When it comes to cancer, early detection makes a big difference to outcomes. That’s why the NHS offers a wide range of screening programmes. The challenge, though, is making sure harder-to-reach groups know about these services, understand what’s involved, and feel confident taking part. This project is an example of our work in healthcare and public sector video production.

Thames Valley Cancer Alliance asked us to create 24 short videos explaining the different types of screening in a range of languages. Their focus was on reaching people from a variety of ethnic minority backgrounds, as well as English-speaking patients with hearing impairments. We produced films covering breast, bowel and cervical screening, along with FIT symptomatic information, in Urdu, Polish, Gujarati, Nepali, Punjabi and British Sign Language.

In conversations with TVCA, it quickly became clear that simply recording the videos in English and adding dubbing or subtitles wouldn’t be enough. For the content to really connect, it needed to feel authentic, so it was important to work with native speakers in each language. To add to that sense of realism, the videos would be filmed in real GP surgeries and feature actual medical professionals.

Casting and coordinating shoots across multiple locations in six languages was no small task, but the production team handled it smoothly. On location, camera and sound crews turned small consulting rooms into film sets, and our directors Emily Brown and Chris Jones did a great job of drawing out natural performances from non-actors in languages they didn’t speak, drawing on previous experience in multilingual video production. And lastly our post production team headed up by Elisa Carruthers did an incredible job liaising with translators and editing footage in so many languages.

The finished videos are now live across both online and real world channels, and they’re already making a real difference, encouraging people who might not otherwise have come forward to take up life-saving cancer screening. As well as the main videos we also produced a number of short, 9×16 social media edits to further spread the word.

The videos are now being used across NHS channels to help reach audiences who might otherwise not engage with screening services.

At Preston Street Films we have a reputation as being experts in video and audio production for the healthcare sector and in creating accessible video using BSL.