Media Arts

08/08/2025

Started in 2004 by swapping redundancy for a dream. 20 years on, still bringing remarkable stories to life.

07/08/2025

That Time I Slept With a Saxon Princess (Well… Almost!)

I’ve already shared my love of working on heritage projects, but here’s a little behind-the-scenes story I probably shouldn’t tell…

When archaeologist Steve Sherlock discovered the Anglo Saxon Princess burial site near Loftus he pulled some amazing Saxon jewellery out of the ground, including a stunning gold brooch encrusted with precious stones as I shared earlier.. It was soon decided that an exhibition would be put together to showcase the finds at nearby Kirkleatham Museum.

As part of the planning team for the exhibition, I had the privilege of producing four films for the project. One particular day, I was asked to collect the brooch, which was being cleaned at Durham University, and deliver it to the museum the next day.

That meant I was the temporary custodian of a priceless royal artefact… and I felt the weight of that responsibility!

So where do you safely store an ancient gold brooch once worn by a Princess?

I decided the safest thing to do would be to put it under my pillow when I went to bed, safely ensconced in its protective casing!

I barely slept a wink that night but I delivered it safely the next morning, and (until now) only me knowing how close I had been to this stunning and rare piece of gold once worn by a Princess.

06/08/2025

Preserving the Past Through Digitisation

Another rewarding part of my heritage work has been digitising rare and fragile materials – books, maps, images, and even glass lantern slides, thanks to a specialist qualification I completed at King’s College London.

This work has taken me into some fascinating places, including a proud moment where I met the late Queen during the opening of Newcastle’s New City Library, where some of my digitised work was on display.

These two lantern slides pictured here were so faded and damaged that you could barely make out what they were. But with the right scanning equipment and a bit of patience, the detail that emerged was incredible. The clients were amazed, and I’ll be honest… so was I.

Digitising materials like this doesn’t just restore them it protects them and it allows more people to see them as part of exhibitions or websites and ensures they aren’t lost altogether to time.

05/08/2025

🏛️ Bringing History to Life Through Film

One of the most rewarding parts of my work is collaborating on heritage-based projects. As someone with a real passion for history, helping to tell the stories of the past through film feels like a genuine privilege.

Over the years, Media Arts has partnered with archaeologists, collection managers, museums, libraries, galleries, and cultural organisations – each one offering a fascinating glimpse into the past.

I’ve also earned two qualifications from King’s College London, in digitisation and care and handling of objects, which has deepened my appreciation for working with historical materials.

If I had to choose a favourite? The Anglo-Saxon Princess exhibition at Kirkleatham stands out. A royal burial site discovery, remarkable storytelling – and some absolutely stunning jewellery, including the piece pictured here.

01/08/2025

Last week we shared a behind the scenes look at recording Anna Brand Creative’s podcast. Now hear what Anna had to say about the experience 🎥👇

Always great to help passionate people tell their stories.

Anna Brand (of Anna Brand Creative and the B. with Anna Brand podcast talks about working with Neil at Media Arts.

30/07/2025

More often than you’d think, people feel nervous, sometimes really anxious, about stepping in front of the lens. And I get it.

You can be told a hundred times to “just forget the camera’s there”… but there is a massive lens pointing right at you.

I’ve been there myself. I’ve had to present to camera before and honestly… I hated it. There’s a reason I prefer life behind the camera!

I was asked recently on a podcast how I help people overcome that nervousness. The answer?
👉 Empathy.
👉 Calm.

Because I genuinely understand how it feels, I do everything I can to make things relaxed, normal, and laid back. No fluff, no ego, just helping you settle in, be yourself, and maybe even enjoy the experience.

So if you’re feeling camera-shy - you’re in good hands!

28/07/2025

There’s something really special about working with small business owners to help them achieve their goals through video.

They’re driven, passionate, and deeply connected to what they do. When we team up to tell their story through video, the impact can be seen (and felt) almost immediately.

Some of my clients have kept me by their side for years, and it's been a real privilege to grow alongside them. Together we’ve grown and developed capturing their milestones, cheering them on, and helping bring their vision to life.

Being a small business owner isn’t always easy. That’s why I love celebrating others’ wins, and if I’ve played even a tiny part in that success? That’s the real reward. 🙌

25/07/2025

🎬 Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with some incredibly talented, and often recognisable faces.

From interviews and talking heads to sportsman’s dinners, live music, and even a cookery TV pilot (filmed in the poshest kitchen I’ve ever seen with Ainsley Harriott and three comedians and hilarious from start to finish, even if it never got commissioned!).

Here’s a little peek into the rogues' gallery… 👇

23/07/2025

Ever wonder what goes into recording a podcast episode? Here’s a little sneak peek from behind the scenes with Anna Brand Creative's podcast capturing conversations, stories, and sound in action.

From setting up the perfect shot to fine-tuning the audio, it’s all part of the storytelling magic!

A quick look at the setting up prior to recording the podcast.Media Arts remove the tech barrier and look after the recording and distribution of your podcas...

21/07/2025

I’ve always dabbled in podcast recording, in fact back in 2007 we won a Digital Heritage Award for it!

Recently I’ve got more involved, and this is because I realised a few key things.

➣ Firstly I really enjoy it! As a professional storyteller I appreciate hearing other people’s stories and helping to get them heard by more people.

➣ Secondly, so many people are put off by the tech and often never get their podcast off the ground because of this. So I can remove that barrier by providing all of that, making sure it sounds and looks great and also taking care of the uploading and distribution of it across all of the podcasting apps. So, all you have to worry about is what you’re talking about.

While your podcast is always yours, I tend to view it as a partnership, a joint venture. If we both play our parts effectively then the end result will be successful.

The image I have shared below was from a recent recording of Anna Brand Creative's podcast.

Have you ever considered a podcast?

16/07/2025

I’m really lucky to be able to work with all kinds of businesses, from small one-person enterprises right up to the big corporates.

My approach is always the same though, a friendly, reliable, transparent and cost-effective service with a really high-quality end product. Whether you’ve been in business for 25 years or 25 days!

My first question is always: “What do you want the end result of this video to be?” and then we work backwards from there, because there has to be real value from creating it and making that investment in the first place.”

Explore our website to see how strategy meets creativity.

14/07/2025

Why video?

Globally, people are watching an average of 17 hours of video content per week, with 92.3% of internet users watching videos online weekly.

That means that video marketing should be a core strategy for all businesses. With 82% of all internet traffic projected to be video-related by the end of 2025, if you’re not already doing it, then now is the time!

Media Arts can help you come up with a strategy and content to enable you to tap into what will only ever be a growing market. That could be a video for the front page of your website or maybe a series of small bite-sized social media clips.

Let’s have a chat!