about us
Our Story
Obstacle Studios began in 2012.
Founded by BIFA-nominated filmmaker Oliver Nias, we built our reputation through Obstacle Films making emotionally intelligent film campaigns for brands and organisations who needed to unlock meaning and feeling.
Today, Obstacle Studios brings three disciplines together under one roof - Advisory to find and write the story, Films to make people feel it, Distribution to help it travel.
We work with ambitious leaders and teams at moments when the narrative matters most - a shift in positioning, a complex launch, a new chapter, a reputation to strengthen or an audience to move. We turn complexity into a clear story and then produce the films, campaigns and content systems that bring it to life.
Obstacle Studios has travelled across six continents to work up close with the people behind businesses, win the trust of brand communities and into a 14-year partnership with Airbus.
meet the team
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oliver nias
Founder & Director
HUGO PEERS
Executive Producer
ERIN HUGHES
Studio Manager
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Maria gregg
Head of Content Strategy
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rose palmer
Creative Partner
matt roberts
Creative Partner
max law
Creative Partner
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HARRY LAW
Creative Partner
SAM FEATHERSTONE
Head of Sound
SALAL TARAR
Finance Director
Clients & Partners
WHAT DRIVES US
Our process
First, we identify the obstacle. What needs to change to overcome it? We listen closely, challenge assumptions and develop one clear narrative.
Our Advisory, Films and Distribution work as one connected process. Strategy shapes the creative. Production amplifies the truth of the story. Distribution is considered from the beginning.
The result is a coherent story system built to create understanding, deepen trust and keep working after launch day.
Our people
Emotional intelligence is our operating system. We choose people who combine creative ambition with empathy, judgement and care. We value candour, curiosity and different points of view. The best work happens when people can ask difficult questions, share unfinished ideas and challenge the obvious answer. Our contributors and clients are our collaborators.
Our Clients
Our clients bring deep knowledge of their organisations. We bring the strategic clarity, creative discipline and emotional insight to turn that knowledge into a story people can connect with.
We communicate clearly, tell the truth when an idea is not working and stay accountable from the first conversation to the final rollout. Whether we are working with a founder, a marketing leader, a global comms team the aim is to build confidence.
Our Creativity
We look for the human truth inside the complexity. That might be the ambition behind a piece of technology, the lived experience within a community, the craft behind a product or the people behind a global business. We use real voices, authentic emotion and cinematic storytelling to make difficult ideas clear without flattening their intelligence.