Rainbow Trout Films

30/07/2025

Not Sure Where to Start? Start Small.

A full-length documentary isn’t the only way to tell a powerful story.

Short-form content—think 30 to 90 seconds—can still pack an emotional punch and fit your budget.
✨ Interviews
✨ Mini client profiles
✨ Day-in-the-life pieces
✨ Social-ready impact clips

We work flexibly and creatively with charities and social enterprises to match your resources and reach your goals.

👋 Message us today for a free consultation or just a friendly chat about what’s possible.

29/07/2025

Film as a Legacy Tool

What if one film could continue making impact for years?

For charities and social enterprises, film isn’t just for campaigns. It becomes a lasting asset:
📽️ Educate your audience
📽️ Train your staff
📽️ Secure future funding
📽️ Celebrate key milestones

Whether it’s a 60-second social clip or a 10-minute doc-style film, it has the power to live beyond the moment—and carry your message far and wide.

📌 Let us help you create something that lasts.

28/07/2025

Planning Your Film – Top 3 Things to Think About

Before the cameras roll, let’s roll out the right plan.

Here are 3 key things your charity or social enterprise should think about before making a film:
1. Audience – Who do you want to reach? Funders, service users, the general public?
2. Message – What do you want them to feel or do after watching?
3. Story – What real-life example can anchor the message?

At Rainbow Trout Films, we guide you through this process—so your film hits the heart and the brief.

🎬 Ready to get strategic about your story?

27/07/2025

The Power of the Personal Story

People don’t connect with data. They connect with people.

If you want to move your audience—whether donors, stakeholders, or service users—show them a face, not a fact sheet.

🎤 A short film featuring one client’s journey can speak louder than a thousand statistics.

➡️ It builds empathy
➡️ Proves real-world impact
➡️ Humanises your work

Let us help you spotlight the voices that matter. It’s more than marketing—it’s movement-building.

25/07/2025

Why Storytelling Matters More Than Ever

Your mission deserves more than just a mention—it deserves to be felt.
Charities and social enterprises often do incredible work behind the scenes, but how do you get people to see and feelthe impact?

🎥 A well-told story through film connects emotionally, builds trust, and moves people to take action.

🌈 At Rainbow Trout Films, we specialise in uncovering the heart of your work and helping you tell it with truth and clarity.

🗨️ What’s one story from your organisation that deserves to be heard?

17/07/2025

Thrilled to report that we’re a finalist for Rugby Town in the

I love how the story of Halifax Rugby League is being shared around the world.

11/07/2025

Our documentary Rugby Town 🏉 continues its international success.

Halifax Rugby League Film
Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust
Halifax Panthers

We’ve been officially selected for the Pageant Film Festival in Gangtok, India.

I’m proud that our local sports documentary about the 150 years of Rugby League in Halifax is being seen around the world.

We’re looking for a distribution partner for this film 🎥 as it can easily be adapted to a TV hour.

04/07/2025

Fantastic to attend the premiere of Sea Glass, produced by my friend and colleague Adam Gill. A superb event at York Picturehouse. Great comparing from Renee Elizabeth Rainville .

It’s so important to support and celebrate our colleagues successes. I’m proud to have supported through crowdfunding, when the project was getting off the ground.

Sea Glass has tones of Dr Who and Stranger Things with some incredible special effects.
I’m looking forward to being able to watch again soon. Congratulations to all the cast and crew.

28/06/2025

Thank you for sharing Dean Clough 😎🎬

We’re so proud to have Rainbow Trout Films as part of our creative community at Dean Clough and wish them a happy 15th anniversary! 🎬

With award-winning documentaries and international film festival selections, their work continues to inspire. Led by James Mellor, they’re a shining example of Calderdale creativity on the world stage.

👉 www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/multi-award-winning-rainbow-trout-films-celebrates-15-years-of-production-5190112

26/06/2025

This morning I had the pleasure of talking about my career and inspiring the next generation of filmmakers.

Returning to Greenhead College as an alumni was a trip down memory lane. The room was where I had performed over 26 years ago when I did Theatre Studies.

Today they are all film students, which is truly amazing, as we didn’t have these options back in the 1990’s.

It’s great to reflect back on what one has achieved and the films and TV shows, I’ve been lucky enough to be involved with.

Thank you to Claire Barnes for organising this and to Liz Bowen for making me feel welcomed back.

I hope the students gained some useful insights from my talk today.


Rainbow Trout Films 🎥

21/06/2025

We are thrilled to have received this unexpected exciting news:

"Your production “RUGBY TOWN” has been chosen by the Selection FICTS Commission to participate in the “Nagano International FICTS Festival” that will be held in Nagano (Japan) from 26-28 September.

FICTS, through the International Circuit “World FICTS Challenge”, promotes - all over the world - the quality of sports footages and the co-operation of those who work creatively in sports television, broadcasting and cinema."

We're truly amazed and humbled to see how well this documentary has been received around the world.

We are seeking a distribution partner for Rugby Town, so please DM me to discuss.

James Mellor
Halifax Rugby League Film
FICTS Federation
Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust
Linda Kitson