Team Accord: Sam Cane, Video Creative
Meet Sam, our innovative Video Creative, bringing concepts to life with compelling visual storytelling that captivates audiences and enhances our clients' brand narratives.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your role at Accord?
I graduated from the University of Greenwich in 2015 with a digital film production degree and, from there, did a mix of things - from occasionally freelancing to being M&S’s first in-house videographer. About 18 months ago, I joined Accord as a video creative, where my role is to help push the boundaries and strengthen our offering when it comes to all things moving image and sound.
What does a typical day look like for you?
It’s difficult to describe a typical day as any given one can be so different from another, but typically, I check in with the wider Creative team and see what’s going on, and then get stuck into a project - these can range from editing reels for social media to creating sonic logos, creating YouTube ads, and devising TV concepts. The variety my role offers is really what I enjoy the most.
What project are you most proud of?
I would say it’s a Jules Verne TV concept I recently worked on.
I started working alongside our copywriter, hashing out an initial script that leant into the themes of Jules Verne’s novels and linked them to the travel company - all of which was inspired by the term ‘specialists in the impossible’ that I coined early on in the process.
From there, it was a case of choosing footage that showed the authentic cultural moments and experiences you get on a Jules Verne holiday, while tastefully referencing some of the classic iconography associated with books like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in 80 Days. It was the first TV concept I’d been involved with, from idea development to the scripting phase to the final edit, and I’m really pleased with how it turned out.
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest developments in marketing?
The world of video is ever-changing and developing, but thankfully for me and my generation, much of it is now documented on YouTube and other social media sites - which is where I get a lot of information about new equipment and software.
I’d also recommend attending as many industry events as possible; plenty of which are completely free.
What do you get up to in your spare time outside of work?
As you can imagine, I’m a bit of a film enthusiast, but I’m also equally as big into music - so, whenever I can find the time (and inspiration), I really enjoy writing and recording my own music. Over the years, I’ve released three albums and a handful of EPs - all of which I’ve played guitar, piano, bass and even sung on myself.
What advice would you give to someone starting in the industry?
Try everything.
At university, I wanted to be a director, so I thought it would serve me well to learn everything about video production - from sound to screenwriting and everything in between. Whilst I thought I was doing okay, in hindsight, I wish I could go back and push myself to take it even further. There are so many aspects to the industry that, due to tunnel vision and not finding them useful at the time, I ignored without even realising.
So, my advice to new starters and people looking to start a career in video production is to try everything and cherish the opportunity to learn.
What are you most excited about in the coming year at Accord?
I would say two things: push to do more bespoke shoots on location and continue to be involved in TV ad concept development - both of which we seem to be doing an increasing amount of, which is good!
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
Instant teleportation. Far too much time (and money!) is spent on transport, and distance is often the main factor separating family and friends, so it’d be great to claim some of that back.
Favourite Christmas film?
Hands down, Muppet's Christmas Carol.
I have a theory that pretty much any story can be improved by adding The Muppets, and so far, I think I’m yet to be proved wrong - with this being the stand-out example. It captures the essence, themes, and emotional beats of the classic Dickens novel but also adds its own sense of humour, music, and charm.
It’s also arguably (and weirdly) one of the most faithful adaptations of the original book ever put to film.
What’s something on your bucket list that you haven’t had the chance to do yet?
I used to perform musically a lot in school, but since then (and ironically, since I started really writing my own music), I haven’t been able to find time for it at all, so I think it would be to be able to play a few shows of my original music live.
If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about our career opportunities, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Sam Cane
Sam is our innovative Video Creative, bringing concepts to life with compelling visual storytelling that captivates audiences and enhances our clients' brand narratives.
