The Art of Collaboration
Collaboration is key to our success as a business. Working creatively with, listening to and understanding others’ thoughts and ideas is at the heart of every project we undertake. In fact, working together with others for a common purpose is both effective and rewarding. Why? Well, collaboration allows us to draw on and tap into the expertise and wisdom of others which brings new perspectives to our work. We learn, and the project develops as a result.
So let me give you a great example of how collaboration works in practice. Which allows me to to mention one of the greatest footballers that ever lived: Edson Arantes do Nascimento. Or Pele to you and I. In March 1973 the great man and his team Santos were in Plymouth for a one-off friendly – which incidentally Plymouth Argyle went on to win 3-2. The media archive at The Box in Plymouth keep the film of that classic encounter. And that film was the starting point for a beautiful collaboration between The Box, Plymouth Argyle Football Club and Sound View Media.
The Box on screen
We have been producing a Youtube series called The Box On Screen, which features stories from the vast South West film and television archive. The series makes content more accessible to wider and more diverse audiences. When we realised it was the 50th anniversary of the day Pele came to town, we knew this was a story that had to be shared.
Sound View got in touch with our contacts at Plymouth Argyle football club to set up a meeting. Immediately, like us, they knew this would a great story to tell for the city and football fans alike. Better still, they had contacts for the Argyle legends who played against the boys from Brazil that night in 1973. So, we agreed that we would create an episode of the Box On Screen. We would collaborate with the former Argyle players to watch the archive footage for the first time in decades, and we’d film them doing that at the football ground.
That episode has now been shared across all of our online platforms. As a result reaching thousands of viewers, who would not otherwise have had the opportunity to see this amazing piece of archive film. After the filming took place two of the former argyle players agreed to display the Santos players’ shirts they’d swapped that night at The Box. One of which belonged to, yes you guessed it, Pele!
So you can see what happens with some imagination, good contacts, good fortune and great collaboration. Working together brings creativity, mutual benefit and something amazing to be shared with others. It enriches all of our lives. I for one think that’s a win, win situation – do you?
Check out The Box on Screen’s Argyle display!
You can read more about The Box and our work collaborating with them.
