An Individual’s Journey. Boz Temple-Morris, director

Art and involvement

This project began because I, Coutts & Co and The Almeida Theatre all agreed that a film made for corporate use could have artistic integrity in itself, as well as being an authentic expression of organisational identity.

In other words, this is ‘art’ but it’s also a piece about ‘brand identity’. It is made by artists, in response to the genuine expression of Coutts & Co’s identity by its own people – and not just the people you see in the film, but also the many who participated in the process through workshops and meetings, who were keen to contribute their perceptions of the company they work for.

Finding stories

The process involved people from all levels and sections of the organisation. Workshops were held at The Almeida that explored both organisational and personal perspectives using narrative and visual storytelling as well as discussion. Opinion was gathered on how staff saw Coutts & Co and also how they wanted to be seen.

Even at the outset, a pleasantly surprising picture began to emerge.

The film that needed to be made

I found my preconceptions of the organisation immediately removed as I saw people expressing their true personal and professional values in a way that was passionate and contemporary.

Then there were the stories. I saw an immensely diverse culture that expressed itself through the telling of stories. Whether on the subject of workplace, heritage, colleagues or their private lives. The stories told by people were inspiring and revealing.

Following the workshops it was clear that Coutts’ people and their stories should be central to the final production.

Pictures and words

The film explores the real life, opinions and stories of six people. Each was interviewed at length but the excerpts included here are chosen because they were the stories about which the individuals cared most about.

Perhaps this approach led to some surprising choices but the result is that whilst these are important and emotional stories for individuals, taken together, I believe they paint a true picture of the organisation as a whole.

That’s my intention. It’s for you, the viewer, to decide. The use of still photography and original music is intended to create a thoughtful atmosphere, where viewers can imagine the stories for themselves rather than be shown what we want them to see.

Boz Temple-Morris
director