About us

Company Profile

Since it began trading in early 2003, Firecracker Films has produced high profile documentaries to critical acclaim and outstanding viewing figures, as well as innovative motion graphics, 3D animations and successful corporate campaigns for a wide range of blue chip clients. These include the BBC, Channel 4, Five, Sky, TLC and Discovery on the TV side and Sony, Virgin, Nokia, Avaya, Range Rover and Shell on the corporate side of the business.

Using the latest in-house technology, we aim to provide the perfect solution to our client’s briefs and we are committed to making innovative, stylistic and sometimes controversial work that has become the signature of our unconventional brand of filmmaking.

Television

Firecracker’s brand has become recognised for producing stylistic hard-hitting documentaries with huge international sales appeal. Described by Channel 4 as a company that is able to “turn tabloid stories into broadsheet articles”, the company has produced some of the highest rated films for the networks to date including:

  • The Human Spider
  • The World’s Strongest Boy
  • The Seven Year Old Surgeon
  • The Man Whose Arms Exploded!
  • The Black Widow

Having formed strong relationships with commissioning editors across the board, the company continues to seek out incredible subject matter that guarantees appointment-to-view, ‘water cooler’ television.

With 35 high profile films under its belt (see broadcast section) Firecracker are now looking to diverse into formats and observational documentary series, whilst retaining the look, feel and visual flair that has become the company’s trademark. Firecracker has also gained a reputation amongst International Broadcasters and is currently working on a number of projects for US broadcasters.

Commercial

From the very beginning, Firecracker has brought its brand, style and reputation for producing high quality programmes across to the corporate market. Utilising our broadcast perspective and transferable skills, Firecracker has produced successful campaigns for various blue chip companies such as Sony, HP, Land Rover, Nokia and HSBC to name but a few.

Two recent projects include a global induction film for HSBC shot and finished in Full HD and a film for Nokia following their recent roll out of mobile networks solutions to rural India, again shot and finished in Full HD. We’ve also recently completed a high profile self promotional film for the global advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather.

Using our in-house facilities including 3 full HD edit suites as well as grading and motion graphics systems, we’re able to produce work of high production values whilst keeping a keen eye the budget, making this a highly profitable revenue of the business.

Management team

MARK SOLDINGER
Managing Director / Founder

Having completed a degree in film and production at the London College of Printing in 1994, Mark Soldinger made his first film the following year in LA. Based on a talent agent, the film was seen by Channel 4’s Controller of Arts and Entertainment and Soldinger was immediately commissioned to return to make a film on the ?Hollywood Reporter’ trade paper. His first television aired on October 26th 1996 and received 15 critic’s choices.

From a prime time series for the BBC to high profile one-off documentaries for Channel 4, Soldinger has worked non-stop and now has over 34 documentaries under his belt. In 2003 he set up Firecracker Films in a small room in Soho and has never looked back. Having directed various high profile films, including ‘The Human Spider’ and ‘The World’s Strongest Boy’, his passion for filmmaking is evident in his work. He is constantly seeking to challenge ideas and work with subjects that offer him the scope to make the powerful and stylistic films that have now become Firecracker’s trademark.

JEREMY GROMAN
Creative Director / Partner

After graduating from Middlesex University in 1992 with a degree in graphic design, Jeremy helped form Definition Digital Media as part of the United News & Media group. As Senior Designer he created cutting edge promos and corporate videos for major blue chip companies including Johnson & Johnson, ITV, FA, and Sony amongst others.

Jeremy is responsible for producing the company’s output for corporate clients, together with producing and overseeing the motion graphic design work for the broadcast programmes. As an experienced director/editor Jeremy provides the complete package to creative film making from conception through to final delivery for his clients, who can rely on his expertise to deliver high quality work at every end of the budgetary scale. Jeremy’s strength lies in the ability to bring his creative knowledge and package of skills to a broad spectrum of media formats.

GARY BRINE
Non-Executive Director

As a small shareholder of Firecracker, Gary Brine has been an outstanding member of the team. He is the founder and CEO of Gyro International, a multi-million pound communications agency.

Gary has spent his entire career helping companies overcome their business problems with effective branding and marketing solutions and has spent the past 15 years working with leading technology and finance brands including American Express, Adobe, HP, Nortel, Sun Microsystems, Sony and Cazenove private equity.

Gary?s vision is to build a global agency that truly understands its clients? business problems and can deploy solutions that are sympathetic to local marketing needs whilst protecting the client brand at every customer touch point.

Before founding Gyro in 1991 Gary was an account director with a leading integrated shop (CGA London) and prior to that Gary was a professional ice hockey player who represented his country more than twenty times.

RICHARD GLASSON
Non-Executive Director

Also having a small shareholding in Firecracker is Richard Glasson. As Chief Operating Officer of Gyro International, Richard is responsible for driving growth in the business through acquisitions, new office openings and strategic management of the group?s existing operations.

Richard started his career at Arthur Andersen in the early nineties, and qualified as a chartered accountant in 1994. He has been CEO and finance director of a number of rapidly growing business service companies throughout his career. He also spent time working in corporate finance and private equity.

Richard has extensive experience of managing businesses through periods of strong growth, and of leading those companies through corporate transactions. In his career as a company director and investor, Richard has taken a company through an IPO and subsequent merger, led the successful sale of a privately owned company to a US multinational, been chief executive of an AIM listed company and managed a number of company acquisitions and start-ups.

Richard is married with two children and is a keen tri-athlete and fringe theatre enthusiast.