Thrums Vets
Corporate
The brief
Thrums Vets is an independent, locally run mixed veterinary practice with its main surgery in Kirriemuir and further practices in Blairgowrie, Forfar and Scone. Independently owned since 1948, the practice wanted a set of films that communicated what makes it different from the corporate-owned chains that now dominate much of the veterinary industry: no call centres, no remote ownership, just a team that knows every animal and every owner by name.
The challenge was that these qualities are easy to claim and hard to prove. Warmth, continuity of care and genuine relationships cannot be faked with a script and a smile to camera — so the films had to capture them as they actually are.
The approach
Rather than stage set-piece scenes, we filmed the practice observationally. Over three days I followed three different vets through the genuine range of their work: a routine check-up with a labrador one morning, an equine x-ray in a stable first thing the next, a farm visit in wellies after that. Complicated operations, emotional intelligence, logistics and business management — the films simply kept up with a job that never stops changing shape.
Nothing was staged and nothing was faked. The authenticity of the practice carried the films, and the proof of the approach arrived mid-production: I was impressed enough by what I saw through the camera to move my own dog to the practice from a corporate-owned competitor, halfway through the shoot.
The outcome
The project delivered three complementary films: a short promotional film making the case for an independent practice, a longer observational day-in-the-life film following the vets through their working days, and a focused film explaining the practice's Practice Plan membership. Together they give Thrums Vets a library of genuine, characterful content for its website and social channels — all cut from real moments, and all speaking with the same honest voice.
The full story of the shoot is told in our journal: [Authentic Storytelling for Local Business](/journal/authentic-video-local-business-thrums-vets/).