From cleaning crime scenes to Euro 24 for Scottish creative studio - Prolific North

Scotland is gearing up to face Germany in the first match of Euro 24, and the creators of Studio Something have shared their long road to sudden triumph.

The Scots creative company is planning to attend the Euros tournament and produce a night show with the hosts Martin Compston and Gordon Smart which will air on BBC Scotland.

The starting point of Ian Greenhill and Jordan Laird's journey is very different from where they are currently.

Greenhill shared that at the young age of 17, he began working as a cleaner for crime scenes. He continued with this job for around four years.

In the past, I was unaware that creativity was a profession.

Later on, I found employment at a store alongside a coworker named Graeme. During my tenure there, Graeme informed me about an opportunity to intern with a company. At the time, I was writing blog posts but was unfamiliar with the advertising industry. I decided to submit an application and was fortunate enough to get accepted into the internship program. Without his recommendation, I might have ended up pursuing an entirely distinct career path.

During his internship at Leith, Laird was responsible for evaluating his performance. He was advised to explore his creative side by a supervisor after he was caught slacking off, which ultimately led him to pursue a career in media.

I wrote a tale about the Championship Manager video game during what was supposed to be my work hours. By mistake, someone printed it out, and my employer came across it. After confirming that I had written it, he simply told me "I believe it's best for you not to be employed here anymore."

Even if you're not financially struggling, it's possible to lack ambition. People may discourage you from pursuing a particular profession, but few encourage you to give it a shot. To attempt it, you need a safety net, and the majority of individuals don't have the resources or time to explore a creative career. The creative sector is precarious due to funding, accessibility, and training restrictions. Many people advance predominantly based on their connections rather than their abilities.

Throughout history, the United States has tended toward prioritizing meritocracy. It is hoped that as the creator economy expands, enabling anyone with an iPhone to create, the opportunities and advantages will become more balanced for young individuals.

We may not have taken the typical path to get into this field, but in doing so, we've stayed connected to what truly matters to individuals.

The reason we ended up in the advertising industry is that it was the sole field that allowed us to use our creativity while earning a decent income. Our ultimate goal has always been to produce exceptional work that resonates with ordinary individuals, becomes a significant aspect of our culture, and something we can feel proud of.

"When producing work, our goal is to appeal to individuals such as our mothers, those who gather with their friends for football matches, or members of our WhatsApp groups. Our focus isn't on impressing other professionals within the industry with our creative choices."

The company responsible for the famous football program, A View from The Terrace, is the studio. In addition, they also collaborated with the BBC to produce the opening credits for FIFA World Cup 2022, partnered with NBA and See Me for the mental health campaign called The Power of Okay.

"When we created the opening titles for the BBC World Cup, the Daily Mail expressed strong disapproval of our work, and The Guardian accused us of being under the influence of drugs, but despite this, the work was watched by millions of people and the majority of them appreciated it," further added Greenmail.

The crucial aspect was that folks were discussing it. Being controversial is acceptable if it implies that you are significant. It signifies that you have had a significant influence.

Their team has expanded to 20 members and is spread across three cities: Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London. Among their clients, you can find popular brands like Coca Cola, Ooni, and Tennent's Lager. They have also worked on notable TV projects like the Josh Quigley documentary "Cycling Saved My Life" and films for BBC One's "Football Focus."

In addition to their work on Late Night at The Euros with Smart and Compston, the studio is also creating a 5-part series called 'Get To Germany' for Tennent's, which was influenced by a particular BBC show.

According to Greenhill, they think that brands can act like broadcasters by creating content that focuses on entertaining people and showcases their unique brand personality. Rather than just a regular "ad," they wanted to produce something more meaningful that highlights the commitment of Scottish supporters. The two individuals are now looking to grow their operation in the United States and other parts of Europe.

BBC Scotland will broadcast Late Night at The Euros with Compston and Smart at 10:30pm during the entire Euro 2024 tournament.