Case Study
Stump Cross Caverns Audience Welcome Film
The client
Stump Cross Caverns is one of the UK’s leading underground attractions, a beautiful network of caves discovered in the 1800s in the Yorkshire Dales but dating back over 300 million years! Stump Cross Caverns is a family-owned business and welcomes over 40,000 visitors annually and caters for families, educational trips and historical and geological research.
The project
Stump Cross Caverns approached VisualEyes and My Digital Hero to create a new 10min film that could be used ot greet guests prior to their descent into the caves. Prior to the project, the Caverns were having to commit at least one member of staff to brief small groups manually, meaning the same talk being delivered dozens of times a day and also the manpower being tied up for use elsewhere.
With such a rich history and variety of sights to see, the Caverns had a multifaceted brief that would all be covered under one video production.
- Look at the history of the region and formation of the caves 300 million years ago
- The history of the discovery of the caves by lead minders in the 1800s
- The sights within the caves and what to expect during a visit
- Health and safety briefing to ensure all visitors are comfortable, safe and most, importantly, excited to descend into the depths.
VisualEyes were also asked to create social media content off the back of the film to be released on Instagram and Facebook. These short 30 second videos were designed to engage visitors and generate new visitors ina climate still recovering from the downturn in visitor numbers post-Covid.
Our solution
We created an exciting, engaging and educational 10min welcome film that combined a wide range of creative elements and filming styles, including:
- Stock footage and animations to recreate the deadly seas of the Carboniferous Period
- A timelapse animation showing the site of Stump Cross Caverns going back in time 300 million years
- Drone footage of the local area
- Visually evocative historical recreation
- Archive photos brought to life with parallax animations
- Filming health and safety sequences with a family of four
- Filming of the cave interiors including its amazing variety of natural formations
- A 1min 3D animation showcasing the growth of stalactites and stalgmites to create unique formations over thousands of years
- Filming of the Stump Cross Cavern’s own Cavewoman character welcoming guests and reminding them about the importance of preserving a site like the Caverns
- Sound design including original music, voiceover, sound effects and natural sound recorded in the caverns, as well as sequences of dinosaurs, volcanos and lead miners making their discovery
- Animated titles
The film was written by Simon Edwards of My Digital Hero and produced, directed and edited by Carl Timms. Filming was completed by Alan Tisch and Liam Millard and comprised three separate shoots over the autumn of 2023.
Social Content
Following client sign off of the main film, the content was repurposed into 4 social pieces, each covering a separate theme:
- An underground adventure featuring shots of a family cavern exploring focusing on the WOW moments of the children
- Safety first featuring shots of the family getting ready, being given their helmets, torches, ready to explore
- The big discovery – how the mine was found by lead miners in the 1800s
- How stalactites grow showcasing the stalagtite animation sequence with titles explaining the stages of formation
- How the cavern was formed showcasing the timelapse, a reduced version of Cambrian sea sequence and cracks forming in the earth to reveal Stump Cross Caverns
Implementing the new video has been transformative for our business.
Previously, primary school children would arrive at the cave feeling nervous to go down, only enjoying the cave part way through the tour. Now, the video excites them right from the start, effectively setting the stage for their adventure.
Oliver Bowerman, Stump Cross Caverns
The impact
– Since its release in the on-site cinema briefing room, the Welcome Film has been seen by over 30,000 visitors so far in 2024 and will be used over coming seasons to greet new guests. The film is regularly applauded and has been credited by parents at helping ease the nerves of children afraid to go under the earth.
– Stump Cross Caverns have been able to redeploy the staff who were previously delivering the talks, allowing them to be on hand in the caves to guide and advise and also to help run the cafe, gift shop and other key areas, resulting in more efficient business processes and cost-savings.
– Instagram content received 1.2million impressions, generating 18,000 website clickthroughs
