Celebrating 170 Years of Newbury Building Society: A Behind-the-Scenes Look
When Newbury Building Society approached us to create a promotional film celebrating their 170th birthday, we couldn't wait to dive in. Their primary goal was to celebrate their rich history while highlighting their wider footprint, showcasing that they are far more than just a single branch in Newbury, with 10 locations serving the surrounding area.
Over a two-day shoot across multiple branches, we brought their script to life. Here is a look at how we pulled it off.
A Full-Circle Moment
For us at ECP Video Ltd, this project held a special, personal connection. Our founder, Tim Paine, actually produced a promotional video for Newbury Building Society back in the early 1990s. In a fantastic full-circle moment, George Paine (who was the Camera Operator for this 170th-anniversary shoot) actually appeared in that original 90s video! It was a wonderful way to connect our own history with the Building Society's legacy.
Real People, Real Locations
We were tasked with taking their script and developing a core visual concept. We decided on an authentic approach: no actors and no sets. The video had to be presented by real staff members, interacting with real customers, inside their actual branches.
Seamless Storytelling: During the storyboarding phase, we divided the script into sections that flowed from one person to another, bridging sentences across various locations.
Vocal Coaching: To make the transitions work, we carefully directed the staff, matching their intonation so each line seamlessly picked up exactly where the last one left off.
Movement, Warmth, and Technical Choices
To give viewers the immersive feeling of a customer walking through the branch doors, we needed dynamic, continuous movement.
Cinematic Gear: We shot the entire project on the DJI Ronin 4D paired with our new DZOFilm Vespid 2 cine lenses to provide a modern, cinematic feel.
Dynamic Lighting: We wanted the shots to feel warm and inviting rather than stiff and corporate. We carefully designed the lighting to look natural, ensuring subjects looked great even while delivering lines on the move.
Overhead Audio: To maximise efficiency, we skipped the lapel mics and used a dedicated boom operator. This eliminated the risk of clothing rustle and wireless interference while keeping the pace of the shoot fast.
Travelling Back to 1856
Because we storyboarded the project in immense detail, the edit was incredibly smooth in our dedicated post-production suites. However, the introduction posed a unique challenge: it discussed the society's founding in 1856. With no video footage and zero archival photographs available, we had to get creative.
Macro History: Using a Laowa probe lens, we captured ultra-high-detail macro shots of their original 1856 first passbooks and opening documents.
AI Time Travel: To fill the remaining visual gaps, we took modern photos of Newbury and used AI generation to transform them into 1856 streetscapes. We even checked historical records to include the correct store fronts from that era, ensuring our AI generations were as historically close to reality as possible!
We are incredibly proud of how this project perfectly blended modern film-making techniques with historical storytelling to celebrate a massive local milestone.