Mailchimp, VICE, and Arts & Sciences give us the Essentials

The meaning of the word 'essential' has been brought into sharper focus in recent months, with many small businesses and workers being recognised for their crucial roles in society.

Throwing a spotlight on their stories is Essentials, an emotive and candid documentary series from Mailchimp, VICE, and Arts & Sciences, with tales of resilience and adaptation told by business owners of all types: including a restaurateur who has transitioned her establishment to a market filled with locally made goods; a laundry service that is cleaning the clothes of first responders at no charge; a Houston-based doula dealing with the increased need of advocacy for expectant mothers; a community organizer and non-profit worker with three decades experience providing food and housing resources her Latinx neighborhood; an urban farmer in the South Side of Chicago who offers fresh produce and opportunities for residents to grow their own food; an independent record store owner who has turned his shop into a temporary shipping center; a long time bike courier in New York City; an obituary writer in New Orleans focused on telling the stories of pandemic victims; and a truck driver negotiating a trucking industry that has had to reconsider its safety practices. 

Directed entirely from afar by Todd Krolczyk, the series features evocative imagery collected by the cast, who were guided by lists provided for them by Krolczyk. The results are personal, moving and an important snapshot of our times.