Defnyddio’r Gymraeg

Posted December 29th, 2011 in Portfolio, Video by James Cuff

I was asked to produce a short film for the Welsh Language Board for a series of workshops they were putting on in Welsh language schools across Wales.

With the help of Welsh-speaking celebrities, including S4C’s Sarra Elgan and Lowri Morgan, Only Men Aloud’s Wyn Jones and former Miss Wales Courtenay Hamilton, the film aims to show the positive side of speaking Welsh outside of school.

Shot with a Canon 550D and edited in Final Cut Pro.

See stories differently

Posted December 29th, 2011 in Portfolio, Video by James Cuff

As part of my job as Multimedia Producer at The Sunday Times, I was given a brief by creative director Ariadne Zanella to come up with a way to link several news stories such as the financial crisis and the tsunami for a commercial we would be filming with Ukrainian sand artist Kseniya Simonova.

I then drew up storyboards based on Kseniya’s videos and created an ‘animatic’ video based on the storyboards that were sent to Kseniya who, in turn, created a first draft of the video.

We then went to Ukraine and filmed the final version with Kseniya and her team.

The final film was seeded ahead of the free Christmas iPad edition of The Sunday Times.

Weekly work digest – September 2011

Posted September 11th, 2011 in Blog by James Cuff

Each week I post a series of links to my work as featured on The Sunday Times Online. You’ll need a Times+ subscription to view the work.

Ruth Negga and Robert Sheehan talk about The Playboy of the Western World
Magnificent Misfits: Ruth Negga and Robert Sheehan
Ruth Negga and Robert Sheehan talk about the Irish play The Playboy of the Western World that they are starring in at The Old Vic.
Click here to see the video
Credits: Shot, edited and produced by

To be or not to be: 9/11 - 10 years on
To be or not to be: 9/11 – 10 years on
As we remember those who perished, resident philosopher Robert Rowland Smith asks if in using the shorthand 9/11 we are denying the horror of what occurred?
Click here to see the video
Credits: Shot, edited and produced by

Wellcome Trust – Science of Singing

Posted August 2nd, 2011 in Portfolio, Video by James Cuff

I was asked by Splendid Communications to document an event for the Wellcome Trust in Cardiff called Science of Singing.

It was a very enjoyable day filming in St David’s Hall, the amazing Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and, although the final film is a little longer than I normally produce, I am happy with the results.

I shot this using a Canon 550D and edited with Final Cut Pro.

The Hearing Aid’s guide to Splott

Posted June 13th, 2011 in Blog by James Cuff

Following a previous video I produced, The Splott Division guys and I thought it would be fun to shoot a guide to the area with one of the characters.

So me and The Hearing Aid aka Tim Howard headed to sunny Splott and filmed this. Enjoy!

Watch all three episodes of the web series here.

Weekly work digest – June 12 2011

Posted June 12th, 2011 in Blog by James Cuff

Each week I post a series of links to my work as featured on The Sunday Times Online. You’ll need a Times+ subscription to view the work.

To be or not to be: Church or state?
To be or not to be: Church or state?
Resident philosopher Robert Rowland Smith looks at the church and the state following the Archbishop of Canterbury’s criticism of the coalition government.
Click here to see the video
Credits: Shot, edited and produced by

Weekly work digest – June 5 2011

Posted June 5th, 2011 in Blog by James Cuff

Each week I post a series of links to my work as featured on The Sunday Times Online. You’ll need a Times+ subscription to view the work.

To be or not to be: Who watches the watchmen?
To be or not to be: Who watches the watchmen?
Resident philosopher Robert Rowland Smith asks who will watch the watchmen following the recent Panorama program that exposed the abuse in a care home.
Click here to see the video
Credits: Shot, edited and produced by

How to make a Big Mac with Matt Rudd
How to make a Big Mac with Matt Rudd
Matt Rudd channels a mix of Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver in this fast food masterclass to create the legendary McDonald’s sandwich.
Click here to see the video
Credits: Shot by

Weekly work digest – May 8 2011

Posted May 8th, 2011 in Blog by James Cuff

Each week I post a series of links to my work as featured on The Sunday Times Online. You’ll need a Times+ subscription to view the work.

Wilton's: The last great music hall of its kind
Wilton’s: The last great music hall of its kind
Frances Mayhew, director of Wilton’s Music Hall, tells Hugh Pearman about the campaign behind saving the East London venue.
Click here to see the video
Credits: Shot, edited and produced.

All the world's a stage: Site-specific theatre in Hull
All the world’s a stage: Site-specific theatre in Hull
Playwright James Phillips talks about Mapping the City, a site-specific theatre experience currently showing in Hull.
Click here to see the video
Credits: Interviewed, edited and produced.

Uncovering the truth behind Mao's Great Famine
Uncovering the truth behind Mao’s Great Famine
Author Frank Dikötter talks to Andrew Holgate about the heartbreaking facts he uncovered during the research of his latest book Mao’s Great Famine.
Click here to see the video
Credits: Shot, edited and produced.

‘Page One: Inside The New York Times’ trailer released

Posted May 6th, 2011 in Blog by James Cuff

I’ve just watched the trailer for Page One: Inside The New York Times, Andrew Rossi’s fly-on-the-wall documentary about a year behind the scenes at The New York Times and it looks amazing.

I’ve been looking forward to seeing some footage from the film since reading about it in the coverage of the Sundance Film Festival.

The film was made during the time when the paper was planning the move to behind a paywall and, with the access the filmmakers were allowed, will surely be a great insight into the reasons behind their particular subscription model.

However, the highlight of the trailer, for me, is where ‘Media Desk Reporter’ Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) who proudly declares “I don’t know why anybody who is a reporter isn’t on Twitter”.

Check out the trailer below:

Weekly work digest – March 27 2011

Posted March 27th, 2011 in Blog by James Cuff

Each week I post a series of links to my work as featured on The Sunday Times Online. You’ll need a Times+ subscription to view the work.

Cycling through a cathedral of trees with Bella Bathurst
Cycling through a cathedral of trees with Bella Bathurst
Bella Bathurst, author of The Bicycle Book, tells Olivia Marks about her passion for cycling in London.
Click here to see the video
Credits: Shot, edited and produced.

Everest Ed: Episode 1 - The unpreparedness of Ed
Everest Ed: Episode 1 – The unpreparedness of Ed
The Sunday Times Travel magazine editor Ed Grenby talks about his preparations, or lack thereof, ahead of his Everest climb.
Click here to see the video
Credits: Shot, edited and produced.

To be or not to be: Fighting for peace in Libya
To be or not to be: Fighting for peace in Libya
Resident philosopher Robert Rowland Smith describes the paradox of fighting for peace as western allies head to Libya to protect citizens against Gaddafi’s attacks.
Click here to see the video
Credits: Shot, edited and produced.