Maritime Filming UK uses Icom Marine Radios to Assist in Maritime Filming

The world of filming in the maritime sector looks incredibly glamorous as well as exciting. A lot of this is down to the work of professional photographers and videographers who not only have great knowledge and practical experience in their field but also have the talent for working in the maritime environment which can be incredibly difficult because of the varying weather and sea conditions.

Maritime Filming UK, owned by Alex Anderson, has worked very hard to build up a client base and is one of the most sought-after names for filming or photography in the marine industry.

Unsurprisingly as in all shoots, you need good communication between the team, in the maritime environment, you need something that won't let you down and will stand up to the variable conditions. Alex and his team use Icom marine VHF radios to help them achieve this.

Maritime Filming UK are specialists in filming and photography at sea and are experts in aerial filming of boats. They are based on the Solent but operate worldwide, filming a variety of vessels across the marine industry ranging from ocean swimmers to the largest container ships in the world. All their kit and operations are specially designed and adapted for demanding conditions.

The company work to tight deadlines and in live broadcasts for TV and online productions where timing and reliability are critical. Much of their work is a one-shot opportunity with capturing ships arriving and formations of vessels. They are also expected to film in some of the harshest environments with electrical camera equipment in rough seas miles from land.

Alex Anderson, owner of Maritime Filming said, 'We are delighted with the success over the past few years. Maritime Filming UK was built from a passion for boating and a passion for filming, I truly believe this genuine love for the industry and our filming subjects shines through in our work. Through Covid, a wide range of businesses suddenly realised the value of digital content for marketing both online and directly to consumers while boat shows were not happening. This resulted in a boom in the requirement for our services and allowed us to grow and reinvest these profits to scale the business quickly and the quality of our service and content. Since the pandemic and a large uptake in boat sales we have been recommended across the industry which allows us to remain incredibly busy supporting clients in various sectors.'

Maritime Filming use Icom radios daily in many ways, often when performing multi-boat shoots or having a separate boat as a camera boat. Alex said, ‘We must be able to talk freely between the vessels to set up shots, communicate between skippers and ensure safety when carrying out high-energy manoeuvrers.’

He added, 'We often move camera ops, drone pilots and photographers between boats we must be able to coordinate the best way to do this. Using VHFs for all crew with ship-to-ship channels allows us to achieve this. In addition to talking to other boats involved in our shoot, occasionally we must speak with VTS, port services or a marina before or during drone filming to obtain permission to continue. Having handheld VHFs allows us to do this easily and notify other vessels. Finally, having our crew trained in and equipped with VHFs is an excellent safety backup in case of problems with the boats or crew it enables them to speak directly to any other vessel or the Coastguard.'

Marine VHF radios are essential in the work that Maritime Filming do. Alex said, 'Our operations would be significantly slower without using VHF radios as we would need to phone between boats individually. VHF radios allow for a smooth day of filming and more exhilarating shots due to the added safety factor of enhanced communications.'

He added, 'For us, the IC-M25EURO is the perfect radio with its great form factor and simple features. It's a give and go radio that any skipper or film crew we give it to can understand immediately. The excellent battery life, lightweight structure and ruggedness are a great bonus for us. Our equipment often gets battered on tough offshore filming tasks, but other than a few scratches to the plastic, our eight VHF radios are working perfectly after around five years of use.'

If you want to learn more about Maritime Filming, you can visit their website www.maritimefilming.com or contact them at contact@maritimefilming.com or 075382 63685.

04/11/2022