Zipline Creative Limited
Zipline Creative Limited is a BAFTA winning South Wales based film, TV and radio production company, best known for its BBC Series Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience and contribution to the Cow- Don't Text And Drive campaign with Gwent Police. The company, founded in 2008 by two former BBC employees, is now based in Risca, South Wales and produces work for TV, radio and corporate clients.
Viral Films
Cow - 2008
"Cow"[1] effective due to its highly graphic nature, had an impact on the national debate in the USA about texting and driving. Following rapid viral success, major news outlets like The Today Show and all the national networks began to cover the film's impact. This was followed by worldwide coverage on news networks, online and in print. Furthermore, the film earned honours in the Advertising Age's weekly Creativity Top 5 video. It is now considered the most successful viral Public safety announcement yet experienced on the web.
The film began humbly, originally commissioned by Gwent Police to be shown only in schools in the county. Having previously worked with local director Peter Watkins Hughes, they were approached by him to produce and shoot the new project on a modest budget. Zipline's core team, Nathan Mackintosh and Rhys Waters, were previously students on Peter's Documentary Film and Television Degree course, who were still working locally and in the process of setting up their own company.
Mackintosh and Waters based themselves in a small unit near Tredegar where they built a large green screen with enough space for a car to be wheeled in front. Alongside this, three identical Ford Kas, two identical Ford Mondeos and two Ford Fiestas were donated to the project by a local car dealer. An abandoned road was chosen to crash the cars in Tafarnaubach Industrial Estate, several miles from the unit. With help from young film makers, local fire fighters and engineers, the team successfully crashed the cars with a multiple camera setup, including a birds-eye view on the impact using a Sony PD170 attached to the bucket of a JCB.
The remains of the vehicle were then transported to the green screen unit, and the internal shots of the impact were filmed with the actresses. Nathan, who acted as DOP also was responsible for the special effects on this scene. Over several months he added the additional layers of blood, smoke and glass.
COW's Success
Following the success online and in current affairs outlets, "Cow" was broadcast on BBC Wales and was then picked up by BBC Three under the banner "Only Stwpid COWZ Txt N Drive".
Television
Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience Series 1 - 2010
Originally commissioned for BBC One Wales and following a successful broadcast, BBC Two decided to broadcast the show on its Wednesday 10 PM slot. The Zipline team worked freelance as producer/directors, editors and also on camera and sound on the series for Presentable RDF. Classed as factual entertainment, the series followed Rhod Gilbert as he tried out jobs he believed to be tougher than being a stand-up comedian.
Binman: Gilbert joined the Vale of Glamorgan County Council's waste management team as he walked 10 miles and lifted 20 tons of waste in a day.
Mum: Gilbert became Mum to seven children for just 24 hours. This included nappy changes and school runs.
Hair Dresser: Afraid of touching other people and having only two days to learn to cut for top stylist Andrew Price, Gilbert had to then cut a real person's hair.
Soldier: Gilbert was inserted into a battle hardened platoon, having to hunt an enemy in the British Army's infamous Infantry Battle School.
Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience Series 2 - 2011
Following the success of the first series on both BBC 2 and BBC One Wales, the original team was commissioned to produce another series of four episodes. The decision was made not to alter the format, aside from having mini sketches of Rhod doing his homework before each role. This choice was based on the thought that it was not the format that attracted people, but Rhods interaction with 'real' characters and allowing them their own space to shine on screen.
Farmer: City boy Gilbert found himself living with the Robinson family, who run a small organic farm in Llandysul, Carmarthenshire. For three days he lived in the farm house, mucked out the cows, tried (And failed) to work with a trained sheepdog and got given his own special tractor. He was also given the task of being an auctioneer at the local livestock market and had an emotional visit to an abattoir.
Butler: Gilbert got trained to be Butler for Sir Brooke Boothby of Fonmon Castle, helping him host a large dinner party for his friends and assisting him clay pigeon shooting.
Tattooist: Gilbert was determined to tattoo a real person and along the way ended up getting a tattoo of his own design and his nipple pierced. Based in Abracadabra Studio, Blackwood, South Wales he was mentored by the legendary Dai Fleet.
Firefighter: Recruited by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Gilbert spent three days training, fighting fires and rescuing dummies from freezing rivers.
Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience Series 3 - 2012
The third series was commissioned in late 2011, with Zipline Creative appointed as co-producers as well as producer/directors for the series for the first time. It was shown on BBC One Wales and BBC 2's 10PM comedy slot during winter of 2012. The team decided to try a mix of normal and more eccentric roles for Rhod to attempt, including 'School Teacher' which turned out to be one of the most popular episodes in the show's history.
School Teacher: Rhod spend 3 days at Monnow Primary School in Newport. In what turned out to be an emotional experience for Rhod, for the first time on the series he found a job that really grabbed him as a career he would consider.
Zoo Keeper: Based at the Welsh Mountain Zoo, Rhod was expected to lead a penguin parade, give a chimp talk and perform with Cousteau a Californian Sealion.
Drag Artist: Mentored by Ceri Dupree, legendary Drag Artist. Rhod took on his most challenging role yet and had to completely transform himself to help get into character for his performance.
Police Officer: Taken on by South Wales Police, Rhod took part in a drugs raid, helped police a major sporting event and was mauled by a police attack dog.
Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience Series 4 - 2013
A fourth series of Work Experience was commissioned in late 2012, again with Zipline Creative in their permanent role of co-producers of the show alongside Presentable. Most of the filming took place in spring 2013 and the series was broadcast on BBC One Wales in June. It was also broadcast on BBC 2's 10PM slot in August, and repeated on BBC Wales the following year in April 2014.
Wedding Planner: Rhod had to put his deep rooted scepticism of weddings and marriage behind him as he took on the challenge of planning a real wedding for a real couple in Miskin Manor, South Wales. Tasked with everything from the wedding cake to engineering the bride's secret wedding day surprise, Rhod was pushed fully out of his comfort zone.
Scout Leader: The comedian was challenged with spending a full weekend as a Scout leader on a Scout Camp in Swansea in chilly February. He was given the responsibility of not only taking care of large groups of children, but helping them to learn orienteering, teamwork and survival skills; all while keeping in line with the Scout's strong traditional values.
Coach Tour Guide: Hired by popular Welsh coach tour holiday company, Edwards, Rhod was appointed as a tour guide for 30 pensioners on a trip to Belgium. In addition to all the practicalities of planning a trip abroad, he had to organise daytime activities in Antwerp, Bruges and Brussels, and was responsible for the happiness and wellbeing of all holidaymakers throughout the trip.
Male Model: This was a unique episode in the series, as modelling is something Rhod had no previous knowledge of or interest in whatsoever. After a number of rejections from top fashion modelling agencies, Rhod explored the alternative areas of modelling, including character modelling and life drawing. He eventually got hired by Welsh fashion designer Julian MacDonald to attend a catwalk show in Merthyr, and managed to secure himself some work as a hand model for a garden centre.
Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience Series 5 - 2014
The fifth series was commissioned in early 2014, and was aired on BBC One in the autumn of 2014.
Fisherman
Vet
Hotelier
RAF Fighter Pilot
Gareth Thomas : Game Changer - 2014
A 60-minute profile feature, documenting the life of the popular Welsh international rugby star. Broadcast on the 26th of October 2014.
Radio
Social Club FM - 2012-13
The first radio comedy series produced by Zipline Creative, Social Club FM, was a BBC Radio comedy sitcom based in a Valleys social club, starring Elis James, Chris Corcoran and Nadia Kamil. It ran for two series from 2012-2013 and was very well received critically. It subsequently gained a cult following with prominent comedy enthusiasts and a spin-off TV pilot was produced for BBC3's Feed My Funny. Written by Elis James (8 Out of Ten Cats, The Committee) and Gareth Gwyn (The News Quiz, The Armstrong And Miller Show, Russell Howard's Good News) it was helmed by Sony Award Winning Producer Ben Walker.
Passing On - 2014
Zipline's second radio comedy show, Passing On, was written by Gareth Gwynn and produced by Ben Partridge, and stars Felicity Montagu, Richard Elis, Keiron Self, Katy Wix, Simon Armstrong and Melangell Dolma. The six-part series was produced in May 2014 and is due to broadcast throughout July and August on BBC Radio Wales.
Based on Gareth's own personal experience, the plot follows the story of two very different brothers who are forced to reunite on a monthly basis thanks to an unusual clause in their mother's Will. Concerned that her two sons might drift apart after her death, she testates they meet up once a month to entrust the other with her ashes. They must do this every month without fail until the youngest brother's fortieth birthday.
The Unexplainers- 2015
Open-minded rap star John Rutledge and sceptic stand-up comedian Mike Bubbins travel the nation unexplaining the most unexplainable mysteries.
The first four episodes include:
1. Are we surrounded by ghosts?
Mike and John find themselves drenched in ghost energy or ‘Ghenergy’ as they hear accounts from real ghost witnesses and even conduct their own ghost investigation in a haunted pub in Pontypool, South Wales.
With the help of some ghost hunting experts, they set up equipment to connect with spirits from the realms beyond science. Will Mike have his paranormal third eye prised open for him to dare to believe? Will John glimpse a full apparition of a ghost? Find out by listening to the evidence..
2. Are big cats on the loose in the UK?
Mike's aunt once had a big cat, it was black and close to 2% larger than the average household cat. But across the UK, there are rumours of much larger cats, Pumas, Leopards and ferocious cougars living wild a terrorising farmland.
With permission from a key eyewitness farmer in North Wales, the Unexplainers set up a big cat watch nerve centre, but will a trap set with offal and, a trail camera reap rewards?
3. Did an alien spacecraft crash in North Wales?
Tabloid press dubbed it the Welsh Roswell, or RosWelsh, but did an alien loose his no claims bonus by smashing into a mountainside in north wales? John’s well educated in the ways of Aliens, he’s seen at least 3 alien films and scored 10 on a ‘How to tell if you’re an Alien’ quiz on Facebook.
Mike and John hit the road north to track down first hand witnesses to extraterrestrial events. When John puts up some posters in the local town of Llandrillo they hit the eye witness jackpot and find themselves en route to the arguably exact spot where a spaceship possibly did or did not crash.
4. Do fairies live among us?
Despite most people considering fairies to inhabit the realm of make believe, there is a large and growing army of people who claim to see them on a regular basis. John isn’t one of their ranks, but he wants to be, so so badly.
Heading out into the ancient British countryside, the duo go in search of a chance encounter, a fleeting glimpse or a full blow package holiday to another realm. Recruiting the help of real witnesses, Iceland's leading Elf ambassador and a reluctant physicist from CERN’s Hadron Collider, the hunt is on.
The debut episode reached number 10 in the UK podcast charts and it has been considered a hit considering the circumstances of its rapid rise in the charts.
Corporate Work
Through its corporate wing, Zipline Creative has produced work for the likes of Aston Martin Lagonda, The Institute Of Advanced Broadcast, The University of Wales College, Newport, and worked with legendary actress Margaret John. They also regularly work with local councils and not-for-profit organisations in Wales to produce campaign films and video content.
The Size Of Wales - 2011
Rainforest charity the Size Of Wales, worked with Zipline to produce their second successful viral campaign. Shot and released in October 2011 it aimed to get the people of Wales to donate and help purchase large portions of rainforest for conservation. By mid 2012, donations have topped £1m with the video getting nearly 17,000 hits in 24 hours.
Discover Merthyr Tydfil - 2012
Zipline produced an online promotional film for Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council to feature on the Visit Merthyr website, with the aim of promoting activity tourism in the area. Helicopter footage of the Brecon Beacons area was used in the film to demonstrate the natural beauty of the area, and local people were recruited to take part in the range of outdoor activities featured.
Future Giants - 2013
Zipline's first ever cinema advert was commissioned by Cardiff Sixth Form College to promote the higher education centre to prospective new students. The advert was produced in the style of a Hollywood film trailer, and featured current students at the college walking around the city of Cardiff in the form of giants. Zipline worked together with special effects company Burning Reel and used their onsite green screen studio to create the illusion of real giants in the city.
Time To Change Wales - 2012-14
The Welsh mental health charity have produced a number of projects with Zipline Creative over the last two years. The first of which was 'In the Case of Dylan', a bilingual advert broadcast on ITV and S4C which highlighted the issues people often face when returning to work following leave due to mental illness, and encouraged people to talk about mental health. The advert was re-released in 2013 for cinema broadcast in South Wales. Zipline also produced event coverage films for TTCW in 2013, and a series of animated adverts in 2014 which were broadcast on S4C and nominated for an Inspire Wales Award.
Trades Union Congress animation - 2014
The TUC commissioned Zipline to produce an animated advert to raise the issue of the cost of living crisis affecting young people in the UK. The advert was shared nationally on social media and appeared on an ITV current affairs programme about the campaign.
Awards
The team won a Welsh BAFTA for their first series of Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience, two Celtic Media Festival Award's for their second and fifth series of the Rhod Gilbert programme, and the Chamber Of Commerce Award for Young Welsh Entrepreneurs of The Year 2009.