National Lottery's Big Night in Musicals 2025

The Brief

Freud's agency approached us with an exciting opportunity: to cover the red-carpet event for the National Lottery's Big Night in Musicals 2025 in Manchester. This event was a major celebration marking 30 years of National Lottery funding for the performing arts, particularly in the theatre world. The event featured high-profile names from the West End and was hosted by Jason Manford. Our goal was to capture key moments from the red carpet, conduct interviews with celebrities and performers, and deliver high-quality content for immediate distribution.

The Execution

Our team arrived on-site prepared for a fast-paced shoot-and-edit workflow. We conducted interviews with performers from current theatre productions, focusing on their experiences and the crucial role of National Lottery funding in sustaining the industry.

One of the main challenges we faced was the lighting conditions. The venue had varying lighting temperatures across different areas, requiring quick adjustments to white balance and camera settings to maintain consistency. Additionally, the project had an extremely tight turnaround time. We had just over an hour to edit the content before our train departure. To streamline the process, B-roll footage was edited simultaneously while conducting interviews. This approach enabled us to meet the deadline, and the client approved the final edit on-site.

The Impact

The red-carpet footage was promptly released via PA’s editorial wire and anticipates greater reach when the full program airs on the BBC in March. To maximise impact, we have planned a follow-up content release that will include additional B-roll footage and exclusive clips from the televised show. This strategic approach ensures that the coverage extends beyond the red carpet, generating ongoing engagement and visibility for the event.