Who are Sitcom Soldiers?

Who are Sitcom Soldiers?

Sitcom Soldiers Ltd are a video production company situated in the North West of England. Founded in 2002, the last ten years has seen them form an extensive global client base by developing a variety of different projects consisting of thousands of videos. On the 30^th of August 2014 they opened their head quarters in Bolton, England, along with a 6000 sq/ft Studio space containing a large blackout space, a monumental 59ft of infinity cove wrap around, a set build area and additional space in studio’s B and C, along with a client green room and make-up area.

The inspiration for Sitcom Soldiers was born of a combination of a prepossessed love of music – with most of the team having previously played themselves – and meeting video directors while travelling America. Their first video to be produced was a live shoot for the band ‘Counterfit’ in 2004. Founder Ben Thornley said “[They] announced their band was splitting up and to play one last gig… so we jumped on a plane and went to document the show”. Since then, the company has been producing a barrage of visually inspiring videos for clients all around the world.

Music video’s are the company’s core medium, and they have worked with such prolific artists as Funeral for a Friend, Of Mice and Men and Lacuna Coil. The Blackout have had numerous videos produced by the team, including ‘Higher and Higher’, ‘Get the party started’ and ‘Running scared’, and when asked to comment on their experience lead vocalist Gavin Butler was quoted saying “Gents and Scholars the lot of them. Technically and visually gifted. Have always enjoyed working with them” (Via @GavinTBO). Further praise came from English rockers Bury Tomorrow when they stated: “They’re awesome! Best we’ve worked with for sure!” (Via @burytomorrow). It doesn’t stop there though, as well as ‘Alone’ ft MGK by Sleeping with Sirens, Sitcom Soldiers also directed the highly successful video for ‘Kick me‘, which is a live shoot of an intimate show performed at Camden Underground in London and has gained more than 4.5 million views on YouTube

Their expertise are not limited to music videos, however. Over the years Sitcom Soldiers have expanded their platform to direct and produce commercials for television and corporate videos in order to advertise various products and companies, with some of their clients including Jaguar, EA Sports and Roberto Cavalli. “It’s a natural progression” says Ben “ and it allows us to expand and explore new creativity which is always our goal.” It’s not all work and no play, however. The team maintain an element of fun in their work and have fostered the tradition of capturing a “group shot” at the end of every shoot in one last attempt to get everyone in front of the camera and commemorate their time together.

In addition to their video production, the company offers a work experience programme that has taken on a vast number of young people looking to learn and gain experience from the industry. Work will often consist of making cups of tea or coffee, or carrying equipment; sometimes they may be “spinning bits of wood on a rigged system to achieve a desired mechanical lighting effect”. The programme is challenging, but successful. A lot of the people accepted on to the work experience programme have gone on to work with Sitcom Soldiers on a freelance basis, while references from the company have allowed others to go on to work on shows such as Game of Thrones and other highly accredited productions.

Sitcom Soldiers are an example of how dreaming big and working hard can pay off. They are a dedicated team of creative and innovative thinkers, with a passion for what they do. As they have grown over the past thirteen years they have developed a well earned track record of lucrative and popular videos, as well as a prolific client base with names that dominate the music industry. With plans to continue their art and a programme that helps to encourage young people to follow their ambitions, Ben’s advice is simply “work towards your dream a small amount everyday. Consistency is key”.