“We’re planning ahead - and have the compass to get us there” Love Love Films on the future-focused perks of Reframe
Maintaining a successful business is hard enough but what happens when you need to take things further and the path forward is unclear? That’s the situation LoveLove Films found itself in. Created by Georgina Hurcombe and George Caton-Coult, this multi-media production house went from juggling work-for-hire projects to developing their own intellectual property. The end result was Pop Paper City, a colourful kids show that debuted in 2022 and became a quick hit. Today, you’ll find it on Channel 5 in the UK and multiple platforms across the world.
Together with producing partner Aardman, the duo knew they were on to something good and wanted to ensure they were leveraging this IP in the best possible way. However, while their end point was clear, the exact steps they needed to take to make this goal a reality were vague.
“When you’re busy running a business, it’s hard to step back and actually look at what you’re doing because you’re constantly spinning plates,” says Hurcombe, discussing the pair’s decision to hit pause and apply for Creative UK support. “Pop Paper City is in 179 different territories and doing really well. We’re developing a line of books, working on toys and a full 360 degree strategy and Reframe was really helpful with that because it literally helped us to, well, reframe.”
Designed to help dynamic companies prepare for an equally fluid future, Reframe offers mentoring, insight and coaching to help founders reposition and plan ahead. In short, it was exactly the type of guidance that LoveLove Films was looking for.
“It’s about thinking of inventive ways we can use new technology to make the most of what we’ve created”
“We came into the worlds of IP and animated content at a time where there are so many changes that companies need to be aware of,” says Caton-Coult of a sector in flux. “To be able to speak to mentors that have been in the industry for a long time and to explore what the future of animated content will look like was the most important thing for us right now. It’s about thinking about all these inventive ways that we can use new technologies and platforms to make the most of what we’ve created,” he adds. “That’s what Reframe was about for us.”
Through access to industry mentors, Hurcombe and Caton-Coult were able to re-evaluate the way they had previously been showcasing their company’s strengths. “We went into Reframe roughly knowing what we needed to do but it gave us the tools to get there,” continues Caton-Coult. In fact, he points to one particular session as being particularly eye opening. “It basically suggested adjusting the way we present our work so they’re more viable for people from a finance and investment space. It was really interesting because it’s very common that creatives often think of creative and story first - but that’s often not the way different sectors respond to things.”
This pivot in approach has encouraged the duo to pursue continued support. Today, Love Love Films finds itself as part of our 2025 Investment Readiness cohort, a scheme that fine-tunes screen businesses so they’re ready for the pitch boardroom. “Without Reframe, we wouldn’t have been prepared or confident enough to apply for the Investment Readiness programme,” reasons Hurcombe. “It just gave us a foundation to really look at the business. When you’re creating a product you get wrapped up in the creativity but what’s important is the business side of things, looking at the future and how to become investment ready. It was really beneficial.”
“It’s definitely added to our skill sets…”
The results are already making themselves known, all while adding to the pair’s confidence as creative founders. “We’re now looking at things like co-productions with companies in China which I don’t think we would’ve done before. We wouldn’t have had the knowledge base to explore those markets without Reframe,” continues Hurcombe. “It’s definitely added to our skill sets and encouraged us to explore new avenues that we wouldn't have previously explored. I feel like we’re definitely a lot more confident at approaching new areas of the business.”
“It’s definitely been helpful in restructuring the way we think about things,” echoes Caton-Coult. “If we’re going to make another IP in the future, the difference in what we’d have in our heads while doing that would be massive.” However, of all the Reframe benefits, taking the time to invest in their company’s future has perhaps been the most valuable. “It gives you the space to stop, look at your business and be able to reframe,” says Hurcombe. “Now we’re really planning ahead - and we’ve got the compass, map and tools to get us there.”
