London is forever exciting.
At Crows Nest Films, some productions demand far more than great camerawork and creative vision. Our recent project for Cravens was one of those shoots where meticulous planning, collaboration, and determination were just as important as what happened on camera.
The production team, led by Fleur, Carney and Sandy, worked closely with Kim Robinson and Andrew Kidger from Cravens to deliver a complex filming project that spanned multiple high-security and highly regulated locations.
One of the most ambitious elements of the shoot involved capturing drone footage in the vicinity of London’s iconic Tower Bridge. Carney said “The city of London is one of the most controlled airspaces in the world and it’s always an honour to be able to fly here. Even the seagulls seemed to behave themselves, which is very rare. Whilst you’re flying around these iconic places, sometimes I’m can’t believe I’m even doing it.”
Flying in such a sensitive and heavily controlled area required extensive preparation and coordination. Fleur worked tirelessly behind the scenes to secure all the necessary permissions and authorisations from the relevant bodies, ensuring the flight could proceed safely, legally and without disruption. The effort involved was significant, but thanks to careful planning and perseverance, the drone operation was successfully completed.
The team also filmed at a base near Heathrow Airport, another location where obtaining approval required considerable work. Operating near one of the world’s busiest airports brings additional layers of complexity, and once again, the process demanded detailed coordination and patience. Fleur and Kim proved to be an outstanding partnership throughout the planning stages, working together to navigate the approval requirements and keep the project moving forward.
With multiple stakeholders involved and several logistical challenges to overcome, this was undoubtedly a tough shoot to put together. However, the collaboration between the Cravens team and Crows Nest Films ensured that every hurdle was met with professionalism and determination.
Special mention should also go to Sandy McGregor, who worked as Camera Assistant on the production, helping to keep operations running smoothly throughout the shoot.
Projects like this highlight the importance of teamwork, trust and expertise. We would like to thank Kim Robinson, Andrew Kidger and everyone at Cravens for their support and collaboration in making the production such a success.
Carney’s recommendation would be not to wear a high vis vest branded “Drone Pilot” when standing at the end of a runway, if you don’t want to be accosted by a lot of burley men.