Who we are.
We're a team of dedicated media professionals with a wide range of creative skills.
An introduction
The success of our creative output depends on the well-honed processes we've developed. We believe in good planning, clear communication and a bucketload of hard graft.
But behind any good process you'll inevitably find good people. We're people who are knowledgeable and passionate about our work, and we thrive on innovation.
They say modesty is a virtue. We certainly think so: we've grown our business carefully and steadily, by engaging with people who think the same way we do. We maintain a modest infrastructure and build skilled teams based on the needs of a project.
We like it that way. It means we can be agile and responsive. We define our processes, not the other way round.
Phil Powell FRSA
Phil is our Creative Director, and navigates our good ship on a steady course through the seas of innovation.
Phil is widely recognised as one of a rare breed of "Creative Technologists" working on the bleeding edge of interactive media. His unique mix of talents as a producer, designer and programmer allows him to unleash some potent innovation in digital media.
Throughout the late 90's and early 00's his work with leading digital agency Good Technology helped shape the Web we know today. As Technical Team Lead, he undertook ambitious flagship projects for the likes of Audi, Levi's and Sony, regularly winning industry awards. His work for U2 received a BAFTA nomination and scooped a prestigious Cannes Lions.
In 2007, following a successful freelance career, he founded We Make Media. He's an active advocate of the creative industries in the Northwest, and is a regular speaker at academic and industry events. In 2008, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts.
Jo Hutton
As Operations Director, Jo is plugged into the hub of all of our operations and activities, ensuring our projects are tuned to precision.
With her training in business, Jo leads the way when it comes to our operational activities and team management. Her production skills are the beating heart at the centre of all of our work.
Jo also has a wealth of experience both directing and producing independent short films. Her most recent production, titled "Call Me" - a high calibre short written by BAFTA-winning writer Adrian Mead - was selected for the Short Film Corner at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
In 2005 she founded the non-profit organisation Cumbria Filmmakers Network, which provides training courses, screening events and actively promotes the work of filmmakers in Cumbria.
Our motivation
When we formed in 2007, we spent a long time considering the approach to our work, and what we wanted to achieve. We've worked for a lot of big names, and our industry experience gave us plenty of food for thought.
We wanted to do away with excessive paperwork and unnecessary meetings. We wanted to concentrate our efforts on putting our creativity to work, and to develop relationships with a diverse range of people and organisations. We wanted to work with people, not for them.
We'd also had enough of confusing jargon, sales patter and the hoodwinking which is endemic in the creative industries. Our experience has taught us that a transparent, honest and pragmatic approach is much more productive, and our business ethics are carefully built around these values.
But none of this meant that we were going to be laid-back about things - far from it. We work hard, and we're always adding new skills to our toolbelt.
We take great pride in the work we produce and with that pride comes a high standard of professionalism. We strive for excellence and innovation, which motivates us to provide a service which goes beyond anything offered by our contemporaries.
More than anything else, we wanted to build a first-class reputation. And that can only come from being recognised for producing work of an exceptionally high-quality.
Since 2007, we're proud to have achieved most of what we set out to do. But our journey has only just begun - there's a long road ahead.