Introduction

At Reverie Films, we believe the best educational stories are told by the people living them every day. As a video production company in Glasgow, we’ve worked with PiXL since 2017, creating films that celebrate real impact in schools across the UK. PiXL in Action was born from a shared goal: to show how evidence-based strategies translate into meaningful change for teachers, leaders, and students.

Through honest storytelling and cinematic craftsmanship, we set out to create films that felt authentic, relatable, and useful. Over two seasons, the series evolved from long-form documentaries to concise, topic-led videos, each designed to inform, inspire, and connect educators nationwide.

Purpose and concept

Our partnership with PiXL began in 2017 and has produced dozens of films. With PiXL in Action Season 1, we set out to create our most ambitious series to date. The brief was simple to state and complex to deliver: use video to show the real-world impact of PiXL’s evidence-based strategies in UK schools. PiXL wanted to move beyond static resources and traditional case studies. They were looking for a grounded, human series that would speak directly to school leaders, teachers, and support staff.

From the outset, we agreed the tone could not feel promotional. It had to be honest, practical, and centred on lived experience. We collaborated with PiXL’s senior leadership to define the narrative framework and the key outcomes for viewers. We focused on stories with substance, insights educators could apply, and a visual style that felt cinematic without being glossy. The result was a pilot that established the voice of the series and set the standard for everything that followed.

The Pilot: Proving The Format

In early 2021, we filmed a 16-minute pilot at Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College in Altrincham. Working closely with the school’s leadership, we captured interviews with SLT, subject heads, and classroom teachers, alongside observational classroom footage. The aim was to show teaching, assessment, and culture in motion, not just talk about them. We used a compact crew to stay agile and respectful in live environments, and we photographed the school day as it unfolded.

Editing focused on clarity, warmth, and a coherent arc. The film was shown to PiXL leaders and a panel of headteachers and advisors. Feedback was unequivocal. The pilot felt authentic and useful, which led to a commission for a four-part series.

Pre-Production

With the green light, we entered a detailed pre-production phase. Together with PiXL, we defined four thematic episodes and a mixed format that balanced in-depth interviews with genuine school life. The tone was professional and accessible. We planned carefully for safeguarding, timetables, permissions, and travel. We researched PiXL programmes in advance so our crew knew what to look for and how to capture nuance without interrupting learning.

As a video production company in Scotland that often films in live educational settings across the UK, our approach prioritised collaboration and transparency. We ensured each school knew what to expect, and we set a schedule that respected staff and pupils while still achieving the editorial aims of the series.

Filming

Production ran June to October 2022 and featured a diverse set of schools, including The Green Room School, Brookvale Groby Learning Campus, Hope Academy, Acklam Grange School, Barnack and St John’s Primary Schools, and Nine Mile Ride Primary School. At each site we filmed interviews with leaders, teachers, TAs, and students. Interviews were guided, never scripted, to keep voices natural and credible.

We paired these conversations with unobtrusive classroom coverage, transitions, group work, and social spaces. We used a two-camera setup for coverage and intimacy, minimal lighting for realism, and careful location sound to preserve clarity. Exterior establishing shots and aerial context helped orient viewers without interrupting the flow. The goal was to build a human portrait of education in action, and to do it with respect and precision.

Editing & Post-Production

Post-production ran from July 2022 to June 2023 and covered 123 edit days. We logged hundreds of hours of interviews and b-roll, then built each episode through a series of rough cuts that were reviewed with PiXL. The guiding principles were consistent across the series: highlight authentic voices, keep messages clear for time-pressed educators, retain each school’s identity, and maintain visual and tonal coherence from episode to episode. The final episode themes were:

• Sharpening up the Conversation

• Preparing for Pressure Points

• Transition in all Phases

• Wellbeing for Staff and Students

Each episode was structured in chapters to allow flexible viewing. Runtimes ranged from 82 to 140 minutes. While long form, the pacing remained purposeful, with space for depth and detail that leaders could return to as needed.

Delivery & Impact

The series was finalised in summer 2023 with HD masters, clean audio, subtitle-ready exports, and chaptered navigation. Internal screenings confirmed what we hoped to achieve. Educators saw themselves reflected, not as case studies on a slide, but as professionals doing the work. The series rolled out across the network and was used for CPD, leadership training, conferences, and school-to-school sharing.

Beyond practical use, the films strengthened a sense of community across PiXL. Schools could learn from peers in different contexts and phases, and leaders could use chapters in short meetings or explore full episodes during training. For us at Reverie, Season 1 proved how thoughtful, documentary-led corporate video production in Scotland can deliver content that is cinematic, credible, and genuinely useful. As a video production company in Glasgow working nationally, we are proud that the series has become a trusted resource that continues to create value.