Client Outcome Report

How a Regional Retailer Doubled Online Engagement Through Strategic Video

When Hartwell & Baines approached us in early 2024, their digital presence was stagnant. Flat product photography and generic stock footage had left their audience disengaged. Within fourteen weeks of our first briefing session, their social channels were generating twice the interaction — and their e-commerce conversion rate climbed by a third.

This is the story we tell most often, because it captures precisely what our studio does: we turn business objectives into visual narratives that move audiences to act.

Project Snapshot Client: Hartwell & Baines (retail)
Duration: 14 weeks
Deliverables: 6 brand films, 22 product clips
Engagement lift: 2.1×
Conversion uplift: +31%

Video production director reviewing footage on set in Newton Gutkowskiford studio

The Brief That Changed Everything

Case Study — Hartwell & Baines

Their marketing director told us something we hear often: "We know video matters, but we don't know where to start." That honest admission became the foundation for a partnership built on clarity rather than assumptions.

We began not with cameras, but with questions. Who are your customers? What hesitation do they feel before buying? What does trust look like in your sector? From those conversations, we mapped a content architecture — six narrative-driven brand films and a library of short-form product content designed for social distribution.

The production itself was lean. Two shoot days at their warehouse, one at a customer's home, and a half-day of studio work at our facility on Pound Lane. Every frame had a purpose defined before we pressed record.

Measured Outcomes

Instagram engagement rate rose from 1.4% to 3.1%
Average watch duration on product pages: 47 seconds (up from 11)
Return customer rate improved by 18% in the quarter following launch
Internal team reported higher confidence in brand messaging

How We Work — The Production Framework

Stage	What Happens	Your Involvement	Typical Duration
Discovery	Stakeholder interviews, audience mapping, competitive audit	1–2 conversations, share existing materials	5–7 days
Content Architecture	We define video types, narratives, distribution channels	Review and approve the content plan	4–6 days
Pre-Production	Scripting, storyboarding, location scouting, talent casting	Sign off on scripts and logistics	7–10 days
Production	Directed shoots with our crew and equipment	On-set presence optional but welcomed	1–3 shoot days
Post-Production	Editing, colour grading, sound design, motion graphics	Two rounds of revision included	10–14 days
Delivery & Support	Final exports optimised per platform, usage guidance	Receive files and deployment notes	2–3 days

A Different Kind of Challenge: Nonprofit Storytelling

Case Study — Compass Youth Trust

Compass Youth Trust needed a single film to anchor their annual fundraising campaign. Their budget was modest. Their story was not.

We spent a full day with three young people whose lives had been reshaped by the trust's mentoring programme. No scripts. No rehearsals. Just careful, respectful conversation captured with two cameras and natural light in the trust's community space.

The resulting seven-minute documentary was screened at their gala dinner and published across their digital channels. Within six weeks, donations attributed to the film exceeded £42,000 — their most successful single-asset campaign to date. "We didn't expect people to cry," their development officer told us afterwards. "But we also didn't expect them to give so generously."

"Video Facade understood that our story wasn't about production values — it was about honesty. They captured something we couldn't have scripted." — R. Okonkwo, Development Director, Compass Youth Trust

Campaign Result £42,000+ raised directly from film distribution
Film viewed 8,700 times in first month
3 regional press features secured

From Concept to Conversion: SaaS Product Launch

Case Study — Meridian Platform

Week 1–2

Meridian's product team briefed us on a complex B2B platform. We distilled their feature set into three audience-specific value propositions and proposed a suite of four videos: one explainer, two feature demos, and one customer testimonial.

Week 3–4

Scriptwriting and motion design concepting happened in parallel. We shared animatic drafts early so the engineering team could validate technical accuracy before full production began.

Week 5–6

Animation production and live-action testimonial shoot. The testimonial subject — a logistics manager in Birmingham — was coached gently but never scripted. Authenticity was the brief.

Week 7–8

Final delivery of all four assets with platform-specific encoding. Meridian deployed the explainer on their homepage, the demos in their sales sequence, and the testimonial across LinkedIn and email.

+26% Homepage demo request rate after explainer placement

3.4× Higher email click-through when video thumbnail was included

£180K Pipeline attributed to video-assisted sales conversations in Q3

Which Type of Video Do You Need?

We produce across formats. Here's how to think about what fits your situation.

Brand Films

For organisations that need to articulate who they are — not just what they sell. These are narrative-driven pieces designed to build emotional connection and long-term brand equity.

Best for: companies entering new markets, rebrandings, recruitment campaigns

Product & Explainer Videos

When your offering is complex, a well-structured explainer reduces friction. We combine live action, animation, and screen capture depending on what the product demands.

Best for: SaaS launches, e-commerce, technical products

Documentary & Testimonial

Real stories from real people. We direct these with a journalistic sensibility — drawing out genuine moments rather than rehearsed endorsements. The result is content that builds trust.

Best for: nonprofits, professional services, healthcare, education

Social & Campaign Content

Short-form, high-impact video designed for distribution across Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok. We shoot and edit with platform-native formats in mind from the start.

Best for: ongoing content programmes, event promotion, seasonal campaigns