Helicopter Filming

Here is how this works in practice. We set up helicopter filming in South Africa with film-rated pilots, aerial coordinators and gyro-stabilised camera kits for shots beyond the range of drones. Our teams run gyro-stabilised mounts carrying cinema cameras and long lenses, capturing high-altitude establishing shots, fast-moving pursuit work and the smooth, sustained aerials that large-scale shoots need. Aerial coordinators plan flight paths, camera positions and the safety case in detail, working with the DP on framing, altitude and timing.

Here is the short of it. We handle the aviation authorisations, airspace coordination and operational paperwork that helicopter work needs, and we set up helicopter units with drones and ground cameras on multi-sites shoots, managing the airspace separation between them. South Africa's commercial and feature production sector has long-established aerial expertise. The country's gateways at Cape Town International, O. R. Tambo and King Shaka support helicopter logistics nationwide. Because the film-services industry is mature and competitively priced, aerial units, pilots and stabilised mounts can be resourced within the country for productions of any scale.

Here is the breakdown. South Africa offers helicopter productions some of the most cinematic terrain anywhere. The flight over Table Mountain and the Cape Peninsula, the cliffs of the Twelve Apostles and Chapman's Peak Drive, the high escarpment of the UNESCO uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, the open Karoo and the Big Five country of the Kruger all reward the altitude and reach that only a helicopter provides. South African aviation is run by the South African Civil Aviation Authority. Our aerial coordinators plan flights around controlled airspace near the major airports and the conservation rules that govern altitude and wildlife disturbance over national parks.

Here is what that looks like on the ground. The dry, sunny Western Cape summer from November to February delivers stable flying conditions and the strong, clear Southern Hemisphere light the country is known for. English is the working language of the industry, the SAST time zone at UTC+2 suits European productions, and the DTIC rebates with the favourable rand exchange rate keeps aerial-heavy shoots cost-good. Films such as 'Invictus' showcased the country's aerial possibilities.