September 17th marks InVision’s ten year anniversary. Although the current work climate is somewhat challenging, I’ve enjoyed the adventures of the past decade as much as the 20 years I spent working on the TV News frontline. And no-one has tried to shoot me with my InVision hat on. Apart from the film we produced in Syria….but more on that later.
Setting up a business in 2010 was far from easy. Companies across the world were still reeling from the financial crash of 2008 and communications budgets were being slashed. Approaching clients in the hope of securing work was also a very sobering lesson for me on a personal level. For 20 years I had called people or press offices with the opening words “Hi. It’s Chris Roberts here from ITN/Sky News.” Even if they didn’t really want to talk to me, I was part of the media establishment and that meant they had to respond in some way. Cold calling or emailing when you’re looking for work is a completely different game. If I’m totally honest, I estimate less than 10% of the work InVision has delivered over the past ten years was actually generated by that kind of approach. 20 plus years in the media however had given me, and other members of the InVision team, the opportunity to build up a network of contacts across a wide range of industries. Those connections gave us a “foot in the door” and the chance to develop and grow working relationships.
I thought it might be fun to take a trip down memory lane this month and revisit some of the film projects I’m most proud of from the past decade. In my TV career I was handed a diverse variety of assignments and it’s been the same story with InVision. There was one month for instance where cameraman Simon Elsbury and I went from documenting the extraordinary work being done by an aid agency in Syria to filming in the Moët & Chandon cellars in Épernay. I’m immensely proud of both of those films but the contrast could hardly be greater.
We’ve helped charities raise their profiles and raise millions in donations. We’ve worked on campaign issues such as climate change and mental health. And we’ve filmed with luxury brands and celebrities.
We’ve evolved so much as a company over the past 10 years and continue to adapt in these changing times. We are supporting clients by delivering media training via Zoom/Microsoft Teams. Camera crews have also gone through Covid-19 training to ensure we offer the safest possible environment when filming. It’s been a rollercoaster at times and I’m sure the next decade will have its highs and lows as well. What will remain constant however is the love of storytelling that I, and the rest of the team at InVision bring to the work we do.
Chris Roberts, InVision Founder and C.E.O.