Scottish National Party | Air Content Studio

Key Services Delivered

Videography
YouTube Production
Short-Form Content Creation
Advertising Creative
Documentary

Key Takeaway

This campaign reinforced one of the qualities I bring to every project: confidence in unfamiliar situations.

Whether it's a live event, a political campaign, a celebrity appearance, or a fast-moving documentary-style shoot, I'm comfortable walking into environments I've never seen before, making quick decisions, and capturing the footage needed to tell the story effectively.

Overview

During a major election campaign, I was brought in by the Scottish National Party to support their video content production across a wide range of campaign activities. From late March through to 7th May, I worked with the campaign team multiple times each week, producing content in fast-moving environments where there was little room for mistakes and no opportunity for retakes.

This project tested not only my technical skills as a videographer, but also my ability to stay calm, adapt quickly, and confidently deliver under pressure.

The Challenge

Election campaigns move at an intense pace.

Locations change rapidly, schedules evolve daily, and many filming opportunities happen only once. The content needed to be captured professionally while keeping up with the demands of a live campaign.

The project required:

Fast turnaround content production.
Filming in unpredictable environments.
Working around high-profile public figures.
Capturing authentic moments without disrupting events.
Producing content suitable for large-scale digital advertising campaigns.

My Role

Ongoing Monthly Content Production
Every month I spend three dedicated production days with the business:

Campaign Advertising

I filmed video advertisements that formed part of the party's YouTube marketing campaigns. These adverts achieved significant reach, generating millions of views throughout the campaign period.

Event Coverage

The campaign involved filming a range of speaking engagements and public appearances, including events featuring:

Alan Cumming
Martin Compston
These events required a documentary-style approach, capturing key moments while working within busy venues and live audiences.

Following the First Minister

A major part of my role involved closely following John Swinney throughout the campaign trail. This meant regularly filming in new environments with limited setup time, often needing to assess a location and begin shooting immediately.

Working Under Pressure

One of the most valuable aspects of this project was the variety of situations I was trusted to handle.

Examples included:

Filming live campaign events.
Capturing behind-the-scenes moments on the campaign trail.
Working in crowded public spaces.
Producing content around high-profile political figures.
Filming in unique real-world environments with little preparation time.

One memorable example involved filming the First Minister alongside the Hebridean Baker inside his kitchen while he was actively baking. The space was tight, the schedule was fixed, and the moment could not be recreated. Success depended on being able to enter an unfamiliar environment, make creative decisions quickly, and confidently capture the footage as it unfolded.

The Approach

My focus throughout the campaign was simple:

Stay adaptable.
Work confidently in unfamiliar situations.
Make decisions quickly.
Capture authentic moments without slowing down the event.
Deliver footage that could immediately support campaign objectives.

Rather than relying on controlled studio conditions, the majority of this project involved operating in real-world environments where flexibility and initiative were essential.

The Result

Large-Scale Reach

Campaign advertisements achieved millions of views across YouTube.
Content supported the party's digital election campaign throughout the campaign period.

High-Profile Production Experience

Filmed alongside nationally recognised public figures.
Worked closely with the First Minister during key campaign moments.
Delivered content across a wide range of locations and event formats.

Demonstrated Reliability

The project showcased my ability to step into high-pressure situations, work independently, and consistently deliver professional results regardless of the environment.