Mental Health Motorbike

Project: Launch film
Role: Director of photography
Producer/Director: James Copson
Commissioners: Pentland
Format: Online
Camera: Arri Alexa Mini, Canon K35,
Black Arm & Ronin 2
Lighting: x2 Sparks - HMIs and Astera Tubes

Prolific North Winner - Visual Production of the Year

The Mental Health Motorbike exists to create meaningful opportunities that support and improve the mental well-being of the motorbike community across the UK. This commercial serves as both a visual story and an emotional touchpoint—highlighting the transformative journey of a man finding hope in darkness through the shared connection of riders.

The opening sequence was carefully designed to reflect Ollie’s internal state. The handheld camera work, muted colour palette, and restrained set design were intended to depict a person in emotional freefall. Shifts in time of day were created using lighting and sound cues, with the constant flicker of the television acting as a tether between scenes. His turning point comes as he discovers the MHM Facebook group, just as a shaft of sunlight breaks through the curtains—his first moment of light.

The garage scenes carry the same sombre tone, with Ollie kept in silhouette—only fully revealed once he's on the open road, a metaphor for his emotional resurgence.

Behind the Scenes

The commercial was shot over a weekend on location in the Derbyshire Peaks, split between interior dialogue-driven scenes and exterior riding sequences. Interiors were lit with a combination of HMIs, Astera tubes, and SkyPanels, tailored to maintain the moody, introspective tone.

The drone sequences, directed by James Copson and myself with the support of James and Will from Flye, aimed to evoke calmness and emotional space. We achieved this with a Black Arm–mounted Ronin 2, giving us fluid, cinematic motion with remote pan and tilt control—perfect for tracking Ollie’s journey across the landscape.

We shot on the ARRI Alexa Mini with Canon K35 lenses, which gave us a nostalgic, cinematic quality—full of subtle flares and warm skin tones without becoming overly stylised.