With the midterm elections looming, the eyes of the world are on American politics, not least with Netflix premiering the final season of their flagship original drama House of Cards.

 
However, Washington DC might be closer to home than you think. One Manchester-based creative agency has put together a short film with a twist; emulating Netflix’s original title sequence but using famous landmarks and the stunning scenes from around the city. 


Iconic city centre buildings such as Manchester Central Library, Barton Arcade and Manchester Central are given the presidential treatment by the THIRTY30 team, as the shots are faithfully matched to the originals from the powerhouse Netflix drama. And unlike with Netflix and their reported budget in excess of $100 million for the series, the video was filmed using just a phone camera. 


In place of the cast and crew names that appear in the original credits, the new short film features hosts of Manchester’s most famous sons and daughters, ranging from historical figurehead such as Emmeline Pankhurst and L. S. Lowry, to cultural pioneers like Tony Wilson, Carol Ann Duffy and Danny Boyle. 


The entire film was shot over a two-month period and put together by THIRTY30’s Head of Content, Scott Oliver. 


Scott said of the project; “The entirety of the film was shot on the iPhone. It all really started with a conversation about what was actually possible on the new generation of phones. As an agency, we use them wherever possible for content production. 


“We are all massive fans of the show, and when you walk around Manchester and have the chance to look up at some of the stunning architecture it really is quite striking how closely the two cities match.” 

 
The film in the first in a series by THIRTY30 recreating iconic opening titles from TV shows past and present, all shot in Manchester. 


Scott added: “We hope to take on a real cult classic next; keep an eye out near any of the city fountains for a big settee!”

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