prabhuRupert Rixon has been creating businesses since the age of 12. Perspective Pictures is a video agency that he started as a YouTube channel.
This was initially to help his parents who lost more than £150,000 in the Northern Rock crisis, meaning the family were living in a house with poor electrics and all slept in the same room.
Perspective Pictures now creates digital-first video for world-leading brands including Rolls Royce, Google, Sony, UFC, Island Records, Red Bull, HSBC, Brewdog, RAF and more.
Founder: Rupert Rixon
Founded: 2016
Website: perspectivepicturesfilms.com
We spoke to Rupert to find out more about Perspective Pictures…
Why did you start Perspective Pictures?
Around 12 years-old, I hurt my back and had a few days off school, so ended up getting really into Runescape and started to sell guides for it online. This was what really hooked me on business, a few years later I discovered Nerf guns and spotted an opportunity to rent them out for kids’ parties. My mum and I bought a load of these guns and to spread the word about what we were doing I started a YouTube channel and would make videos of them in action to drive traffic to a website. This developed over time and would shoot short action movies as though the Nerf guns were real and this really took off. After putting the videos on YouTube they went viral, with some getting millions of views.
It was this that made me realise my passion for making films, so I focussed my attention on that side of things. I began making all kinds of movies, one of which involved myself and a couple of friends longboarding across the US – from LA to New York – for two and a half months. I then took on another documentary project where myself and a friend hitchhiked from the top of India to the bottom in three weeks. It was the day after I got back from this trip that I decided to follow my passion full-time and launch Perspective Pictures.
Tell us more about the company?
Perspective Pictures is a digital-first video agency, based in Islington, North London. We exist to make the most memorable, attention-worthy and innovative online videos for brands across the world. We’re a young team, driven by a passion for what we do.
What started out as a YouTube channel I created at 16 years old, has since grown into an experienced team creating digital ads, documentaries, crowdfunding films, and commercial promos across the UK, Europe, North America, Asia, and North Africa.
I launched the company a little over three years ago and I’m so proud of where myself and the team around me have managed to take the company in that time. From its humble beginnings working out of a shed in my parents’ back garden, to producing awesome content for world-leading brands like Rolls Royce, Deliveroo, Island Records, Huel, Timeout London, Brewdog and the RAF is incredible.
Brands need to stop posting TV style video content online and expecting people to engage with it. Instead, they need to start working to produce more narrative-driven, well optimised and creative videos. Stop over-producing, stop ignoring the platforms, and offer real value to your audience.
What exciting updates have happened recently?
2019 has been incredible. We’re working with fashion retailers, Topman and Coach, tech giant, Deliveroo, nutritional powdered food brand, Huel, skincare supremo, BYBI, Gym finder, Hussle, and crypto company, Luno to name only a few.
It was a lot of fun promoting Deliveroo’s educational programme, which celebrates a computer science course on offer to the company’s riders and drivers. We also brought Huel’s company culture to life with an online series called ‘Breakfast Battles’, which was really cool.
Topman required two lookbook and style videos to promote its new line of suits, which included a quickfire interview with award-winning musician, Sam Fender. Shot in a single day, the content has achieved nearly half a million views to date.
Onwards and upwards from here!
What are your aims for the next year?
I think what’s next for us is to continue pushing the boundaries of content making and expanding our customer-base. People often talk about all these complicated formulas for how you make a great video, or how ‘x’ product or service should be marketed online, but ultimately people are drawn in by new, innovative content, and we’re always pushing brands to make exciting stuff.
What’s been the hardest thing about getting Perspective Pictures off the ground?
We had absolutely no money when I started the business in 2016, so we had to tread carefully with every decision we made – and that was incredibly challenging. Anything that costed money, we couldn’t do, so we relied a lot on networking and attended loads of events where we could meet people and start spreading the word about what we were up to. We built the website ourselves, made promotional videos and put them up on YouTube; we were doing everything we could without spending a penny. In those early days we’d hire the equipment we needed to make any production, so that meant we didn’t have to shell out for kit unless we got a booking.
Why should more brands be using Perspective Pictures?
We have a proven track record of working with some of the world’s top brands and continue to produce innovative, kickass content for them time and time again.
Whether you’re a global leader, or a startup looking to make an impact online, we simply understanding how audiences want to consume content.
Essentially, brands need to start working to produce properly optimised and creative videos, and we at Perspective Pictures are the team to achieve that for them.
How much will it cost clients to work with you? and why is it worth it?
This varies on a case-by-case basis, but drop us a line at Hello@PerspectivePicturesFilms.com and we can have a chat about your needs and what we can provide for you.
Check out our company video and our 2019 showreel to see some of the incredible content we’ve produced.
