A rallying cry for Manchester’s creative community, Just Keep Making is a hybrid documentary film celebrating the city’s artists, makers, and creators. Commissioned by Manchester Growth Hub, the film captures the spirit of resilience, passion, and creative entrepreneurship in a post-COVID world.

Brand Film

Project: Call to action, hybrid brand film
Role: Director of Photography
Producer/Director: James Copson
Client: Creative Scale Up / Manchester Growth Hub
Format: Online / Presentations
Camera: Red Scarlet-W & Cooke 2x Anamorphic Lenses
Lighting: x4 Person team - Lit Mats, Asteras and HMIs
Featuring:
Beaumont Organic
Jam PR / Dave Gee
Jesse Cracknell
Tom Longden
Banksie
Lucy Ridges Photography
Neon Creations
James Hensen

Just Keep Making was created as part of the Creative Scale-Up initiative—an ambitious programme designed to help Greater Manchester’s creative sector recover and thrive following the impact of the pandemic. The scheme empowers artists and small creative businesses by helping them integrate essential business skills into their practice, turning passion into sustainable careers.

This short documentary shines a light on an eclectic mix of Manchester’s creative voices, from international drag queens to VR game developers, graffiti artists, fashion designers, and photographers. Each contributor was filmed in their own creative environment, providing authentic context and allowing their personalities and spaces to shape the visual approach.

Behind the Scenes

We shot the film on the RED Scarlet-W to achieve a soft, filmic look with rich flexibility in post. The visual identity of the piece was grounded in cinematic aesthetics—achieved through careful camera movement, location-specific lighting design, and the unmistakable character of Cooke 2x Anamorphic lenses.

Each location was treated uniquely, with lighting tailored to suit the artist’s discipline and space—bringing out textures, tones, and moods that reflected their work and personality. From industrial workshops to vibrant studio spaces, we aimed to highlight the raw beauty of creativity in motion.

The anamorphic lenses added depth and emotionality to the imagery—soft flares, subtle distortion, and gentle focus fall-off created a soulful, tactile quality. The imperfect beauty of these lenses felt like the perfect visual counterpart to the authenticity and individuality of the artists we were profiling.

Just Keep Making