The Studio
We're Dale and Andy - a two-person brand video and photography studio based in Durban. We've been making content for brands we believe in since 2023, and we're really proud of what we've built.
Paper Plane Creative is a brand video and photography studio based in Durban. We started in September 2023 with a simple belief - that brands doing great work deserve content that actually does that work justice. Not just polished. Not just on-trend. Honest, well-crafted storytelling that connects.
Between us, we cover every part of a production - strategy, shooting, editing, and delivery. You always know who you're talking to, and nothing gets lost in a chain of freelancers and account managers. We're really hands-on like that, and our clients love it.
We're small by design. We work with a select number of clients at any one time, so every project gets the focus it deserves.
Founded
September 2023, Durban
Based in
Umhlanga Ridge, Durban
Operating in
Durban & Cape Town
Studio size
Two-person core team
We don't arrive on set with a shot list and a deadline. We arrive with questions. What is this brand really trying to say? Who are they saying it to? What do we want those people to feel when it's over? The answers shape everything - the framing, the edit, the pacing. And the sound. Most productions treat the audio as an afterthought. We treat it as part of the brief - writing and producing it ourselves, scored to the story and the emotion, not sourced from a library.
Good content gets watched. Great content gets remembered. The difference almost always comes down to story - and how every element of the piece, including what it sounds like, serves that story.
We're also really practical. Deadlines matter, briefs change, and budgets are real. We know how to move fast without cutting corners on the things that count.
"When you work with us, you're not briefing a vendor. You're getting a creative department - with a genuine stake in the outcome."
Co-Founder · Production & Systems
Dale keeps the machine running. Proposals, contracts, finance, systems - the stuff that lets the creative work breathe. On set and in the edit suite, he brings the same deliberate, detail-focused approach to the craft that he applies to the business.
Leads on
Co-Founder · Client Relations & Creative Direction
Andy is the face and voice of Paper Plane in every client room. He has a rare ability to hear what a brand actually needs - even when they can't quite say it yet - and translate that into a clear creative direction. His energy on set is infectious, and his relationships are honestly the foundation of everything we've built.
Leads on
Every brief starts with the story, not the deliverable. We don't open a project doc until we understand what the brand is trying to say and why it matters. That thinking extends to the audio too - we score and produce music built from the same brief as the visuals, because the story should sound right as much as it should look right.
We don't make content to fill a calendar. Every piece we produce should earn its place - online, in a pitch deck, on a screen. If we can't tell you exactly why something should exist, we won't make it. Simple as that.
We measure success in brand equity, not view counts. A film that genuinely connects with 500 of the right people is worth more than one that reaches 50,000 who scroll straight past. We work with clients who think the same way.
When you work with Paper Plane Creative, you get two people with a genuine stake in your outcome. We push back when we should, bring ideas unprompted, and really care about how the work performs long after the files are delivered.
Brands We've Partnered With
Ready to work together?
Tell us about your project and we'll get back to you within one business day. We'd love to hear what you're working on.
