We’ve always been proud of our post production capabilities, punching well above our weight for a creative agency of our size. One of the many benefits of being based in Leeds is the City’s incredible comms infrastructure, so we’ve invested heavily to ensure our hardware is making the most of it. 

Along with the latest MacPros with 768 GB of RAM each - and an awesome update to graphics and processing speed - we’ve upgraded our cabling infrastructure to CAT6a to allow for faster transfer of data-heavy footage and assets. It means we can turn projects around faster, run 4K workflows more smoothly, and reduce a lot of manual intervention needed with the older hardware.  We’ve also added more than 75TB of portable storage with our new desktop Raid drives that can cope with every type of file and project.

The boardroom’s had an interior design overhaul, for practical and aesthetic reasons. We weren’t sure what would necessarily create the most useful space for keeping everyone connected: go old school with a big formal boardroom table, or go all ‘Google HQ’ and throw some beanbags on the floor. We met somewhere in the middle, opting for comfy sofas and armchairs with space for the whole team. 

We’d always wanted a video conferencing solution where those joining a meeting remotely felt as connected as those physically in the room, and we’ve found it.  Our huge wall-mounted screen occupies a natural spot with great visibility for all, and incorporates a camera that automatically tracks people in the room, ensuring whoever’s talking is always in shot and the view is always optimised for those on the other end. 

The biggest soundbar you’ve ever seen, from its perch atop the screen, beams our friends’ voices into the room with sparkling clarity and definition, and ensures the smallest whisper from the back of the room is captured for all. Goodbye little microphone-plugged-into-the-spiderphone - we won’t miss passing that around.

And finally, despite its compact size, the boardroom inexplicably had the acoustic properties of the Grand Canyon. We’ve carpeted the wooden floor (with another one of Ross’ bespoke designs, and with help from our friends at Interface) and acoustically treated the walls and ceilings, deadening those echoes and soundproofing us from the edit suites next door. 

It’s all made a huge difference to our time in the studio.  Most of all, it’s transformed how we stay connected with each other, and our clients, as we all adapt to post-pandemic ways of working.