Manchester’s vibrant culture scene is a big part of the reason I moved here, so having Culture in my comms portfolio at MCC is a real perk of the job. I love getting to celebrate the music, theatre, dance, art, literature and more that makes our city special. This culminates annually in the Manchester Culture Awards, the campaign for which we always try to keep fresh and exciting. Nominations for 2026 open in May, so keep an eye on the Culture Awards web page.
This launch video is from our 2023 campaign. I had recently rewatched the underrated Danny Boyle film Steve Jobs and was inspired by the way it captured the nerves and electricity a performer feels before walking on stage. I wrote the script for this launch video, immediately landing on the idea of a single take through a backstage area with multiple characters getting involved.
I knew it would be a logistical nightmare to pull off, and I fully expected to have to pare the concept back. But the MCC Comms team really came through for me, and enough of my colleagues kindly devoted their time to the shoot that we were able to make it exactly the way I saw it when it first popped into my head.
We faced many obstacles and constraints. We only had three hours to get into HOME, film, and pack up. We had no money. For safety reasons, no door in the building could be left open unsupervised. The steadicam broke. An unnamed member of the cast hadn’t learned any of their lines. And yet, through everyone’s passion and hard work, it all came together. The video was a big hit on our social channels and internally, earning many kind words from members of MCC’s senior management team.
It reminded me of my student film days, with everyone mucking in on a negative budget for no reason other than to make something cool. And that’s probably why that shoot remains one of my favourite afternoons of my career.