Kowhai Forge
Craft · Product · Brand Campaign
Project Type: Brand Campaign, Observational short Documentary
Role: Director, DOP, Cinematographer, Editor, Photography
THE STORY
Kowhai Forge is a New Zealand blacksmithing business focused on traditional craft and hands-on forging experiences, transforming raw steel into functional, handcrafted products.
For this project, I was brought in to capture one of Rob’s blacksmithing workshops and create a suite of content for the brand’s website and marketing.
I followed a single participant through the day as he learned the craft and worked towards forging his own knife. His experience became the narrative of the hero film, supported by interviews captured throughout the process to document his thoughts and reactions as the workshop unfolded.
The result is a story that captures both the craft and the experience from raw steel in the forge through to a finished, functional knife.
This project builds on a long-standing working relationship with Rob, which began over six years ago and has included multiple video projects for Kowhai Forge.
THE APPROACH
The hero film was approached as an observational brand story, allowing the workshop to unfold naturally rather than scripting a traditional promotional piece.
Following a single participant gave the film a clear narrative and allowed the audience to experience the workshop through his perspective. I asked him questions at different stages throughout the day, using his thoughts and reactions to connect the process together and build a natural story from beginning to end.
Visually, the focus was on the physicality and intensity of blacksmithing. sparks flying, hot steel being hammered, the glow of the forge and the transformation of raw material into a finished knife.
The campaign was designed to give Kowhai Forge a range of assets rather than a single film. Alongside the hero piece, I created a short testimonial, website banner content and a collection of edited stills that could be used across the new website and wider marketing.
The final package gives the brand both a story to connect with potential customers and a library of visual assets to help showcase the experience and drive interest in the business.
