‘By the time we see your script your idea has been through a lot. It has survived reviews, jealous glances, an array of vague, incomprehensible “feedback”.  You’ve gained kilos and lost sleep. Perhaps there is a reward out for your will to live or you’ve compulsively Googled “Hydroponic farming” – whatever it took, we know it didn’t come easy. That’s why we work so hard, because we won’t rest until you look at the idea the same way you did the first time you imagined it.’ – Dani Hynes on Made Films.

That really does nail what Made Films is all about… Now we could probably end this whole editorial right here, but we would never deprive you of meeting the trio behind this new film production company.

Meet Made

Back in 2013 there were literally only two significant things that took place: Prince William and Kate welcomed Prince George into the world, AND, after three years of working together, Director Dani Hynes and Producer Mel Curtis, joined the team at Egg Films. 7 years later things have pretty much stood still for royal baby George – obviously not disregarding that time he became the youngest person to appear on Tatler’s best-dressed list #ToddlerGoals. For Dani and Mel on the other hand, it’s been a wild, award-filled adventure, and the two have remained inseparable throughout the entire journey and ready for the next phase.

Joining the duo over two years ago is Dumisani Mvumvu. Producer of the acclaimed short film, The Hangman, which has won over 20 international awards, Dumisani has produced with companies like Terraplane, Velocity, Egg Films and freelanced pretty much everywhere in-between. He could not be more excited about standing alongside Mel and Dani as they undertake their next adventure and shared some insight on the company: “At Made Films we are slaves to the idea, it dictates everything. When we get a brief the number one thing I look forward to is how Dani is going to interpret that idea. And secondly, I look at the room and how they react to her interpretations – I don’t know where she gets them from. She has solutions for everything and it’s so beautiful.”

Made You Look

Dani loves directing performance in all its guises. The reason her work is so nuanced is because she believes that whether it’s a small ad about a toilet cleaner or a massive brand biopic, it’s the same struggle, she explains: “If we cut out everything of what we do, at the heart of it is the people because ideas come from people. When I hear the idea I think ‘how do we birth that idea, how do we pay respect to what is actually going to make that idea watchable, believable, interesting?”

It’s because of the respect of the people and the idea that Dani’s work so honestly and beautifully captures a little bit of life every time. Here are a few of our favourite picks from Dani’s reel.

Dani on Bloom, shot with Ogilvy Chicago: ‘How do you bring a mine dump to life in the middle of July? Ask us. When we were approached to shoot this beautiful script which entailed making a mine dump literally bloom in camera, in the middle of winter, we thought “Why not?” Some science and a few “What if’s” later we did exactly that. And the result? An authentic and elegant homage to the women of our land past, present and future whose courage, passion and power helped transform our landscape from arid to flourishing. Because of them, we can ALL bloom where we are planted.’