Everyone has that group of mates, ideally riding mates, where things get wild and out of hand quite easily. Much like a big one up contest. This is my group of riding mates, The Firm. The name came from the WhatsApp group name and then it somehow became a thing and I wanted to start making webisode style videos to document the vibe and the laughs. Just for the boys to look back on and enjoy and nobody else, but as it turns out other people enjoy watching them, so winner winner.

These are possibly the most core videos I've ever made. Born right from the scene right here in the north west.

The Firm spans far and wide. We even got Harry Schofield involved in this one, somehow.

These videos aren't so much projects, just fun little pieces with my mates that tend to fly under the radar. Have a watch, they'll make you smile I'm sure!

Every year I like to shoot 2 or 3 videos for the fun of it and have full creative freedom over projects I can really thoroughly be proud of. And these videos usually have the best vibes and get the best feedback. They usually do pretty well online seeing as they're 'organic content' and there is no brand/sponsor/website tied to it.

I’ve wanted to shoot something proper with Alex for a while now after seeing the wild shapes and slides he posts on Instagram. After getting to know him on the EWS circuit the past few seasons, we recently slotted in a few days whilst he was home to hit up his local North Wales spots and see what we could put together, armed with the pan-and-zoomer and fisheye, along with some disposable Amazon specials. A passion project on both sides. 

​The disposable cameras were probably the most fun part of this whole video. 39 shots per day, one small flash and patience were the name of the game. Waiting for, and predicting, the best shape of the rider is quite a skill and one I haven't mastered, but I still got some good shots here and there. 

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Somebody said to me that people click on my videos because of my style, and that style shouldn't change. And whilst I fully agree with them, I also feel like things should evolve for the better as a person changes. Things can't stay the same, it'll stagnate. The task is evolving my style for the better whilst retaining all of the things that make my style what it is. For example, combining fast paced pans and zoom, raw music and fisheye with dabs of high res slo-mo and cinematic edge to bring the production value up further. Which, I have for lack of a better word, completely neglected for 10 years whilst thoroughly enjoying camcorders, dad cams and fisheye. I know I have done really well in my specific niche, but I as a filmmaker have to show that I can still excel in other areas.

One of my most recent videos with Josh Lowe, shown above, shows some degree of development into combining the old school vibe with dabs of slo-mo to work on the pacing a little bit, as is the Ronan Dunne video below. That video let me play with the C70 a little bit and was one of the first videos to combine the C70 with the PXWz280 pan and zoomer. 

I think slowly but surely I will incorporate a more slick and polished nature to certain video and documentary style projects that require that vibe, in order to also help me get me more work and extend the client list.

But at the same time for most riding videos or 'shreddits' along with feature length films, like Tea & Biscuits 3 (which will happen at some point), they will stay in the classic pan and zoom / dad cam style. Which still is and will always be my favourite style to emulate. 

Photos by Will Brignal for YT Industries & Reverse Components.

It's been a good while since I've kept on top of this site and blog. Knocking on 6 years in fact. But I'm going to try and continue posting BTS photos and stories from projects I've worked on along with gear updates and general ramblings.

It was a great evening down at the Pinned TV HQ chatting to them about cameras, racing and everything inbetween for their PinnedTV podcast. Check it out on the link below - ​https://open.spotify.com/episode/2IgyxvdQcKqKRR6ggEAupc