Millharbour Branded Architectural Documentary

Overview

Millharbour is a major mixed-use development on the Isle of Dogs, London, by Ballymore, one of the UK's most respected property developers. Bringing together residential and commercial spaces in one of London's most historically rich areas, the project involved a large team of architects, designers, and landscapers working across every detail of the development.

Ballymore commissioned a branded documentary film, produced by Squint Opera, to capture the creative thinking, collaboration, and design processes behind Millharbour, not a sales film, but a genuine exploration of how the project came to life.

The Brief

The challenge was to make a film that could communicate the depth and ambition of a complex architectural project in a way that felt human and engaging. The film needed to reflect the real people behind the project: the architects, interior designers, and landscapers who shaped every aspect of Millharbour, and the thinking that connected them.

Motion graphics of interior design for architecture documentary
Animated gif of interior design samples, edited fast with a combination of 16mm film and digital

The Creative Approach

The central creative decision was to use a mixed media filmmaking style, combining 16mm film, 35mm still photography, digital video, animation, and CGI within a single film. This was a deliberate choice to mirror the way designers and architects themselves work: moving fluidly between sketches, physical models, and digital tools. Each format reflects a different layer of the creative process, so the texture of the filmmaking itself becomes part of the story.

Working closely with the Creative Director at Squint Opera, the film also draws on archive footage of the Isle of Dogs, grounding Millharbour in the history and community of the area rather than presenting it as a development that arrives fully formed. It gives the film a sense of place and continuity that sets it apart from typical property marketing.

The Production

Creative Director: Rebecca Watson

Director: James Dougan

Editor: James Dougan

DOP: Max Cutting

Production: Squint Opera

Title frame from a branded architectural documentary exploring the design, history, and future of Millharbour on the Isle of Dogs.
An architect working through design details as part of a branded architectural documentary, capturing the creative process behind a contemporary development film.
Archival street footage capturing everyday community life on the Isle of Dogs, grounding the film in local history and lived experience.
Architectural scale models paired with contemporary city views, connecting design concepts to the evolving urban landscape of Millharbour.
An architectural design workspace documented through mixed media, combining stills, video, and 16mm film for a branded development documentary.
Design-led montage highlighting community-focused interiors, material choices, and shared spaces within the Millharbour development.
An architect sketching early spatial ideas, showing the design process behind Millharbour from concept to built environment.
Close-up of architectural drawings captured on 16mm film, emphasising craftsmanship, process, and tactile design thinking.
Sunlight filtering through trees on the Isle of Dogs, used as a visual pause to reflect the relationship between nature and urban development.
Portrait of an architect interviewed for the Millharbour branded documentary, sharing insights into design intent and vision.
Architect reviewing plans, renders, and material studies during the development of Millharbour’s interior and communal spaces.
Behind the scenes of a branded documentary architecture shoot, combining interview setup, mixed media storytelling, and a cinematic 16mm film approach.
Archival London footage woven into a branded architectural documentary, connecting historical context with contemporary development storytelling.
Material samples and textures explored on camera for a branded documentary architecture film, highlighting the tactile design process through mixed media.
Close-up of architectural material selection filmed on 16mm, blending analogue texture with modern design-led documentary filmmaking.
Terrazzo material detail filmed on 16mm, emphasising craft, surface, and materiality within a branded architectural documentary film.

Some behind the scenes moments of the shoot

Behind the Scenes Branded Architectural Documentary Shoot Large.jpeg
Filming material and craft details on location for a branded architectural development film, documenting the hands-on design and making process.
Interview filmed as part of a branded documentary architecture project, combining cinematic camera movement with a design-led, mixed media approach.
An architect working through drawings and ideas during filming for a branded architectural documentary, focusing on creative process and development thinking.

Why Architectural Documentary Works

A development film that goes beyond CGI and sales copy does something more valuable, it builds trust. By showing the people, the thinking, and the craft behind a project, it communicates quality and ambition in a way that renders alone never can.

Working on an architectural or property project? Get in touch to discuss how a branded documentary could work for you :)

Previous

Brat Restaurant
Next

Oxford North