The models positioned themselves around a compact circular metal table, performing the concluding part of ‘the date scene’. As dusk deepened, it necessitated continuous adjustment of our lighting. The diminishing daylight made the artificial lights more apparent. We kept adjusting. “Rolling,” the DOP called out in a space occupied by art directors, stylists, and various production crew members. In silence, the models completed their act, then paused. Our attention turned to the DOP, intently focused on his monitor from a small wooden platform. “That’s a wrap,” he confirmed.

Three years ago, the notion of producing FatFace’s Spring 2024 campaign, and for the second successive year, would have seemed improbable. I could recount a tale of a clever strategy for success in the creative sector, but I prefer honesty. Our journey in video production wasn’t orchestrated by an elaborate blueprint or specific success steps. We began with a basic strategy. However, many of our most significant victories emerged from the most unexpected sources. I'm eager to share with you, dear reader, the pivotal moments that led to our first collaboration with FatFace, flaws and all.

Do Unpaid Work

Yes, we still do a lot of unpaid projects! "Disgusting," someone shouts, "You're undervaluing your expertise," another groans. These are valid points, but the creative world is reciprocal. The notion of 'intrinsic worth' is ridiculous. When finding a builder, their intrinsic value isn't the reason you hire them; it’s their demonstrated skill, seen in their past work, that gets them paid. This principle applies equally in our industry. To pursue a specific type of work, it’s essential to start by actually doing it, rather than waiting for it to come to you.

My business partner and I held full-time jobs for a year while establishing Here Now Films. We relied on family loans to purchase our initial camera, a debt still being repaid after four years. During this period, Ollie would film anything he could. An evening around a beach fire was transformed into a sponsored beer advertisement. A local charity event became our non-profit film. We reached out widely to gather stories that resonated with us.

Tip for Acquiring Volunteer Work: Obtaining unpaid work can be challenging. Many view offers of free work more as a demand for their time rather than a beneficial opportunity. We discovered the most effective approach is to contextualise the offer, detailing it rather than keeping it vague. For instance, inviting a company to participate in a series about London’s eco-friendly startups, and presenting it as a limited, time-sensitive opportunity, usually works wonders.

Over the initial years, we completed numerous unpaid projects focused on conservation and environmental themes. This approach eventually paid off, as more people began seeking us out for similar work, some of which were paid.

Find a Specialisation

Everyone's seen it: a creative team producing subpar work for a coveted client, leaving you wondering, "how are they landing these gigs?". The reality is, people gravitate towards the safe option. In the creative field, clients often demand specific examples of the exact type of project they envision. Failing to provide these examples can mean losing out on opportunities. This is why establishing a specialisation, or 'vertical,' is vital. A vertical is your pathway from the grassroots to the top, with a focus on a particular niche.

Clarifying Verticals: As a filmmaker, the subjects of your films can range widely. To get noticed, it's crucial to become recognised for a particular type of film. Whether it's a broad category like being ‘the’ cost-effective production partner or a more specific niche like being the go-to for music videos in a certain city. The key thing here is that you will be way more likely to be chosen by someone if looking for what you deliver. Dominating a niche not only ensures more consistent work but also enhances your expertise and allows for higher rates. Once you've mastered your vertical, you can then expand to other areas.

Distribution: Excel in One Area

The old adage, “build it and they will come,” doesn't always apply in reality. Creating an excellent short film about a local artist doesn't guarantee attention from prestigious institutions in art. Once your film is made, the next step is to ensure it reaches your target audience. Many try to cover all bases – social media, website, email marketing, and paid ads. However, spreading efforts too thinly across multiple channels means never leading in any. We spent two years experimenting with this approach before realising we were outperformed by larger, more focused companies. The solution was to identify a single marketing channel and excel in it.

Here's an example: Our main competitors, in a friendly sense, secure most of their work through networking events. They attend, host, and actively engage in these events, becoming the go-to video specialists in their circles. If they divided their time between networking and other marketing efforts, their success wouldn't be the same. Conversely, we concentrate on web search and ensuring a great client experience. As a result, a significant portion of our new business comes from top Google search results, repeat clients, and referrals.

This strategy was instrumental in landing our first project with AirBnB. The two years previous to landing them as a client were spent devoted to two years of developing our character profiles and branded documentary portfolio plus improving our online presence through blogs and website optimisation. It’s only because of doing these two things in our niche and marketing that enabled us to work with this awesome client.

Small Fish in a Big Pond

The question of whether it's better to be a significant player in a minor market or a learner in a big arena is crucial in the creative industry. Let’s look at this from two angles: For a studio, it's about making clients feel they're getting exceptional value – excellent service at a reasonable price. This lends itself to making your clients feel like you are a big fish giving great value to a smaller pond. However, on a personal level - as a creative - the goal is to continually learn from the best, positioning ourselves as learners in a broader field. This means in reality you need to be always trying to be the small fish in the big pond.

Our breakthrough with AirBnB was a milestone. The project was our largest to date, and frankly, we felt somewhat unprepared. The client wanted an agency to produce both video and photography for their campaign, and we faced a challenge. Our photographers, who had become friends over the years, were great, but we knew we needed to aim higher for this project. We spoke frankly with our regular photographer and approached John Hurssey, a top photographer in Cornwall, to join our pitch. His involvement was a game-changer.

Then there was FatFace!

Six months post-AirBnB, an exciting call came from John. He had a significant client lined up and had recommended us as the video team. We’d never have landed FatFace as a client if it wasn’t for working with John in the first place. It was only through branching out and working with someone outside of our pool that we became a part of someone else's bigger pool. It’s not often that such chances come by, we obviously said yes and the rest is history.

Today, we have FatFace as a repeat client. Having delivered our second Spring campaign for them, we’re preparing for their upcoming Summer campaign in South Africa which is immense. Even today we work with FatFace as if it’s our first time. We never rest on our laurels and we see every project as a massive opportunity.

Conclusion and Future Directions

Currently, our focus is on being the learner in the market. We've launched a service targeting international productions needing assistance in the UK. By partnering with some of the UK’s most well-connected creatives, we’re learning and improving, even if it means lesser profits.

I hope this article offers valuable insights for those aspiring to build a creative business. The path is full of challenges, but each obstacle presents a learning opportunity and a chance for advancement.

For more information about starting a creative agency, please feel free to contact me.