Make & Do is a full-service production studio based in Leeds.
Launched in 2018, Make & Do is part of The Breathe Network – a full commerce and experience agency with offices in Leeds, London, Amsterdam and South Africa.
Based in Holbeck with more than 25 staff, we find out what happens behind the scenes at Make & Do’s production space…
Rachel Webb, production director at Make & Do, introduces us to the Leeds HQ…
“Make & Do launched in 2018 to address the need for a competitive and flexible production space for clients within The Breathe Network. Growing quickly during the pandemic and gaining more clients, we expanded into a second building to cater to larger photo shoots and partnerships with both agencies and brands.
“We create content in food and drink, fashion, beauty and lifestyle, using creative excellence to realise real commercial goals, whatever the marketing channel.
“As we grow, our aim is to produce everything under one roof by removing process friction and the added costs of marketing fragmentation.”
Where is it?
Madeley House & Giles House in Gelderd Business Park, Leeds.
How big is it?
Make & Do sits across two sites with almost 2,000 sq feet in production space and additional areas for meetings and events. We are based in Holbeck with easy access to motorways and have secure free parking. Within our production space we also have a co-working space which is perfect for meetings, training, events and smaller private meeting
space. Also included are self-service kitchens which offer on-site catering, plus IT support for events or training groups.
From first concept to final rollout, we make it all happen in our full-service production studio. Our sets are designed to be flexible with walls, floors and rooms built to be able to move catering for different sized shoots and room sets.
What happens there?
At the heart of Make & Do is our photography studio, which is built to deliver your creative vision and ambition – and to deliver it within budget. We have a range of photographers, stylists, art directors, producers, recipe creators and set builders who work together to turn early concepts into still, video and animated content that stands out.
All our studio services are supported by agile post-production workflows. Our services include editing, animation, automation and retouching content across all formats and platforms.
Our content creation ranges from fashion to lifestyle, health & beauty to food & drink. We use our creative excellence to realise real commercial goals and deliver across channels.
All the work is supported by a team of specialists from photographers to stylists, client service and production teams.
What sort of work goes on?
We work across photography, moving image, digital, CGI, production and pre-press, using our tech stacks to answer clients’ content needs. We use a range of products and brands. From product photography to stop motion, artwork creation or adaptations, we can provide translation services and automate our workflows to maximise efficient production.
On any given day, our studios are a hive of activity: whether that’s food being created for a Christmas family table, models being made up in our dedicated styling spaces, quick turnaround ecommerce products or large room sets being built.
Why is the workplace appropriate?
Our studios were built with creative output at the forefront. Studio 1 has a large-stocked prep kitchen, and you can shop our props rooms for all types of shoots and flexible co working spaces allow teams and clients space to collaborate.
Located just outside the city centre with great access to transport routes, our offices mean easy access and parking whilst allowing us to offer competitive studio rates.
Who works there?
Make and Do is a team of over 25 people ranging from client services to production, photography, styling and recipe creation. We also work with talented freelance specialists who help us bring shoots to life on site and in-house. This also allows us to produce at scale to meet often tight production schedules.
We constantly seek out new talent and run placement schemes to develop and nurture new creative and production individuals. Currently, we are running Make & Do & You, a paid scheme aimed at college leavers looking to gain experience in our industry and launch careers in our industry.
