Concept Development

Our relationship with PiXL began in 2017, and since then, we have produced dozens of videos together. With this project, we set out to create our biggest, most extensive and ambitious video series to date. We set out with a single goal: to see whether video could become a powerful tool in demonstrating the tangible impact of their educational frameworks. PiXL, known for its evidence-based approach to school improvement and leadership development, wanted to move beyond written case studies and static resources. They envisioned something dynamic: a video series that could bring to life the stories behind the data, the people behind the strategies, and the day-to-day realities of schools using PiXL tools to improve outcomes.

From the outset, it was clear this would not be a promotional exercise. The PiXL team was adamant that the tone must be grounded, honest, and deeply rooted in the lived experiences of educators. They wanted something that felt authentic and human, something that could speak directly to school leaders, classroom teachers, and support staff in a way that was relatable, insightful, and practical. In late 2020, we were commissioned to produce a pilot episode, a proof of concept to test whether this vision could translate effectively to the screen. We began by working in close collaboration with PiXL’s senior leadership team to define the narrative framework. What did the audience need to take away? What themes mattered most? What would success look like, not for the video, but for the educators watching it?

Through a series of development meetings, we crafted a tone that was warm but professional, informative but not didactic, and visually engaging without feeling overproduced. The storytelling approach had to balance compelling human narratives with meaningful educational insights. The result was a 16-minute pilot that served as both a standalone story and a foundation for a much larger project, one that would eventually span multiple schools and voices across the country.

The Pilot

The pilot episode was filmed in early 2021 at Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College in Altrincham, a school already actively engaged with PiXL's initiatives. This location was carefully chosen in collaboration with PiXL for its strong leadership, committed staff, and clear evidence of impact from the PiXL strategies in place. Our goal was to create a piece that didn’t just explain what PiXL offers, but showed, in real, tangible terms, how those resources were being implemented and experienced on the ground.

Across two intensive days, our crew, made up of a director, producer, two camera operators, and a dedicated sound recordist, worked with staff and students to capture a wide range of footage. We conducted in-depth sit-down interviews with members of the senior leadership team, subject heads, and classroom teachers, each offering candid reflections on how PiXL frameworks had shaped their planning, assessments, and student engagement.

We also spent significant time inside the classroom, observing lessons in action. From the dynamics of teacher-pupil interaction to the structures guiding learning activities, we documented a living, breathing picture of what PiXL looks like in practice. Between interviews and lessons, we filmed movement in corridors, breaktimes, and transitions to capture the wider energy and culture of the school. Supplemented by carefully composed b-roll, both cinematic and observational, we aimed to create a rich visual context that enhanced the interviews and deepened audience understanding.

Once in post-production, we edited the pilot into a tightly constructed 16-minute film that captured both the heart and intent of the project. When shown to PiXL’s senior leadership team and a focus group of experienced headteachers and education advisors, the feedback was immediately enthusiastic. The pilot exceeded expectations, and with that, we were officially commissioned to produce the full four-part series.

Pre-Production

With the green light confirmed and the success of the pilot fresh in mind, we entered an extensive pre-production phase that spanned several months. This stage was foundational to the quality and clarity of the final series. It required a high level of collaboration between Reverie Films and multiple departments within PiXL to ensure the series would reflect both the organisation’s values and the real experiences of the schools involved.

Our first focus was creative development. Working closely with the PiXL team, we explored the overarching goals of the series and distilled them into four core thematic areas. These became the episode titles, each designed to explore a different aspect of PiXL’s work across various educational phases and contexts. We then turned our attention to story structure. From the outset, it was clear that the format had to be more than a montage of interviews. We developed a framework that balanced sit-down conversations with rich, observational footage from daily school life. Establishing a consistent visual and editorial tone was essential, one that was professional but warm, structured but flexible, and engaging without losing the educational integrity of the content.

Pre-production also involved complex logistics. We liaised with a wide range of schools across the country, securing filming permissions, navigating safeguarding requirements, and coordinating travel schedules for our crew. Each school had its own timetable, ethos, and unique operational rhythm, which we worked hard to respect and accommodate. Behind the scenes, we undertook detailed research into PiXL’s various programmes to ensure we could capture their implementation with nuance and accuracy. Throughout this phase, we conducted pitch meetings with PiXL’s leadership and communications teams to align on expectations, messaging, and practical considerations. This groundwork allowed us to approach each filming day with trust, efficiency, and authenticity, setting the tone for a series that was genuinely collaborative and insight-driven.

Filming

Filming for the PiXL in Action series began in the summer of 2022 and continued over four months, from June to October. Our production team travelled the length and breadth of England to capture authentic stories from a diverse range of school communities, each one uniquely implementing PiXL’s frameworks to support students, staff, and leadership development. The schools featured in the series included:

• The Green Room School

• Brookvale Groby Learning Campus

• Hope Academy

• Acklam Grange School

• Barnack and St John’s Primary Schools

• Nine Mile Ride Primary School
  

At every location, we collaborated closely with senior leadership teams to identify a range of voices that would best represent the school’s ethos and its relationship with PiXL. We conducted on-camera interviews with SLT members, heads of departments, classroom teachers, teaching assistants, and students. These conversations were guided by broad thematic prompts tailored to each episode’s focus, but were never scripted; we prioritised natural, unscripted dialogue to preserve honesty, insight, and authenticity.

The interviews were complemented by extensive B-roll coverage. We filmed dynamic drone footage of school exteriors, playgrounds, and surrounding environments to establish the setting and context. On the ground, we captured observational shots of classroom teaching, transitions between lessons, group work, and informal interactions in corridors, staff rooms, and common areas like libraries and canteens. These moments helped convey the texture of school life and the environments in which PiXL strategies take root.

We approached each shoot with a two-camera setup to maximise coverage while retaining visual intimacy. Lighting was kept minimal and natural to preserve the realism of each setting, while our sound team worked diligently to capture crisp dialogue and ambient audio. The result was a rich, human portrait of education in action, grounded, nuanced, and visually engaging.

Editing & Post-Production

The editing phase of PiXL in Action began in July 2022 and continued through to June 2023, representing nearly a full year of focused post-production. Across 123 dedicated edit days, our editorial team worked in continuous collaboration with PiXL to craft four detailed, dynamic, and information-rich episodes that stayed true to the project’s purpose and tone. Given the scale of the production, our first task was to organise and catalogue hundreds of hours of material, including interview footage, b-roll, drone visuals, and ambient audio from six different schools. Each clip was carefully reviewed, logged, and assessed for relevance, clarity, and impact. We knew from the outset that this series would need to feel polished yet grounded, informative yet human, and that required an editorial process guided as much by instinct as by structure.

Each episode underwent multiple rough cuts, with regular feedback loops built into the process. The PiXL team remained deeply involved at every stage, offering valuable insight to ensure that the final edits aligned with both the organisation’s educational ethos and the needs of its wide-ranging audience. Our editorial goals were consistent throughout: highlight authentic voices from across the school communities, ensure clarity and accessibility for time-pressed educators and school leaders, capture the identity of each school through thoughtful pacing, tone, and imagery, and maintain cohesion across the four episodes while allowing each to explore a distinct theme.

The final titles and themes were:

1. Sharpening up the Conversation

2. Preparing for Pressure Points

3. Transition in all Phases

4. Wellbeing for Staff and Students
   

Each episode ranged from 82 to 140 minutes, structured in clearly defined chapters for flexible viewing.

Delivery & Impact

The completed PiXL in Action series was officially delivered in summer 2023, marking the culmination of nearly three years of planning, production, and collaboration. Once all four episodes were finalised, we worked with PiXL to ensure the series was technically optimised for its intended platforms, providing high-definition files with clean audio mastering, subtitle-ready exports, and chaptered structures to facilitate seamless navigation.

The series was first presented internally to PiXL’s senior leadership team and key stakeholders. From the very first screening, the response was deeply affirming. What had initially begun as an exploratory pilot had evolved into a cornerstone visual resource for the entire PiXL network, a series that not only reflected the organisation’s core values but gave voice to the real people putting those values into practice across the country.

Following internal approval, the series was rolled out across PiXL’s national network of schools and educational partners. It became a key asset for professional development, leadership training, and resource sharing, used in conferences, CPD sessions, and school-to-school outreach. The chapter-based structure allowed educators to dip into relevant segments or engage with full episodes, depending on their specific needs or focus areas.

Beyond its immediate function as a resource, the series also helped foster a renewed sense of connection and collaboration within the PiXL community. Educators who watched the episodes saw themselves reflected onscreen, not as case studies, but as contributors to a collective mission of improvement and support. For us at Reverie Films, PiXL in Action stands as one of our most meaningful collaborations to date. It is a testament to what can be achieved when storytelling, strategy, and education align. We’re proud to have helped bring these voices to the forefront and honoured to have played a part in PiXL’s continuing journey to improve life chances for young people across the UK.