A few months ago, I had the opportunity to work on a genuinely exciting project. I was brought in to capture behind-the-scenes photography and videography for a campaign shoot at the Yorkshire Tea headquarters.

The production itself was led by Jaywing, a Leeds-based digital agency I’ve collaborated with previously and London agency Them Apples, who were creating a series of social-first films for Yorkshire Tea. Alongside the core campaign content – a lighthearted series of films about how to make the perfect cuppa – they were also producing a set of playful, tongue-in-cheek videos inspired by 1990s health and safety films. It made for a brilliant mix of high-end production and light-hearted creative direction.

My role was to document it all as it happened. No direction, no staging, just capturing the real moments that bring a production like this to life.

The Brief: Capturing Craft, Scale and Personality

The brief was clear. This wasn’t about polished, glossy content. It was about authenticity.

The aim was to create a bank of behind-the-scenes visuals that made viewers feel like they were actually on set. That meant documenting everything from the technical craft of production through to the natural energy and humour of the people involved.

As outlined in the brief, the content needed to support a social campaign, ongoing agency storytelling, and a library of evergreen assets for future use.

Key themes included:

• Collaboration between Yorkshire Tea, Jaywing and Them Apples
• The craft and care behind the production
• The scale and energy of a busy shoot
• The culture and personality on set

On Set at Yorkshire Tea HQ

The shoot took place across multiple setups within the Yorkshire Tea headquarters, including both kitchen and office environments. Each space brought its own dynamic, from controlled, detail-focused setups to larger scenes involving multiple extras.

Capturing the Details That Tell the Story

A big part of the brief focused on the small details. The kind of moments that might not make the final campaign, but are essential in telling the story of how it was made.

That included:

• Tea being poured, kettles boiling, mugs being prepped
• Branded elements naturally integrated into scenes
• Shot lists, scripts and storyboards in use
• Directors and creatives reviewing playback

These details help reinforce the level of thought and craft behind the production, something that’s easy to overlook in the final edit.

Real Moments, Not Staged Ones

For me, this is always the most important part of any behind-the-scenes shoot.

The brief specifically called for candid, human moments. Laughter between takes, conversations between team members, the natural downtime that happens on set.

Those unscripted moments are what give BTS content its authenticity. They’re also what make it engaging. You’re not just seeing how something was made, you’re seeing the people behind it.

There was no shortage of those moments on this shoot. It was one of those productions where everyone was clearly enjoying the process, which always comes across in the final content.

Shooting for Multi-Platform Content

From a technical point of view, everything was captured with flexibility in mind.

The footage needed to work across multiple platforms, including vertical formats for social and landscape for longer-form use. That meant constantly thinking about framing, composition and leaving room for cropping.

I captured a mix of:

• Wide establishing shots
• Mid shots showing interaction
• Close-ups for detail and texture
• Slower, steadier clips suitable for b-roll

This approach ensures the content can be repurposed across reels, stories, case studies and presentations without losing quality or impact.

A Collaborative Production

One of the standout aspects of this shoot was the collaboration.

You had Yorkshire Tea as the client, Jaywing driving the strategy and campaign and Them Apples leading production. Each team brought something different, but everything came together seamlessly on set.

That kind of collaboration is exactly what the brief set out to capture and it’s something that really comes through in the behind-the-scenes content.

Seeing the Final Campaign Come to Life

It’s always great to see how a project comes together in the final edit, especially after spending the day capturing everything behind the scenes. The finished campaign film brings together all of the craft, energy and personality that was so clear on set. Watching it back, it’s a great reminder of how much work goes into even the most playful and light-hearted ideas.

You can watch some examples of the final videos below:

Having been there to document the process, it’s particularly rewarding to see those small, in-between moments evolve into a polished final piece. It also highlights the value of behind-the-scenes content in telling the wider story around a campaign, not just the finished output. It’s a great example of how the personality of a shoot carries through into the final work, and why capturing both sides of that process can be so powerful.

The Kit & Approach: Staying Agile on a Fast-Paced Set

One of the biggest challenges on this shoot was the pace.

This wasn’t a controlled environment where I could take my time setting up shots. It was a full-scale production with multiple teams working simultaneously, which meant I needed to move quickly, stay out of the way, and still capture everything required from the brief.

Because of that, I made a conscious decision to prioritise mobility over stabilisation.

I decided against using a gimbal, instead choosing to work with a compact handheld rig paired with a V-mount battery setup. This allowed me to:

• Shoot continuously throughout the day without stopping to swap batteries
• Stay lightweight and reactive as the shoot evolved
• Move freely (and quickly!) around the set without getting in the way of the main production

It’s a small decision, but one that made a huge difference in being able to capture authentic, in-the-moment content without slowing anything down. In this kind of environment it’s critical to remember this isn’t my set – the large production team were on task and focussed on their jobs. I need to be quick and agile enough to jump in, grab what I need and keep out of their way.

To give a bit more insight into how I approached this shoot, I’ve put together a quick breakdown of the rig I used and why it worked so well in this environment.

Final Thoughts

This was a brilliant shoot to be part of. A strong concept, a great team, and a clear focus on creating something with personality.

Behind-the-scenes content like this plays an increasingly important role in how brands tell their stories. It bridges the gap between polished campaigns and the real people and processes behind them.

And from a photography and videography perspective, it’s always one of the most rewarding things to capture.