Red Stamp Productions was commissioned by Sunderland Shorts Film Festival and Sunderland Culture to create a heartwarming, John Lewis–inspired advert celebrating the 10th anniversary of Sunderland Shorts.

The story, titled The Gift of Cinema, follows a young girl whose first trip to the cinema with her mother sparks a lifelong love of film. With gentle encouragement from her mum, the girl grows up to become a professional in the creative industries, eventually returning the gift of cinema to her mother that first inspired her years ago.

This production was made possible with fantastic local collaboration:

• Kit hire from No Drama

• Casting support from Shields Academy and Tidal Talent

• A special cameo appearance thanks to our friend Libby Walker at Nanapeg

• With thanks to Sunderland City Council and Middlesbrough Council for securing child performance licences

The two-day shoot took place on location in South Shields and Sunderland, with support from the University of Sunderland. Filmed on the Sony FX3, the project was completed in just six days from shoot to delivery — showcasing our ability to deliver high-quality work on tight deadlines.

All post-production was carried out in-house at Red Stamp Post:

• Editing & Colour Grading in DaVinci Resolve

• Sound Design & Mix in Pro Tools

• Full finishing delivered to broadcast quality

This project demonstrates our expertise in delivering cinema-quality branded content and short films with a fast, professional turnaround — bringing together creative storytelling, cutting-edge technology, and the vibrant filmmaking community of the North East.