Live Brief case study: Creative Warehouse

ARU Film and Television Production students

Students from the BA Film and Television Production course participated in a Live Brief with communications and PR agency Creative Warehouse.

The brief:

Cambridge struggles to attract younger tourists. Despite a healthy live music scene, nightlife, green spaces, incredible architecture and a genuine city buzz, Cambridge lags behind London and other destinations when it comes to attracting a younger crowd.  

Creative Warehouse invited students to pitch to secure a (fictional) £10K commission for a 90-second film and an accompanying social media campaign intended to appeal to the 18-24 age group, to show an edgier, diverse Cambridge with attitude and real appeal, and draw younger tourists to Cambridge for a “Cam-cation”.

Each student team was also asked to submit a realistic budget detailing how they would spend the £10K budget for the film, and a one-page treatment summarizing their pitch (examples follow).

How the Live Brief benefited Creative Warehouse:

Students responded with a range of creative approaches, choosing various themes including online dating, self-care, nostalgia, perceptions of place through social media, and the styles of distinctive individual cinematographers.

Simon Hall, Director at Creative Warehouse, said:

“I was immensely impressed with the students. They did a terrific job on the Live Brief, immediately seeing what was required, and producing some creative, thoughtful, and highly effective solutions to the problem they have been set.

“Some of their thoughts were absolutely outstanding, and certainly not ideas which I, or the rest of the team could’ve come up with. So they added a great deal of value.

“I would strongly recommend ARU Live Briefs to any employer.”

Have a look at two of the students’ pitch summaries here:

Love Yourself in Cambridge

Our film is a journey through the beautiful and dynamic heart of Cambridge, as our main character learns to love herself and the city around her. Our protagonist arrives in Cambridge for a date arranged via an online dating app, but soon realises they’ve been stood up. Instead of going home, they decide to explore the city for themselves. Along the way they experience the breath-taking sites, stimulating culture and outstanding food that Cambridge has to offer. This tour of Cambridge fosters her self-discovery, encouraging her independence and self-care.

Read more about Love Yourself in Cambridge.

Cambridge - A Cinematic World

Don't just watch your favorite movies, experience them

Our main influences regarding the Cinematography and aesthetic of our proposal are from the works of James Marsh (Theory of Everything), Christine Jeffs (Sylvia) and Trevor Nunn (Red Joan) based upon their visionary success using Cambridge as its setting.

A tour in and around the most popular and notable touristic views, attractions and sights that Cambridge has to offer, engaging interest with our key demographic using an engaging fun and relevant local social influencer guiding the audience. The chosen locations are based upon their notable aesthetic to further encourage the social media driven age group we're targeting. Various time-lapses and slow-motion shots of various popular locations will convey a high level of production quality while also providing real evidence as to why Cambridge is a vibrant and attractive city/lifestyle for the 18 24 to experience.

Read more about Cambridge - A Cinematic World.

Have a look below at some of the students’ chosen locations and themes for Cambridge – A Cinematic World: