IT is not every day you get to work with superstars from music to acting.
But for one little-known Leigh film company it has become their mainstay.
Nirvana Studios, based above an opticians in Leigh Broadway, was founded six years ago.
In that time, it has collaborated with the Princess of Wales, singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, illustrator Quentin Blake, singer Dua Lipa, and actress Kate Winslet, to name a few.
“It’s the best thing I ever did,” recalled founder Luke Butler, from Eastwood.
“This isn’t just a job, it’s an extension of my life.”
In 2021, Nirvana Studios collaborated with Sophie Ellis-Bextor to create a special “Kitchen Disco” video for Kate Spade’s Christmas mental health campaign.
Luke, 36, said: “It was such a pleasure to work with Sophie. She basically directed herself because she’s been in the game so long.
“She knew exactly the right angle and lighting to get the best shot.”
Nirvana Studios rubbed shoulders with royalty when it worked with Catherine, Princess of Wales, at the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition in 2019.
Luke described working with the princess as “an amazing experience”.
He added: “I had to pinch myself, filming in a place I loved so much as a kid. It was something very close to my heart, as it was all about sustainability and nature.”
Luke’s passion for film was partly inspired by James Cameron’s Titanic.
He said: “When I was ten, I saw it five times. It wasn’t just about the special effects, although I’d never seen anything of that scale before, it was the depth of the story that inspired me.
“I also grew up watching Hitchcock and Kubrick films.
“Nowadays, it seems there’s a lot of spectacle over substance in films. But there are still some gems being made.”
Despite his filmmaking passion, Luke originally trained as an insurance broker, but his life changed when his father died.
Luke said: “He was our lynchpin of stability. When he passed away, I started to question what I wanted to do. Film became my destiny.”
Now working close to home in Leigh, Luke describes it as a “blessing” while raising his family.
He added: “Being able to pick my son up from school feels so wholesome. There’s a much better work-life balance in Leigh than in London, where I was based previously.
“Leigh is becoming a hub for creatives. The place, businesses and people collide to create something incredible that just draws creativity.”
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