See It, Believe It, Become It

Last month, I journeyed down to south London to meet the students involved in a campaign that actually went some way to igniting buckets of hope for the industry. It was a particularly sweaty day. One where you felt like the sun had an individual vendetta against you. Getting off of the densely populated overground, packed in like a tin of sardines (but a little more sticky), I Google-Mapped my way onto the street. 

I knew where I was, not because of the map, but because of the hums and screams and cackles that could only lead toward school kids on the playground. That singular sound of retention meeting release. Veering closer, I was met by a smiling groundsman who let me through the gates and instantly made me feel welcome. It was there I met Michael O’Kelly in the flesh for the first time. He’s a film director and creative at Recipe - the mastermind behind this project. 

But let's rewind the tape a little. 

The campaign itself was a partnership piece with NatWest for Sony’s latest movie, Gran Turismo, orchestrated by DCM. The task was to raise awareness for ‘NatWest Thrive’ - an initiative designed to give young people money confidence - whilst simultaneously leveraging the collaboration with the Sony Pictures UK release. 

Within just 24 hours of receiving the brief, the creatives at Recipe were so confident in what the course of action should be, that they responded with a single, brilliantly simple idea. They believed in it wholeheartedly. They saw a connection between the ethos of the NatWest Thrive platform ‘Believe, It, Become It’, and Gran Turismo’s story of a young man’s journey of chasing after his dreams - so they decided to tap into the seemingly infinite well of drive and passion evident in today’s younger generation. 

The team sought out a filmmaking club from Thomas Tallis School (similar to the one Jann Mardenborough went to in the film), and gave them the opportunity to shoot their own version of a scene from the movie. “It was our job to shoot the team aesthetically and let their inquisitiveness lead the process. We didn’t need a fake ‘Adland’ pressure to restage a whole scene. This wasn’t about stress - it was a focus on passion and curiosity,” says the team at Recipe. 

And so that’s how I found myself in the film club’s studio. The students had taken it upon themselves to create an interview style layout to discuss their experience. It seemed in some ways that the only thing in common the students had was their love for film, because they each couldn’t have been more different. Within minutes of sitting in front of them it became clear how individual they were, each upholstered by their own idiosyncrasies, ways of thinking, passions and dreams for the future. It’s a truly beautiful thing - how the love for a common objective can unite people who otherwise might veer off in alternate worldly tangents. 

The students were introduced to the different roles that exist within the film-crew ecosystem, were able to operate cameras and equipment, and get to know parts of the filming experience that may not have been aware of. The veil was lifted. The decision to give the opportunity to students in a state school was one they were grateful for, given that so much money and attention gets funnelled into the same kinds of schools; ones more privileged. 

For all of the students, it would be their first time on an actual film set. For Tom Lewis, it felt overwhelming at first, “I walked in and thought, ‘oh my god’ - there were so many random bits of equipment that went far beyond the simplistic pieces we have here in school.” For Louis Naggs, his main takeaway was simple: attitude is everything. “The mood you're in will impact the outcome. If you approach holding a camera with fear, or if you talk to people on set while in a down mood, it isn’t going to go well.” He came away knowing that what you put in will be reflected in what you get out. “If you go in, perhaps a little excited, maybe even put a little smile on your face, it’s going to change how your experience goes entirely,” he explains. For Love Sunday-Uwar, it was the breadth of roles that would be most surprising; “When I first thought about film, I only really considered directing and holding the camera up. It wasn’t until being on set that I realised focus pulling was even a job.” 

What struck Amelia Bauer was how key collaboration and communication would be in ensuring the smooth running of a shoot, “It was so nice to see everyone working so cohesively. They knew that fun could be had so long as the job got done. And a bit of fun helps to get the job done too.” 

Across the room, T Jae Sanganoo Thompson tells us he was compelled by how involved everything was. “Everything fits together like a puzzle. Without one section of the production, another wouldn’t work.”

After filming, the students were taken to the edit suite and then into the Atmos mix where they gained an understanding of what the aftermath looks like. Right at the initial brief Michael wanted to ensure that the students wouldn’t be used as props. He was determined to squeeze as much juice from the project as possible, in a way that provided them with something of true value. 

It’s safe to say, none of them felt like props. 

In fact, the students had a lot to contribute to what was a genuine two-way exchange. The conversation felt like an extension of the experience. I ask what they think young people could bring to storytelling that others could not. Louie put an emphasis on perspective, saying, “we bring a unique one. But I feel like everyone in their own right offers a unique perspective. Young people are just able to provide one that isn’t always offered.” 

Izzy Warburton thinks it's about voicing the revolutionist nature of generations; “Every generation has subcultures that are really cool. Look at the influence hippies had on pop culture. Each generation of young people face a different set of problems.” She explains that young people today are facing the issue of globalisation, “and in that, we are trying to create a sense of community. That can be achieved through storytelling.” For Aniqa Haque it's all about relatability. “Young people have the ability to connect with young people. Having them involved in storytelling means you can get a perspective that is relevant.” 

The students left everything on the set. “I was completely fatigued,” Louie giggles, “my body wasn’t used to that level of activity for such a consistent amount of time. I even took a little bit of a nap.” The room erupts into unifying laughter whilst Michael shares his own stories of sleepy heads and long, winding hours that bleed into days and weeks on shoots. 

When figuring out how the process might work, the team at Recipe decided to put women in charge of the technical departments. This wasn’t something they pointed out to the students. 

So what would happen when we ask if they had noticed? We see a few nodding heads. Amelia says she noticed immediately. She’s often heard how male-dominated the industry is, and that’s something matched by the pieces she’s studied in class. “So it’s nice to go in and see there are people you can look up to and relate to. You think, ‘okay, this is actually something I can do, because there are people here like me doing it’ and that's pretty cool.” Love, pipes up too - “I noticed immediately that there were loads of women, in in-charge positions. And I thought, ‘okay heyyyy, girlboss’.” Everyone laughs in that full body way. The one where you fold over like a deck chair.. 

Holy hell. 

Isn’t that enough? Isn’t there more we could be doing to make a single young girl (nevermind a few) be filled with those proof-heavy syllables, weighty enough that she might come out with a statement of self-belief? That she can do it because she’s seen it done? That “girlboss” is an accolade worth more than a TikTok trend?

When we hear about advertising going beyond commerce in a way that cultivates genuine meaning - those rational minds who’ve seen a lot of virtue signalling exhibiting a void of authenticity - will tilt their heads and raise an eyebrow before leaning in. 

But here, it was actually achieved. 

Recipe went looking beyond the bubble and found a well of potential. So perhaps we could all look a little harder, in the dark corners, the underlooked reserves, for the foliage starved of water. Around the country there are schools and young people overlooked for projects and opportunities and they have so much to give and to teach us.

One thing they taught me was how powerful it was for the female students to notice the female-led team. Each was bursting at the seams to tell me what it meant for them. The campaign concept was hinged on “Believe it, become it” - But maybe you need one step prior.

Maybe you need to see it, in order to believe it, and then, become it.

If seeing is believing, Recipe has provided the HD screening.

Take note.