OUR BACKSTORY
Backstory is a collective of creative artists all working in the world of museums, public schools, and nonprofit associations. We create content for exhibits, performing arts, and print and digital media. Think of us as the X-Men of the nonprofit education world: each member brings special powers to the problem we’re solving on behalf of humanity and we’re darn good at emerging victorious at the end of the day. (Where we’re different is that we’re actually concerned with budgets and nothing gets destroyed.)
At backstory, we believe that victory in creating educational content means starting with the story, not the medium. We obsess over outlines, interpretive filters, narrative arc and the messages you want your target audience to walk away with. To get there, we believe conversations with you and sample audiences are enlightening, saving everyone time and money in the long run.
Once settled, we have the resource and design savvy to enter confidently into the design phase, using our own team, your in-house folk, or another trusted firm. If you would like to contact us, click here.
PHIL RATLIFF, PRINCIPAL
With over 20 years experience in nonprofit arts and culture settings, teaching and designing curricula in primary, secondary and higher education classrooms, curating museum exhibits and creating exciting, audience- and mission-friendly programming. He has successfully project-managed several community-driven temporary museum exhibits, bringing them on time, under budget, and with lots of happy volunteer collaborators. Phil holds the DMA from Rice University, writes for B-Metro and has racked up several commissions along the way.
BACKSTORY ASSOCIATES
John Kelton, Kelton Design – two and three dimensional exhibit design
Doug and Alan Franks, Franks Global Media – video production
Jon Gordon, JLG Communications – video production [confirm]
Lee Shackleford, Shackleford Freelance – playwright