THE JOURNAL

Ideas that Move.

Insights, stories, and expertise from the studio floor.

Producer and finance manager reviewing a printed video budget at a studio meeting table in London

The real cost of a London corporate video, broken down honestly

A quote landed on my desk for nine grand. Another for twenty-six. Same brief. Here is where the money actually goes, and the line item nobody warns you about.

A presenter and crew reviewing footage on a monitor during a corporate video shoot in a London studio

The five most expensive corporate video mistakes, and how to avoid them

A client showed me a £30,000 brand film his sales team had never once sent to a prospect. It was beautiful. It was useless. That video taught me the five mistakes that quietly waste most corporate video budgets in London, and how to spot them before you sign anything.

Behind the scenes view of crew operating a broadcast virtual set with LED wall and tracked camera in central London

Building a broadcast-ready virtual set in central London, behind the scenes

I watched a client's CEO walk onto our set, look at the wall behind him, and ask where the green screen was. There wasn't one. Here is what actually goes into a broadcast-ready virtual set, and why the invisible parts are the ones that decide whether your video looks like television or like a webinar.

Crew filming a presenter through multiple set changes during a content day in a London virtual studio

A year of video content shot in two studio days, and how that works

A head of marketing told me she was out of video budget by March. We did not give her more budget. We gave her two days in a London virtual studio and a plan, and her content lasted until the following January. Here is exactly how the maths works.

A presenter mid-keynote on a London virtual studio set with crew at the production desk

Why London brands are quietly moving keynotes into virtual studios

A FTSE comms lead told me she'd stopped booking ballrooms. Her keynotes now run from a virtual studio in central London, and her board never noticed the room had gone. Here is what changed her mind, and what it should change about yours.

We Can Tell When ChatGPT Wrote Your Video Script

We Can Tell When ChatGPT Wrote Your Video Script

AI is brilliant for getting a first draft down fast. The problem is that ChatGPT and Copilot have default habits that sound fine on paper and fall completely flat on camera. A few small tweaks make all the difference.

Tom Burke on loss aversion and how it drives buying decisions

Loss Aversion Is Running Your Deals and You Don't Know It

Prospect Theory says people fear losing more than they want to gain. The deals that close are the ones where the cost of inaction was made concrete, not where the gain was sold hardest.

The Inverted Pyramid I Use for Every Executive Email

The Inverted Pyramid I Use for Every Executive Email

Executives scan email rather than read it. Lead with the conclusion. Put everything else below it.

Tom Burke on why business cases get rejected before the meeting

Why Your Business Case Gets Rejected Before the Meeting

Generic ROI calculators and pitch-deck business cases are being quietly filed away before they reach the decision-maker. The deals that close are built around the prospect's specific outcomes.

What Social Procurement Means for Cold Outreach

What Social Procurement Means for Cold Outreach

Buyers are using LinkedIn hashtags like #IAmBuying to pull vendors toward them. The traditional interruption model of cold outreach is collapsing.

Tom Burke on using pre-meeting videos to transform first sales calls

The 80% Video That Changed My First Calls

Most first calls are product demos in disguise. A pre-meeting video that answers the questions every prospect asks changes that dynamic completely.

Tom Burke on the 57 percent problem in B2B sales

The 57% Problem in Every Sales Conversation

Buyers complete 57 to 70 percent of their purchase decision before they speak to sales. That changes everything about what the first call is actually for.

Tom Burke on why giving prospects permission to say no closes more deals

Why I Stopped Pushing for Yes

Buyers who feel hunted stop talking. The counterintuitive discovery from negotiation research: giving someone permission to say no opens the conversation that pushing for yes always closes.

What CFOs Actually Want to Hear

What CFOs Actually Want to Hear

Talking to a finance director about brand vision is like suggesting a surgeon rely on healing crystals. CFOs care about LTV to CAC, risk mitigation, and business outcomes.

Tom Burke on why silent deals aren't dead deals

Why the Deal That Went Quiet Isn't Dead

No decision beats every named competitor in B2B sales. When a deal goes dark, it rarely means they chose someone else. It means nobody made the case for change compelling enough.

Tom Burke on the eleven-stakeholder problem in B2B sales

The Eleven-Stakeholder Problem Nobody Mentions on the Sales Call

Winning the champion feels like progress. It usually isn't. The real buying decision happens in rooms you'll never enter, and most deals die there.

A professional filming an authentic video on a smartphone

Why Most Business Video Fails (And It's Not Your Production Budget)

We spend thousands on video and wonder why nobody watches it. The problem isn't the camera. It's what we're pointing it at.

Content creator in dark studio with camera and laptop

What Does Premium Actually Mean? (And How to Make Your Brand Feel Like It)

We use premium and luxury interchangeably, but they are completely different things. Here is what actually makes a brand feel considered — across your videos, socials, and everything in between.

Close-up of a Røde podcast microphone with warm studio lighting in the background

The Podcast Hosting Formula: 7 Techniques That Make Episodes Unforgettable

Most podcast interviews are forgettable because the host is performing, not connecting. Here's what actually works.

Getting Over a Fear of Public Speaking

Getting Over a Fear of Public Speaking

A funny yet painfully honest take on learning to survive public speaking

Creating Buyer Journeys with Interactive Video

Creating Buyer Journeys with Interactive Video

Interactive video makes buyer journeys

How Spatial Audio Is Changing the Way We Hear Podcasts and Videos

How Spatial Audio Is Changing the Way We Hear Podcasts and Videos

Summary This blog post explores how spatial audio is transforming the experience of listening to podcasts and watching videos. By placing sounds in a three-dimensional space, spatial audio creates a m

Creating Engaging, Tailored, and Concise Corporate Training Videos

Creating Engaging, Tailored, and Concise Corporate Training Videos

Evolved corporate training with engaging, concise, tailored video content.

Stop Winging It and Start Scripting for Success

Stop Winging It and Start Scripting for Success

Strong scripts drive successful video communication.

The Impact of AI on Website Sustainability and Publishing

The Impact of AI on Website Sustainability and Publishing

Boost script delivery with key insights & practice.

Tired of Boring Training? Ignite Engagement with Video

Tired of Boring Training? Ignite Engagement with Video

Engage employees with effective training videos.

Keep Your Audience Hooked Understanding the Golden Thread

Understanding the Golden Thread

The Golden Thread

Maximising ROI on Your Corporate Video Productions

Maximising ROI on Your Corporate Video Productions

Strategic video = ROI. Plan, track, use online platforms wisely.

Boost Employee Engagement with Video

Boost Employee Engagement with Video

Effective internal communication thrives with authentic, clear, and accessible video.

Video Tips for Effective Storytelling

Video Tips for Effective Storytelling

Capture attention, build trust, and boosts engagement in today’s world.