If 2025 had a theme, it would be this: proper craft, big ambition, and doing the work the right way.
This year took us from London studios to rain-soaked Manchester pitches, across the Atlantic to Atlanta, and all the way out to Singapore. We worked with household names, welcomed brilliant new directors onto our roster, pushed our technical craft further, and, most importantly, made work we’re genuinely proud of. Here’s a look back at just a few of the moments that shaped the year.
January 2025 | Manchester | Director: Elliot Simpson| Producer: Joshua Boswell
Kicking the year off, we teamed up with Manchester City and Xylem on a campaign rooted in sustainability, scale and smart water management.
This was a proper statement piece and the perfect way to kick off what’s become an ongoing relationship with the Club. Directed by Elliot Simpson, the film brought together sharp craft, smart storytelling and some true fan favourites, including Phil Foden and Erling Haaland. The campaign set the tone from day one: progressive, purposeful and rooted in innovation, mirroring City and Xylem’s shared commitment to smarter, more sustainable thinking. It was a brilliant introduction to working with the Club and laid the foundations for everything that followed.
March 2025 | London | Director: HEN | Producer: Hollie Newton
We kicked off the year with It’s Giving for Dove. A beautifully simple, body-positive campaign rooted in honesty and emotional clarity.
Shot in London and directed by HEN, this was a project where restraint was everything. Clean frames, thoughtful pacing and a strong emotional core. A particular highlight was the final edit, cut by our in-house editor Chloe Isherwood and graded/mixed with our London team.
Supported by subtle, considered VFX, the film feels effortless and true to the brand. Proof that sometimes the most powerful work comes from knowing when to hold back.
July 2025 | London | Director: Simon Neal | Producer: Hollie Newton
Summer brought one of the year’s biggest and most joyful shoots.
We headed to London to shoot Bring Out Your Best Side for Albert Bartlett, starring tennis legend Andy Murray. A genuinely funny campaign that balanced celebrity performance, technical precision and sharp comedic timing.
With Andy’s time understandably limited, the production leaned heavily on smart technical solutions — multiple rigs, efficient setups and meticulous planning, allowing us to capture maximum performance with minimal disruption. The result was a spot that feels relaxed and playful, underpinned by serious production craft.
October 2025 | Singapore | Producer: James Shannon
October took us further afield than ever before, with our first shoot in Singapore for Hilton.
Produced by James Shannon, this project marked a significant milestone for The Gate Films in terms of international production scale. Working in a new environment, with new logistical challenges, the team delivered with the same attention to detail and calm precision that underpins all our work.
A defining moment for our global ambitions and one that opened the door to even more international opportunities ahead.
November 2025 | Manchester | Director: Jake Erland | Producer: James Shannon
Directed by Jake Erland, the film tells the story of how the Club captures, treats and reuses rainwater across its training grounds, a fitting narrative in a city where rain is rarely in short supply. Since July 2023, Manchester City has saved an incredible 80 million litres of clean water, enough to fill over 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Featuring familiar faces including John Stones, Bernardo Silva, Rico Lewis and Steph Houghton, and brought to life using SFX rain spinner machines to recreate Manchester’s trademark weather, the campaign balances clarity of message with cinematic craft.
November 2025 | Atlanta, USA | Director: Robbie Shirley
November was a busy one, capped off with a third shoot for Kroger, one of the largest supermarket brands in the US and a returning client to The Gate Films.
Directed by our in-house content creator Robbie Shirley, alongside producer Liv Johnson, the pair spent a week in Atlanta delivering a warm, people-first social campaign with an all-American cast and client.
Heartfelt, grounded and full of humanity, this project showcased the strength of our social-first storytelling and the growing depth of our in-house creative talent.
Alongside the campaigns, 2025 was also a year of growth, welcoming new voices, perspectives and styles into the Gate Films family.
A commercial film director and photographer from South London, Elliot Simpson blends technical experimentation with a sharp eye for art direction.
Equally adept at capturing authentic cultural moments or directing tongue-in-cheek narratives that twist reality, Elliot’s background in editing and post-production allows him to seamlessly integrate graphics and choreography into his work. His films are confident, playful and always visually considered.
Our newest signing, Austen Taylor Pease, is best known for his striking visual language paired with emotionally grounded storytelling.
Working across narrative film, branded campaigns and music videos, his work often explores themes of memory, identity and human connection. His short film Two Worlds Apart won Best Film at the BAFTA-qualifying Bolton International Film Festival, marking him as a bold and exciting new voice in UK cinema.
Coral Brown’s work is rooted in stillness, beauty and emotional truth, balanced with warmth, wit and joy.
From performance-led storytelling to visually complex productions using virtual production and CGI, Coral brings clarity and confidence to every project. Her experience spans continents and cultures, with work for brands including Gillette, LEGO, Volvo and Facebook, and she thrives in both large-scale international campaigns and agile, intimate shoots.
2025 reminded us why we do what we do. The graft. The laughter. The long days. The trust from our clients. The talent of our directors and crews. And the pride that comes from making work that genuinely means something.
If you’re thinking about what we could make together next, we’d love to chat. Get in contact with us here.