Faith in a Tesla: A Community's Compassion in Motion

Faith in a Tesla is a deeply moving short film capturing a community’s incredible act of compassion. It follows a father’s mission to fulfill his terminally ill daughter’s bucket list wish - a ride in a Tesla - after doctors revealed her brain tumour was inoperable.

The Power of Kindness and Technology

Through the lens of this story, we witness the power of kindness and technology coming together. From a single Facebook post to a convoy of Teslas organised by the Tesla Owners Club Australia, this film documents the heartwarming surprise and the emotional journey that followed. The video was proudly featured on an official Tesla sub-domain at engage.tesla.com, highlighting Tesla’s commitment to community and compassion.

My Role in the Production

My involvement included filming key moments, capturing emotional interviews, and editing elements of the final piece. This project was filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding another layer of sensitivity and logistics to the production. The story unfolded rapidly, requiring a same-day response and full mobilisation of gear and crew.

The Call That Started It All

On the day of filming, I was setting up my workstation with a colleague when we received a call from our friend CheeWei Tay. He had seen a Facebook post about a young girl named Faith, who had been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour after previously undergoing surgery 18 months earlier to remove a tennis ball-sized growth. At just 16 years old, Faith was now living with limited time and her family had created a bucket list to help her enjoy the moments she had left. One of her wishes: to ride in a Tesla.

A Community Responds

We immediately dropped everything, grabbed our camera gear, and met up with CheeWei and several Tesla owners. The Tesla Owners Club of Australia responded quickly - eight Teslas gathered to support the cause.

Capturing the Journey

From Faith's front door to the Tesla convoy, we captured every step of the journey. I filmed the reveal, the interactions, the drive, and the overwhelming moment of surprise when the convoy was revealed. We even highlighted Tesla’s quirky features, like the fart noise gag, which brought joy and laughter to the car ride.

A Father's Voice

Later, I filmed an intimate interview with Faith’s father, who shared her medical history and the emotional weight of their experience. The segment ends with him breaking down in tears, supported by CheeWei - a raw, human moment that speaks volumes about the impact of this day.

Post-Production and Final Touches

Post-production was completed by Tim Butler at Wyndham TV, with an original soundtrack composed by CheeWei. While I wasn’t directly involved in editing or music production, I was present during key moments of the process and provided creative feedback as the project came together.