Every year, the pantomime season brings a burst of colour, fun, and festive energy — and this year was no exception. I had the pleasure of producing the official trailer for Treasure Island, which took the classic pirate adventure and gave it a clever local twist.

The trailer blends rehearsal footage I shot with a mix of stock video (including ocean scenes and pirate ships), CGI that I created and animated, and even some local theatre magic. A recurring visual motif across all three trailers I’ve made for this production is a timelapse of the Georgian Theatre — but this year, I went a step further, making it appear as though the theatre had washed up on a desert island. The theme this year imagined Richmond as a seaside town due to rising sea levels, which gave me an opportunity to get creative with visual storytelling.

Another fun moment was the treasure chest — which I made appear to be overflowing with Tunnocks Teacakes. This was a nod to a long-running in-joke at the Georgian Theatre Panto, where Teacakes are thrown into the audience during performances instead of the traditional sweets. The gag has become so well loved that a Tunnocks representative now hand-delivers a supply every year. (On a personal note, I’d love to catch the attention of Tunnocks’ marketing team — it would be fantastic to work with them on a future project.)

The overall tone of the trailer was inspired by the sweeping, adventurous feel of Pirates of the Caribbean, with music to match. Designed for both local cinema screenings and digital platforms, the trailer played a key role in driving anticipation and ticket sales.