It’s not every day our emerging filmmaker talent gets to work with leading advertising agencies and marketing budgets on campaigns that get seen by - and make a difference to - millions.

But that’s exactly what happened when Transport for London (TfL) teamed up with leading London agency VCCP, Film London alum. Producer Jamie Clarke of My Accomplice, up-and-coming Director Edem Kelman (also Film London alum.), and a whole host of crew drawn from Film London’s Equal Access Network, on TfL’s new "Act Like A Friend" video campaign.

The story is just such an inspiring journey of how London’s ecosystem came together to create this hard-hitting short film, that we felt we had to share it.

The story goes like this…

Launching during National Hate Crime Awareness Week (11-18 October), in response to the Mayor's commitment to improving safety and confidence for all passengers, TfL’s Marketing department commissioned VCCP to come up with a creative concept that highlighted the hate crimes being experienced by people across the transport network, and had real impact.

VCCP worked with My Accomplice, sharing a vision to bring fresh London voices and perspectives onto the campaign. The film, which is showing at cinemas across London and on ITVX, draws on three true stories of Londoners who’ve witnessed another passenger being targeted, and who have helped defuse the incident by engaging the targeted person in a conversation, as they would with a friend.

The film was directed by Edem Kelman, and produced by Producer, Film London Connect Mentor and Production Finance Market alumnus Jamie Clark from My Accomplice.

We spoke to VCCP's Simon Plant and Jamie about the genesis of the campaign and the short film, and how important it was to work with crew from Film London's network on the shoot.

How did you start working with TfL? And also with VCCP?

Jamie Clark: My Accomplice were approached as a producer due to us as a company working across feature film (scripted/unscripted) and commercial work. I was sent the initial script by Simon Plant at VCCP and loved the premise and the use of real peoples stories. It made the concept so powerful and a great jumping off point for finding a director. VCCP had a very bold vision for the work that we really connect with and naturally wanted to be a part of.

We thought of ways to amplify the campaign and one was to do a meaningful partnership with Film London. We have always as producers wanted to try and elevate new talent and this production provided a great opportunity. We worked with crew on the shoot and are taking part in the mentor scheme too.

Simon Plant: VCCP’s production arm Girl and Bear approached My Accomplice. Girl and Bear were very keen from the beginning to use this as an opportunity to bring new talent into the advertising space. They knew My Accomplice as a production company that understood commercials and could access talent that they would be unfamiliar with.

• Talk about the film-making process – how did you find the Director?

Jamie Clark: VCCP’s brief was very inspiring and that was to send a short list of very interesting directors working in the short film to feature films space who could bring a unique take to this creatively and at the same time gain invaluable experience working in the short form/ advertising world with a brilliant agency like VCCP and a great client like TFL.

Edem Kelman was chosen and he co wrote the script with the agency and worked closely and brilliantly with the creative team at the agency throughout the production.

Simon Plant:We had already started working with a researcher to find real-life stories from Londoners across the Transport for London network. Girl & Bear briefed My Accomplice to find talent outside of the commercial world, and we focused our search on directors working in the short film or feature film space. We were also keen to speak with underrepresented talent.

We talked with three directors. The creatives and Transport for London felt that Edem Kelman’s skill in capturing humanity and a realistic vision of London life would suit the project, and Edem subsequently developed the script with the creatives

• How about the crew?

Jamie Clark: We worked with some wonderful Film London crew on the shoot and it goes without saying that Film London crews will be the first people we contact on the next!

• How long did it take to shoot and where did you do the post-production?

Jamie Clark: The shoot was two days across TfL network in London. We filmed on the overground at Crystal Palace, the tube at Charing Cross, and on a bus from Camberwell garage.

We worked with Lucy Berry at Final Cut on the edit and sound designer Michael Griggs on the sound design.

• Were there any elements that surprised you or you found particularly noteworthy in the process?

Simon Plant: The enthusiasm for the project was immense. The collaboration and effort from everyone involved were extraordinary.

Read more about the "Act Like A Friend" video campaign here,