to increase understanding and willingness among healthcare providers to collaborate with community-based doulas.

Traditional communication methods, academic publications and presentations could not fully convey the lived experiences and perspectives of doulas and birthing people.

The team needed a story-driven educational tool that could:

• authentically represent the voices of community-based doulas

• communicate nuanced realities of birth work

• shift perception among healthcare providers

• support rigorous academic evaluation

The Solution

JMC Studios partnered with the research team to produce a cinematic educational vignette designed to translate complex research insights into an emotionally resonate narrative.

Working closely with the EMBRACE initiative, JMC helped shape the concept from the ground up, ensuring the film would be both academically rigorous and culturally authentic.