Most video is expensive and forgettable.
Not because the production quality is bad - it usually isn't. Because nobody spent enough time on the brief. What is this video for? Who will watch it, where, and at what point in their relationship with the brand? What do we need them to feel, think, or do after watching it? What's the single most important thing this video needs to communicate?
Answer those questions well, and the production almost writes itself. Skip them, and you can spend a lot of money on something that looks great and does nothing.
Strategy before the camera comes out
Every video project starts with a brief - a real one. I ask uncomfortable questions about what success looks like and what the video is actually trying to do. Then I develop the concept, script, or structure that answers those questions. Then we shoot.
This approach produces better work because the thinking is right before any time or money is spent on execution. It also produces faster work because the decisions are made before we're on location.
What I produce
Brand films - the 60–120 second piece that captures who you are and why it matters. The film that lives on your homepage, plays at your events, and gets sent to prospective clients. Done well, this is your most powerful marketing asset.
Campaign content - video built around a specific objective: a product launch, a fundraising appeal, a service promotion. Tied to a clear campaign strategy and designed to work across the right channels.
Documentary-style storytelling - particularly for not-for-profits and businesses with a genuine story of impact. This is where the 25+ years doing this show - it takes experience to find the real story inside a complex organisation and tell it in a way that moves people.
Social video - short-form content for Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok. Built around the platform and the audience, not just cut-down versions of longer content.
Testimonial and case study video - capturing real clients talking about real outcomes. The most credible video you can make, and the least used.
The unusual combination
I'm a marketing consultant who shoots and edits video. The strategic thinking that goes into your marketing strategy is the same thinking that goes into your video brief. Nothing gets lost in translation between "what we're trying to say" and "what ends up on screen" - because the same person is responsible for both.