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As anyone working in production knows, the industry has significantly shifted in the last year alone.
Clients are even more able to macro-analyse advertising effectiveness across an ever-growing landscape of platforms and viewing habits.
Brands now have a myriad of ways to be seen, each reaching different market sectors. The demand for daily presence and visibility on social platforms has led to a surge in fast, efficient, and cost-effective in-house content production. Advancements in technology, especially AI, are further reducing the demand for external resources to create quality visuals.
This shift is evident as clients carve more of their budget away from traditional TVCs. As part of the independent production company community, we have to accept this change, but we don't have to feel threatened by it; recognising that high turnover digital content, while essential, often lacks the humanity and emotion brands need to connect with their audience.
Social content risks becoming sanitised and functional, potentially less effective as platforms saturate with similar material.
This social content risks becoming sanitised and functional, potentially less effective as platforms saturate with similar material. As an industry, we need to focus on our strengths and expertise in creating compelling, emotionally resonant content that independent production companies and their talent are uniquely equipped to produce. The expertise required to craft a considered, impactful brand story - rooted in film craft and entertainment - is not as effectively replicated in-house.
Entertainment = making ads that people WANT to watch. This is the future of any brand film, be it a social clip, TV ad, or feature-length film.
Engagement is essential to cut through the content we're bombarded with, requiring narrative expertise beyond AI's reach. Impactful stories need to be made by experts in film craft and entertainment, which is most effective by a director and production team that have years of collaborative experience.
Sure, there are opportunities for emerging directors to build their reels through the in-house outfits, yet the support of a production company is invaluable in managing and refining a director’s true style and potential. Production companies nurture and invest in their talent, growing them into filmmakers who can artfully bring stories to life.
Production companies nurture and invest in their talent, growing them into filmmakers who can artfully bring stories to life.
I think if you’re a director who just wants to be working and earning money making commercials you can do very well as a freelancer, but if you want to be bidding on and winning some of the best creative opportunities in the industry, it would be hard to achieve without that long-term commitment from a production company.
While some production companies naturally feel threatened by the in-house model, we should take advantage of it and remain focused on strengthening our necessity to directors and clients. As a production company, we still consider external opportunities for our directors if it makes sense strategically for their reel. We need to use all work pipelines - music videos, short films, brand films, and photography - to develop reels, fostering long-term commitment and unlocking creative opportunities.
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While we are now, essentially, a 360 production company, we still pride ourselves on being talent first. Our merger with 42 expanded our capabilities, maintaining our focus whilst including long-form TV, film development and production. This approach provides directors with numerous opportunities for collaboration and growth.
Also, with the potential of TVCs becoming more episodic and character-driven, our roster of writers and actors will play key roles in unlocking truly entertaining brand content, which is something that feels quite unique to our model. It’s nice to be at the forefront of that and be involved in an area in our industry that has so much growth and potential…it’s incredibly energising.
As many production companies have done with developing directors through short-form disciplines, like music videos and short films, we’ve extended that and applied it to their long-form aspirations by containing those pipelines, expertise and connections all under one roof. While our directors are working in commercials, they’re being exposed to other opportunities, building relationships and an understanding of the TV and film industry. The same happens the other way around, with long-form directors now seeing opportunities in the brand space. It’s becoming an essential talent ecosystem.
The ability to create dynamic visuals without substance is becoming easier and cheaper, but the future lies in storytelling depth and emotional impact.
As the industry evolves, storytelling and emotional engagement remain paramount. Production companies focusing on the craft of filmmaking, especially comedy, have remained busy even in the hardest of times. The ability to create dynamic visuals without substance is becoming easier and cheaper, but the future lies in storytelling depth and emotional impact.
In summary, the industry's movement towards in-house production and technological advancement does not detract from the creative and emotional nuances that make the exceptional stories independent production companies can create. We can be close to the agency in-house offerings so we truly understand what is available to directors, whilst leveraging our unique strengths.
So, let’s stop wasting our energies campaigning against the evolution of our industry and focus on our own paths to success.
Through this, we can continue to provide significant value, nurturing talent and crafting films that resonate deeply with audiences.
