EU grant funding helps Cornish photographer during lockdown

Chris Smith, a freelance photographer and video maker, was one of the earliest small businesses in Cornwall to receive an Enterprise Small Grant from Community Led local Development (CLLD) back in June 2019.

CLLD is an EU funded programme helping to enhance the local economy using structural funds from Europe, including the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Chris was helped to access funding to purchase specialist camera equipment and enable him to diversify into film work.

But who could have forecast that this grant would also help him weather the impact of Covid-19?

The lockdown hit him pretty hard, particularly at the beginning.  Like many in the creative industries a lot of his planned work was cancelled by clients. In February, Chris became the Creative Director of Cornwall-based video production company ‘Bull & Wolf’ but found that even in this role, the lockdown had an impact on the company’s plans.

Despite these issues, Chris is keen to point out the positive impact of his grant funding.

“The camera kit I managed to purchase due to a CLLD grant has helped me greatly. Without it, I wouldn’t be working alongside Bull & Wolf and we certainly wouldn’t have been able to pivot so quickly to home-studio filming, allowing us to continue to work with existing clients and embark on new projects even during lockdown”.

Chris adds, “We’ve created a page on the Bull & Wolf website (https://bullandwolf.co/covid-19) which is regularly updated with information relating to how we are working during these challenging times. In line with Government guidance we’re returning to location shooting, equipped with sanitisers and face masks, having seen a rise in enquiries from clients wanting to quick start their return to the marketplace”.

He is offering remote editing for those clients still unable to return to their place of work. For example, he is currently working on a suite of ‘Virtual Open Day’ videos for the Notre Dame School in Cobham, using footage from past shoots and videos filmed by the staff and students in their own homes. Bull & Wolf have also created an animated video resource to publicise the St Petrocs Charity fundraising appeal, an appeal which has raised over £30,000 despite lockdown.

Chris admits it’s been a tough time for them and their clients but also an exciting time to be creative. Like many businesses they have had to adapt and come up with new ways to create great content and Chris acknowledges the part that CLLD funding has played in this.