BearJam Vlog – March 2023: One-Take Dinners, Texas Vibes & Croydon Culture
Welcome to the March edition of the BearJam vlog, coming to you fresh from the Bear Den, where we’re thawing out from winter, eyeing the smart meter, and definitely cooking on gas. March has been our best month yet this year – packed with big creative projects, new partnerships, a shiny new team member, and even a little international inspiration.
🎬 Hit play on the vlog to see SXSW highlights, an epic one-shot promo, a poetic Croydon celebration, EV brand content, and more.
🛫 SXSW 2023 – Texas, Tacos & Takeaways
This month, Catie and I flew out to Austin for our first SXSW (South by South West). Or, if you’re in the know… just “South By.”
We saw panels, met brands, ate brisket, and absorbed a ton of future-facing creative ideas. I've written up a full blog on my Top 5 Takeaways from SXSW, but here’s a little preview:
1. The Future is Now – AI, immersive tech, and interactive storytelling are no longer next, they’re now
2. Connection is Key – Real-life conversation and collaboration still trumps virtual networking
3. The Power of a Great Reveal – Whether it’s tech, story or campaign, the reveal moment matters
4. Storytelling is (Still) King – But now it’s king, queen, court jester, and dragon…
5. The Food is Excellent – (Okay, maybe not a creative takeaway, but worth mentioning)
Keep your eyes peeled for the blog drop.
🎥 One-Take Wonder with Company of Cooks
Next up: Company of Cooks asked us to produce a high-end promo film for the launch of their new brand — and we went all in with a one-take single-shot execution.
The goal? Capture a dinner party in full flow, with the camera gliding 360° around the table. A lovely idea. A logistical nightmare.
To make it work, we used a 6-metre lighting balloon suspended overhead to ensure zero lighting kit in shot, while still achieving that warm, elevated look that reflected their premium catering offering.
One take. One dinner party. One very happy client.
🎤 Croydon’s Borough of Culture Film Series
Croydon’s the newest London Borough of Culture, and we’ve had the huge honour of working on a multi-film project to celebrate its vibrancy.
Collaborating with Croydon’s Poet Laureate, we produced four standalone pieces and a hero film — all infused with music, poetry, movement, and stories that reflect the town’s identity. It’s a true creative fusion that will premiere at Fairfield Halls this weekend.
It’s been a privilege to document the voices, art, and energy of Croydon — more to come once the films go live.
⚡ Behind the Scenes with Osprey Charging
We also reconnected with Osprey, the UK’s best EV charging network, to create a brand film that takes customers behind the scenes. Director Lee showed us the people, tech, and thinking powering their charge points across Britain.
It’s practical, it’s people-led, and it’s packed with purpose-driven storytelling.
💾 Three & Mischief – World Backup Day Prep
We rounded out March with a shoot for Three and Mischief in advance of World Backup Day — yes, it’s a thing, and yes, it deserves a creative campaign.
Filming wrapped just in time for this vlog drop, so keep your eyes peeled for more in April.
👋 Meet Daniel – Our New Motion Designer
Big BearJam welcome to Daniel Williams, who joined the team this month as our new Motion Graphics Designer. He’s already adding motion magic to our projects and bringing fresh energy to the post-production team.
🐻 Wrapping Up
March brought:
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A trip to Austin
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A one-shot dining masterpiece
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A Borough of Culture doc series
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EV content with purpose
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And some joyful new talent to the team
If you’re watching this on YouTube, please like, subscribe, or give us a follow on LinkedIn. It fuels our creativity. And James’s fragile ego. 😉
And as ever — if you’re planning your next shoot, product launch, or just want a few clever content ideas...
👉 Get in touch with us
