Creating a film that truly reflects a vision takes more than cameras and scripts; it’s about strategy, collaboration, and creativity under pressure. In our latest project for G4S, commissioned through the agency Creed Comms, we set out to create a recruitment film with purpose: encouraging more women to pursue careers in security. Here’s how it came together.
The Brief: Attracting More Women to Security Roles
G4S wanted to reshape perceptions around security jobs, often stereotyped as male-dominated or limited to stewarding. The campaign’s goal was to highlight the diversity of roles from CCTV operators to receptionists, and even dog handlers. Creed brought us in to produce a short brand narrative film that would help drive this recruitment initiative.
This wasn’t your typical “Helen from HR loves the company culture” recruitment ad. It was scripted, cinematic, and voiceover-driven, something that could sit proudly online or even on TV.
Storyboarding and Structure
Unlike most of our projects, where we lead on storyboarding, Creed provided the structure this time. That came with pros and cons:
- Pro: We had a clear brief and precise alignment with the voiceover.
- Con: Less creative flexibility on shoot days and in the edit.
Each visual element had to mirror a corresponding VO line – “To champion” needed a visual that reflected strength and leadership. This level of precision guided how and where we filmed each scene.
Production: Tight Timelines, High Standards
We had just two shoot days to capture nine scenes, split between Burnley’s Turf Moor stadium and a house in Manchester. It sounds generous, but with setup time, logistics, talent management, and lighting setups, the days were intense.
Lighting, Logistics, and Long Days
A pre-shoot call with our DOP, James, helped us map out a detailed lighting plan for every scene. That prep saved serious time on set. Jess handled logistics from talent management to wrangling crew, clients, and making sure people were dressed and in the right place.
Locations: One Stadium, One Magical House
Burnley’s stadium served as the backdrop for multiple roles. The house in Manchester doubled as four different homes, a logistical trick that even surprised our editor during post.
Editing and Creative Decisions
With a short runtime (about a minute), the edit needed to be tight and emotionally resonant. But working with multiple stakeholders – our team, Creed and G4S – meant lots of feedback and balancing creative instincts with brand goals.
We experimented with different music and pacing. One early version leaned too much into “Royal Navy advert” territory with sweeping inspirational music. We pulled back and found a tone that felt more grounded and authentic.
Stock Footage and Real Faces
Limited time and cast meant we had to supplement with stock footage to show broader diversity. While we prefer shooting everything ourselves, it was a necessary compromise – and integrated seamlessly thanks to a careful edit.
Lessons and Takeaways
Looking back, a few things stand out:
- More time = better flexibility. We could’ve benefited from an extra shoot day and maybe another actor.
- Prep pays off. Storyboarding, lighting plans, and location visits saved time when it counted.
- Collaboration is a process. The film evolved from concept to storyboard to shoot to edit shaped by multiple voices along the way.
Despite the constraints, we’re proud of what we delivered. It’s a polished, purposeful film that everyone from our team to the client stands behind.
Final Thoughts
This was more than just a film shoot. It was a campaign with intent, crafted under pressure, and built through strong creative partnerships. We hope it inspires more women to see security not just as a job, but as a career with range, meaning, and possibility.
🎧 Want to hear the full conversation? Check it out on Spotify