20 July 2021

Q&A with S+O Media Ltd

By Daniel Cramer (old) Manager
People with wearing 3d goggles

Man and woman holding hands behind a wall

Steph Keelan & Olly Wiggins

We sit down with Steph Keelan and Olly Wiggins from S+O Media Ltd to find out a bit more about what they do.

Q: Where and how did the idea of S+O Media come about and how has it been going?

An opportunity arose for us to set up a camera facilities house and Olly and I had always worked together, even waiting tables as students, so it felt like a natural progression to use our collective experience within the TV industry to give it our best shot.

We set up S+O on a dream with a £20k loan and never looked back. My background in Production as a Director meant I had an appreciation and vision of the kind of service we wanted to provide, and Olly had his skill base as a DoP. We love how the technical side and the crew’s skills and personality contribute so much to both the final output of Production and the energy on set. It’s a people person process where collaboration is key.

 Q: What changes have you made to the business and how have they come about?

Over the two decades we have been trading, we have been lucky to grow in an organic way. We were aware that we didn’t want to jump in too hard too fast, and as a result each shift and change of our growth has felt very natural. We’re proud that S+O has developed into a trusted and expert resource within the Industry.

 Q: How do you see the business developing over the coming years?

We are both still passionate about filming and, although the industry is ever changing, we still get excited at the prospect of a new series or technological development that can help us make even better content. S+O has become a respected entry point for passionate young people to train and develop their careers with us. It gives us both a real sense of pride working alongside crew who have honed their skills within the S+O community. I think we will continue to develop and grow with every Production we facilitate and nurture our pool of talent.

 Q: What advice would you give to your younger selves when starting the business?

Cliched maybe, but work hard and with passion, and trust that your hard work will pay off. And stay true to your life values and principles. If something doesn’t feel right, then generally it isn’t. We are grateful that we were unaware of some of the challenges around running our own business. Maybe if we had been forewarned, we would never have got the ball rolling, but all the hours spent building the foundation has been time well spent.

Back to Behind the Scenes: Issue Three

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