Redwood’s RWD Films Releases Documentary for Take That Movie ‘Greatest Days’
RWD Films, a new division of Redwood BBDO, has partnered with ITVX and Elysian Film Group on '30 Years in the Making,' a new documentary that sits as a companion piece to 'Greatest Days', the Take That movie musical opening on June 16th.
The 72-minute documentary is a joyous celebration of Take That and its fans, told against parallel timelines that illustrate what it took to get the movie to screen and the mutual dedication built over three decades between the band and its fans. It features a massive ensemble cast including band members Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen alongside real life Take That fans (including Alesha Dixon, Mel and Sue, and Calum Scott.)
The film juxtaposes the story of the production, involving pandemic lockdowns, challenging shooting locations and critical casting decisions, with the story of how Take That fans have followed the band throughout the years. From Take That’s 90s boyband fame to its shocking breakup, its triumphant comeback in the 00s and beyond, the band’s highs and lows are also reflected in the fans’ evolving friendships as the film captures the joy of being a lifelong music fan.
The documentary is one of the first pieces of programming from RWD Films, Redwood’s newly launched specialist branded programming arm creating long-form content for broadcast and streaming.
Originally engaged by Elysian Film Group (the UK film company behind 'Greatest Days') to create publicity content around the movie, RWD Films spotted an opportunity to tell a bigger story, developing it into what would become a broadcast-length documentary and pitching it to ITVX.
Explains Ben Padfield, managing director and executive producer at RWD Films, “We set out to tell a story that reflects the scale of emotions felt by these fans over 30 years. So our team scoured the fan communities for people whose personal journeys mirrored those of the film’s characters, and weaved their personal reflections into a storyline bolstered by the band and other cultural commentators that would be perfect for a mainstream ITV audience.”
For Redwood BBDO, the project represents another milestone in the company’s evolution from a content agency to a global creative content studio with specialist storytelling at its heart. Alongside RWD Films its offerings now include dedicated divisions for automotive and B2B as well as production company Red Studios, which is supervising film production for AMV BBDO and other BBDO agencies.
“As someone who began his career editing Smash Hits and Empire, it seems fitting that this new chapter in Redwood’s history kicks off with a film about Take That and their fantastic new British musical,” said Redwood CEO, Colin Kennedy.
“We’ve built our new studio model to balance both boutique and scale for clients, but what holds all the elements together is a love of telling stories and making things that goes back to Redwood’s roots at the BBC and my own editing magazines like Smash Hits. Channels change, formats evolve, but it’s this passion for creating better stories designed to get closer to culture that we think can help brands navigate today’s fragmented media landscape.”
Craig Morris, managing editor ITVX, said, “We’re delighted to stream this fascinating film that we are sure will resonate hugely with our viewers. Take That is one of Britain’s best loved bands and its fan base is so devoted that we believe this summer is the perfect time to bring the next chapter of their amazing story to our platform."
Danny Perkins, CEO/owner of Elysian Film Group, said, “Redwood and RWD Films have created a fascinating behind-the-scenes look into both our movie and the story that inspired it, that of one of Britain’s most iconic bands and its passionate fan base. We hope ITV’s audience will love it as much as we do and that it will inspire people to see our film in cinemas.”
