Who We Are

Xander Wild

Co-founder / Head of Post-Production

Xander loves to immerse himself in the filmmaking process, from subject research to script writing to video editing to marketing. He brings a more modern approach to video production for the digital era with experience in long form social media video, running live events and public speaking, but always with a focus on personality and engagement.

When not making videos, he can be found enjoying a nice pint of his homebrew ale, playing video games (he's old school - he likes GTA San Andreas on the PS2) or chilling with his wife and his cats, Splodge and Scuff.

Ryan Whitehead

Co-founder / Head of Production

Ryan lives and breathes storytelling: How can we bring your story to life?

With a rich background spanning documentary films, live event production, and cinematic music videos, Ryan’s passion and expertise shine through every frame. His deep understanding of the entire filmmaking process—paired with more than a decade running a successful production company—means he understands not only the artistic and creative side, but also the unique business considerations necassary to bring your Organisation results.

Although it's exceedingly difficult to find Ryan without a camera in his hands, Ryan can often be found engaging with some form of 2 or 4 wheeled machine, or exploring the lovely English countryside with his adventurous wife.

River Xavier

Mascot / Virtual Receptionist

Known for being playful but also as creative and hardworking little engineers - and, after a period of absence, they are slowly but surely making their way back to the British Rivers - what better mascot for River Axe Media than the river otter!

Xavier is a cheeky fellow, and you can find him hiding in a lot of our behind-the-scenes videos, photos and adverts.

After taking him on as our virtual receptionist, we're quite impressed with how good his English typing skills are, considering his hands are more like flippers than fingers.

The River Axe Story

Ryan and Xander’s story began at a local live music event hosted by Xander, where a chance conversation over a shared passion for filmmaking and storytelling sparked an instant connection.

Ryan’s expertise in high-end traditional documentary and live event filmmaking brings a wealth of storytelling mastery and technical precision, while Xander’s background in music production and performance alongside his social media long form content creation adds bold, high-impact editing and innovative techniques tailored for the digital age.

Together, their unique approaches complement and enhance one another, blending timeless storytelling with modern, attention-grabbing presentation. The result? Work that’s as visually engaging as it is deeply meaningful—perfectly crafted for today’s fast-paced, content-driven world.

Ryan and Xander both wear many hats in the company, from Directors to DPs, from Colours Graders to Cameramen, from Editors to Lighting Engineers (aka Gaffers, but that word doesn’t flow as well in that sentence).

On that note, if you’re in or want to be in the production industry and want to connect with us, work with us, or even just have a chat with us over a cuppa, drop us a message as we always love to talk to other people in the world of film and production!

FAQs

As far as we are concerned, there is no such thing as a silly question! If you can’t find an answer here, then please feel free to e-mail us with your question, just in case we’ve missed anything!
I’m not sure what I want in my video…

No problem! We love working collaboratively to shape ideas into something powerful. From early concept development and scriptwriting to storyboarding and production, we’re with you at every step.

You’re not alone, and we’ve got you covered. Xander has a background in public speaking coaching, so if the thought of being on camera makes you nervous, he’ll help you feel confident, relaxed, and ready to shine.

It all starts with a conversation, over a coffee, over Zoom, over the phone. We’ll chat about your goals, make sure we’re the right fit, and outline the project scope, timelines, and expectations.

Then comes pre-production: planning everything from shoot logistics to content structure, ensuring it fits around your existing workflow.

Once we’ve captured everything we need, we move into editing and post-production: polishing, audio correcting, colour grading, tweaking (a crucial step), and perfecting the final cut.

We aim for a two-week turnaround from the final shoot day to delivery, but we’ll keep you in the loop if anything affects that timeline. Transparency is central to the package.

We’re flexible to fit around you. Some clients want to be hands-on, others prefer to hand things over — we’re happy with either! Before filming, we’ll agree on clear goals and creative direction. If you want to give us space to do our thing, we’ll make it seamless. If you’d rather have a say in each shot, we’ll collaborate closely. Either way, our mission is to capture the real you, at your very best.

Absolutely. We believe a brand’s personality should lead every project. Whether you’re going for something sleek and cinematic, or relaxed and down-to-earth, we tailor our style to suit your identity. During our initial consultation, we’ll get to know your brand inside and out, so what we create not only looks great, but feels unmistakably you.

Every project is tailored to your needs. It is worth noting that filming and editing is priced independently, so whilst a day of filming (a couple of interviews, some day-in-the-life shots etc) can be around £600-£1,200, each short form edit can be as little as £50-£200. This means, the more videos you want from the day of filming, the better value it becomes!

On the other hand, if you’re after something more complex – like hiring a mounted camera on a plane (true story!) – we’ll price accordingly. We’re flexible and transparent with our costs and always aim to deliver value.

Yes! We deliver your video in whatever formats you need, optimised for web, social, broadcast, or presentation. Want a horizontal YouTube version and a vertical Instagram Reel? We can do that!

Absolutely. Whether it’s for Instagram Reels, TikTok, or YouTube Shorts, we can shoot and edit in any format to suit your platform of choice.

It depends on the scope. Some small projects can be filmed and edited in a few days, while others – like event coverage or multi-location shoots – may take a few weeks. We’ll give you a clear timeline up front and keep you updated throughout.

We’ve got a solid kit list that includes professional grade drones, 360° cameras, GoPros, mirrorless cameras, gimbals, wireless audio systems, multi piece lighting setups, and something Ryan refers to as “the big mamma jamma camera” which gets cracked out for capturing the perfect cinematic shot! (If you’re a gearhead, like him, it’s a fully kitted out Sony FS5 markII and it is AMAZING)

Whatever your project calls for, we’ve got the gear to match.

Every shoot is different! One day we’re filming a public speaker delivering an inspiring talk, the next we’re in a moving car capturing a cyclist in action or deep in the woods shooting a music video.  

Whatever the setting, we aim to make the process smooth, professional, and genuinely enjoyable. We believe that relaxed, positive energy on set leads to the best final product

We’re big believers in the right people for the right job. While we always strive to be the perfect creative partner, we’re not here to push work that doesn’t feel like a good match. If we genuinely think another team might serve your project better – for style, scale or subject – we’ll say so, and we’re happy to recommend trusted collaborators.

Your confidence in us and satisfaction with the final result matter more than just ticking off another job.

Of course! We’ve worked on everything from music videos and live festivals to passion projects and creative experiments. If you’ve got an idea, we’d love to hear it. We get really excited when people come to us with something they’re super passionate about!

That’s Xavier, our river otter mascot! Otters have been returning to the River Axe (near the town where we were founded), and they represent playfulness, collaboration, and creativity – just a few of the values we stand for. You’ll spot him popping up in behind-the-scenes content and on our site.

Reach out to us
We'd love to hear about your project

 Give us a call at +44 (0)1173 185 185

or do you prefer email? Just email the Otter!

otter@riveraxemedia.com

Or Simply use the form below. 
We look forward to hearing from you!