COVERFEATURE
M-STUDIOS: MAKING VIDEOS FOR THE DIGITAL AGE You’re looking to market your company. You need a bright idea to stand out from the crowd. M-Studios can help you see the big picture with their creative video services. We’re not talking about shaky wedding footage or predictable drone shots here. Rory and Lizzie McAllister are seasoned industry experts, with an impressive portfolio spanning a combined 40 years of work for the BBC, local TV and radio, theatre and events. Rory specialises in filming and editing, while Lizzie writes storylines and scripts, and coaches clients who want to be their own video stars. Using their creativity to the full, their company makes fun, vibrant videos telling the real story behind a business – its people, values, aims, unique selling points – making sure your message is heard loud and clear. Whatever your brief – adverts, social media, internal comms, charity – Rory and Lizzie help you find the best promotional angle and then elevate it some more. Rory explains, “I think our unique selling point is the fact that we have the technical ability, combined with a proven background in storytelling and scriptwriting. In our experience, this sets us apart from other video production companies.” Rory’s enthusiasm and passion for his work are infectious, and it all started at a very young age. “I was around four when I started ‘broadcasting’ my own radio show – my listeners numbered three, all family! It was mainly Roland Rat impressions and records.” Bitten by the entertainment bug, Rory progressed to theatre work and then film school, culminating in a video production and media degree. He branched out into local radio, and then on to celebrity interviews covering “all the juicy stuff” in front of and behind the camera. To top it all, he has also worked in national media, with TV audience warm-up stints for Strictly and The One Show, and working for 5
Rory and Lizzie of M-Studios in action.
Live and Radio 4, alongside countless other high-profile commissions. Setting up a creative studio in Worcester was a natural progression, and M-Studios got off to a flying start in 2019, working with a host of high-profile clients like national tutoring service Kip McGrath and engineering giant AECOM. Then Covid hit. “The pandemic was like a hi-speed train hitting a wall. It completely derailed us,” Rory concedes. “But it was also a wake-up call. It helped see what we really valued in life and business.” The couple switched back to BBC and voiceover work until rules were eased for ‘essential services’. “We took business advice, and discovered that as a communications production company, we could take on projects that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.” So, for example, with church concerts, M-Studios filmed “little Songs of Praise episodes with a presenter, readings and songs”. While an extremely tough experience, Covid helped M-Studios reinvent its services, and Rory believes he can do the same for others.
The key to attracting customer interest is compelling content, great imagery, good stories and a plotline that pulls them in. 028
“Many businesses are at a crossroads when it comes to making the most of their image and brand. Video may be a 1980’s word, but it’s the future. “In this digital age, video and audio projects can really enhance a business profile. “We’ve just done a humorous Mastermind-style video for an insurance broker whose specialist subject was property. It’s about being creative. We also help companies create professional podcasts so that it doesn’t sound like it was recorded in a bedroom”. Video and podcasts add impact to websites and are an easy fit for a very diverse range of channels from social platforms such as LinkedIn and Instagram. Rory adds, “The key to attracting customer interest is compelling content, great imagery, good stories and a plotline that pulls them in. “A quick sell can be done in less than 90 seconds, while, for example, parents looking at a prospective school will happily browse through a 3-minute video while the kids are in bed. “If your content is interesting and informative, people won’t just swipe through it. Our background in telling stories to thousands of people is our greatest strength. We come up with great ideas every single day and put them into meaningful messages that grab attention.”
Find out more at m-studios.co.uk.
July/August 2022
