Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens approached us with a heartfelt project: they wanted to create a film dedicated exclusively to their members as a way of saying thank you. The aim was to acknowledge the ongoing support from their membership community and to show what their contributions enable. In essence, the brief was to create a warm, behind-the-scenes look at the incredible scientific and conservation work that members helped make possible.

We took the lead on the creative process from start to finish. After receiving Kew’s initial brief, we developed a full creative deck, refining a script and storyboard in close collaboration with the Kew team. We envisioned a film that combined a scripted voiceover with authentic snippets from interviews with Kew staff – botanists, horticulturists, arborists, and more – so members could hear directly from the people whose work they support.

Filming took place over two shoot days: one at Kew Gardens and one at Wakehurst, focusing on the Millennium Seed Bank. Our streamlined crew included a director, DOP, first AC, second camera operator, sound recordist, and a production assistant. We also had a drone operator to capture sweeping aerials of each site. To enrich the visual story, we integrated additional footage we’d shot for Kew’s other campaigns earlier in the year, making the final film a rich tapestry of seasons and activities. Having this big bank of footage really helps to minimise the required amount of shoot days for each project.

In terms of equipment, we shot the bulk of this with the ARRI Alexa Mini LF and Rehoused Canon K35’s, provided by the folks at Shootblue. We also used the Angenieux Optimo 45-120mm for crash zooms. Lovely lenses.

Post-production was handled entirely in-house by Sharayah Tokeley and Mark Lunt. We produced a main hero video along with a shorter social media cut. The final piece combined the scripted voiceover with selected interview moments, giving the film a personal and engaging feel.