Helicopter Film Services
Amid a burgeoning of film and television production worldwide, particularly of VFX-laden productions, Curious PR is working for a world leader in aerial filming, Helicopter Film Services (HFS). Being retained by HFS Group means we have had the privilege of working with the renowned Aerial Director of Photography, Jeremy Braben Assoc BSC, the CEO of HFS Group. Jeremy is known for his work with directors including George Clooney, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Ron Howard and Paul Greengrass.
Our work involves in a broad spectrum of PR and marketing activities, including media relations, brand collaborations, sponsorship, advertising, marketing and website creation. Take a look at the new HFS website, designed and managed by Curious PR.
Curious to know how tricky it is to film things that move at speed - from a fast-flying helicopter? Then watch this episode of Channel 5's The Gadget Show featuring HFS, which provided its expert crew plus ~£1m worth of kit. Here, presenter, Ortis Deeley, takes on the challenge of producing a Fast & Furious style car chase, featuring some rather lovely 'gadgets' courtesy of Porsche...
Story Telling
We ensure that media coverage about various HFS's activities and innovations continually appear in important titles: recent coverage includes numerous pieces in British Cinematographer on HFS's work on productions such as The Little Mermaid and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, as well as an interview in Makers Magazine. We have secured further coverage in publications such as American Cinematographer, Broadcast, Televisual, Definition, and Broadcast Film & Video.
In 2020, amongst other initiatives, we were proud to announce HFS's achievement on sustainability, namely, to carbon balance its CO2 emissions. This was a 'first-in-sector' move, one that was supported by BAFTA albert and other groups that push for improved sustainability within Production.
And although Mr Braben prefers to stay behind the camera, we sometimes insist he gets the spotlight, such as for a fifteen minute interview with DJ Jo Good on BBC Radio London. Such interviews yield fascinating insights and stories about aerial filming, such as the story of Jeremy's 'baptism by fire' working on Titanic!
With productions almost entirely halted around the world in 2020 and early 2021 due to Covid-19, we continued to publicise HFS's contributions to award-winning productions. For instance, its drone and helicopter filming on Ralph Fiennes' The Dig, George Clooney's The Midnight Sky, and Patty Jenkins' movie, Wonder Woman 1984. Indeed, Jeremy was invited to speak to BBC World News in March 2021 to tell viewers how his crew adapted to the situation, and still helped create some of the biggest productions of 2021.
HFS CEO, Jeremy Braben, on BBC World Business Report
Product Launches
We also collaborate on behalf of HFS with OEMs, such as ARRI, Fujinon and SONY, to help launch our client's latest technology. For instance, we launched HFS’s Typhon array: six cameras mounted together to enable aerial (or ground-based) filming of ‘plates’ which are then combined during post production to produce breath-taking sequences. The Typhon was used to capture the inspired train chase sequence in Paddington 2.
Our team also launched HFS's Typhon2 array in 2019, which has a 'toe-in' configuration of cameras, created in response to the desired specifics of some very well-known film directors. We also launched the company's TITAN ultra-heavy Lift Drone, and a ‘monster bit of kit’ that enables heavy 35mm film or digital format cameras to be flown, for even long flying times.
Celebrating Success
It goes without saying that the best bit about working in PR is being able to celebrate success. We were also extremely proud to see Jeremy become an Associate Member of the British Society of Cinematographers.
We must confess to having a lot of fun organising HFS’s 25 Year Anniversary Party at a rooftop location (of course) in Soho, London. Our team concocted the right mix of the brand partners, flight-themed music, and aviation-themed cocktails and treats. This was a celebration to remember... Here is the aviation themed playlist we created on Spotify.
Here are some of HFS's latest showreels. (Perhaps do not watch if you're afraid of heights!)