BBC Storyworks

We were approached by BBC Storyworks to create a mini documentary in partnership with Purina. The brief was to create a five-minute film focusing on a new trial that aims to uncover how kelp and seaweed can be used as biostimulants, allowing farmers to adapt to climate change, improve biodiversity and move away from more harmful fertilisers.

Our challenge was to bring the research to the screen in an engaging, informative and insightful way. The film needed to include a human interest angle, giving a voice to the scientists and farmers behind the trial, as well as highlighting the positive potential impacts of the research on the environment.

We filmed at the Flamborough Cliffs and the Fera Science labs in York, where the lead scientist talked us through the importance of looking for better fertiliser alternatives, the difference the trial could make to the future of farming, and how her appreciation for the sea started as a small child. We also filmed with Ben, a fourth generation farmer. He spoke about the benefits of taking part in the study and how important it is to find sustainable solutions in farming.

Filming took place across two days with a skeleton crew: we had a lot of unit moves so needed to keep things as streamlined as possible. With this in mind, we used an Easyrig to capture all the b-roll quickly on the fly, using only natural light. We were really lucky that the weather was good on both days, although it was absolutely freezing during the early hours!

The edit was completed in-house at the Rise Media studios. We weaved together interviews with shots of the landscape, farming practices, laboratory settings and coastal areas, as well as old family photos, to create an engaging narrative.