DS Smith is a global packaging leader with sustainability built into its core. Operating in over 30 countries, the business is driving major shifts in how the packaging industry thinks about waste, reuse, and circular design. With that in mind, DS Smith needed a video that could articulate this vision clearly and creatively for high-level audiences.

This project wasn’t just another explainer. It had to hold its own on stage at awards shows and industry events, often playing without sound, looping seamlessly while still conveying a compelling message. The video also needed to work in presentations and stakeholder briefings, where it would be shown with voiceover.

DS Smith approached us with a specific ask: create a short, high-impact video that communicates the company’s commitment to circularity visually, emotionally, and strategically.

But here’s the nuance: the video had to function with or without audio, and still make sense. It would be used on loop at industry events, in silent exhibition environments, and as part of larger corporate storytelling moments. That meant everything from pacing to visual emphasis had to carry the message, even if the voiceover wasn’t there to support it.

This was a true creative partnership from start to finish. Working hand-in-hand with Hammerspace Video, we co-developed the storyboard, refining the structure and tone to suit both voiced and silent contexts. Hammerspace also led on editing and live-action production, capturing a range of location footage that grounded the animation in real-world impact.

From our side, we focused on building a motion layer that added clarity, rhythm, and brand depth, without overwhelming the visuals. Every frame was carefully considered so that even in silence, the audience would feel the flow and understand the narrative.

Key creative choices included:

The final film is a confident, visually rich communication piece that works across multiple formats and environments. It:

The result is a video that mirrors the quality of the message itself, intelligent, refined, and well-paced.

This project worked because everyone involved was invested in telling the story properly, not just producing content, but crafting communication that works, wherever it’s seen.

Hammerspace weren’t just a production partner. They were involved from the earliest stages, co-developing the storyboard with us, shaping the narrative arc, and handling the edit with real attention to detail. Their creative input helped us strike the right balance between information and visual storytelling, especially important for a video that needed to land both with and without sound.

And when audio was used, the voiceover needed to carry real authority without overpowering the visuals. That’s where Ritchie Clarke brought real weight. His delivery added a sense of calm confidence that perfectly matched the pacing and purpose of the piece.

Designing a film to work across both silent and voiced formats challenged us to think more intentionally about movement, messaging, and rhythm. But those creative constraints made the result stronger. It’s clean, communicative, and grounded in a collaborative process we’re genuinely proud of.

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