Filmsticks Recovery after the Fire

Hi all, I’m Becky Lee, a professional Camera Technician working in the UK Film Industry. 6 years ago, I approached an industry manufacturer with product ideas that eventually helped us launch our grassroots company ‘Filmsticks’ at the BSC show in Feb 2020.

We had an incredible amount of interest and support immediately. What everyone responded to was that we (Filmsticks) aren’t a big company, with a group of designers, making things we think industry professionals want. We are industry professionals, designing what we know we need.

Immediately after launching, lockdown slammed the brakes on us. It was an uncertain time, but we worked hard to keep ourselves going through it. Designing and launching products to try to make our incredibly wasteful industry greener and less harmful to the environment. No other industry company has focused on this how Filmsticks has.

The film industry is hard to get by in. As freelancers, we need all the exposure we can get. We’ve actively made a point of promoting those who’ve supported us. We see our success as one shared with the Film & TV community.

As with all small businesses, we have exposed ourselves to personal financial risk, in order to push forward with a company we believe in. We’ve got plans to continue encouraging the industry to be greener, to add to the community and encourage budding designers and filmmakers. To continue making high quality products, designed for industry professionals' needs.

However, 19th May 2023, a catastrophic fire started at a different company based in the same building as the Filmsticks HQ and stockroom. Firefighters tackled the blaze for 4 days which ripped through the whole building, and devastated serval other companies too. Now, 10 days on from the fire, we’ve been informed the building is a danger to life and must be demolished imminently.

Sadly, this confirms that the Filmsticks HQ and all UK stock has been lost.

Insurance will cover lost stock but doesn’t extend to the rebuilding of the company as it was.

Since the fire, the outpouring of support and kindness from the Film & TV community has been overwhelming. It’s clear the community is rooting for Filmsticks to get back on our feet. So, for us to recover, we have to start manufacturing our products – the products that you, our faithful supporters are using every day on set.

The Filmsticks team have been working hard to find solutions for how we get going again. We've been advised, the longer we leave it the less likely we will be able to continue the company.

So here we are, reaching out to you, our community, in the hope you’ll help us by donating to our GoFundMe appeal.

For transparency, funds raised will go towards starting our manufacturing and finding a premises so a new HQ and stockroom can be set up as soon as possible. Reinstating the systems we need to operate the business; and kickstarting the multiple lines of product components we need to go back into production (in order to achieve the minimum order quantities required to retain the pricing that we are able to supply at).

If everyone following us on Instagram is able to donate to the cause, we could reach our target! We’ll be forever grateful and will send an appropriate thank-you gift to everyone who helped us, as soon as we get back on our feet. Please know we wouldn't ask if we could do it ourselves. We're a small, young company, still finding our feet after a difficult start.

Once again, the outpouring of support for us has been extremely heartening and motivating. Industry professionals, trade partners, Indie Filmmakers and budding talent from around the world have given us hope and encouragement to overcome this challenging moment. We are ready to pick up the pieces of what’s left and fight to rebuild Filmsticks, but we can’t do it without you.

From the Filmsticks team, myself, Anthony, Pip and Joanne thank you for taking the time to read this.