Dan Won’t Burn
Producing a Branded Commercial in the North East: The Boots x Dan Burn Video Shoot
When a national brand needs a commercial produced in the North East, they need a production company that can take a project from the brief all the way through to the finished film. For the Boots campaign featuring Newcastle United and England defender Dan Burn, that company was Candle & Bell.
Working with WPP Productions, we provided full production services for a shoot at Newcastle United's media centre, looking after crew, logistics, casting, set and costume, and every call sheet and risk assessment in between. The finished video has since gone on to amass millions of views across TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. Here's how a branded commercial like this comes together, and why brands trust an independent North East production company to deliver it.
A production partner brands can rely on
Candle & Bell is an independent, multi-award-winning production company based in Gateshead, working across film, television, audio and digital. Over thirteen years we've produced commercial content for some of the biggest names operating in the region and nationally, including Newcastle United, Greggs and Adidas, alongside an award-winning slate of film and broadcast work.
For agencies and brands, that combination matters. A commercial shoot needs the creative eye of a film company alongside the operational discipline of a production services team, and the Boots video needed both.
Finding the right crew
Every great commercial starts with the right people behind the camera. One of the most valuable things a local production company offers is a trusted regional crew base across camera, lighting, sound, hair and makeup and art department that can be assembled quickly and to brief.
For the Boots video shoot we crewed up across the North East with people who know how to think and work quickly but safely. With just eight hours to film every scene, that really mattered.
Behind the camera was Rob McDougal, an experienced self-shooting DOP from Newcastle who brings loads of creativity and enthusiasm every time we work with him. Lighting the day was our gaffer Roberto Colapietro, and on sound we had recordist Richard Scott (known affectionately around the Candle & Bell office as "Tommy"). It's a crew we trust to move fast, solve problems as they come, and keep the day running calmly even when the schedule is tight.
Working with crew we know across the region means we can put together a team that's the right creative fit and stays on budget, without flying a unit up from London. Keeping everyone on track was our 1st AD Lucy Turner, who brought energy and a real sense of fun to set.
Coordinating talent and casting
Working with high-profile talent like Dan Burn brings its own demands, from scheduling around availability to liaising with their representatives and making sure every minute on set is used well. Whether a commercial is built around a recognisable face or needs supporting cast and extras sourced and managed, casting is a core part of what we look after.
For the Boots video shoot we worked with local casting director Camilla Fox, a trusted collaborator we've partnered with on many commercials and branded videos. Camilla brings a brilliant network of local cast and background artists, which means we can find the right faces quickly and reliably. That's a real advantage when you're casting in the North East to a tight turnaround.
We handle the logistics so the talent has a clear, professional experience from call to wrap, and the brand gets the performance they came for.
Set design and dressing
We were fortunate that Newcastle United let us use some of their facilities for the shoot, but the spaces still needed to be designed, and props and dressing added, to make sure everything felt part of the world we were creating.
Our set designer Lisa Davidson did a brilliant job building and dressing the news conference set the video was staged around. From sourcing and building to dressing and continuity, this is the kind of detail that gives a commercial its production value, and it's where having an experienced art department really shows.
Costume and styling
Costume and styling carry a surprising amount of a commercial's message. Our stylist Emilee Fallo tracked down exactly the right "Dan Won't Burn" football shirt for the campaign and dressed the wider team, making sure every piece of wardrobe sat right with the brand, the talent and the idea behind the video.
Hair and makeup is just as much part of the picture. Our makeup artist Laura Tallentire had to apply the Boots logo to Dan's neck in a fifteen-minute window, and handled it beautifully. She is brilliant under pressure. We look after styling, hair and makeup as part of one joined-up production, so the wardrobe, the set and the overall look all work together.
Why brands choose Candle & Bell
Producing a branded commercial means hundreds of moving parts all arriving in the right place at the right time. Crewing, scheduling, casting, set, costume, compliance and client management all have to work together, and that's what a full-service production company is there to handle.
The Boots video with Dan Burn is a recent example of how that works in practice: a national brand, a high-profile talent, an agency like WPP Productions with excellent creative ideas, and a North East production company trusted to make it happen on the ground. It helped enormously to have Tosin Idowu at WPP Productions as agency producer, a proactive and excellent communicator who was a real pleasure to work with, and Ed Harper as director, who was full of energy and creativity.
If you're an agency or brand looking for a production services partner in the North East, whether for branded commercials, content, or a full-scale production, we'd love to talk. Email us at hello@candleandbell.com to start a conversation.