We recently launched our UnDiscovered Aberdeen campaign to showcase the city in a new light and appreciate all the things it has to offer. Communication Design student Jake Irvine worked part-time with our Marketing team to create our hero YouTube video. He shares his experience with us and what he’s learned, along with his own perception of Aberdeen in this blog.
How did you start your journey on the UnDiscovered Aberdeen campaign?
I did have some previous experience with the marketing team before the UnDiscovered campaign, initially helping out with grip work, setting up lighting and being the extra pair of hands on set for the videographer. This allowed me to learn his ways through a highly professional but intensely enjoyable method of working. I was then asked if I might be interested in taking a role to fill in for him when he left RGU, which I was happy to do.
After this, we created the promotional films for the Gray’s Master’s Degree Show before beginning to look at the existing plans for UnDiscovered Aberdeen, and what a brief might look like in terms of requirements for coverage and deliverables. I was then given the brief from the team, which was to create a hero film to promote Aberdeen and the shire as a destination for all, and connect everything back to RGU.
This was the first time working on a project this large by a long shot. I had only started learning and creating video less than two years before I started working with the marketing team, so going from personal projects or small film commissions to a massive campaign was incredible, a challenge for sure, but getting thrown in the deep end always means you learn to swim faster.
I was inspired immediately by my own experience over the past few years being at university, despite being from the shire and living here most of my life, I was still finding things that I loved, and small places that were absolute gems to me. This was something I wanted to try to share with others through the film – the vast amount of small things you can enjoy. It was a chance to not only sell Aberdeen and the shire, but to sell a bit of my Aberdeen and the things I like.
How did you come up with the idea behind the hero video?
The film for UnDiscovered Aberdeen came around as a combination of ideas taken from the team, but also drawing from the best place for inspiration – the creative community. There are so many incredible creatives out there who make the most amazing work, so I have always been inspired by their ideas. I consumed as many advertisement campaigns as I could find that had different tones, different styles, and started to take the best bits from each of them and thought about how they might come together.
The first real idea was simply starting to write a script from scrappy thoughts in my head of all the little things there are, from cafes, landscapes, food, bars, and events. I wanted to find a way to connect them all, and together we all drafted ideas for the first script, and the film was basically born from there.
How was your experience working with the marketing team?
Working with the marketing team was just the best experience I could have been given. It was my first real experience with a full corporate environment, and one which has introduced me perfectly into that world. Everyone I worked with truly loves what they do, every interaction and meeting was just filled with people enjoying their work and sharing that experience.
There was a culture of always trying to help others with anything, no question was off the table or silly. I never once felt like I was alone in my work, and being part of a team that was so encouraging of someone who wasn’t even finished university, and to trust me with such a large project was amazing.
I think it has set me up for a career post-university perfectly, knowing the function of a corporate environment and just how willing everyone is to get things done gave me confidence that no matter where I land, I will be able to contribute and enjoy my work as much as I did over the time at RGU.
What were the highlights of the production process and your proudest accomplishments?
The highlights of the production for me had to be meeting so many different people all across the city. We worked with different businesses and organisations, students and staff, and being able to meet new people every day and work with them to create something fun was incredible.
Sugarbird and Second Home come to mind first as they were so accommodating for us coming in to shoot in their space, having lights set up and a camera waved around, and played the part all the way through. But truly everyone I had the chance to work with outside of RGU but also within the University and the Marketing team were great.
My proudest accomplishment with the campaign has to be just getting it all made. It certainly took a lot longer than was originally intended, mostly due to myself, but being my first ever large project and campaign of any sort, everyone in our team was so understanding and knew we would get there.
When I pulled everything together for my final year folio, I really saw just how immense this project was. Days of shooting at more than twenty locations with new people at each one, even though they would be a small part in the large puzzle, it was a lot to pull together for my first experience on a large project. I have no doubt this will make the next ones easier, but looking at this one, I am so happy with the work we all made happen across the city.
What challenges did you face and what did you learn from them?
There were definitely a few challenges along the way, time was the biggest one as I am sure it will be for anyone else, but for filming over winter it was especially challenging. The days were short so we had to plan around small windows for shooting, along with weather being a nuisance at times – but that’s winter. It was also hard to manage so many people and locations.
There were times I knew time management wasn’t the best on my part, but it was something that the project taught me the importance of, and when things are planned well, you can achieve a lot in a short time. I was still studying for my final year during most of the production, and managed to keep up relatively well with both. Sarah and Stacey from the Marketing team were incredibly understanding of my time constraints being in my final year, and we still managed to make everything work in the end.
I think the biggest learning of the project was how to plan for such a large production. I had already started building a way of working for bigger projects of my own; however this was truly on another level.
I had always worked solo on my projects, so learning how to build something effective but collaborative was important, and once again the marketing team was great at facilitating the way I work and incorporating it into theirs. Our team on the destination film were great at always sharing things and getting back quickly to everyone at every step of the process, and it really felt like there was a smooth system in place.
So, I guess teamwork is the most important thing I learned. You are always going to be working with people who do things differently, so finding that balance of personal workflow and teamwork for planning and creation was great.
What is the one thing you would like viewers to take away from the campaign?
The one thing I can say honestly has been there since the beginning as the key motivator for me in the campaign, has to be that I want people to just find one thing – one thing they haven’t done, haven’t seen, haven’t been to – and go and explore it, discover something they might love. Maybe you don’t like something, maybe it’s not for you, but going out and doing these things is how you find something to love.
Take this, for example, Aberdeenshire is where my absolutely crazy fascination with coffee comes from. The small group of people who will stand and chat over how we changed the water by a few degrees and got a different taste? That’s the things I want people to go and find. And shoutout to the amazing coffee scene in Aberdeen, for a small place, this is just one of the things people are so passionate about, and there’s plenty more like it.
What is your own experience of living and studying in Aberdeen?
Having studied in Ayrshire for a year before deciding to study at RGU back home, I can say the experience for myself was different to what I imagine any other city is. You are in such a great place to get everything – the Highlands, Cairngorms, Edinburgh, all perfectly within reach when you want to go somewhere else, but there are so many amazing places around Aberdeen and especially the shire that I love.
It’s not the biggest place ever, but there’s something nice about that, everything is close together, and never feels out of reach. I personally love that I live outside of the city, but I am a half hour drive from the University or city centre, so I get this change from city to country in a small space that I love, it keeps me feeling free to do anything and refreshed every time I go somewhere. Not to mention all the great places I still love finding that aren’t that far, as a filmmaker and photographer, the changes in scenery are incredible for me, and just this year I have covered landscape, cityscape, and seaside fishing towns without ever leaving Aberdeenshire.
My experience comes down to exploring places and appreciating the variety available you just don’t get elsewhere, and the people within that space.
Quickfire Questions
Best spot for coffee?
I am far too into coffee at this point, but if you want something in town, Cult of Coffee is the place to go. Outside Aberdeen, The Coffee Apothecary is where it all started for me, that will forever be my number one.
Best Brunch Spot?
Has to be Mount Café and their brunch club. Jack and Lauren are the best and just have this amazing community feeling there, and they know their brunch menu.
Bar of Pub?
Fierce is always on the list, you cant beat a menu of crafts like that. It’s a small but mighty place, many good nights to be had.
Desperate to try?
Strangely it’s Sugarbird! Although I have had drinks, being there for the film and capturing that grazing platter? Will be attending without the camera this time.
Best Bakery?
Bandit bakery just gets it right every time, their sourdough is the best and they always cook up something crazy every week. SourCloud is one to look for, they are small but do the best pastries in town if you are quick enough.
Drink of choice and where are you having it?
Jubel peach every time, either at Ivy Lodge or if it’s a speakeasy type of night, Under the Hammer.
Somewhere that surprised you?
Greyhope bay. It might look like it’s still part of the city, but it’s a great place to unwind that I never expected, and on the coast road too which is always a great one.
A hidden spot you love?
The Flat stones to me, or known as the Lords Throat. Its my side of town, but the most amazing little place to chill out on a nice day.
Where are you going on your day off?
I am usually found on such days at the Coffee Apothecary. Days off are rare, but when they come around I will work my way down their reserve coffee menu. It’s a place I always know is great to relax with friends or a book.
Jake Irvine
Related blogs
A Student’s Guide to Lunch: Top Spots in Aberdeen
The best places to explore as a student in Aberdeen
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