BRIEF
Our client EDF Energy wanted to create a film to reflect a year like no other. The construction of Hinkley Point C in the middle of a global pandemic had presented its people with challenges no-one could have predicted. As a result, our client wanted to create a an end of year film with a different, more dramatic feel to reflect the events of 2020 both as a thank you to its staff and to show an eternal audience what it had managed to achieve.
CONCEPT
Previous end of year review films had featured “headline” achievements, but there was a desire to recognise the actions of the many on a variety of different fronts. We came up with the idea of using narrated prose to accompany pictures of “behind the scenes” activity that built as the film progressed. The repetition of the phrase” It’s thanks to” emphasised the idea of lots of people working together to create something bigger. These pictures were really “people” focused, but the second half of the film would use grand, sweeping visuals of the build, along with motion tracked graphics to demonstrate how that collective action had delivered record breaking achievements. We wanted the film to feel much more personal than usual, so rather than use a professional voiceover we asked the site chaplain, a well known face, to deliver the script.
CREATE
Filming was challenging in many different ways. Along with Covid tests, safety briefings and coordinating the timetables of the people we needed to feature , the sheer scale of the site at HPC meant we had to work hard and fast to get the pictures we needed in the time. Add to this the ever shortening days and we were kept very busy. However careful planning on both sides in the concept stage meant we managed to get everything we needed. In post production, as well as editing the pictures we had shot, we had to sift through imagery filmed by third parties throughout the year to find pictures that best illustrated the progress of the build and would lent themselves to the graphic text we needed to add. Alongside the pictures we added rousing music that built throughout to create drama and emotion.
CONNECT
The film was incredibly well received. We had reports of people welling up and getting goosebumps. There had been a request in the initial brief to make different versions for social media and for an internal and external audience but such was the impact of the film it was decided it would work on all fronts. It was shared widely and got fantastic feedback, instilling pride in the workforce and admiration from external stakeholders.