Splinter Cell: Firewall - BBC Sounds

Narrative-led branded BTS, shot with intimacy and control.

Client: BBC Sounds
Commissioned by: Loftus Media - Richard Berry
Production Company: Loftus Media
Production Partner: Kumo London - Yohan Forbes & Miftin Al-Hadthi
Featured Talent: Will Poulter, Daisy Head, Andonis Anthony
Filming Location: BBC Mailbox Studios, Birmingham
Equipment: Sony FX3, DJI Ronin RS3, G3 Sennheiser Radio Mics
Format: 4K Sony FX3 (S-Log3), 16:9 delivery for social and iPlayer platforms

Kumo London partnered with Loftus Media to deliver behind-the-scenes campaign coverage for Splinter Cell: Firewall, a flagship BBC Sounds audio drama blending espionage, intimacy and performance-driven storytelling. Filmed at BBC Mailbox Studios in Birmingham, our team captured the heart of this production through multi-camera BTS visuals and performance-led cinematography with actors Will Poulter, Daisy Head and Andonis Anthony.

In a single day, we built a fast-moving, cinematic studio environment designed to honour the drama’s editorial tone. Using the Sony FX3 paired with the G Master II 35mm lens, we created a visual aesthetic that felt intimate yet controlled: soft falloff, rich contrast and subtle bokeh. To elevate movement within static spaces, we deployed the Ronin RS3 gimbal during live VO performances, letting the actors’ rhythms guide our framing. Each moment was shot to preserve spontaneity, breath and tension.

This wasn’t about just capturing coverage, it was about amplifying mood, voice and form. With editorial direction from Loftus Media, we shot and delivered branded video content ready for press rollout, BBC Sounds’ social feeds and digital platforms, all while maintaining cinematic discipline and narrative clarity.

STRATEGIC INSIGHT

Branded content within BBC’s editorial ecosystem demands emotional clarity and structural discipline. Our task was to reflect the world of Splinter Cell: precise, dramatic and grounded, without overshadowing the voice-led intimacy of an audio drama. Through lighting control, handheld fluidity and intentional restraint, we translated what was heard into something that could be seen, felt and shared.

Filming in BBC Birmingham allowed us to show what’s possible outside the capital, anchoring Kumo’s role as a cinematic partner for branded content and narrative video work in regional production hubs. The campaign succeeded not just because of what we captured, but how we listened.

WHY THIS MATTERS

In an era where branded campaigns often drown in noise, this project cut through with restraint and intimacy. It mattered because it wasn’t about documenting, it was about witnessing. Kumo’s work on this campaign proved that cinematic storytelling and editorial trust can meet in prefect tension, even within broadcast systems.

SERVICES PROVIDED

- Studio lighting & cinematic setup

- Multi-camera BTS videography

- Gimbal-based performance capture

- Creative direction for talent-led moments

- Editorial post-production & remote edit workflow

- Social media cutdowns (BBC Sounds platforms)

- Press rollout-ready video assets

- Visual storytelling for narrative-led audio projects

RELATED WORK

See more of our behind-the-scenes work below:

• Later with Jools Holland - BBC Sounds - Multi-camera artist interviews for BBC Studios with social and editorial delivery

• Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (2024) - Cinematic cutdowns for cultural campaigns and family-led experiences

• The Booker Prize Awards (2022) - BTS video and branded editorial capture of one of the UK’s top literary events

• By All Accounts (season 1) - ACCA - Remote branded podcast series for a global institution, built around intimate storytelling

• The Baillie Gifford Prize 2024 - Author-led interview post-production, remote-directed and editorially mastered

Need cinematic BTS content or social cutdowns for your campaign?

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