Member Article

Digital agency Stone’s Throw Media play winning role in Commonwealth Games

Leading video, animation and livestreaming agency Stone’s Throw Media put in a gold medal performance by filming behind the scenes footage of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, including the journey taken by the giant mechanical bull.

The team from Wolverhampton-based Stone’s Throw Media recorded the late night effort to transport the bull, one of the highlights of the opening ceremony at Alexander Stadium, to its Birmingham city centre display as part of a series of videos to promote the Games.

Supporting the Birmingham 2022 team, the Stone’s Throw video team recorded the two hour escorted trip by lorry from the athletics stadium to Centenary Square, which began at 1am. The mechanical bull had caught the imagination of the public after it appeared in the ceremony to kick off the sporting celebration.

Working to the Games organiser’s brief to document some of the behind the scenes work for Birmingham 2022, Stone’s Throw also shot footage of the preparations for the opening and closing ceremonies, including filming rehearsals in Birmingham by choir Black Voices as they practiced their performance. Ahead of the opening ceremony on July 28 Stone’s Throw filmed the female choir, led by Music Director Carol Pemberton, preparing for the show.

The video team also recorded dress rehearsals by performers for the closing ceremony to document the preparations for the final live gathering in the biggest event to be staged in the West Midlands in generations. The Commonwealth Games saw 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete in 19 sports and eight para-sports across 15 competition venues.

Stone’s Throw Media was launched in 2011 by founders Mike Chinn and Matt Weston after they met on a University of Wolverhampton media course. The founders bill Stone’s Throw Media as being for clients “looking to grow” through video, animation and livestreaming events, with staffing growing to eight this year as revenues and profits grew to new highs.

Matt Weston said: “Everyone at Stone’s Throw Media was delighted to be part of the highest profile event in our 11-year history, supporting the Birmingham 2022 team to document the efforts behind the scenes to bring together such a memorable Games. By filming the preparations going on away from the view of the crowds, we helped the organisers tell other sides to the story which showed the best of the West Midlands to the world.”

Mike Chinn, who was among those to film the mechanical bull’s journey, said: “The journey for the bull was only about six miles but so much care and attention was taken that it was fascinating to record its path to Centenary Square. There was a great atmosphere around the Games, from the build-up to the final events, so we were delighted that Stone’s Throw could play our part.”

Based at Wolverhampton Science Park, Stone’s Throw, whose clients include leading brands Redrow, JLR and Wolverhampton Wanderers, is up for the Black Country Chamber of Commerce 2022 award for Small Business of the Year.

The team are among the founders of not-for-profit business group Creative Chain, which has brought on board 60 agencies and businesses from Wolverhampton and the Black Country to raise the profile of local talent in the creative industries.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Chris Leggett .