From running the Sahara to speeding the Salt Flats
We’ve just released the latest in our branded content series for Schroders - following Roland Jones and his team as he attempts to break 200mph on Utah’s salt flats. Watch it here:
Over the years, we’ve been lucky enough to create a wide variety of videos for the global asset manager, Schroders, including some brilliant short documentary films.
One of our favourite formats we’ve produced is a series called Hidden Talent - which takes us out of the office and into the lives of employees with particularly impressive, sometimes unusual, past-times and passions.
These are definitely not your average corporate films - the series has seen us shooting triathlon runners in Rotterdam, following a six-day ultra-marathon across the Saharan desert and dancing in the dark after-hours at Schroders’ headquarters.
To celebrate the release of our profile film of Roland, we thought we’d look back over the series and pull out some of our favourites.
1. Devere, Muay Thai fighter
There’s a lot we love about this film. Firstly, there’s the stark contrast between the office of a global financial institution’s Manhattan HQ and the sweaty, stripped back Sitan Gym in Queens.
And while in the Schroders office Devere was a friendly, assured, impeccably mannered Investment Consultant, as soon as the gloves went on he completely transformed and we got a visceral sense of his dedication to fighting excellence.
And then there’s the fact that the whole thing was shot in the space of only a few hours, with us running and gunning, and nearly having our cameras kicked out of our hands within the confines of an intense training session - it’s not often branded films require the dodging of female MMA champions.
2. Nick, Marathon Des Sables competitor
Shot in the scorching heat of the Saharan desert in Morocco, this film follows Fund Manager Nick Kirrage as he took part in one of the toughest races on earth: a six-day ultramarathon, running the distance of six regular marathons in temperatures often over 50 degrees.
Planning where we were going to film Nick was the biggest challenge on this shoot; about a mile from the finish line, as our crew raced over a sand dune to get into position, our 4x4 got completely and predictably stuck.
Seeing Nick approaching in the distance, our Director, Guy, sprinted to the finish line himself, catching Nick just as he completed the epic race.
We did eventually rescue the jeep by digging it out, long after the race was over.
2. Addie, Bachata dancer
A corporate shoot with more heart than most, Addie reveals in this film how dance helped her through a really difficult time in her life, and how important dancing Bachata is to her mental health now.
We joined her dance group as they brought a touch of Dominican rhythm to New York city, and we think the Bachata music brings a beautiful pace to this mini-doc too.
As well as spending time with her dance partners, we interviewed Addie’s colleagues at Schroders; both very clearly benefited from Addie’s positive energy... as did our profile film of her.
Our final scene captures Addie dancing to the backdrop of the sun setting on a blue New York sky. With the Salsa, the music and the lens flare, it looks more Havana than Harlem - it’s the perfect note to end this beautiful short film.