Helicopter Film Services - Aerial Filming Specialists

The Woman in Black Trailer

16/11/11

Check out the new trailer for “The Woman in Black” if you dare.
http://www.hammerfilms.com/productions/film/filmid/24/the-woman-in-black

The aerial shots were provided by HFS and the car work by our other division: Pursuit Europe.

Johnny English Reborn

16/11/11

Behind the scenes shots from Johnny English Reborn, in which the hapless spy attempts to fly a helicopter. Several shortened trees later he opts for the safer way of catching a ride on an ambulance. Aerial filming and coordination by HFS.
(Photos: Giles Keyte)

Flying Monsters 3D has won the AIB award for Science Programming

14/11/11

Flying Monsters 3D has won the AIB award for Science Programming. The awards are judged by programme makers from the international broadcast community. The film was the only British nomination in its category.

The programme was, said the judges, excellent in every way: the editing, the animation, the interviews were all world class. With excellent presentation by Sir David Attenborough, the programme was engaging and entertaining while delivering a significant yet palatable dose of education. The judges singled out the scene where Sir David is in a glider alongside a pterosaur as of particular note. Judges commented that it worked as well in 2D as it did in 3D, with superb visuals that cause viewers to say “wow”.

Britain & Ireland from the Sky 3D

14/11/11

Helicopter Film Services (HFS) has teamed up with Widescreen & Bigger Pictures for the 3D series “Britain & Ireland from the Sky 3D” for Sky’s 3D channel Directed by Julian Kemp and shot by Aerial DoP Jeremy Braben and James Swanson. HFS have been providing our open platform Stab-C Compact stabilised remote heads for Sky Sports coverage of World Cup Rugby in 3D

Flying Monsters 3D - BAFTA

05/05/11

Helicopter Film Services are proud to have provided the 3D aerial filming and gliders on Atlantic Productions’ “Flying Monsters” for Sky. Aerial DoP, Jeremy Braben shot the sequences using the Nettmann Stab-C with the HFS designed 3D plate and Red One M-X Cameras. The helicopter was skilfully piloted by Ian Evans with 3D mount support by Oliver Ward and Steve Desbrow.

3D - HFS are the World Leaders in 3D Aerial Filming

01/03/10

Helicopter Film Services are the only company in the world to have designed and built a custom 3D rig for aerial filming. Unlike other companies who claim to shoot 3D, we have a list of credits that prove our capabilities. Our “Da Vinci” 3D rig allows us to shoot ‘hyper-stereo’ 3D aerial sequences using Arri 235 35mm, Arri 416 16mm, Arri D21, SI-2K or Red Cinema HD cameras, all with matched prime lenses. The Da Vinci rig allows 360 degree pan, vertical look-down in the tilt and fully steerable stabilised roll. The cameras are syncronised together and all controls run back to the operator in the helicopter. When shooting on RED, the Da Vinci has the facility for 2 x Solid State drives on the gimbal allowing for safe and solid data recording. The D-21’s record on to 2 x Sony SR-W1 VTR’s in the cabin. We are constantly designing new features for 3D. We have a list of matched Master Primes available from Arri Media, London.

TechRadar – London gets ‘world’s greatest’ 4D cinema

The London Eye 4D is a groundbreaking 3D film with in theatre effects, such as wind, bubbles and mist, to make the 4D. The film itself is a touching story of a little girl in London with her father. Her view of famous London landmarks is obscured by people and traffic, but a seagull draws her attention to The Eye and her father takes her for a flight; finally she has an amazing view of the city. See London from a bird’s eye view and we’re off soaring around the sky with the only 3D aerial footage of London. Colourful parties inside the capsule, time lapse of The Eye day and night and a spectacular firework display all add up to an emotional and entertaining experience; the perfect prelude to a flight on The Eye itself.

Aerial filming shot on Red & ARRI D-21 HD by HFS,
Post production: Pablo Post.
Producer: Phil Streather,
Director: Julian Napier,
Aerial DoP: Jeremy Braben, *Stereographer:*Sean Philips
Aerial Camera Op/Tech: Steve Desbrow,
3D Camera Rig design/tech: Oliver Ward at HFS

Jaguar and the Beijing Olympics

20/08/09

More for the new Jaguar XX-R & XF-R on Red HD for Tangerine Films. The HFS team were also involved with shooting commercials for Statoil in Norway – again with the Wescam Red.

HFS’ Stab-C Compact has been sprinting up and down the track at the Bejing Olympics. Our LSG-2 Mount has been used with a Red One package in a military Gazelle helicopter in Montenegro shooting the first aerials for the new Port of Montenegro for Adriatic Productions and is currently on location in Hawaii.

Completed Aerial Filming This Month

10/07/09

Completed the aerial filming for Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, Ridley Scott’s Untitled Robin Hood Adventure, Banged to Wrights for BSKYB and 3D aerial filming in Finland and Norway with our Scandinavian partners, BlueSky

Another Busy Month

29/06/09

A busy month for our boys and the Pursuit team. Commercials and product films for BMW have seen our team in Austria and Spain shooting for the new BMW X1. Shooting both on and off road has proven no problem for the phenomenal Touareg V10 and Pursuit crane.

A Busy Month

30/05/09

Our Wescam F-435X system is now the only Wescam, and probably one of the few stabilized systems in the world that can shoot 3 Perf or 4 Perf 35mm. Our unique modified Wescam system is the only one that uses the Arri 435 Xtreme camera body rather than a Mitchell. Now a 35mm 1,000ft magazine lasts nearly 15 minutes at 24 fps, rather than 11 minutes representing a saving to production.

Our Stab-C Compact has, once again in 3D, been running fast. This time on high-speed tracking rail system from ACS along side Usain Bolt for SKY HD.

14 May saw the release in UK Cinemas of “Angels & Demons” and “Outlander” – HFS did all the aerial filming sequences in Italy and Canada, respectively.

The Pursuit, Touareg & Stab-C with our team of precision driver – Jim Dowdall and crane operator – Wally Walisko, have been out with director – Vic Armstrong and DoP – Harvey Harrison BSC on “The Wolfman” Action Unit, filming in and around London.

The Boat That Rocked

20/04/09

Working Title’s “The Boat That Rocked” opens in UK cinemas – HFS’s Jeremy Braben and Oliver Ward did all the aerials filming with pilots Ian Evans and Keith Thompson

Advanced Camera Cars - Pursuit Europe

04/03/09

Our new Pursuit systems are now fully up and running with both our new VW V10 Touareg with the Pursuit crane and our Mitsubishi Evo fast tracking car working hard in Italy for a major car manufacturer. An exciting way to launch our new venture – Advanced Camera Cars – Pursuit Europe

www.pursuit-europe.com..

HFS - Pushing Boundaries

19/01/09

HFS have once again been pushing the new equipment boundaries shooting a high profile large format film with our groundbreaking stabilized 3D rig. Shot with two Red one cameras onto our solid state drives. More details on the project when it is released shortly.

2012 and GI Joe - Rise of the Cobra

19/09/08

Working with Sam Nicholson and those delightful folks at Stargate Digital, Jeremy and his team were shooting Visual Effects sequences and elements for the movies “2012” and GI Joe – Rise of Cobra” in Rome.

Our Robinson R44 G-ODOC now has it’s video ball side brackets and can be equipped with Cineflex HD or Wescam 16 SD systems. Offering a cost effective aerial filming solution

RED HD

19/07/08

We were involved in one of the first television commercials in Europe to be shot entirely on RED HD. Jeremy Braben and Oliver Ward were part of the team from Axis Films London on Tangerine Films’ project for Jaguar, shot in the South of France. Shooting full 4k at 25fps onto our Red Raid drive, we achieved some stunning pictures and high speed chases without any problems.

The RED is flying!

28/06/08

HFS have flown our modified Wescam F-435X system with our own Red One Cinema HD camera with a Red CF drive and a Red Raid Drive. Shooting full 4K HD onto the Raid for well over 40 minutes – try that on 35mm film! DoP, Michael Brennan and Chief Technician, Oliver Ward with pilot Ian Evans were along for the flight in formation with the R44 Newscopters from Flying TV. Check back regularly to see what projects we have been working on with this awesome combo.

Aerial Filming the Boat That Rocked

19/05/08

HFS have just completed some complicated aerial filming sequences on Working Title’s latest production, Richard Curtis’ “The Boat That Rocked”. It has also been a busy month for television commercials with our teams being involved with spots including: VW (Spain), FIAT (Italy), Orange (Spain), UK Digital, Royal Caribbean (Korea), Butlins Holidays, Deutchebahn (Germany), Fosters, Deutchebank (Germany), Alpina (Swiss) amongst others.

Bourne Ultimatum at the BAFTAs

04/03/08

Bourne Ultimatum has been nominated for 6 BAFTA awards this year. HFS are proud to have provided the aerial sequences. Also BAFTA nominated for Special Visual Effects, The Golden Compass saw some stunning aerial action captured in Svalbard (Spitzbergen) Norway. Jeremy Braben was also the VFX cameraman shooting platework in Svalbard alongside the aerials on Panavision’s Genesis Cinema HD.

Green Zone

17/01/08

This year has kicked off with a bang! HFS crew: Aerial DoP, Jeremy Braben and Wescam Technician, Oliver Ward are currently working with director, Paul Greengrass again on aerials for Working Title Films’ “Green Zone” – shooting in Spain and Morocco.