Statesman & Saphos Trains
Video Shoot
A recent project took me on a beautiful journey with Statesmen Rail and Saphos Trains. The most celebrated in the UK, these trains whisk passengers away on the most luxurious trips and tours imaginable, all with a backdrop of some of the country’s most breath-taking scenery. I was charged with capturing the luxury service, timeless nostalgia and beauty of these journeys on film. Needless to say, it was a hugely exciting proposition.
Overall, the main brief of this project was to create two videos, one for Statesman Rail and one for Saphos Trains to display on their respective websites. These videos focused on sharing the majesty of the locations and the unparalleled service onboard the trains that combine to create a truly unique customer experience. Working independently and as part of Blue Box Visuals, a three-piece service providing drone, videography and photography, I worked closely with my team to create something as unforgettable as the journeys themselves
To get the wheels turning, we planned a three-day shoot on board the Saphos and Statesman trains, combining a mix of shots in situ and in motion to capture the 5-star dining, high-end service and beautiful vintage carriages of the trains, as well as the stunning landscapes outside. The first two days focused on an onboard shoot with 12 models. I was in charge of the video and worked alongside Bob Berry, the photographer/director, to convey the sophistication and class of both sets of trains.
As we were capturing footage of food and models, the initial part of the filming involved working in situ. To achieve a sense of motion outside, Bob erected two 30ft x 12ft banners outside the carriages and lit them to make it look like the sky. This enabled us to make the most of the additional lighting and create a sense of journey throughout the filming. A variety of scenarios were captured on film, showcasing the real experience of guests on board to capture a really authentic portrayal of the Saphos and Statesman service.
After the shoots on board the two trains, we then went out with three drone photographers – Lee Whitehead, John Rafferty and Chris Webber – to capture the trains ambling along their course. This included capturing key imagery of the trains going over famous landmarks and viaducts. This footage was important as it helped to emphasise the sense of journey, as well as showcasing and celebrating the beautiful settings through which the trains meander. The aim was to use this footage and intertwine it alongside the onboard shots
Once all footage had been taken, it was my job as editor to edit and colour grade not only my footage but also the footage from the three drone operators for both videos. The result would be two separate minute-and-a-half videos that would be the centrepieces for both websites. During this process, I enjoyed free rein to create a story that connected and inspired the viewer and also reflected the level and quality of comfort, luxury and attention to detail on board these meticulously maintained steam trains.
Once this was complete, I then worked with the Statesman Rail and Saphos Trains teams to create captions and choose music to overlay the imagery. Being involved from start to finish – from planning the twelve-model photo/video shoot to capturing the landscapes to editing the videos – I was able to enjoy a thoroughly enjoyable journey of my own and was really thrilled to see how the process developed.
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