Adaptation Under Pressure: Filming a 1960s Wedding Dress at the V&A
Earlier this year I was commissioned by the V&A Museum to create a short film for their YouTube channel; a quiet, detail-focused piece about a 1960s wedding dress and shoes that had been adapted for a disabled bride. On the surface, it’s a film about fashion and preservation. But really, it’s a film about how design can serve people with care and intention.
And like many museum-based shoots, it came with a few unique challenges; limited time, a sensitive setting, and the need to turn things around fast.
Shooting in a Live Workspace with a Ticking Clock
We filmed in the museum’s conservation studio, an active working space that couldn’t be shut down or staged like a film set. Staff were welcoming and incredibly accommodating, but understandably keen for us to move through efficiently. On top of that, the film’s presenter, V&A curator Natalie Kane, was in the thick of preparing a major exhibition, and only had a narrow window to be on camera.
From setup to wrap, I had just three and a bit hours to capture the entire film.
That meant working with intent: every shot had to count, and I needed to gather enough visual coverage to support a complete edit. One that would go live within the week.
A Visual Approach Built on Constraint
With such limited time, I leaned on simplicity. The visuals are structured and quiet, keeping focus on the garments and Natalie’s insights. I worked minimally, 2 lights only, and the tone is soft, warm, and intimate.
I worked quickly following up pieces to camera with any and all b-roll required for that segment to give the film that tactile, personal feel, even though it was shot quickly and on the hoof. These visual cues help reinforce the story: that these adaptations weren’t compromises, but considered interventions rooted in care.
Design as Story, Not Just Subject
What I loved most about this project is that the film isn’t about adaptation in a clinical or technical sense; it’s about how design can hold history while meeting modern, lived needs.
There’s something moving about the way this vintage wedding dress was adapted: lovingly preserved, but altered in ways that make it wearable and dignified for someone today. It speaks to inclusivity, empathy, and the evolving role of fashion design. And it’s exactly the kind of subject I aim to approach with the same values; considered, respectful, human.
Watch the Film
Filming under pressure, short window, real-world location, quick turnaround, is something I’ve grown used to over the years. But that never means rushing the story. With the right approach, you can still deliver something meaningful, elegant, and ready to meet a deadline.
If you’re producing design-led, people-focused stories in high-pressure environments and need a filmmaker who’s comfortable with time limits, tight spaces, and working with care — let’s talk.
