Nowadays / Waiting List
Writer & Director / Phoebe Brooks
Producer / Jenny Garrett
Director of Photography / Charles Mori
HMU Artist / Raphael Arcadios & Saint Maretto
Editor / Ben Harding
Colour / CHEAT & Karol Cybulski
Sound Design & Mix / Matt Valentine
Casting Director / Tom Payne Casting
Exec. Producers / Thom Wood & Guy Saville
The wait to see a gender specialist can be up to 7 years. In that time, tens of thousands of people are being denied the opportunity to live their lives authentically. It’s time to end the wait.
Created amidst heightened political vilification of trans people, ‘Waiting List’ is a passion project from Nowadays, written and directed by Phoebe Brooks. Our film follows a young trans woman taking the first steps in seeking gender-affirming healthcare, only to find the future she could have had slipping through her fingers, as she faces rejection from the system.
Collaborating with trans-led charity Gendered Intelligence for the release, the film was widely shared online and honoured with multiple awards, including a Shiny Award, a Gold Dolphin for Best Fundraising/Non-Profit Film at the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards, and the prestigious Grand Prix White Dolphin. A powerful testament to the importance of raising awareness and the urgent need for change.
NSPCC / Find Your Calm
Client / NSPCC
Director / Sandy Matta
Producer / Charlotte Maxwell
Director of Photography / Natalja Safronova & Jacob Sacks Jones
Editor / Ben Harding
Casting / Cassie Cornish
Creative Directors / Guy Saville & Thom Wood
Managing mental health is never a ‘one size fits all’ approach, especially when you’re busy growing up. Our film for Childline encourages teenagers across the nation to explore coping mechanisms that might work for them, to “find their calm”.
We wanted an authentic documentary-style feel to our footage. So across four weekends, our 3-person crew traversed the UK to hang out with four teenagers - following their lives from homes to hobbies, friends and more - creating a richly textured array of footage, depicting the true teenage experience.
The campaign was designed from the ground up to embrace a multi-channel approach, with over 50 edits customised for a broad range of outputs, including gaming platforms Twitch, Venatus and XBOX. We also collaborated with Grand Matter artist Kris Andrew Small to create collage-style stills used across the NSPCC website and throughout their social channels.
Schroders / Hidden Talent
Director / Mike Forshaw
Producer / Jenny Garrett
Director of Photography / Charles H. Mori
1st AC / Darius Williams
Sound / Guy Dowsett
Editor / Ben Seeley
By his own admission, Brian Karoly, has been “honey mad” since he was a young boy. For our latest film in Schroders Hidden Talents series, he dons the apiarist’s unmistakable white suit and introduces us to the mesmerising world of beekeeping.
The Nowadays team combined slow motion, macro photography and immersive sound design to help us understand the calm and serenity that Brian feels amongst his hives.
The response to the film has been overwhelmingly positive and is another example of how we help our business-focused clients surprise their audience with cinematic storytelling led by personal testimony.
BBC Storyworks / ThermoFisher
Client / BBC StoryWorks
Director / Guy Saville
Producer / Amy Saunders
Directors of Photography / Tom McCagherty + Sebastian Loosen
Editor / Jon Beagley
Science meets sports to tackle doping and ensure that the playing field remains level. Our film for BBC Storyworks brings together British Paralympian powerlifter, Ali Jawad, and experts from Thermo Fisher Scientific to discuss the impact doping has on athlete careers.
We love telling stories that strike a balance between real human experiences and informative content. Our visual approach compliments this here - contrasting footage of Ali’s intense powerlifting regime with the precise, detailed imagery from Thermo Fisher’s labs.
After being shared across social media platforms - with support from the BBC and Ali Jawad himself - this branded content continues to further the ongoing conversations about rampant doping in the sporting world.
EDELMAN / MARTIN KEMP P&O FERRIES
Client / Edelman
Director / Phoebe Brookes
Producer / Jenny Garrett
Director of Photography / Paolo Bischi
Editor / Tim Lewis
Creative Director / Guy Saville
HSBC / No Fixed Address
Client / HSBC
Agency / The Drum
Advertiser / Guardian Labs
Director of Photography / Tom Turley
Director / Danny Baldwin
Producer / Sophie Christophersen
Creative Director / Thom Wood
Editor / Jon Beagley & Greg Davenport
Colourist / Jon Beagley
How easy is it to lose your sense of identity when you have nowhere to live? And how slippery and steep is the slope to recover it? ‘No Fixed Address’ shares the story of former psychotherapist Corky, who lived homeless for over 8 years.
Guardian Labs asked us to make a film for HSBC UK’s existing ‘No Fixed Address’ campaign, wanting a company who could comfortably produce premium-looking content whilst working with real people and sensitive subject matters.
The film received incredibly positive responses. It was also recognised at the EVCOM Clarion Awards, taking home Silver for Branded Content and Bronze in the Film: Social Welfare category.
Nowadays / Sunnyside
Director / Danny Baldwin
Producer / Kezia Clark
Director of Photography / Charles Harrison Mori
Editor & Colourist / Jon Beagley
Composer / Daniel Sonabend
What comes to mind when you hear Men’s Shed? A dusty chair and a crackling radio? Or a space where men quietly rebuild what loneliness has taken - routine, purpose, and friendship.
Sunnyside is a short documentary exploring male mental health, grief, and the quiet strength of community spaces. Set in an East London Men’s Shed, it follows Gerry, Steve and Howard—three men forging connection and meaning through woodworking, companionship, and cups of tea.
Filmed during the early months of the pandemic, we used a mix of digital and 16mm film to reflect the homespun texture of the Shed itself. Audio interviews, recorded separately, helped contributors open up without the pressure of a camera - capturing voices with intimacy and ease.
Originally conceived as a self-funded side project, we gifted the finished film to the Men’s Sheds Association and released it in partnership with them during Mental Health Awareness Week. “There is certainly going to be a greater understanding of social isolation and loneliness,” said Chief Officer Charlie Bethel. “The need for Sheds will be more important than ever.”
Viewed thousands of times and shared widely, Sunnyside helped spotlight a simple truth: connection doesn’t need to be complicated - it just needs a space to begin.
Leonard Cheshire / Actually I Can
Client / Leonard Cheshire
Director / Danny Baldwin
Producer / Sophie Christophersen
Director of Photography / Charles H. Mori
Creative Director / Thom Wood
Editor & Colourist / Jon Beagley
‘Actually I Can’ follows the inspiring journey of Charlie, a young wheelchair user, as he overcomes societal misconceptions and his own lack of self-belief to find a renewed sense of purpose through volunteering.
Leonard Cheshire asked us to make a film that captured the spirit of their #ActuallyICan campaign because they needed a collaborative, empathetic approach to showcasing their services.
The film received overwhelmingly positive responses, earning over 250,000 views across social channels and successfully driving volunteer sign-ups. It was awarded Gold for Best Brand Communication at the EVCOM Clarion Awards and Bronze for Best Production in the Creativepool Annual 2020.
Build Africa / Literacy Is The Start
Client / Build Africa
Director / Guy Saville
Director of Photography / Adrian Peckitt
Editor / Artur Zaremba
Shoreditch Trust / Blue Marble
Client / Shoreditch Trust
Director / Thom Wood / Guy Saville
Director Of Photography / Mike Simpson
Assistant Director / Ruth Sewell
Editor & Colourist / Siena Bevan
An intimate exploration of what it takes to train as a chef and why young people are drawn to life in a professional kitchen. Featuring profiles of Leanne, Jack and Lucca, who’ve all fallen foul of the conventional education system but found a passion for working with food.
We worked closely with the Shoreditch Trust throughout to make sure the documentary accurately and sensitively portrayed the three young and potentially vulnerable at its heart.
The film, which went on to receive a Lovie for Best Editing, has been used to successfully promote Blue Marble training to prospective participants and funders.