DEMENTIA UK / Storytellers - MICHAELA
Director / Guy Saville
Producer / Tom Lonergan
Director of Photography / Stephen Roe
Sound Recordist / Joshua Unit
Editor / Ben Harding
Michaela Williams didn’t set out to become a carer, let alone a campaigner. But when her Nan, Vanda, was diagnosed with vascular dementia, Michaela stepped into a role no one had prepared her for. Now, every other Saturday, she ensures the doors of Spring Bleau Café open - for tea, bingo, and an overwhelming outpouring of optimism.
The brief from Dementia UK was to create a documentary-style video that would sensitively capture Michaela’s story, showcase the positive impact of community support, and raise awareness of their Admiral Nurse service for carers. There was a special focus on connecting with people living with dementia and their families, particularly in communities where support is often harder to find.
The café is Michaela’s way of honouring Vanda - a space for those living with dementia where her warmth, spirit, and love of community live on. Our production team worked closely with Dementia UK to ensure the shoot was handled with care, as filming took place just weeks after Vanda’s death. We set out to capture the contrasts: quiet moments of raw emotion at home, woven with the riot of colour and joy at the café.
“Sometimes you feel like you are on your own and the weight of it is pulling you down. But community is really important after a dementia diagnosis—because in the end, it’s a community that holds you together, right?” - Michaela
Three generations of women form the heart of this story - reshaping what care looks like, and how community keeps memory alive. The film blends intimate interviews with vibrant, real-life scenes, and stands as an example of branded content that connects audiences to vital support.
The final film connects carers to Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurses and drives interest in wider community initiatives. It’s a celebration of strength, even in grief, and proof of what thoughtful video storytelling can achieve.
Dementia UK / Story Tellers
Gail’s Story
Client / Dementia UK
Director / Mike Forshaw
Producer / Jacob Penketh
Director of Photography / Stephen Roe
Sound Recordist / Adam Davies
Production Assistant / Ruby Davis
Dementia isn't just a diagnosis; for countless people worldwide it's a daily battle.
While the race for a cure is crucial, these films show Dementia UK and their Admiral nurses on the frontline - navigating the pain, the loss, the warmth, the enduring love, the everything that encompasses a life of living with dementia.
Capturing the essence of these intensely human stories demanded a delicate balance of flexibility and respect, prioritising our participants' dignity over everything. Using high frame rates, we extended fleeting moments - revealing the beauty in the smallest details, from flickers of frustration to sparks of recognition - all the time allowing space for unique individual experiences to shape each narrative.
Mahersh’s Story
Released during World Alzheimer’s Month, the films exceeded all expectations, engaging audiences on a meaningful level and amplifying awareness of the vital work Dementia UK does. Beyond the output, the true measure of success came in the reaction of our participating families, expressing gratitude that their experiences had been depicted in such an honest but dignified manner.