Member Article

Halifax entrepreneur faces adversity to kickstart his own video production agency

Halifax entrepreneur Paul Hill has battled with redundancy and losing his eyesight to start his own video production agency, which worked filming London Fashion Week.

Paul had been in digital marketing for 10 years but lost his job not long after he lost his eyesight due to a degenerative eye condition, known as Myopic Macular Degeneration.

Unable to read properly or drive, and facing the job market as a blind person, Paul had even got to the stage of arranging a guide dog when his condition improved and he began to see again, baffling the medical profession.

Out of this adversity, his video production company, ManShed was born. The startup, rooted in Paul’s film hobby, has done work for Canon UK, Triumph International, John Smedley, Cancer Research UK and even celebrity weddings and top corporates.

Paul was placed on the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) scheme for advice and guidance from the West Yorkshire Enterprise Agency to help move his idea forward.

His NEA mentor was always on hand questions or to talk things through, he says, and he believes the scheme is great for people who lack direction or need guidance.

On losing his sight, then dealing with redundancy Paul said: “ManShed aims to produce commercial films with high production values and a creative cinematic look.

“With Canon UK, I didn’t really know what I was doing, but they loved it, and shared it.”

His experience with guide dogs has led him to become a registered volunteer and he has even made a film for them with Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls.

He said: “You do or die. It’s very important for me to give something back, and anyway I always come away from their events smiling.”

Paul’s eyesight continues to remain good and he has started to expand into remote aerial film with his new business partner

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .