Charity Campaign Film
By Lizzie Goodman
Age shouldn’t have to be limiting
The brief:
We were asked by St John’s foundation to create a film to promote their new campaign around ‘Ageing Well’.
We do quite a bit of charity video production, so we were excited at the chance.
It highlight that a person’s age shouldn’t have to be limiting and everyone should be able to enjoy their life to the fullest.
No matter their age!
Challenge Accepted!
For most charity videos or brand campaigns, you’d typically cast experienced actors to deliver carefully planned scenes. But when we discussed the brief with St John’s, it was clear that the real stars had to be the residents themselves — so we could capture genuine emotions and real moments on camera.
We knew that meant approaching the project slightly differently.
The carefully chosen residents aren’t paid actors who are used to having a camera in their faces, which means letting go of a rigid filming schedule, but honestly, that’s what made this project rich and exciting!
Scripting Process with a twist
Instead of guessing what the residents might say, we listened.
Working with the St John’s team, we recorded interviews capturing their honest thoughts on ageing — and used those voices to shape the script from the inside out.
Production!
When it came time to call action! What we got on camera was pure, unscripted joy, whether they were dancing, gardening, or simply laughing because they were enjoying the moment.
As part of our filming days we asked each resident to record their own voiceover – after all, who better to express how they feel in the moment than them?
They were up for it, and if filming felt like a new experience to them then recording their voiceovers was the cherry on top!
Choosing who should feature in your video production?
Real people — like the residents in this case — can bring an honesty and warmth that’s hard to script.
But it’s important to consider their comfort on camera and whether they’re available within your production timeline.
One thing that I’ve taken away from this project is that working with non-paid actors can be extremely rewarding, and can help produce a film that is told by those living the experience.
The Premiere
St John’s invited Dan and I to the Film Premiere for the residents in Bath.
This was such a special occasion to be able to see their live reactions to the final film on seeing it for the first time and thankfully it was met with open arms.
The Result:
Three filming days full of brilliant memories, a boules for the mantlepiece; But most importantly a film that we are super proud of, a film that made the residents cry with laughter, and made a very happy client.
Please meet our extraordinary residents who don’t let age define them. Watch the full film here
And if you like that, you can find more of our work here
If you’re looking for a charity video production company to help create your very own brand film then please do get in touch, we’d love to chat to you!
Hello@wovenfilms.co.uk
