Manchester has a lot going on when it comes to film and video production.
From independent filmmakers and emerging directors to production companies, freelancers, photographers, editors, producers, cinematographers and the many people working behind the scenes, there’s an incredibly talented creative community across the city and the wider North West.
That’s exactly why we started REC:MCR.
A regular get-together for Manchester’s film and video community, REC:MCR is about bringing people together, sharing ideas and experiences, discovering what other people are working on and, most importantly, creating a space where everyone feels welcome.
No gatekeeping. No awkward networking. Just good people, interesting work, a few drinks and plenty of chat about making things.
120+ creatives at the REC:MCR Summer Party
Back in July, we took over Campfield for the REC:MCR Summer Party, and what a night it was.
More than 120 filmmakers, photographers, producers, editors, freelancers and generally good people from Manchester’s creative community came together for an evening of talks, show & tell, networking, drinks and a fair amount of catching up.
We’ve put together a highlights film to give you a flavour of the evening.
A huge thank you to everyone who came along and helped make the night such a brilliant one.
We were also lucky enough to have a brilliant line-up of speakers and contributors sharing their work and experiences, including Benedict Redgrove, Rachel Hagreen, Nick Wood and Tasmin Mycock.
From filmmaking and photography to working on ambitious creative projects, the evening was a great reminder of just how much talent and experience exists within Manchester’s creative scene.
And none of it would have been possible without our Summer Party sponsors, RED Digital Cinema and Lanor Productions. A massive thank you to both for supporting the event and helping us put on an evening that was completely free for the community.
REC:MCR is back this October
But we’re not hanging around.
REC:MCR returns to Campfield on Tuesday 20th October 2026, and we’ve got another brilliant evening lined up.
This October, we’re putting storytelling and independent filmmaking front and centre with three brilliant Northern filmmakers.
James Pickering is a screenwriter and producer specialising in genre cinema and documentaries. His work includes All Joking Aside, I Could Never Go Vegan and the upcoming creature feature Dead Howling, starring Ryan Kwanten and Temuera Morrison.
Tomas Quesada is a Manchester-based writer-director and educator. His films have screened internationally, and he makes his work independently on microbudgets. He is also Deputy Course Leader for BA (Hons) Filmmaking at MetFilm Manchester.
Beth Rowland is a BAFTA Connect and Directors UK member whose work includes the BFI-backed short Bury the Dogs. Her debut feature Hot House is in development with the BFI, and she recently became the first Warner Bros. x Waterloo Road Directors Programme alumna to direct an episode of the series.
Expect an honest conversation about developing ideas, getting films made, working independently and building a career in the industry.
Supporting the next generation
We’re also delighted to welcome back the Breakthrough Film Fund, who will be joining us to talk about their work supporting early-career filmmakers.
It’s something that’s particularly important to REC:MCR.
Manchester has a huge amount of filmmaking talent, but getting that first project made, finding funding, meeting the right people or simply understanding how the industry works can be a difficult hurdle to overcome.
Creating opportunities for people to meet, share experiences and make connections is a big part of what REC:MCR is about.
Keeping Manchester’s creative community connected
One of the things we love most about Manchester’s film and video scene is the variety.
You can have an independent filmmaker working on a passion project alongside a production company shooting for a global brand. You can have an editor who’s spent years cutting documentaries talking to a student making their first short film. A photographer, producer, DoP, sound recordist or freelancer can walk into the same room and find someone they’ve worked with before, or someone they haven’t met yet.
That’s what REC:MCR is all about.
The Manchester production community is big enough to be diverse, but still small enough that getting people into the same room can make a genuine difference.
Whether you’re working in commercial video production, film, television, documentary, photography, branded content, events or just trying to get your next project off the ground, you’re welcome.
And you don’t need to know anyone when you walk through the door.
Thank you, Pixapro
We’re also delighted to have Pixapro on board as our sponsor for the October REC:MCR event.
For anyone working in film and video, you’ll probably already know Pixapro. They’re one of the UK’s leading suppliers of lighting and grip equipment, including products from Godox and other major brands.
Their support helps us keep REC:MCR completely free to attend, so a massive thank you to the team for getting behind the event.
See you at Campfield
REC:MCR is hosted by Coolbox Video, Triangle Facilities Hub and Darren Jeffries, with the aim of bringing Manchester’s film and video community together without the usual industry barriers.
We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported REC:MCR so far, from our speakers and sponsors to everyone who has turned up, shared their work, introduced themselves to someone new or simply come along for a drink.
The next REC event is:
📅 Tuesday 20th October 2026
⏰ 6:00–9:30pm
📍 Campfield, Manchester
🎟️ Free entry
If you’re involved in film, video or the wider creative industries in Manchester, come along.
We’ll see you at Campfield.