Day Thirty Seven, Neasden
Great visuals, the temple had a team of about three videographers and a drone operator - combined with the attending press snappers it turned to chaos pretty quickly.
Edit came together pretty quickly and we got it out before Rishi visited the next day...
Tour round-up video
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Day Thirty Six, Burton, Stoke on Trent, Macclesfield
A long but great day.
Had three stops and an emergency one at the local MP's house (to do a quick to piece-to-camera with Bangladeshi community media after something Keir said was taking out of context). Didn't get any lunch but was fed crisps at about 16:00 by the MP. Keith Brymer Jones was lovely, and the crowd cheered their conversation. Ended at lovely sunny village hall overlooking a cricket ground.
Matthew Doyle, Director of Communications, got lots of phone calls in the car about what things would look like after the 4th - which he answered fairly straight bat.
The mood was buoyant. I don't think anyone was asking the Tories similar questions.
Tour round-up video
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A sixth form.
Back on the bus for a bit.
Making ‘Change’ mugs. Keith started crying not long after…
Stop three for the day. Photos by Tom Pullen
Day Thirty Five, Nottingham
Another debate tonight, but a quick visit beforehand to a GP.
A chat about the 08:00 rush with staff and then some patients. I had made a film and suite of content about the rush when the Tories 'fixed it' when I was Head of Creative Content at Department of Health and Social Care.
I finished relatively early and didn't have any role in the debate itself, so took the chance to have a relaxed evening.
GP Visit
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A chat with some very surprised patients.
Secret edit spot as Keir is interviewed. Photos by Tom Pullen
Day Thirty Four, Hammersmith
An incredibly powerful conversation with the family of knife crime victims.
It was a long time in the making, with a lot of hard work from the Head of External Relations for Keir.
Idris Elba was there too as part of his campaign. Keir had met everyone at the table multiple times, their hope for his Premiership was a reminder of what this is all about.
Knife Crime Roundtable
Twitter: 155,000
Photos by Tom Pullen
Day Thirty Three, Kettering
Great vibes from teachers and students in Kettering.
Filmed a Q&A and a Scottish Get Out To Vote message. Finding a suitable backdrop five hours drive south of Gretna was a challenge, so went with an anonymous bush.
In the edit I wanted to include a bit where Keir told the media studies students to chat with the journalists (which was really sweet) but was told to make it about dentistry instead.
Pupil Q&A Video Views
Twitter: 190,000
Packed
Bridget and Keir. Photos by Tom Pullen
Day Thirty One, Ashton-Under-Lyme
Ange's team and I set up cones in the dew so we could spell out "Make Work Pay" via drone. It was like a Big Art Attack.
Angela passed me the microphone after she spoke to the crowds and I organised over 100 activists over the PA which was a laugh. At one point the very enthusiastic crowd kept chanting and we feared we'd started a cult beyond our control.
I didn't really get enough time to get things spot on, which in my head was the video starting off with her strutting (a little like the pride clip people often share of her) before the drone launches into the air. It still came together well but an iconic start would have drawn people in.
Make Work Pay
Twitter: 113,000
Success.
They all LOVED Angela.
Day Thirty, Whitburn
Off to Scotland early again (at this point just assume that each day was an early start), got some evocative coastal footage through the train window.
My family were at the Royal Highland Show which we drove right past. It would have been a more exciting visit than the window factory and still very much speak to the Scottish economy, with the added benefit of countering some of the Tory lines on us being anti-farmer.
Back at base people wanted more women in the video, but the female employees had actively asked to avoid the limelight.
Window Manufacturer
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Keir and Anas. Photos by Tom Pullen
Day Twenty Nine, York
A relatively simple visit, I keep trying to keep an eye out for Labour garden stakes outside houses for a shot from the car, but I guess the nature of us visiting marginal seats mean we see less of them.
The drone footage from the day looked fantastic.
Videos from Manchester and Kew went out too.
Daniel, Estate Agent & Keir Housing
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Photo by Tom Pullen
Day Twenty Seven, Mayfair
I got minimal notice to head to Mayfair to film a billionaire switcher, it was all very hush-hush. We had to take our shoes off not to scratch the marble floor in his house.
Chris Mason and Jack Slater from the BBC were there. They shot a sit down interview using a slider nestled amongst all of John's glitzy suits on mannequins. John's comms person took my card. Perhaps one to check in with down the line.
John Caudwell Switcher Video Views
Twitter: 120,000
The gaff featured in a C4 doc.
Day Twenty Five, Kew
A big gap while I cleared loads of content from manifesto launch. Went to see the Titan arum in bloom across the road.
During this time my films with cancer survivor Nat, as well as Brad and Wes's conversation went out. I was really pleased with the Nat edit, it was one of the rare times in the short campaign I was able to put something more considered out. I'd put it together months ago but we'd decided to keep it for the campaign. Spending the day with Nat and filming him change his colostomy bag was humbling.
I also got to grips with my Ronin 4D which I bought to set myself up post-election. I shot around Kew for a 'whistle blower' estate agent video. The interview wasn't full of revelations, so I was a little concerned about manipulating the interview too much. But the team that commissioned it, wanted it blurred with anonymous voices.
Nat, Brad & Wes Video Views
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Less stinky than I’d hoped.
Day Twenty Two, Manchester
The venue looked incredible, people leaning over barriers all the way up to the 11th floor. Though someone had draped a banner in protest over the edge.
It was great to see a few of the shoots I'd organised printed in the manifesto, including my cousin Georgia and her son Rory. I shot on 70-200 and Toby on gimbal and we pooled footage for me to edit.
Additionally, I shot the CO-OP CEO, Holly the first time voter, cancer survivor Brad and Wes Streeting, and Angela. As well as some behind the scenes of Keir speaking to Nat and Daniel.
At one point more protestors smashed the glass at the front of the building, but Keir didn't miss a beat and powered ahead with his speech.
Manifesto Launch Video Views
Twitter: 226,000
The Shadow Cabinet sign each others manifestos. Photo by Tom Pullen
Day Twenty One, Grimsby
The night before we had fish and chips at Steels in Cleethorpes. Back in Grimsby in the hotel bar an alcoholic fisherman's behaviour slowly deteriorated.
At the visit the following morning I assumed Keir's mind would be elsewhere ahead of the debate, so prepped Louise Haigh, Shadow Transport Secretary, to say our line on potholes. We then went to a round-table at the football club and had a really in-depth chat about the lives of some local attendees for an hour and half. I filmed it just in case, but it was mainly just for him as debate prep.
Sadly the edit for the mechanic never went out. It was a lacklustre ten minutes of looking at some cars, so I didn't mind too much. I tried to put some life into it that afternoon after the shoots were done while making my way to Manchester, but by 18:00 the team had switched to debate mode too.
Blundell Park, Photo by Tom Pullen
Wouldn’t have thought it was possible, but an even bigger press presence. Photo by Tom Pullen
Waiting for the debate. Photo by Tom Pullen
Day Twenty, Redcar
A visit and some autocue bits today.
Three nice jokes all slowly removed from the edit during sign off, it was still nice in the end but could have been nicer. Ultimately risk-aversion makes sense when you are ahead in the polls. However, our research on public perception says many 'don't know' Keir and see him as too much of a ‘politician’.
One of the visit team drove us across the country ahead of the Sky TV debate, while KS filmed with Gary Neville, and I honestly feared for my life.
Dental Announcement Video Views
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Press huddle on the playground.
Teeth brushing lesson.
Photos by Tom Pullen
Day Nineteen, Leyton
Stopped off for a quick shoot at a scrapheap before heading off for another few days away from home. To keep bags light I went in my linen suit, unsurprisingly this wasn't the best outfit for pissing about with scrap. The workers were pretty brusque to begin with, but by the end we were joking around. It was great and nice to do it under my own steam. It would have been the most exciting thing to the Robot-Wars-and-Scrapheap-Challenge-loving ten year old version of me.
I didn't have a brief, so plenty of freedom. I styled the video like the 90s piracy adverts and it was the second most viewed asset I produced in the campaign. Used a drone, 360 camera, C70 and iPhone all at some point or another. Operating all four single-handed was a challenge.
Crusher
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Tory-branded dirt-bike that we had great fun crushing.
Day Sixteen, Brent Cross
Sarah Sackman MP, Keir, Angela Rayner and Sadiq Khan.
One microphone didn't connect and there was no way to pull Keir out to fix it in front of the masses of pooled cameras. Had to go off the shotgun mic on a windy rooftop which wasn't really viable. Tried to get a narrative from clipping the news, but they weren't really biting on the line of the day - it was all about Rishi's D-Day blunder.
Neither Angela, Keir, nor the first time buyer mentioned Labour's building plans, so had to add it through on-screen text. Managed to get a couple of nice shots but narratively I had very little.
Housing Announcement Video Views
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Photos by Tom Pullen
Day Fifteen, Normandy
Keir and Zelenskyy.
Up early to travel by motorcade to the event.
A lot of world leaders in attendance so security was extreme. We sped down a closed motorway as we approached the venue and then through little villages where locals waved flags and the gendarmerie lined the streets, saluting us as we passed.
Spoke to Rishi's team again, civil service rather than Tories, I must admit I quite enjoyed being a big deal. Keir stayed to mingle further with veterans. The PM had left having got two quality photos pushing a veteran in a wheelchair and looking at a passing air display. We didn't really know how significant his departure would be at the time.At one point I was suddenly surrounded by three large security guards and I had to explain in broken French why I wasn't wearing a pass. When I got out the similar pass from the previous day's event they calmed down.
The footage was fantastic, both poignant and visually striking. I got loads of messages and congratulations when I next walked into the office.
Leaving took us ages as the amount of well-wishers was overwhelming. I guessed that the crowd skewed right which made me feel good about our chances - even they were excited.
D-Day, France Video Views
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Keir and His Majesty, The King.
David Lammy and Keir take a moment to reflect. Photos by Tom Pullen
Day Fourteen, Portsmouth
The Red Arrows.
I saw a few former colleagues from Downing Street at the event, all were lovely. Attending was a privilege. The VTs playing on big screen were brilliantly produced. Maximum pomp and a little bit of sunburn.
On the D-Day landing craft Dan from ITN left his shotgun mic in the middle of the floor, naturally I stood on it moments later.
D-Day 80th Anniversary, UK Video Views
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Tom and I run ahead before the landing craft door is opened.
Photo by Keir’s Press SpAd, George Mason.
Photos by Tom Pullen
Day Twelve, Bury
Up to Bury early to film ten of Labour's ex-military candidates for their constituency campaigns and be second cam for Keir's speech at the Royal Fusiliers Museum. Everything I produced went into local ads, but Toby's speech video gets used.I shared a taxi to the station with some of the candidates; they all had the camaraderie you'd expect.
As we travelled the Liberal Democrats photo-bombed Rishi from a boat. The narrative around his campaign clangers was a welcome boost for everyone.
John Healey and the boss.
Photos by Tom Pullen
Day Ten, Uxbridge to Harlow
I made then pop their seatbelts on. The rules may be different on busses but no-one wants the hassle.
Toby Brebner, Keir's long-time freelance videographer, and I were able to share footage which immediately upped production values. We paired it with an A cam from Broadsword, who provided live-stream support throughout the campaign. It's great when they are around as you can wear one or two less hats.
I edited Angela's video and did a couple of extra stops on the bus after Keir left. I persuaded Martin (who was right next to John Prescott when he punched that guy) to find time for me to get some drone footage of the bus; it proved invaluable.
Angela's Bus Video Views
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Photos by Tom Pullen
Day Nine, Greenock
Dolphins spotted.
I travelled up by train for the Scottish First Steps Launch the day before and had to go via Edinburgh, but managed to arrive in time to join everyone for a curry.
At the post-speech visit we saw dolphins, which excited everyone, especially Ed Miliband, Shadow Energy Secretary and former Labour leader. I made a great cold open featuring the dolphins (which I thought would be a real thumb-stopper) but it got taken out. Everything I produced in Scotland went into adverts not socials in the end.
Travel back was a nightmare, we missed our flights (our normal taxi/staff car hadn't been booked) so had to get a train which then ground to a halt near Birmingham and we ended up having to go cross country.
Photos by Tom Pullen