All the best for video production, corporate video, video marketing, videography, film production and media production across Manchester!
If you know Manchester, you’ll know it’s chock-full of creative people, creative places, and creative energy. That’s why we love working in Manchester and with Manchurians!
Manchester is a great city best-known for its music, architecture, and theatre. With the Bee Gees, Oasis, Man Utd, and even Emmeline Pankhurst calling Manchester home, it’s a powerhouse of creativity and cultural weight.
But did you know that it’s also a hotbed of production companies? We bet you had no idea how big and bright video production could be, whether it’s in Nottingham, like us, Simply Thrilled, or further afield in Manchester. There’s a reason the city’s motto is Concilio Et Labore (‘By wisdom and effort’ for those of us who need to brush up on our Latin).
Read on to find out more about the top production companies in and around Manchester.
The companies on this list are specially selected by us based on the quality of their work.
You don’t have to have read many headlines recently to see how much of a hit local independent creative businesses have taken with current events. Obviously, we’d love it if you got in touch with us, but if we’re not your cup of tea, please do buy locally and support any of the businesses on this list 😊
Simply Thrilled
First up, check our showreel!
Simply Thrilled is a creative video production agency specialising in video production with a team that works not only nationwide, but worldwide. Our collective of creatives have bags of experience in production, post-production, concept development, marketing strategy, and much more, so you’ll always get the full in-house treatment when you decide to work with us. Whether it’s a slick and professional internal comms video or a bright and engaging brand film or tv advert, we know how to bring the thrills.
Whether you’re looking for a:
- promotional video
- animated video
- explainer video
- marketing video
- event video
- product video
- social media video
- music video
…Simply Thrilled is your one-stop shop!
We’re different from other companies and not just because we’re so friendly. We combine artistry with science, plugging data into every project we work on to get the best response from your audience. With our proprietary ViralPixel technology, we sweep the digital space to understand exactly what will make your audience tick, and use that information to inform what we do. That’s how we weave magic into every video, and it’s why our portfolio has reached 53 million people!
Contact us today to find out what we can do for you (and keep on reading if you want a whistle-stop guide to video production in Manchester.
Anattic Films
Anattic creates high-end commercial advertisements for television, broadcast and online. This video and film production company based in Manchester was founded in 2015, and they have an ethos of being good humans who make good films. Anattic also dabbles in the faculty of documentaries and social content with a keen emphasis on creating engaging films that communicate bold ideas and bold styles.
Anattic boasts that their work has taken them all over the world, and they state that they are special because they have fresh ideas and good taste. Their collective of directors specialise in specific types of video, like Daniel Agha-Rafei’s fashion, beauty, and identity films, and Alice Halstead’s music, humour, and narrative videos. Past clients include names such as Mastercard, TicketMaster, Amazon Music, Co-Op, and John West.
Brickhouse Productions
Brickhouse Productions is a video production company that can be found in the heart of MediaCity. Brickhouse offers a full service, producing every aspect of a video production project from scriptwriting and storyboarding, to filming and the final edit. Producing content that educates and entertains, as well as creating content that also informs its audiences, is what they strive to do. They have worked with some big brands and have produced commercial, sporting, events, and industry videos — an array of different content for their clients. Past Brickhouse clients include Argos, Speedo, Panasonic, and Russell Hobbs.
The Gate Films
The Gate Films have advertising at the heart of what they do, producing advertisements and photography across a multiplicity of genres for over 20 years. As well as offering video services to create these ads, they also offer an animation and VFX service to open up and provide more options for those clients that are wishing to create an advertisement with motion graphics for their business.
The Gate Films is different in such a way that they have their own roster of directors, giving client projects a variable vision from a choice of directors. Director names include Caswell Coggins who is best known for directing the first teaser trailers for Jodie Whittaker’s 13th Doctor in 2018 and Sven Harding who draws upon his art school and music video background to give a unique vision on advertisement. Past clients include Soreen, Seabrooks Crisps, and Old Jamaican Ginger Beer.
Creative Moose
Creative Moose is another company who offers the full package, offering photography, video, and animation services. The team that make up Creative Moose are award-winning in their own right, with clients such as The Department for Transport, Highways England, Ambrose Wilson, and the North West Air Ambulance Charity.
As well as having services in photography, animation and videography, Creative Moose have 360 tours, a social video club, event filming services, aerial drone services and even time lapse video services. Although based in Manchester, their team works all over the UK.
Standby Productions
Standby are always standing by to create the next project, as their name would suggest! With a knuckle-down approach, they take their work seriously, but not themselves as they are always up for a laugh. Standby is run by directors, producers and creatives to ensure that every project is as unique as the next. Standby also pledges to make their films environmentally friendly and in this way it makes them the first sustainable video production company in the North.
Standby creates an array of different video projects, whether that be TV commercials, corporate videos, promo films, or social media content. Interestingly, they offer a package for brands and businesses who want social media videos that allows them to produce content for £700 per month. Past clients of Standby Productions include, The National Lottery, Apple, Land Rover, and Velcro.
Daylight Moving Image
Since 2004, the Manchester-based video production company Daylight Moving Image has been creating content that helps connect brands to their audiences. Specialising in making marketing content for the education, property, and business sectors, they consider themselves professionals who create ‘purpose-driven, authentic films’.
The main area of expertise at Daylight Moving Image is the production of films for businesses that can be shown as documentaries, TV commercials, web movies, promotional films and more. Their website hosts a bunch of their ‘light work’ projects, which showcase the variety of skills that the Daylight team possesses. Daylight likes asking questions and discovering things, and prioritises storytelling over viral content. Past clients feature names such as Chester Zoo, Manchester Airport, Aveeno, and Unilever.
Impress Video Production
Some things may not impress Shania much, however this company might! Next up on this list is Impress Video Production, an agency that has won awards for producing creative stories for brands. Impress has locations in London, Manchester, Nottingham, and Derby, so they can operate on a local and national level. With ten years of experience in commercials, documentary, and film, Impress has worked with big businesses and new start-ups.
The Impress team tends to specialise in many different areas in production and here are a few: event video production, animated explainer video, live streaming video services, and TV advert production. They also have lots of blog posts on their website. Past clients include Bentley, dpd, McLaren, Frenger Systems, and BMC.
The Mob Film Co/Mob Sport
The Mob Film Co/Mob Sport is a video company that specialises in creating videos for the sporting division and Mob Sport. This company is multi-award winning and has been creating videos and content for the past 20 years, originating in London and transitioning to Manchester, and bringing the big city lights with them.
The Mob team works with the very best in the business. Their awards range from BAFTAs, New York Film Advertising Awards, Effie Awards, and Clio Awards. The Mob doesn't only create content for the sporting industry. They have also branched out to help other brands and companies get seen by a bigger audience with inventive and creative methods. Previous clients range from JD Williams, Audi, David Lloyd Clubs, Alton Towers Resort, and Manchester United.
Sugar Free TV
No need for a sweet tooth with the next entry on this list. Sugar Free TV has been around for fifteen years and prefers a hassle-free approach when it comes to a client’s project. Sourcing crew, location cast and more, Sugar Free do not find themselves confined to just the Manchester region. They cover the likes of the North East, Yorkshire, Liverpool, and Scotland.
Describing themselves as a ‘northern power house’ in the centre of Manchester, they offer a host of services regardless of budget, whether it’s a full service or ‘just a friendly PA with some local knowledge’. The Sugar Free services these guys offer include stills service production and video production. Previous clients include names such as Nike, Deliveroo, Adidas, and Kelloggs.
GroundBreak
Groundbreak describe themselves as an award winning video production company. Based in Manchester, the Groundbreak team aims to film, create, animate, and ultimately bring ideas to life. They love film and consider themselves to be original thinkers and always aim to inform, inspire, and provoke with the power of video. Their small team combines a variety of expertise.
Groundbreak is more of a promotional video company and agency, creating advertisements for businesses whether that be in the corporate vein, events and social media advertising, or something else. The Groundbreak team likes to bring fun and creativity to every project. Video may be at the heart of what these guys do but to bring magic to it, they specialise in animation whether that be 2D or 3D. Previous clients include Dover Fuel, Rhyme & Reason, Hustle Coffee, and Vodafone.
Thinktank
Thinktank Video is a video company in Manchester which describes itself as the #1 Manchester video company! Thinktank comes with a rich history, starting up in 1997. Initially they began creating video messages through animation and film and have gone on to create video content with innovative and global strategies. Although based in Manchester, they boast that their projects have taken them all around the world, like Monaco in the Middle East.
Since their inception, Thinktank has garnered many awards such as broadcast TV awards and science and industry awards for scriptwriting, and many more. Thinktank is an in-house company which means that they have small, flexible crews on standby so that all their focus will be on their clients, allowing creativity to continue to grow. Services they specialise in vary widely, from corporate video to industry video. Thinktank has worked with clients such as Alfa Romeo, ITV, HP, the BBC, Sky, Warner Bros, the NHS, and the FA.
Broadwalk Studio
Standing out a little from this list is Broadwalk Studio, a ‘design focused motion agency’ based right in central Manchester. They state that they are innovative and experienced with a team of ‘creative thinkers and doers’. The six-person Broadwalk team is all about getting great returns on investments and alongside the production expertise they blog about marketing, digital content, and offer job tips.
Working with brands, corporate clients, and agencies to create brand films, commercials and event videos, Broadwalk produces a variety of projects to suit and meet the needs of their clients. Voiceover production, VFX, online/offline editing, grading, and finishing, design, and scriptwriting are just a few of the areas of which Broadwalk specialise in, aiming for a top-notch product for their clients. Speaking of which, here are a few of them: Universal, the BBC, Ministry of Sound, Umbro, M&S, Simply Be, and Aldi.
Video Ink
Next up on this list is something a little different, a different kind of video if you will. Video Ink is the next entry upon list, specialising in creating music videos to ensure that an artist's first, second, or third single creates a buzz in a very particular style. Video Ink is a music video production company based in Manchester which has created over 400 music videos for worldwide artists. Whether it’s for rock or smooth crooners, Video Ink aims to create ultra stylised, unique, and cinematic videos each time.
In order to guarantee that their clients reach a bigger audience and a wider fandom, Video Ink aims to ensure that every musician that approaches them gets their latest single launched in the right way. Video Ink works with all levels in the music industry, from newer acts and bands who have just signed to a music label to those that have been around for some time. Some of the clients Video Ink have worked with include the BBC, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, Sony, and Fearless Records.
Chief Productions
Chief Productions state that they are one of the UK’s leading independent TV production companies and boast that they have created iconic adverts and programmes for the small screen. Chief Productions has been in the industry since 2002 and is based in the heart of Manchester’s MediaCity. This company films on-location and they have their own headquarters with a 10,000 square feet studio. In their studio they have VFX artists as well as 3D artists to provide a top quality product from set to screen.
Inside their humongous studio are two separate studios: Studio 1 and Studio 2. Studio 1 contains a large infinity curve while Studio 2 contains a 3-sided infinity curve. This has helped them to develop content in one of the biggest sporting cities in the world. Chief has connections with big names such as Manchester United, Liverpool United, and Manchester City. Some of their previous clients include Paddy Power, Comic Relief, TalkTalk, Coca Cola, and Screwfix.
Centre Screen
Centre Screen calls itself a film and multimedia production company and boasts of many years of experience in creating award-winning installations across a range of projects. For over thirty years Centre Screen has been creating audio and visual products for companies such as heritage sites, museums, sporting attractions, and more. With so much time as a company, the team at Centre Screen has witnessed the digital revolution in the film production industry and has been riding the wave from the beginning.
Over the years, Centre Screen has received a multitude of awards for their work and has gained experience across a wide range of sectors. They are based in the iconic Granada Studios and Bonded Warehouse which have been regenerated into a creative hub. Centre Screen also specialises in AV media, iPhone apps, 4D experiences and more, all made with the intention of inspiring, educating and entertaining their client’s audience. Previous clients include names such as The National Maritime Museum, York Minster, Stonehenge, and the Richard III centre.
Toasted Productions
Toasted Productions is based not only in Manchester’s MediaCity, but Salford in East London, making them a national company. As a creative media company, they specialise in many different types of media. Some of their work includes video and TV work, working with documentaries/factual programming, digital content and social media, animation, promos, and so forth. Toasted Productions aims to always look out for new ways to innovate and embraces opportunities to grow and collaborate.
Other sectors of the business include DVD authoring, audio forensics, and audio editing. The final area this business specialises in includes timelapse. This includes capturing the construction of a building, watching traffic and more. Previous clients include Chester Zoo, Barclays, and Manchester Urban Institute, but also for artists like Björk and Pink Floyd. Pretty cool!
HSQ Productions
Last but not least, we have HSQ Productions. Founded by Adam Smith, HSQ Productions is a Manchester-based video production team which travels across the UK for it's clients, always aiming to produce great visuals. HSQ was created with the intention of keeping every business relevant and not falling behind with the latest trends. Some of their services include social media video, website video, and event video.
Interestingly, HSQ have a ‘Done In A Day’ philosophy, a 24 hour policy wherein they aim to get a client’s product filmed, edited, and finalised within 24 hours, meaning that they focus on one project at a time to give the client a project that is well thought through and personalised to the client’s needs. As HSQ allows the client into the editing room, they encourage communication between the editors and client to ensure that the final stitching of the product is done exactly to the client’s needs and requirements.
Phew! That certainly was a jam-packed tour of Manchester’s production scene. Be sure to check out any companies you’re interested in, or, while you’re here, give us a bell! Get creative and see what we can bring to your brand or business.
Simply Thrilled
Us again!
In search of a creative ally to manifest your ideas? Your quest ends at Simply Thrilled, Manchester's premier video production agency that excels at converting concepts into immersive visual narratives. We're about moving pictures, moving stories, moving audiences!
Our combination of unrivalled expertise, innovative ideas, and a zeal for storytelling positions us to put your brand in the spotlight. Experience the potency of video and join us on a stimulating creative expedition in Manchester.
Why Opt for Simply Thrilled for Video Production in Manchester? Experience esteemed company: We've partnered with organisations of all sizes - from single person start-ups to big-name brands like Universal, Island Records, Wellpet and Bose. Our Manchester-based video production accomplishments have been recognised by global news platforms such as The Guardian and BBC News.
Our results speak volumes: Our projects have achieved true virality, amassing a staggering number of views and engagements: 59 million views on YouTube alone, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of likes, comments, and shares.
Audience intelligence is our strength: Utilising Viralpixel, our proprietary creative tool, and industry-leading research and social listening platforms, we pinpoint and engage your target demographic with absolute precision.
Bursting with innovative ideas: Our creative know-how ensures that our concepts make a memorable impact on your audience. Typically, for every open creative brief, we generate a minimum of 4 fresh ideas.
Your Video Content Partner: Committed for the long haul, we can provide large-scale video content under tight deadlines. We've been known to deliver entire campaigns within a mere fortnight.
Narrative experts: Our history within the film and TV industry empowers us to leverage the emotional power of storytelling for our commercial video projects, offering you Hollywood-quality narratives within budget constraints.
Check us out at www.simply-thrilled.com
