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If a picture paints a thousand words, as the saying goes, how many for a video?

My visit to Leicester, UK-based converter Label Apeel, was my first time working with the hugely talented filmmakers at INKISH.
After many years writing articles about label converters, being part of a team telling a story through film, rather than the written word, was an interesting experience.

In both formats, my role during the visit is similar – asking questions, learning about the interviewee and their company, trying to get a handle on what makes them tick; and attempting a balance between steering the conversation in certain directions and encouraging them to speak freely and unimpeded. But rather than going back to the office to write up the interview, as I would have done during my 17 years working for Labels & Labeling magazine, I’ve left it in the hands of one of Inkish’s new filmmakers – Jack Fisher. He will edit and splice the footage, insert atmospheric B-roll, and do all sorts of other clever things which I don’t understand. The result will be a slick, polished film which will capture the story in a different way to a written article.

The process has clear advantages: a video can more easily capture certain aspects of the visit and is a highly effective communication method – as proved by the vast archive of videos of Inkish TV. But the formats are complementary, which is why the company is launching INKISH Mags.

Readers/viewers can digest the material as they prefer, and publishing in both formats will allow for cross-pollination, so to speak. Enjoyed the video? Read the article to learn more. Intrigued by the article? Click the QR code on the photo and watch the press you were reading about in high-definition action.

And what of the story itself? As a family-run business with third-generation leadership, Label Apeel’s journey is a fascinating one. Amid the pressure of increasing consolidation among its competitors, the converter carves a niche for itself by focusing on quality, service, and high-end embellishments made possible by a fleet of A B Graphic converting systems. One of these – affectionately named Bertha by the Label Apeel team – is a behemoth: a converting line customised by ABG to include no fewer than eight print units, turning it into a fully equipped printing and converting line capable of the highest quality embellishment.

Our interviewee Helena Kellock joined the company, owned by her father and founded by her grandfather, 18 months ago after forging a successful career in the retail sector. She is managing director designate – being groomed to fully take over the running of the business in the future. Her passion for the business is infectious, and a welcome tonic for those concerned by the difficulty of attracting talented young professionals into the label industry.

I hope you look forward to seeing the resulting film as much as I do, and here’s to many more collaborations with Inkish.

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