We’re filmmakers, so it won’t surprise you when we say WE LOVE FILM!!! One of the key reasons for this is its ability to communicate virtually any message, and there are so many different messages that benefit from using film. We wanted to take some time to discuss the subjects that can be truly enhanced through film, and how it can be used to help you communicate with your audience.
Brand
So: what’s in a brand? Well, quite simply, everything! It defines you as a company and/or an organisation, and how you define your brand demonstrates your values and your innate identity. In short, it’s a big deal in the modern landscape.
So where does film come into this? A great brand film can be a great driver in helping set you apart from the competition, or simply telling the world about your mission, and what motivates you to succeed. There’s also no set formula for what makes a great brand film – it’s shaped by your identity and your values, and there’s a range of creative approaches available to help realise your brand identity on-screen.
As avenues of communication evolve and progress, the ways you can use a brand film increase too. It’s not just a case of hosting it on your website and hoping people watch – the huge growth of social media channels means we help gain traction amongst audiences that used to be much harder to reach.
In short, a brand film can be a hugely effective way of laying down a marker, telling the world who you are, and why they should consider you as their next port of call for their needs.
Check out our brand film for Oman Air:
Oman Air plays a big role in making Muscat a major traffic hub in the Middle East by providing commercial, industrial and tourism activities. The airline is also becoming increasingly popular and a familiar sight at a variety of international airports.
A Journey of Discovery not only delivers vital in-flight safety information, but it simultaneously showcases the natural beauty of Oman, the personality and warmth of its people, and provides a sample of its unique culture in a cinematic style. The film is shown on all Oman Air flights and it has been reported that passengers have a higher level of engagement, delivering better safety awareness in flight while advertising the attractions of the country.
Diversity & Inclusion
An unwavering commitment to promoting Diversity and Inclusion should be at the heart of any successful company or organisation. It reflects the makeup of societies the world over and recognises the importance of valuing and cherishing our differences and similarities alike.
As such, it’s a vital subject, and film is a great means for driving home such important messaging. It can be used in many ways, whether as a one-off piece, a series of films that explore specific issues, or as content within a wider framework, e.g. a learning programme.
This is vital for connecting with internal and external audiences, whether it’s to show commitment to these vital values and so instil pride amongst your own people, or to demonstrate your standing as a great place for prospective recruits, so encouraging them to want to work with you.
Simply put, Diversity & Inclusion matters – and film is an invaluable asset in helping your organisation promote it.
Deloitte – Ask Yourself
Deloitte believe that employees can only truly be at their best when they are able to be themselves and can thrive, develop and ultimately succeed in their role.
‘Ask Yourself’ is a short three minute film encouraging and reminding employees of their personal responsibilities at Deloitte in creating a safe, collaborative and inclusive work environment. Uploaded on to YouTube to allow people to share with others, the video has almost 230,000 views and collected a host of major film awards.
Health & Safety
Keeping everyone healthy and safe is, quite frankly, a no-brainer. No matter what your organisation does or what sector you work in, looking after your people is paramount – and film is a great means of conveying important information in this area.
Some issues spring to mind more immediately than others: if you’re an industrial organisation, the use of hazardous materials, heavy machinery, high-voltage electricity etc. seem apparent when it comes to protecting physical wellbeing, but ensuring mental wellbeing is just as vital – and the same applies for service-based business with office-based workforces too.
Simply put, there are always issues that require focus when it comes to maintaining mental and physical wellbeing – and using film can be invaluable in addressing them. It allows you to present all types of situations in a manner that helps the audience visualise and comprehend the risks more clearly than other methods.
Check out our film for ENA
ENA is the electricity networks’ trade body and they represent the ‘wires and pipes’ transmission and distribution network operators for gas and electricity in the UK and Ireland. We had to raise awareness of the potential risks and dangers of working close to overhead power lines and also demonstrate how dangerous even the slightest touch of a live line can be.
ENA wanted to connect with people and make them more aware of their surroundings and possible dangers overhead. Wherever drivers are, we want them to think for a moment, to look out and look up. Contact with overhead power lines is extremely dangerous and it happens too often.
‘Look Out Look Up’ has been distributed across all nationwide electricity network areas across the UK. It will be seen online and in a series of safety events that member companies run their local regions. The film also complements the ‘Look Out Look Up’ document issued by ENA which gives guidance on the use of mechanical vehicles in the vicinity of overhead power lines.
Internal Comms
As you’re well aware, maintaining regular communication with your own people is a vital part of keeping a successful business running effectively. There are plenty of ways to do this, but film is far and away one of the best.
Whatever the subject – whether it’s quarterly updates, important announcements, or touching base to show you’re keeping an eye out for them – using film can help increase trust and show authenticity.
From straightforward talking-head pieces and animations to documentaries and UGC content, there are plenty of ways to utilise film to keep your people in the loop and fully informed of the latest goings-on, and we’d love to help you bring your messaging to life.
Check out this film for Network Rail
‘Black Cloud’ was directed towards Network Rail’s employees in order to both help them become more understanding and supportive of depression and also for those suffering, to step forward and ask for help.
Helping to change perceptions and removing the stigma associated with depression, ‘Black Cloud’ generates a deep, emotional connection with the narrator making the viewer feel like they’re not alone. In doing this, we wanted it to encourage Network Rail employees to contact the helpline featured or to offer support, if they felt they needed it.
Learning & Training
It’s hard not to want to chuck in a cliché or two here about learning something new every day etc., but let’s face it: change is one of the few constants we can rely on, and that means there’s always a need to gain new knowledge!
Now, philosophical notions aside, sectors and industries the world over are always changing, whether it’s the way business is conducted, new legislation or policy changes, or new skills that need to be introduced. As a result, there’s a need to deliver information in an effective, efficient way to audiences within and without. Visual learning is a great part of how we digest information, which makes film a vital part of any learning or training programme, whether that’s updating something pre-existing or creating something entirely new.
We’ve got a wealth of expertise in delivering engaging, effective content for learning and training, and would love to discuss how we can help you meet these needs.
Check out out film for Openreach
Recruitment & Induction
Staff recruitment and retention is vital to building and expanding any successful business – and involves a wide range of aspects to consider.
Making new joiners feel welcome and a part of the fabric as quickly as possible is a huge part of this process, giving them a feel for your culture and helping give them a clear sense of the importance of their role in the wider picture.
At the other end of the scale, there’s the people who decide the time is right to leave for pastures new – ensuring they go out into the wider world singing your praises may be the thing that helps tip the balance for a prospect who sees you as the next step in their career.
Employing film in these processes can be hugely beneficial. Whether it’s a standalone introductory piece or a range of bitesize pieces incorporated into a wider package, film can be the difference in establishing your company as a welcoming place for new employees as they start their journey with you.
Check out our video for Catalis
Testronic is a fast-growing company providing Quality Assurance and Testing for games, VR and Film & TV. With offices in the UK, USA, Chile and Poland, they now have around 550 people working on the latest titles from around the world. The majority of testers are young (around University age) and spend between 1-2 years at Testronic before moving on. Their problem was in recruitment. Demand for testing is growing and they needed more people to work for them, specifically in their Warsaw office. Our job was to encourage young people in Poland to consider a job with the company. Career opportunities in the country are limited and many work in jobs they can’t get excited about. We needed to create a portrait of Testronic as an attractive career option – a stepping stone to a career in the gaming industry. Testronic is a fun place to work so we needed to show the benefits– a collegiate atmosphere, informal setting, fringe benefits such as free pizzas and drinks etc.
Sales
You’ve created an exciting new product which will change new and existing customers’ lives for the better. Quite frankly, what better way to sell it than through film? Of course, you’d expect us to say that, but hear us out.
Film provides the opportunity to present the product in an engaging, visual way without having to go knocking on every door in the country. (We exaggerate for effect, but we think you get the picture!) With the plethora of digital channels and innovative marketing strategies available to the canny salesperson, the right film can greatly increase trade and boost your quest to meet your targets.
The creative possibilities available through film also means there’s very few limits on which approach you use – it’s simply about finding the right creative treatment to drive home the efficacy and quality of the product to the target audience(s).
So: whether it’s an app, a pension policy, a new car, or a learning course, film can help sell your product like few other mediums can!
Check out our film for Villeroy & Boch
A Day in the Life reflects the Villeroy & Boch brand – quality aesthetic and craftsmanship, positioning itself in the world of the targeted consumer and bringing potential customers to the European Villeroy & Boch webpage.
Positioning the toilet into the center of a human story, moving between a number of lightly-humorous scenes that involve a typical family throughout the day and into an evening party. As part of an integrated marketing campaign, this creative and surprising viral film, gathered over one million views on YouTube.
These examples are a small snippet of what we create for businesses & governments, day in, day out for the last 30 years! Get in touch for a chat about what form your next project could take.