Using Film to Build Trust in Urban Regeneration

At Paper Films we are experts in storytelling. We draw on people’s opinions and life stories to weave balanced film narratives that make built environment projects understandable both as an economic and social necessity.

Our sensitive and nuanced approach to filmmaking with residents, communities, stakeholders, councillors, developers and architects around large infrastructure and housing projects can present balanced arguments where positive change is the desired outcome. Filmmaking can be both a key part of the stakeholder consultation process and an important historical record for the community and developer.

(Click the film above to view our community engagement films showreel)

Beyond consultation, community engagement films act as a lasting historical resource, capturing voices, emotions and perspectives that help communities understand and process the changes of urban renewal long after the building work is complete. Giving the community a voice, allowing stakeholders to have their say and actively shape their own narrative – combined with voices seeking to drive urban renewal – ensures that people feel included, listened to and involved.  

Urban renewal is more than bricks, budgets and masterplans. It is a process that reshapes the lives of real people, which is why early engagement with local communities is essential. Across the UK, organisations involved in regeneration are turning to film as a powerful tool for social engagement. A well-made film allows residents to speak in their own words and helps stakeholders understand the human story behind each project.

Paper Films specialises in community outreach films and corporate documentaries that bring clarity, empathy and balance to the difficult conversations that often accompany large scale change.

By capturing real experiences and presenting complex ideas in a visual format, our work helps bridge the gap between planners and the public. The result is better communication, more informed decisions and stronger community ownership.

Northstowe: Revealing a Community Behind the Headlines

Homes England commissioned Paper Films to create Northstowe Neighbours for the UK's largest new town development. Media narratives had painted Northstowe as a ghost town. Once we embedded ourselves in the community, a very different picture emerged. We filmed residents proud of their neighbourhood, diverse in background and united in building a new place to call home. The final film was screened in a cinema setting for residents and shared widely online, shifting public perception and demonstrating the value of authentic social engagement films.

(Click the film above to view our Northstowe community engagement film)

Mainway: Understanding Vulnerability in a Time of Change

Mainway in Lancaster is a 1960s estate facing significant renewal. Working with master planners and the local council, we produced a community outreach film that captured the concerns, hopes and memories of residents. Many had lived in Mainway for generations and expressed a deep attachment to the area. Their stories helped shape the conversation around the future of the estate and ensured that planners heard directly from the people who would be most affected.

(Click the film above to view our housing renewal consultation film about Mainway, Lancaster)

Bridlington: Bringing an Economic Report Strategy to Life

Bridlington is a coastal town that thrives in summer but faces economic challenges in winter. Fourth Street asked Paper Films to convert their strategy document into a visual corporate documentary that the public could easily understand. We met older residents, job seekers, local business owners, church leaders, newcomers to the town and people experiencing homelessness. Their testimonies created a rounded view of the town's challenges and opportunities. The film was screened for councillors and community stakeholders, simplifying complex analysis into a clear narrative about the town's future.

(To watch this economic strategy report film please contact us)

Halifax High Rise Strategy: Making Complexity Accessible

Together Housing Group commissioned Paper Films to explain a detailed long term housing strategy for Halifax. The project required sensitivity. Many people living in the high rise blocks had strong feelings about their homes. We combined resident, masterplanner and developer interviews, interwoven with aerial footage and 3D CGI animation to reveal how new developments would connect to existing roads, infrastructure and neighbourhoods. The film helped council stakeholders understand the masterplan and future edited versions will be used more widely to support ongoing community engagement.

(To watch this urban renewal and housing regeneration report film please contact us)

Why Organisations Choose Film for Community Engagement

Across regeneration, housing, planning and development, film is increasingly relied on because it:

• gives residents a credible platform
• makes complex planning information easy to understand
• builds trust between organisations and communities
• supports more open and inclusive decision making
• brings human stories to the centre of public consultation

Paper Films creates social engagement films, community outreach films and corporate documentaries that help organisations communicate transparently and involve people meaningfully in the future of their built environment.

We are a Manchester based video production company which works all over the UK. For over 15 years, Paper Films has specialised in corporate video production, community outreach films, and external relations video content that cuts through the noise by focusing on something technology cannot replicate—human authenticity.

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