In our fourth episode of The Black Swan Podcast, we explore the evolving landscape of Welsh film and TV with a distinguished panel of industry leaders:

David P. Davis (Founder of 5 Acts Productions, former Exec Producer at Bad Wolf) Wiliam Gruffydd Edwards (Former Head of Production at Boomerang and Wildflame) Lee Walters (CEO of Ffilm Cymru Wales) Rahim Mastafa (Freelance TV Editor) Thaer Al-Shayei (Actor – Baghdad Central, Mosul).

Together, they discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Welsh film and TV, including the impact of economic shifts, the role of streaming platforms, and the realities of freelance work. We also explore personal journeys, the rise of local talent post-COVID, and the unique qualities of Welsh productions.

Listen to the audio version here.

At Black Swan Productions, we create purposeful branded and original content. To see our work, visit: www.blackswanproductions.co.uk Interested in joining the podcast or inquiries? Contact us at: contact@blackswanproductions.co.uk

0:00 – 0:11: Podcast intro and panel introduction
0:11 – 1:05: Panelists introduce themselves
1:05 – 4:10: Welsh film and TV industry challenges and opportunities
4:10 – 6:00: Independent film tax credit impact
6:00 – 8:30: Breaking into the industry in Wales
8:30 – 10:00: Effect of commissioning halts on unscripted sector
10:00 – 13:00: Streaming platforms and international competition
13:00 – 15:00: Budget constraints and funding gaps
15:00 – 17:00: Personal impacts of industry challenges
17:00 – 19:00: Demand for local actors post-COVID
19:00 – 20:00: Evolution of film distribution
20:07 – 23:10: TV viewing habits shift to binge-watching
23:10 – 24:39: Need for tax incentives for mid-level TV
24:39 – 26:03: Doctor Who's impact on Welsh TV industry
26:03 – 29:01: Decline in production due to streaming wars
29:01 – 30:04: Changing viewing habits with short-form content
30:04 – 31:35: Impact of second-screening on modern audiences
31:36 – 33:01: YouTube content vs. traditional scripted shows
33:02 – 34:09: Simplicity vs. craftsmanship in content production
34:10 – 35:46: Influence of Spotify and TikTok on creative industries
35:47 – 36:52: Advice for entering the film and TV industry
36:53 – 39:00: Key advice on career progression
39:01 – 40:05: Importance of networking and having the right agent
40:05 – 41:57: Learning, asking questions, and exploring roles
41:58 – 43:05: Being open to various career paths
43:06 – 45:56: Being prepared for industry meetings
46:02 – 47:15: Dream projects and aspirations
47:16 – 49:29: Discussion on influential shows
49:30 – 50:23: Nostalgic value of Quantum Leap
50:09 – 54:08: Favorite Welsh productions
54:08 – 55:04: Quick-fire round on favorite films
55:04 – 56:02: Closing remarks and social media handles

Having the panel on The Black Swan Podcast offered a unique perspective on the evolving Welsh film and TV landscape, the importance of long-term vision, and strategies for creating meaningful connections with diverse audiences. Their insights into navigating the challenges of a changing industry while staying true to a project’s core values provided valuable lessons for filmmakers, producers, and marketers alike.

In discussing the Welsh film sector, the panel emphasized the role of authentic storytelling and local talent in building trust and fostering engagement. This resonates with broader film industry trends: authenticity and creativity often take precedence over flashy gimmicks when it comes to making a lasting impact on viewers.

For professionals in the film and TV world, their insights underscore the importance of understanding your audience on a deeper level—how they think, what they value, and how they engage with content. Whether through narrative, embracing new platforms, or adapting to industry shifts, effective film production requires a thoughtful, deliberate approach.

We hope the panel’s experiences inspire you to reflect on your own strategies, whether you're navigating industry challenges, building projects, or finding new ways to connect with your audience.

Let us know your key takeaways from this episode, and don’t forget to follow The Black Swan Podcast for more conversations with industry leaders exploring the world of film, TV, and entrepreneurship.

Educational content is booming, and it’s no wonder why. In an age where audiences crave insights and authenticity, providing valuable knowledge is a game-changer for businesses aiming to build trust and authority in their industries. At Black Swan Productions, we’ve seen firsthand how educational videos can transform businesses into thought leaders, drive engagement, and ultimately lead to growth. Let’s explore why these videos are such a powerful tool and how they can benefit your brand.

Solving Problems, Building Trust

Every business has expertise that can address the challenges of its target audience. In the professional services sector, for instance, educational videos showcase this expertise, offering potential customers valuable insights. When businesses provide solutions to real-world problems, they build trust, and trust lays the foundation for loyalty.

Creating Reciprocity with Your Audience

Educational videos work on a simple principle: give before you ask. By providing useful, free content, businesses foster a sense of reciprocity. Viewers feel appreciated and are more likely to consider the company for future needs. This approach shifts the dynamic from selling to serving—a move that builds long-term relationships.

Simplifying the Complex

Many industries deal with intricate concepts or services. Educational videos break down these complexities, making them easy for customers to understand. This clarity eases decision-making, reduces hesitation, and positions your business as approachable and knowledgeable.

Enhancing Credibility and Transparency

Transparency is a key driver of trust. By addressing common questions and concerns openly, educational videos demonstrate a brand’s willingness to help. This authenticity reinforces the company’s credibility and encourages deeper engagement from potential customers.

Capturing Attention and Creating Connection

In a world with shrinking attention spans, video stands out. It’s engaging, dynamic, and has the unique ability to showcase personality. Whether it’s the warmth of your team or the energy of your brand, video creates emotional connections that static content simply can’t match.

Boosting SEO and Online Visibility

Educational videos not only engage viewers but also improve your online visibility. Search engines like Google prioritize video content, and having high-quality educational videos on your website or social channels can boost your SEO rankings. This means more potential customers will find you when searching for relevant solutions, increasing traffic to your site and expanding your reach. By consistently publishing helpful content, you establish your business as an authoritative resource, driving long-term organic growth.

We entered Cynon Valley Film Festival and their short film competition with our first independent horror short film, Control Room. It's a festival run by a filmmaker with the emphasis on great visuals, great soundtracks and great storytelling. Cynon Valley Museum in Aberdare. Their goal is to promote the work of independent film makers and embrace cutting edge digital techniques. Traditional film making is most welcome, of course but so are films made on smartphones.

Link: https://cynonvalleyfilmfestival.co.uk/

“We’ve done it again! Thrilled to announce that we won Best Narrative Short at the Cynon Valley Film Festival on Saturday, alongside two of our amazing actresses. While Black Swan Productions is known for creating impactful videos for purpose-led brands, we’re also expanding our portfolio with horror short films. Our first film, Control Room, is gaining momentum on its festival run. 💪”

Check out the trailer: https://lnkd.in/gevPJzbt

Learn more on our website: https://lnkd.in/e-dd8YvG“

Pictured: Haydn Wakeling, Nikolina Holuk, Anna Shaw.

Singer/songwriter Eli Fretter’s manager, Gill, has booked him into a state of the art studio space, in an attempt to encourage him to leave his traditional sensibilities and penchant for acoustic music and analog recording techniques behind, instead taking his place in the digital landscape of modern, electronic, music. The night before his booking, Eli finds himself stranded in the studio with the strange receptionist, who insists that, with nowhere else to go, he spend the night in one of their live-rooms. Things take a surreal and nightmarish turn for Eli as reality appears to bend and distort, transporting him to-and-fro from the studio to a mysterious music venue and eventually to a dungeon, followed by a monstrous cloaked figure. Able to trust neither the eerie receptionist nor his controlling manager Gill, Eli discovers an otherworldly connection between his rapidly mutating body and the studio’s electronic equipment, which builds into a shocking climax that goes out with a flash.

In the third episode of The Black Swan Podcast, we dive into the fascinating world of marketing and brand with Pablo Quintela, Senior Marketing Manager at Celtic English Academy and former Creative Director for international agencies.

Pablo shares insights into his career journey, the importance of thinking long-term in marketing strategies, and why brands should prioritize storytelling and customer voices. From avoiding fleeting trends to building trust and connecting with diverse audiences, this episode is packed with valuable lessons for marketers and brand managers alike.

Click here to listen to the audio alternative of the episode.

At Black Swan Productions, we specialize in producing branded content, including thought leadership projects like this podcast. We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you’d like to join the podcast or collaborate with us, please reach out at contact@blackswanproductions.co.uk.

0-0:49: Introduction to the episode.

0:49-1:11: Introduction to Pablo.

1:11-2:15: Pablo’s professional journey.

2:15-3:03: Core values and how they impact his marketing and leadership.

3:03-3:56: Proudest career movement so far.

3:56-05:08: How he ensures a distinctive voice for the Celtic English Academy brand.

05:08-06:13: Evolving a brand's identity while staying true to their core values.

06:13-07:44: Emotive campaigns and the importance of customer testimonials.

07:44-09:15: Strategies for connecting with a target audience.

09:15-10:23: Staying ahead of trends in the education sector.

10:23-11:18: Building and keeping trust with your audience.

11:18-12:32: The impact of storytelling on marketing efforts.

12:32-13:28: Marketing tactics for attracting new students in the education sector.

13:28-14:36: How marketers can avoid greenwashing.

14:36-17:00: Marketing for a Welsh audience and global audiences.

17:00-18:35: Connecting with a diverse audience and showcasing diversity.

18:35-19:30: The importance of data in marketing campaigns.

19:30-21:00: Advice for marketers at different stages of their careers.

Having Pablo on The Black Swan Podcast offered a unique perspective on the power of storytelling, the importance of long-term thinking, and strategies for building authentic connections with diverse audiences. His approach to staying true to a brand's core values while navigating evolving market trends is a valuable lesson for marketers across all sectors.

In the education sector, Pablo emphasized the role of emotive campaigns and customer voices in building trust and fostering engagement. This resonates with broader marketing principles: authenticity and relatability often outweigh flashy trends when it comes to making a lasting impact.

For marketers, his insights highlight the importance of understanding your audience on a deeper level—how they think, what they value, and how they interact with your brand. Whether through storytelling, leveraging data responsibly, or adapting to cultural nuances, effective marketing requires a thoughtful, deliberate approach.

We hope Pablo’s experiences inspire you to reflect on your own marketing strategies, whether you're leading campaigns, building brand identities, or finding innovative ways to connect with your audience.

Let us know your key takeaways from this episode, and don’t forget to follow The Black Swan Podcast for more conversations with industry leaders exploring marketing, brand, and entrepreneurship.

Video content has become one of the most powerful ways for brands to connect with their audiences. However, creating a video that doesn’t align with your brand’s identity can do more harm than good. A misaligned video may confuse your audience, dilute your messaging, or fail to deliver the desired emotional connection. Here’s how to ensure your videos consistently reflect your brand’s core identity.

Start with a Deep Understanding of Your Brand

Before diving into production, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of your brand’s core values, mission, and visual identity. Ask yourself:

• What does my brand stand for?
• How do I want my audience to perceive my brand?
• What emotions should the video evoke?

This foundational clarity ensures that every creative decision aligns with your brand’s DNA.

Leverage Visual Consistency

Visual elements are the building blocks of brand recognition. Start with your brand’s established color palette, fonts, and design style:

• Color Scheme: Use your brand’s colors strategically throughout the video, from the background to text overlays.
• Typography: Stick to your brand-approved fonts to maintain visual cohesion.
• Graphics: Ensure any animations or illustrations reflect your brand’s unique aesthetic.

When visual consistency is prioritized, it reinforces your brand’s identity and makes your content instantly recognizable.

Match the Brand’s Tone and Voice

The script and delivery should mirror your brand’s personality. Consider these scenarios:

• A formal and professional brand might use precise language, a polished voiceover, and sophisticated visuals.
• A casual and playful brand could lean into humor, conversational language, and vibrant, upbeat visuals.

Maintaining this alignment with brand videos ensures that your audience feels a cohesive connection with your brand, no matter the medium.

Align Content with Brand Values

Your brand’s values should guide the themes and messaging of your video. For instance:

A brand that emphasizes sustainability should highlight eco-friendly practices or products in its videos. A tech-forward brand might showcase innovation and future-ready solutions.
This alignment strengthens your credibility and resonates more deeply with your audience.

Use Storytelling and Sensory Elements to Enhance Connection

Videos are uniquely positioned to engage multiple senses—sight, sound, and even emotion. Use these to your advantage:

Music: Choose a soundtrack that reflects your brand’s personality—whether that’s calming, energizing, or playful. Imagery: Incorporate visuals that evoke the emotions you want your audience to associate with your brand. Storytelling: Craft a narrative that embodies your brand’s mission and connects on a deeper level. When all elements work in harmony, the video becomes a seamless extension of your brand.

Consistency Across Marketing Efforts

A brand video doesn’t exist in isolation—it should integrate seamlessly with your other marketing content. From social media to email campaigns, every touchpoint should feel part of a cohesive whole.

We were thrilled to collaborate with WildBear Entertainment, a globally recognized production company that creates award-winning content for broadcasters like ABC, National Geographic, PBS, and NBC. As part of a broadcast documentary, our role was to film green screen interviews that would form a vital component of the storytelling.

High-quality interview filming is essential for productions of this scale. Our team ensured that every frame met the rigorous standards required for international release, using state-of-the-art video production equipment and expert lighting setups. While we can only share a short clip, the full documentary is available on WildBear's website.

Why Documentaries Matter for Storytelling

Documentaries aren’t just for entertainment—they’re a powerful tool for brand storytelling and marketing strategies. Through thoughtful video content production, documentaries dive deep into topics, uncovering the heart of a story and engaging audiences emotionally.

For brands, this format allows a unique opportunity to:

• Highlight their mission or values.
• Build credibility through detailed exploration of a subject.
• Connect authentically with target audiences.

Whether for public release or corporate video campaigns, documentary-style videos provide a compelling way to convey your message and make an impact.

Haydn, Our Founder: “Working with WildBear Entertainment gave us the chance to contribute to a project that would captivate audiences around the globe. The green screen interview footage we filmed was a critical piece of the storytelling puzzle, and I’m incredibly proud of how our team delivered exceptional results. It’s a privilege to play a role in such meaningful projects, whether for global documentaries or brand-driven campaigns. We are looking forward to continuing the relationship and filming future interviews for the reputable and lovely to work with team of filmmakers.”

Whilst our work is predominately in producing videos for marketing efforts, we are also building a portfolio of original productions. Thus far, we have produced a short horror film, Control Room, which has won ‘Best Welsh Film’ (Narrative Film) at Focus Wales Film Festival, a BAFTA-accredited festival. Since the, we have had more success at festivals. We are looking to move into producing factual content to help causes in animal welfare soon, utilizing what we've learned from working with WildBear also.

Continuing The Black Swan Podcast with second first episode, we sat down with Alex Murphy, the former Marketing Director for the FTSE 100, Admiral Group, and currently the Co-Founder of Balance – The Financial Services Digital Marketing Agency, and discussed all things marketing and brand, with a focus on staying true to brands values, understanding audience behaviours and the impact of video production. 

Click here to listen to the audio alternative of this episode on Spotify. For context, Black Swan Productions produces branded content, including creating thought leadership content similar to this podcast. We hope you find this episode enjoyable, and feel free to reach out if you're interested in joining the podcast or for any other reasons at contact@blackswanproductions.co.uk

0-0:48: Introduction

0:48-1:33: Who is Alex and his current job.

1:33-:2:20: Alex's career journey.

2:20-3:35: Core values and how they impact his marketing and leadership.

3:35-5:07: Becoming Head of Marketing at Admiral.

5:07-8:38: Proudest career movement so far.

8:38-10:08: How to ensure a financial services brand has a distinctive voice.

10:08-11:43: Evolving a brands identity whilst staying true to their core values.

11:43-13:02: Emotive campaign that landed and the importance of building trust.

13:02- 14:20: What the best emotive campaigns do right.

14:20-18:52: Measuring customer loyalty and customer return preference.

18:52-23:55: Overcoming challenges financial services companies face.

23:55-26:32: The importance of video production and building trust with an audience.

26:32-27:53: Key campaigns with video production.

27:53-29:15: Importance of data in marketing.

29:15-30:40: Practice tips for utilizing data.

We were delighted to have Alex on The Black Swan Podcast and we enjoyed discussing thought leadership content and financial services content. At Black Swan Productions, we have produced a variety of projects in both of these categories. Firstly, we've produced many educational projects, but with thought leadership, we've done lots of work with Sinclair's Law in Cardiff. In particular, evolving their video podcast, where a live podcast on Facebook hit almost 7,000 viewers. Overall, increasing viewership and leading to increased inquiries. We produced a brand video for V12 Retail Finance, a fantastic financial services organization based in Cardiff. Instead of doing the cliché talking head interviews to promote their cycle financing, we decided to produce a brand story that is engaging and authentic. 

We entered Focus Wales Film Festival and their Welsh and international short film competition with our first independent horror short film, Control Room. For the first time this year, all selected films were eligible for a BAFTA Cymru nomination. We were delighted for Control Room to win the 'Best Welsh Film, Narrative Film' award. Since its inception, Focus Wales Film Festival has been held in Wrexham, the home of the well-known Football club since it's takeover by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Link: https://focuswales.com/film/

“WE WON!!! FOCUS Wales Film Festivals Best Welsh Film, Narrative Film is officially Control Room, our first independent film and festival submission at Black Swan Productions. So proud of the cast and crew involved for their hard work in bringing this together. I self-funded Control Room around the pandemic with a chunk of my savings, and although life and business have constantly tried getting in the way of finishing it off, we're super excited about how it's come together and what's next to come.”

Pictured: Haydn Wakeling 🎬 (Producer/Editor), Jacob Hodges (Writer/Director), Glyn Rhys-James and Ellis Walker (Music, Post Audio)

Control Room has a unique story which is as follows: Singer/songwriter Eli Fretter’s manager, Gill, has booked him into a state of the art studio space, in an attempt to encourage him to leave his traditional sensibilities and penchant for acoustic music and analog recording techniques behind, instead taking his place in the digital landscape of modern, electronic, music. The night before his booking, Eli finds himself stranded in the studio with the strange receptionist, who insists that, with nowhere else to go, he spend the night in one of their live-rooms. Things take a surreal and nightmarish turn for Eli as reality appears to bend and distort, transporting him to-and-fro from the studio to a mysterious music venue and eventually to a dungeon, followed by a monstrous cloaked figure. Able to trust neither the eerie receptionist nor his controlling manager Gill, Eli discovers an otherworldly connection between his rapidly mutating body and the studio’s electronic equipment, which builds into a shocking climax that goes out with a flash.

“Twenty nine exciting new businesses from a range of sectors have been recognised at the 2024 Wales StartUp Awards. As part of the UK StartUp Awards programme established to highlight the success of startups across ten nations and regions, the Wales StartUp Awards recognises the achievements of those amazing individuals who have had a great idea, spotted the opportunity and taken the risks to launch a new product or service.

As well as being recognised as the best in their sector in Wales, all the winners will now progress to the inaugural national UK StartUp Awards final where they will be competing against category winners from the rest of the UK. This will not only give them the opportunity to be crowned the best in their sector nationally but also to become the UK StartUp of the Year.”

Link: https://startupawards.uk/2024/05/the-best-startups-in-wales-revealed/

Haydn, Our Founder: “Black Swan Productions won! Such a proud moment for myself and the team to win at the fantastic StartUp Awards. Entrepreneurship is a strange, scary and stressful line of work, but moments like this make it unmatched.

Can't wait for what's to come and looking forward to the finals in London. Congratulations to everyone else involved and some close mutuals winners in Validient, de Novo Solutions, Remoo Mortgages, Lewis Turner / Cardiff Young Professionals.”

We are proud of what are team has achieved since our inception and to be part of the StartUp Awards. We’ve worked across various unique branded projects with organizations like The Open University, NHS Wales, Awen Trust and others, alongside this, we also produced our first TV commercial, and built niches in the legal sector and with event filming. All our projects have achieved success, with countless 5-star reviews from happy clients, thanks for our detailed approach in the pre-production process. Crucially, we also produced our first independent horror short film, Control Room, which went on to win Best Welsh Film, Narrative Film at Focus Wales, a BAFTA qualifying film festival, with only our first submission. Moving forward, we plan on producing more original content, looking at improving the lives of animals.

Kicking off the Black Swan Podcast with our first episode, we sat down with Scott Wilson-Evans, the Head of Strategic Communications and discussed all things marketing and brand, with a focus on connecting with an audience through the use of data, authentic storytelling, and taking risks.

Click here to listen to the audio alternative of this episode on Spotify. For context, Black Swan Productions produces branded content, including creating a campaign video alongside Scott to great success. We hope you find this episode enjoyable, and feel free to reach out if you're interested in joining the podcast or for any other reasons at contact@blackswanproductions.co.uk

0-0:53: Introduction to the podcast.

0:53-1:37: Who is Scott and how long he's be in his current role.

1:37-7:14 Professional journey and what learned to his current role.

7:14-10:10: How do your values guide your marketing approach?

10:10-13:53: How do you maintain a distinctive voice for the NHS brand?

13:53-21:19: Practical steps in evolving the brand identity whilst keeping with core values.

21:19-25:08: How do you approach emotional campaigns?

25:08-28: What strategies are used to create an emotional connection with an audience?

28-30:45: What are the benefits of video production?

We were delighted to have Scott on The Black Swan Podcast after working together previously. “Three years after the publication of ‘Building a Healthier Gwent’, the data tells us that it is getting harder not easier for people in communities across Gwent to live healthy, fulfilled lives. Inequities have been amplified by the direct and indirect harms of COVID-19 and the cost of living crisis. To support change Gwent has now become a Marmot Region.” We provided a campaign video for NHS Wales that included interviewing Sir Michael Marmot, Dr Sarah Aitken and various CEO’s of South Wales councils. We combined the interviews with matching content from the day’s conference, footage from other relevant projects, and stock videos to create relatability and trust.