A number of businesses within the creative space have turned to The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity for financial support when planning their next steps for growth, and Leicester-based Rendah Films is another of those fantastic success stories.
Created in 2017 out of a true love for film, the company started out sharing their work online for fun, before businesses began getting in touch requesting their videography support. The rest, as company director Rob Heslop explains, is history…
“Our backgrounds span a variety of creative media, including audio engineering, photography, theatre, music, art and performance, as well as educational and community-focused roles,” Rob explained.
“Now, based at Phoenix Square and working with cinema line production equipment, it’s still just as important to us to make cool stuff we like and that resonates with our clients. We work collaboratively with each client to create visual experiences for audiences. The video doesn’t have to just ‘tick the boxes’ or ‘conform to the norm’, we can approach it in a creative and cinematic way. We also specialise in capturing documentary-focused narratives and finding the real stories and characters. We approach most of our work with this style and diligence.”
During Rob’s time as a delegate on the REAL Initiative Incubation Programme, which allowed him to develop his business skills and practise as a filmmaker, he met representatives from STWLC and, after learning of his eligibility, felt so inspired that he immediately began building an application.
“As artists, finance and business are not as naturally instinctive as other areas of our lives and work,” Rob continued.
“Applications can feel inaccessible or overwhelming or just simply not for people like us or businesses like ours. The STWLC application didn’t feel like that. It felt possible and inclusive. We decided to go for it and found the team at STWLC genuinely wants to help businesses, there are no strings attached. The process is thorough, organised and official, which is good, it reinforces the importance of what you’re doing. Once we had all of our financial breakdown and application prepared, we felt confident going through the interview process. Of course, we felt nervous and wanted to be successful, but the panel really helped put us at ease. Following the interview, the process of receiving the loan was very swift! The team at STWLC are approachable at any point, but also leave you to be independent.”
Prior to receiving the interest-free business loan from STWLC, the team at Rendah had spent months researching the items they needed most and discussed the list with close colleagues and friends. They were even fortunate enough to practise using some of the items before purchasing.
“All of this meant we felt extremely confident that when it came to receiving the funds, we could spend them in the most efficient way on the best equipment for us,” Rob reflected.
“We knew we only wanted to put the money specifically into production gear to maximise our output. We invested in a Sony FX3 camera to accompany our Sony FX6, which has totally transformed the way we shoot and what we can capture. We bought new lenses that have been a total game changer, everything looks so rich and clean now. We bought a light and microphone that we have been pining after for a long time, again, increasing production quality and efficiency. Something that had been bothering us was how we transported our kit, so we were able to buy a trolley, camera ‘dr’ bags and hard cases, which not only protects the equipment and makes us feel a lot more professional, it cuts setup time in half! I think something you can’t quantify is the level of confidence and belonging this loan has helped us find in ourselves and our business.”
The interest-free loan from STWLC has since proven to be a “a vital cog in the Rendah Films machine,” Rob concluded.
“It was a big step for us to apply for the loan, but we believed in ourselves and our beloved Rendah and it felt so good to know STWLC believed in us too. Along with our own professional development, becoming a Ltd company, a relocation, recruiting new crew, a huge rebrand and relaunch, the loan was vital. To anyone with a deep understanding of their business and their future goals, we would definitely encourage them to go for it.”
For more information on Rendah Films, please visit https://rendahfilms.co.uk
To apply for STWLC’s interest-free business loan, up to the value of £20,000, please CLICK HERE
