Major incidents
British Transport Police is the national force for Scotland, England, and Wales, responsible for keeping the rail network safe for operators, colleagues and passengers across the country.
The brief
We were asked to create a film for a national Learning and Development framework that would help colleagues understand what it is really like to respond to a major incident, and to learn from lived experience rather than second-hand theory.
The brief was straightforward to describe, but demanding in practice: to create something honest, considered, and genuinely useful for people who may one day find themselves under similar pressure.
Our approach
We worked closely with the Learning and Development team shaping the programme, to build a treatment rooted in real stories and behavioural insight.
The narrative is carried by officers directly involved in the Stonehaven derailment, the Manchester Arena terrorist attack, and the Croydon tram crash, supported by filmed sequences with specialist and armed response teams, frontline patrols around King’s Cross, and communications officers inside the London control room. We integrated relevant news footage to provide context and avoid dramatisation.
Our interviews were shot with a cinematic documentary sensibility, so the focus stays on the human reality of decision-making, coordination, and consequence. This aligns with how we work best: people-led storytelling that communicates with clarity and purpose.
The outcome
A powerful documentary-style Learning and Development film that brings major incident response to life through first-hand testimony, helping colleagues reflect on roles, judgement calls, and the standards that hold under pressure.
The result supports consistent learning across teams, strengthens shared understanding, and gives the programme credible, human material that colleagues are more likely to engage with than instruction alone. The result is a film that supports reflection, shared understanding, and better decision-making in real situations.
If you are planning a Learning and Development film and want it to feel credible and human, learn more about our approach.
May Holloway, Head of Internal CommunicationsThese stories really resonated with our people and convey the gravity of the subject matter, resulting in an impactful and wonderfully-shot film that I’m sure we’ll use for years to come.
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