Another regular client – UMPF PR asked me to make a quick awards submission video for them:
Filmed in their soon-to-be new office in The Calls in Leeds, Amy did a great job in front of the camera (not the first time I’ve filmed her), then with the addition of a few graphics and sound effects we were done.
Building Preservation experts Brick-Tie asked me to help create content for their industry leading blog.
Filmed over two days this video shows one aspect of the clever reparation work that they can do so save a building from potential collapse.
I filmed Bryan’s PTCs on my faithful EX1, the time-lapses were filmed on my waterproof site cameras, and I used a GoPro in a waterproof housing for the working shots, the more unusual angles, and walk arounds.
I’ve been involved with the MadeinLeeds team since well before the Leeds franchise was awarded. And it’s great to finally see the channel on air. You can find it on Sky 117 and Freeview Channel 8.
I directed and filmed the links for the launch show:
I’ve also made most of the local commercials for the channel, which cover a range of business from from a Hair Salon to a the West Yorkshire Police.
I’ve got lots more commercial production in the pipeline as well as a few programme ideas which will hopefully make it to air. It’s early days, but exciting to see the local TV beginning to take hold. And the Leeds team are clearly doing something right…
Another year, another Toolbank campaign, and I’ve just uploaded this year’s introduction video:
The full loop video shown in stores this year is 25 minutes long with 9 fully featured products, as well as 72 additional products and prices. All of this produced in two currencies as usual:
Year on year the campaign has grown to include more and more products, most recently gaining a significant social media presence as well. To help with this I’ve been tasked with making social media video for almost every product in the campaign in both Sterling and Euros currencies. Due to stock availability and time constraints I film most, but not all of the footage, however I do edit it all adding the campaign graphics that I build each year. In total I’ve uploaded 155 Toolbank videos to YouTube this year!
This year the creative agency ‘Shine’ designed a cloche and dinner table setting style. So I decided the only way I could bring it life with a transitioning animation was to have the cloche lift, revealing the brand logo which then transitions to the video. My wife kindly provided the butlers arm which I shot against my Chromakey screen. Thanks Chuck!
Ace Dance and Music from Birmingham asked me to film a promo for their current touring show – Mana. A word used in 24 languages. The show was being performed in the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds which is an amazing venue with a great lighting rig.
I directed and shot the promo in the morning with assistance of Tom, and we stayed through to the evening performance to capture the 2 x 30 minute performances as well. During the morning I used the FS100 with my 11-16mm and 35mm lenses, which worked well in the sometimes very low light, used for this style of performance.
I shot several sequences in overcrank on the FS100 for a slow-motion effect which the dancers then watched on playback between takes.
I’ve edited another version of the Promo with plenty of added VFX as a bit of fun:
‘Going on the Road’ had a whole new meaning this week. Our regular client Northern Gas Networks asked us to make a video to help explain new technology used for detecting and repairing gas leaks. Over three days and three sites I found myself in the middle of busy roads, in mud, rain and sunshine.
We didn’t have much of a brief to start with and everyone was finding their feet. Balfour Beatty has been using video cameras in water leak detention for some time, but gas detection need a different approach to find the leak as well as more stringent safety systems. Together with Scotia Gas’ innovative cutting systems the idea is to trace leaks at a distance down a gas main, then drill a 60cm core down to the main and fix the leak.
Of three cores drilled, all three worked perfectly (luckily) and the crews were able to be off the site in 6 hours or less as opposed to the usual 3 days when digging much larger holes.
I shot the interviews and GV’s on my trusty EX1 which offers great control in these testing environments. But the biggest surprise to the client was the pole I waved around while filming with a camera on it… They didn’t know what to expect until they saw a first draft edit and were amazed by the footage I had got with this little camera. It was the GoPro of course, which let me get footage from every imaginable angle and matched the look of the EX1 really well. I rigged the GoPro of vehicles, strapped it to barriers for timelapse and used it a lot on a monopole.
Another practical aspect of using a GoPro is that it doesn’t get in the operators way and I could put it right down the holes when I wanted. Also I wasn’t concerned about the camera getting damaged or wet as it was in it’s 60m waterproof housing which is really tough and has a scratch proof glass front element.
Today was my last day working on Toolbank’s 2013 Christmas campaign.
I first worked with them back in 2003 when I was Senior Editor at CBF in Leeds editing their TV commercial. From then on I worked with various agencies to create their campaigns.
In the early days 3000 VHS videos were distributed across their UK dealers together with VHS combi TV’s. I started filming on my VX2000 and authoring DVD on the early Final Cut Studio software.
These days it’s distributed on DVD, SD cards and via Social Media and the Internet. The bulk of the work is an in-store loop video running at over 20 minutes in two versions – Sterling and Euros.
The online campaign will be rolled out a week from now, and the thirty or more individual videos I made will start going live.
Lastly, today we filmed the TV commercials in Leeds with the team from Dark Horse Media. After helping rig the lighting the day before we got an early start and filmed all 10 adverts in a day, plus some additional footage!
I’ve just complete a further 11 adoption films for Kirkless Adoption services.
This time the children were all much younger, which has it’s challenges…
Again, I’m finding the work to be really meaningful and humbling.
Toolbank are now running their TV adverts in the UK promoting their yearly Christmas campaign.
In the summer, as usual, I produced the sales video with Andy from Toolbank and also shot the studio segments in Leeds with Dark Horse.
Now the 16 finished adverts are made and on air. Here’s a couple of examples:
I shot the workshop footage as well as the white studio shoot.
Dark Horse looked after the post production (with technical input from yours truly) and airtime was managed by John at Dark Horse.
Today Northern Gas Networks launched their RIIO initiative to a management conference.
Myself and Howard from Red Lobster have spent a few days working with NGN to produce the internal launch film which is being shown today at the Leeds United FC conference centre.
We’ve filmed at locations all across Leeds and the wider area. Offices, Pipelines, and Roadworks, even a Hotel. Quite an unusual job. As well as shooting and editing, I’ve also made an animated 3D logo for the final film.