In just a few weeks (19 – 30 September), the Leeds Digital Festival will be in full swing. Bringing the city’s brightest tech minds together in a big celebration of all things digital – with events in healthtech, data, startups, the metaverse, digital careers and of course, video. And we’re very proud to be part of it.

Shoot Video on Your Phone like a Pro
Wednesday 28 September
11am – 12noon
Get your FREE ticket 

If you’re itching to get in on the action and start making videos for your business with your phone, this event is for you. We will teach you our tips and tricks on how to shoot professional videos on your phone, including lighting and sound recording. So whether you’re a complete beginner or have some experience but want to take your videos up a notch, come and join us. This event is aimed at people in marketing, branding and social media — the more the merrier, and everyone is welcome.

In a world where people spend more time on their phones than they do interacting with humans, video has become the quickest way to get somebody’s attention. Video makes us think, feel and do.  That’s why 92 per cent of marketers now say that video is at the heart of their marketing strategy. 

We are well aware that shooting videos can stretch your marketing budget, especially if you need to hire a professional crew, or need to buy or rent camera equipment, lighting gear, and sound equipment. So Manto is taking to this year’s Festival floor to show you how to shoot pro-quality videos on your phone without breaking the bank.

Did you know that Leeds has 8,600 digital and tech businesses, employing 53,000 people in the region? It is fast becoming one of the UK’s most exciting tech hubs and we’re proud to play our part in supporting your business with video marketing strategies.

We’re really looking forward to meeting you at Leeds Digital Festival. You’ll also have an opportunity to ask any questions you have about shooting videos, so please be quick and grab your free ticket today!

Manto Films is a video production agency based in Leeds. We make content that people remember.

Did you know that video marketing is incredibly effective to reach out to potential donors and get them interested in your charity?

In fact, studies have shown that 57% of people who watch nonprofit videos go on to make a donation. So if you’re looking for ways to boost your fundraising efforts and raise awareness of your cause, consider using video as part of your content strategy. 

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the power of video marketing for charities. Specifically, we’ll discuss how video can be used to increase donations and engage potential donors. We’ll also provide helpful tips on how you can get started with video marketing for your charity. 

How to become a better storyteller

Videos are a powerful and engaging way to share the story of your charity and most importantly your community​​— beneficiaries, donors and supporters. It’s an easy way to show how donations impact people’s lives and highlight work done by your charity and its impact. Through sharing user-generated video content you can celebrate all the wonderful supporters out there who are busy going the extra mile to raise funds for your cause. This not only makes for exciting and varied content, but it also presents an opportunity to build deeper relationships with your supporters. Authenticity is the key to a successful social media video campaign and could be just what your video needs to go viral.

Sharing your videos on social media

Videos can be shared on all social media platforms such as YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Twitter so that even more people see what your charity is doing. Each platform has different video sizes so plan from the start which channels you aim to post on before you start filming. You can check the specs out here.

Social media drives 57% of traffic to fundraising campaign pages and acts as a great communication tool to inform your supporters how much money has been raised so far. It’s been hugely successful for our clients for reach and engagement.

Boosting Leeds Hospitals Charity’s Appeal

We worked with Leeds Hospitals Charity to create a video for the ‘Rob Burrow MND Centre Appeal’ shown on regional TV and shared across the charity’s social media channels. Our video was viewed over 2k times and shared over 100 times, on Facebook alone. This boosted their fundraising and helped them to spread the word and increase engagement.

Choosing Manto as your charity’s video partner​​

The production quality of your videos should always be a top priority when creating an impactful charity campaign. Partnering with Manto will ensure that you have professional-looking content for all of your audiences and optimised across all of your channels. We’re experienced video professionals who understand how important it is not only to create compelling footage but to act as an extension of your marketing team.

By using video marketing, your charity can connect with potential donors in a more personal way and inspire them to get involved. If you want help with creating video content for your charity, get in touch info@mantofilms.com or phone 0113 2692 814.

Manto Films is a video production agency based in Leeds. We make content that people remember.

Our video production assistant, Laura, shares her personal experience on how Generation Zs can make it in the film industry (spoiler alert: it doesn’t involve making tea and coffee all day).

As a recent graduate myself, we all know finishing university can be tough, transitioning from the freedom of your own study routine into the world of work can be pretty terrifying. After graduating from the University of Leeds last summer (in the midst of a global pandemic!), I was faced with making my own way in the world when all you really want to do is have a big ol’ nap after 17 years of education! So, you end up comparing and putting a load of unnecessary pressure on yourself.

The creative industries are arguably more overwhelming with so many routes to choose from. If you’ve studied film and TV for the past three years and you’re squirming to use your breadth of knowledge on Scorcese’s filmmaking techniques and share your original, fresh ideas on cinema, you tend to push your way through endless ‘politely nagging’ emails to production companies usually in the busy hub of the capital in an attempt to be a runner or at least an assistant (hoping you don’t just make tea and coffee all day!).

Many tiring long hours and near-broken back later, you reflect on why you chose this route and wonder if poor old Martin had to scurry his way through a demanding production company in South West London just so yummy mummies can watch Loose Women on a Wednesday morning before yoga class? Well lucky for you, there are other options in this industry with jobs more attractive that still allow you to pay rent without breaking your back and actually let you hold a camera (say what!). Of course, working your way through a generic film/TV production company can be enjoyable for some but not everyone has the means and headspace to deal with Denise Welch on set (and that’s if you’re lucky!)

So let’s think about the content us Gen-Z soak up every day and the over-saturated visual stimulation the beautiful World Wide Web enlightens us with. The breadth of content is endless, we can pick and choose what and where to find our entertainment, from Netflix, to YouTube and every social media channel in between; we’ve grown up with these platforms and seen them flourish into effective marketing tools for brands. Now this makes for a great area for that buzz word ‘content creation’ – so who makes all that online video content in an attempt to stand out from the very busy crowd? With the rapid rise of video viewing which has almost doubled since 2018, it’s the fastest-growing part of our industry in the UK.

You don’t just have to be an ‘influencer’ or ‘YouTuber’ to promote and design visual content for brands. Production companies like Manto know how to use the techniques practised and taught in the film/TV industry and bring the best to online visual content.

The digital age is heavily ingrained into our lives and brands who are navigating their way in this space need guidance from visual storytellers, like ourselves. This creates an exciting space for creatives and Manto sees this opportunity for filmmakers to expand their careers into the digital realm. You don’t even have to work in London to flourish in your film career, there’s a variety of work in other hubs around the UK such as Leeds.

I was lucky enough to land a spot with Manto and see first hand this path can be equally – if not more – exciting than the usual graduate route into filmmaking – and less of the ‘you’re just a graduate with no experience’ trope! What attracted me to online video production was the huge variety of work; one week you’re assisting dogs on set for a pet food company, and the next you’ve got your head in an edit for a charity that works to rehabilitate young offenders and then you’re slowly pulling focus on a violin while witnessing a beautiful orchestra playing. This allows your creative energy to shine in all parts of the creation process, seeing how a project can go from start to finish, from planning to production to seeing it advertised on your Instagram algorithm. 

Oh, and if you’re dying to get your hands on a big boy camera after practising with industry-standard kit for three years and fed up with the false promises from producers ‘you can have a play with the Red when we have a chance’ – news flash, that time never comes! But don’t you worry, production companies like Manto know you have the capability to tell a story with a camera, why else would you have studied a degree in it and shouted about it in your LinkedIn skills section? Getting thrown in and being hands-on from the outset is such a confidence boost and allows you to really show off your filmmaking skills in a variety of projects.

If you are attracted to the fast-moving environment of the typical TV industry, no two days are the same at Manto. Every day is different as projects come and go with the ever-changing online trends. It’s compelling to learn how to engage audiences’ attention by experimenting with a vast amount of filmmaking techniques for an array of brands. Working in a multidisciplinary environment further hones in on your skills and allows you to dip your toes into all the processes from planning to production (actually using that camera!), to piece the story together in post.

Experience in being a creative all-rounder is vital in such a competitive industry and working in online video production gives you that opportunity. From those promotional videos, you did off your back for that charity when you were 16 because it looked good on your CV, to that bit of graphic design work you did for that society at university, to those photos you took of that band when their ‘official photographer’ dropped out last minute.

You can finally put those skills you’ve endlessly practised into a creative job in this industry (and get paid without breaking your back!). We can all dream of being Martin Scorsese one day, but for now, I’ll happily settle for filming dogs, making dreamy brand videos in the Peak District and using my voice to stand out and tell a story to the goggled-eyed internet.

MANTO FILMS -­ CAMERA OPERATOR/EDITOR JOB AD (Min 3 years experience)

What we’re looking for:

This is an exciting opportunity for a creative and enthusiastic individual with a real passion for the filmmaking process and a head for business, to come in and help the company continue to grow. The role will primarily be split between production (camera operating, camera assisting, sound recording) and post ­production (editing, grading, motion graphics). But beyond that we want someone who can contribute creatively to our projects; who can work closely with our clients; who can help with the day to day running of the company where required. We work as a team and everyone is given the opportunity to contribute ideas, and to bring their ideas to fruition.

We’re looking for someone with at least 3 years’ industry experience. For us ability wins out over qualifications every time. If you can show us that you have a real gift for filmmaking, that you’re hardworking and enterprising, and that you’ve done filmmaking in a professional capacity for at least 2 years then don’t worry about not having the right qualifications.

About Manto Films:

We’re a team of experienced filmmakers who craft compelling stories for brands you’ve heard of. We’re creative, responsive and genuinely in love with film – and with a background in television, we make content that people remember. Our work is hugely varied; we work with organisations ranging from Bettys and Yorkshire Tea to Yorkshire Cancer Research and Harringtons Pet Food, from G4S to Schweppes.

How we work is based around our values. They are:

Be kind

Building strong relationships with our clients and within our team is key. To do this we strive to be trustworthy, to act with integrity, to display professionalism, to be present, to ask for and offer help, and to create a great experience for our clients.

Be brave

We are driven by creativity and a genuine love for what we do. We are risk-takers; we produce work that is innovative and daring. We have the courage to try new things and are not afraid to make mistakes.

Be humble

We have confidence that we produce fantastic work but we have the humility to recognise our imperfections, and so are always striving to learn and improve. We are inspired by other companies and their work, not driven by negative or competitive comparison.

Required Skills:

3 years professional experience
Camera/sound/lighting experience, incorporating a range of equipment
Strong working knowledge of Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects
Familiarity with working on Macs
Good understanding of the online film and video market

Salary:

Basic Salary £24 -­ £27k (depending on experience)

How do I apply?

Drop us an email to info@mantofilms.com, which must include the following:

Full CV
Showreel link (video files not accepted so please upload to YouTube/Vimeo)­
The following information: Driving Licence Y/N, Own Car Y/N, Availability to start ­
A video of yourself answering the following questions:

Why are you suitable for the role?
Why do you want the job?
What is your dream project to work on and why?­

**PLEASE NOTE, APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED WITHOUT THIS VIDEO**

Closing date for applications is Friday 23rd June at 5pm

Creating a video marketing plan can seem daunting at first, but it’s really not that difficult. You just need to know what you want to achieve with your video, who your target audience is, and what kind of video will best suit your needs. Once you have those things figured out, you can work with the Manto Films team to start putting together a video marketing plan that will help you get results.

So let’s begin!

The first step is to determine your video’s purpose. What are you trying to achieve with this video? Are you looking to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or drive sales? Once you know the purpose of your video, you can start to create a strategy that will help you achieve your goal.

When it comes to video marketing, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The best way to create a successful video marketing plan is to tailor your strategy to your business’s goals and objectives. For example, if you’re looking to increase brand awareness, you’ll want to create videos that are shareable and informative. On the other hand, if you’re aiming to generate leads or sales, you’ll need to create videos that are highly engaging and persuasive with a clear call to action. No matter what your goal is, the key to creating a successful video marketing plan is to start with a solid strategy.

Here are Manto’s five steps to creating a video marketing plan to help you achieve your desired results:

1. Define your goals: What do you want to achieve with your video marketing campaign? Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, or generate leads? Clarifying your goals from the outset will help you create videos that are more likely to achieve results.

2. Research your target audience: Who are you making your videos for? What are their interests and priorities? Take some time to understand your target audience before crafting your videos.

3. Engaging your audience: What do you want your audience to learn? (and how do you want to make them feel?) Define what key messages you want your viewers to remember you by.

4. Decide on your platforms: Is it for your website? Is it for a TV Ad? Or are you looking to make a splash on your social media?

5. Allocate budget & resources: What budget, time and staff do you have to kickstart your video process? These factors will help determine the scope and scale of your video marketing campaign.

Well, there you have it. Our five-point plan to help you going. If you want to hit the ground running, our friendly team are on hand to talk you through the video process. Video is a great way to connect with customers and create an emotional connection. It can also be used to build trust and credibility. Contact us and let’s get started! 

Manto Films is a video production company in Leeds. They’re creative, responsive and genuinely in love with video.

Creating a video marketing plan can seem daunting at first, but it’s really not that difficult. You just need to know what you want to achieve with your video, who your target audience is, and what kind of video will best suit your needs. Once you have those things figured out, you can work with the Manto Films team to start putting together a video marketing plan that will help you get results.

So let’s begin!

The first step is to determine your video’s purpose. What are you trying to achieve with this video? Are you looking to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or drive sales? Once you know the purpose of your video, you can start to create a strategy that will help you achieve your goal.

When it comes to video marketing, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The best way to create a successful video marketing plan is to tailor your strategy to your business’s goals and objectives. For example, if you’re looking to increase brand awareness, you’ll want to create videos that are shareable and informative. On the other hand, if you’re aiming to generate leads or sales, you’ll need to create videos that are highly engaging and persuasive with a clear call to action. No matter what your goal is, the key to creating a successful video marketing plan is to start with a solid strategy.

Here are Manto’s five steps to creating a video marketing plan to help you achieve your desired results:

1. Define your goals: What do you want to achieve with your video marketing campaign? Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, or generate leads? Clarifying your goals from the outset will help you create videos that are more likely to achieve results.

2. Research your target audience: Who are you making your videos for? What are their interests and priorities? Take some time to understand your target audience before crafting your videos.

3. Engaging your audience: What do you want your audience to learn? (and how do you want to make them feel?) Define what key messages you want your viewers to remember you by.

4. Decide on your platforms: Is it for your website? Is it for a TV Ad? Or are you looking to make a splash on your social media?

5. Allocate budget & resources: What budget, time and staff do you have to kickstart your video process? These factors will help determine the scope and scale of your video marketing campaign.

Well, there you have it. Our five-point plan to help you going. If you want to hit the ground running, our friendly team are on hand to talk you through the video process. Video is a great way to connect with customers and create an emotional connection. It can also be used to build trust and credibility. Contact us and let’s get started! 

Manto Films is a video production company in Leeds. They’re creative, responsive and genuinely in love with video.

Laura Clark is our newest member of the team. We luckily found her through the Kickstarter scheme. Find out more about her and her motivations for becoming our Video Production Assistant.

So, where did it all start?
I’ve always had a love for film which was why I studied film, photography and media at Leeds Uni.  Having moved up from the South, I’m a northern girl at heart. I am big fan of Leeds: a city abuzz with culture and creativity.

What is the Kickstarter scheme?
Having been introduced to the Kickstarter scheme through my work coach, I think it’s one of the best initiatives that the government has introduced.  I had taken a break from uni and was receiving universal credit.  I initially thought the jobs advertised would be for admin roles but was pleasantly surprised to see lots of creative Kickstarter jobs to apply for.  Manto Films really caught my eye. Having checked out their website,  I was really impressed by their work, their craft and their creativity. They ticked all the right boxes.   I sent in my video application and here I am, having landed my dream job! They also pay a living wage and not minimum wage, bonus! The Kickstarter scheme has given people like me the chance to get ahead in their careers and get into the working world. 

The Kickstarter scheme brings benefits to businesses too as they get to bring young people (16-25-year-olds) who are keen and full of fresh ideas, which really enhances diversity.

Which aspect of the job are you excited about?
Personally, I really enjoy the production side; being on a set and seeing it come alive.  From the joy of capturing a moment to the fun of collaborating with the cast and crew- I’m really just taking it all in! I’m also happy to get back into the office and spend time with the team in person. 

What has surprised you about the job in the first few weeks?
Really the whole process from receiving a brief, to producing, and then finalising the video. Even a two-minute video can be really exciting. It’s been a great experience writing scripts and working with clients on their briefs to give their audience more value.

What are some highlights of the job so far?
On my first day, I worked on a shoot for Harringtons Pet Food. Who wouldn’t love being bombarded by dogs on their first day at work?! 

What is the best thing you’ve learned so far?
The extensiveness of what goes into a project and the attention to detail.  I’ve learnt a lot about video workflows on projects too. I also have my own habits for editing and perhaps some of them aren’t the best, so learning from the team and how they do things has been insightful.  

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
Like most, I’m a big foodie! I’m a vegan so I’m enjoying plant-based cooking and spend a lot of my weekends in the kitchen. I’m also taking part in the 30-day Yoga Challenge.

Give us a fun fact that not many people know?
I’ve been to Fiji: the furthest place to go from the UK! I volunteered in a school and lived with a rural Fijian family for four weeks. 

Where’s your favourite place in the world?
Iceland. I’ve been there twice and I could see myself living there – everything appeals to me like the beach, the values and the culture. I’m a huge environmentalist. Iceland’s how a place should look. The people are so friendly.

What are your words to live by?
“Everything happens for a reason”. It always gets me out of a hole and into a much better place. Try it!

And, the one thing you can’t live without?
My notebook. I’m very traditional and write things down on paper.

Who are your video idols?
Greta Gerwig, a female director, who directed Ladybird and Little Women – two of my fave contemporary modern-day cinema films. Then there’s also Alice Aedy, she’s the epitome of what I want to be when I am older; an environmental documentary maker who stands for climate and social justice (my purpose in life!).

Your fave film picks?
This is so hard. Goodfellas was the first film that I watched that really got me into cinema. Then there’s Little Miss Sunshine. I recently watched a common age Norweigan film called The Worst Person in the World, it was beautiful! 

Do you know that the average person spends 100 minutes each day watching online videos? 

People are consuming online videos more than ever before. Not only that, they share videos with their family, friends and colleagues—a huge opportunity to raise brand awareness. 

Video is the most effective way for audiences to connect with your business. Here’s why:

-84% of people say that they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video

-85% of people say videos help them connect with a brand

-94% of people watch explainer videos to better understand a product or service

-75% of people are more likely to follow a brand’s social media if it has a video

-People retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in the text

Video marketing has the power to attract, convert and retain customers.  It is one of the most effective forms of content when it comes to conversion and leaves a lasting impression on your audience. 

Here’s a video we made for Harringtons Pet Food. This was used across the company’s website and social media. Check out the  behind the scenes video that received over 1.3k reactions on Facebook.

We’re experienced content creators who craft compelling stories for brands, businesses and charities.Get in touch if you have a video project in mind, phone 0113 269 2814 or email info@mantofilms.com

We’re on the look out for a Camera Operator/Editor to join our team

Job Description

We’re honoured that so many students get in touch with us and ask whether they can get some experience or work with us. Unfortunately, due to the volume of requests and type of work we do, there are only a few shoots a year where we need an extra pair of hands. We’ll be sure to put out a post on our social channels when we require some extra help with filming.

In the meantime, we wanted to give something back and provide to give some tips. We hope that these are helpful in following your goal to becoming full time filmmakers or working in a video production company.

• Tip 1 – Experience

Experience is second to none. You’ll probably need to create your own projects outside of your course by approaching people you know or local charities and offer your services free. Whilst this isn’t sustainable long term, it’s a great way to learn and offer something back to people that might be able to afford video.

Skills such as client, budget and project management will prove that you understand every step of the process. Time management is a crucial part of the job, so start to estimate how long things will take and stick to your deadlines as this will be useful throughout your career.

• Tip 2 – Mistakes are ok

It’s not a matter of if, it’s when. And when you do, learn from it. There are often things we get wrong, so we’ll chat about it as a team, test things out, watch some training videos, create checklists, so that we’re constantly improving. It could be a technical mistake, a communication issue, or budget issue. Whatever it is, make sure that you learn for next time so you’re raising the bar.

• Tip 3 – Be passionate

Having a degree in filmmaking is a great step towards a career in video production, but as employers we want to see that you are truly passionate about what you do. For us, it’s often what people get up to outside of their studies that shows us what a person is truly passionate about. If you’re constantly thinking about video, and can’t put down a camera, this shows us a real dedication and passion.

• Tip 4 – Get a showreel

A showreel is incredibly important in showing the variety of work that you’ve been involved in. Make sure it’s the best of the best that you have, make it short and memorable. This is one of the most crucial bits of work that’ll grab people’s attention and make them want to work with you.

• Tip 5 – Be creative  in your approach

We get hundreds of emails every year, that can sometimes feel like it’s been copied and pasted. Our advice would be to be creative in your approach and to stand out. Add us on LinkedIn, send us a bag of coffee, Tweet us….use your creativity to grab people’s attention, it will be much more memorable than a standard email.

We hope that these tips have been useful. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us.

With the dust of 2020 finally beginning to settle, we can certainly afford a moment to sit back, take a sip of coffee and reflect on the challenges we faced throughout this historic stinker of a year. I for one am so proud of the team I work with and what we have been able to accomplish in these last 12 months. As a relatively small video production company based in Leeds, I think the odds have been stacked against us – particularly as many of our clients have had to scale back their marketing budgets. Nevertheless, we’re still going strong and ready to turn our attention to 2021.

When the first lockdown was announced we needed to adapt quickly. Not only were we split up as a team having to work from home, but we had a number of projects at various stages of production that faced uncertainty. Our priority was communication and providing reassurance to our clients that we would work things out. We take real pride in our business relationships at Manto Films and I like to think we helped ease some of the noise and confusion around that time. As months passed, it became clear that we would need to change our approach to video production and think of new ways to keep ahead of the game and keep work rolling in.

Providing Post-production and animation are great ways to remain at home and socially distanced, so as 2020 progressed it became clear that we would need to shout about these services a little louder. We took the opportunity to learn new skills during downtime and further build our knowledge of the equipment we use. A highlight for me personally was when we directed a series of short cooking films for one of our clients over everyone’s favourite video communication app of the year – Zoom. This meant getting the most out of camera phones, basic sound gear, and clever lighting techniques to ensure the end results looked professional and high quality. Certainly, this wouldn’t be the preferred approach going forward but proved we were capable of adapting.

Upon being given the green light to shoot again we had a series of precautions in place to ensure both clients and our team were kept as safe as possible. Equipment was wiped down, social distancing was observed and crew kept to a minimum. Looking back, we actually ended up shooting some of my all-time favourite projects. Between getting Kalvin Phillips of Leeds United to do kick-ups with a Yorkshire Pudding to trying to tame a 12-week old puppy to sit still long enough to get the shot we needed, we certainly have some fond memories to look back on that don’t feel as if they were affected too much by the limitations around us.

I believe we have set ourselves up nicely as we head into this year. We’ve shown we’re able to adapt to constantly changing situations and our client’s confidence in us to achieve their vision is higher than ever. Sure, there’s still a lot of horrible uncertainty surrounding us, but I have faith that between us at Manto Films we will be able to take on anything that is thrown our way.

This past year has been… well we all know what it has been. As a team we have certainly had our low points and we’re not going to pretend it’s been fun.

But through everything there have been some incredible moments of light. From being overwhelmed by some incredible shows of support from our clients, to some exciting and creative film projects, to brilliant big new client wins. Our work ranged from filming an England football star to a line-up of canine hereos. We filmed from Bournemouth to Belfast. We worked with brand new clients and some we’ve worked with for over a decade. So we’re heading into 2021 with our heads held high, excited for what’s in store and ready to tackle anything that’s thrown at us.

And it’s in that spirit that we present our brand new 2021 showreel, showcasing some of the best of our work from the past few years. It’s been exciting for us to look back over the past year and see that, even through the carnage, we’ve done some of our best work, and made some striking, impactful videos.

So grab some popcorn, have a watch and let us know what you think! And if you have an idea for a video project then please get in touch, we’d love to here from you.

www.mantofilms.com/showreel