A Brilliant Day

Intro

A Brilliant Day project saught a camera operator, drone pilot, editor, early riser, but also creative director... all different hats that, when required, I wear at once. Worthing Homes approached me to create something that captured the spirit of their work and their people. Not just another corporate overview, but something with pulse and purpose. Something authentic and real.

Worthing Homes were absolutely clear that they are a hub of resources and a community builder, their process is not linear. But, their was a circular nature to the teams that worked there. One day in the life of Worthing Homes, told through subtle micro-stories that looped back on themselves. A film that doesn't just stop when the credits roll, but quietly suggests that this work, this care, is happening every day. And they thrive on it.

Creative Direction

From the outset, I knew this couldn't feel staged. It needed to breathe. I started by mapping out a visual rhythm, quiet beginnings, a growing hum of activity, then the inevitable calm as the day winds down. This gave me a loose structure I could build on with visual callbacks, actions mirrored in different departments, visual motifs that circled back, people walking in and out of frame that triggered synconicity between their teams.

The big thing here was trust. Many of the staff were hesitant about being on camera. They weren’t actors or spokespeople, they were housing officers, caretakers, community support workers. So instead of forcing interviews or posed scenes, I went light on kit and heavy on patience. I filmed from a distance. I listened more than I directed. And bit by bit, they let me in. We had short poignant lines of script that we were aiming for but the confidence had to come first. 

The Shoot

The opening shot? That meant getting up at 4am to catch the right light. There’s something honest about that time of day and Worthing Homes were really pleased with the dedication we bought to the project straight off the bat. Then with people arriving to start shifts, sorting vans, opening blinds, making tea those are the moments that tell you everything about a workplace.

I followed housing officers on their routes, dipped into community gardens, popped in on repairs teams. Sometimes I was just a shadow with a gimbal. Other times I was suggesting how someone might hold a document, or which side of the corridor to walk down so we didn’t get the fire exit in shot.

The real challenge? Making sure the human stuff stayed human. As most of my stuff reflects, it was about small gestures that make big differences. A phrase we used a lot in pre production, "What were the 1% things that people do". I think we probably can think of someone who puts in that extra bit and makes the team shine. 

What the Client Got

The final piece was a short film that felt... warm. Circular. Familiar... I loved the reaction I got when revealing how the postit note story played out. It gave Worthing Homes something to show new starters, funders, partners and a kind of time capsule of their day-to-day that says: "this is who we are, and this is what we care about."

It wasn't too flashy. But it worked because it didn’t pretend. And that’s something I’ll always stand behind.