Rugby School Dubai launch video

Project overview

Following several years of ongoing video collaboration with Rugby School, we were invited to support an exciting new venture: the launch of Rugby School Dubai, a partnership between Rugby School and Aldar Education. Our long-standing relationship with Rugby gave us a deep understanding of the brand, its heritage, and its values, an essential foundation for telling the story of this expansion into the Middle East.

The video was conceived as a forward-looking piece that honours Rugby School’s past while confidently introducing its future in Dubai.

The brief

The project began with an introductory briefing call, where timelines, objectives, and early planning considerations were discussed. It was clear from the outset that this would be a dual-location production, involving both UK- and Dubai-based crews, with creative direction led by Janno Media. The intended release was scheduled for late 2025, aligning with the school’s official launch.

Following this, Aldar Education shared a detailed written brief outlining the intended audience, narrative direction, and visual references, alongside broader context surrounding the partnership. We broke this down into key themes, forming the creative pillars that would underpin the video.

Our approach

Creative development

Our concept centred on texture and contrast, visually placing Rugby School in the UK and Dubai in conversation with one another. The aim was to honour tradition while embracing future ambition and scale.

This approach was expressed through:

Extreme close-up shots capturing textures, details, and moments
Wide, expansive frames showcasing the scale, energy, and architecture of both locations

To support this, we worked closely with a skilled copywriter to develop a script that tied these themes together. Director of Photography Guy Jenkins was brought into the process early, contributing creative and practical insight, particularly around lens choice and shooting approach.

We used an Laowa 12mm lens for the wide shots, enabling us to capture iconic spaces and architectural scale in a way that contrasted powerfully with the intimate close-up textures that threaded the video together.

All creative thinking, references, and rationale were compiled into a detailed document for the client. This included a test video, assembled using recce footage and previous Rugby projects, to demonstrate the concept in motion. Client feedback at this stage helped refine the script and sharpen the creative direction.

Production

The UK shoot took place over three days, carefully scheduled around term-time constraints.

Days one and two focused on b-roll:

Day one concentrated on lessons as they happened, following the rhythm of the school day
Day two focused on transitions between lessons, capturing movement, energy, and the lived experience of the campus

To achieve the desired visual contrast, filming was split across two rigs:

Blackmagic Pocket 6K with the Laowa 12mm lens for wides
Blackmagic URSA on tripod, paired with Sigma 18–35mm and 70–200mm lenses for close-up detail

Day three was dedicated to talking-head interviews with key contributors, Neil Hampton, CEO Rugby School Global and Henry Price, Founding Principal, Rugby School Dubai, filmed using a teleprompter and a two-camera setup.

As a third interview with Sahar Cooper, CEO Aldar Education was planned for Dubai, we documented every aspect of the UK interview setups, including kit lists, camera settings, framing references, and technical specifications. This ensured the Dubai crew could replicate the look and feel precisely, maintaining visual consistency across continents.

Post-production & delivery

The final video is intended as a cornerstone piece for the launch of Rugby School Dubai, featuring across the flagship website, YouTube, and social media channels.

Alongside the main video, we created a series of social cutdowns, each highlighting key themes and moments, designed to drive audiences toward the full video and website.

Colour grading

Our colourist developed a warm, inviting grade designed to reflect both the heritage of Rugby School and the energy of its future in Dubai. The grade draws on the autumnal tones of the Rugby grounds in the UK alongside the naturally warm climate of Dubai, with an emphasis on yellows and reds to create a welcoming, optimistic feel. Despite the contrast between locations, careful balancing ensured consistency across all footage, allowing the film to move seamlessly between the UK and Dubai while maintaining a cohesive visual identity.

Film Print Emulation (FPE) Look & feel

To achieve a cinematic yet natural look, we applied a carefully crafted film print emulation (FPE) grade to the footage. The video was framed in 16:9, which informed how contrast, texture, and detail were shaped within the image. Subtle highlight bloom, softened edges, and gentle film grain helped move the visuals away from a purely digital aesthetic, supporting a warm, contemporary look that complements the video’s forward-looking tone.

Colour palette

Inspired by classic cinematic colour styles, we developed a refined palette that leans into warm highlights and richer mid-tones, reflecting both tradition and ambition. Cooler tones were used more sparingly to provide balance and depth without overpowering the warmth of the image. Maintaining this palette consistently across interviews and supporting footage created a unified visual language that feels cohesive, inviting, and confident.

Key highlights

Creative-led concept connecting heritage and future across two locations
Dual-location production with UK and Dubai crews
Detailed creative development and test video to align stakeholders early
Wide and close-up lens strategy to express scale, texture, and contrast
Consistent interview setups documented to ensure visual continuity
Social cutdowns designed to support launch and drive engagement

I want to extend my sincere thanks to each of you for your commitment, hard work, and dedication. It has truly been a pleasure working with you — your professionalism, speed, and agility are truly unmatched.

Nouran Heimann, Head - Marketing & Brand, Aldar Education

The result

The Rugby School Dubai launch video brings together heritage and ambition, tradition and innovation. By visually connecting the UK and Dubai campuses, the video introduces a new chapter for Rugby School while remaining rooted in the values and identity that define it.

GET A VIDEO PROPOSAL.

Rugby School Dubai launch video.

Project overview

The brief

Our approach

Colour grading

The result

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