Behind the Scenes of Southampton's Cruise Operations: A Showcase Film for ABP 2022
A cinematic showcase of cruise operations at the Port of Southampton — filmed across multiple days in port and out on the water aboard a pilot boat.
Cruise Showcase - The Port of Southampton 2022
Pre-Production
Briefed directly by ABP on the goals for a promotional cruise-operations showcase. Planned a multi-day shoot across the working port, scheduling filming windows around live cruise operations and coordinating access, security clearance and pilot boat availability with the ABP marine team. Completed airspace planning, risk assessments and method statements (RAMS) for filming on land, in the air and on the water.
Production
Filmed over multiple days within the port, capturing aerial footage of cruise vessels and the port estate, ground-level coverage of terminal and quayside operations, and on-the-water footage from an ABP pilot boat for unique waterline perspectives. Adapted to changing light and conditions across the shoot days to build a rich, varied set of footage.
Post-Production
Edited and graded the aerial, ground and on-vessel footage into a short, polished showcase film, structured to convey the scale, professionalism and pace of cruise operations at the Port of Southampton, and delivered in formats suited to ABP's corporate and marketing channels.
As the UK's number one cruise port, Southampton runs one of the most complex turn-around operations in Europe. ABP wanted a promotional film that captured the scale, professionalism and pace of those operations — content that could work across corporate, commercial and marketing channels to showcase the port to partners and the wider industry.
This was our second project with ABP, building on the trust established at the Horizon Cruise Terminal launch. The brief called for a richer, more produced piece than a single-event shoot, so we filmed over multiple days to capture the port at work across different conditions and vantage points, including:
- Aerial footage of cruise vessels and the wider port estate
- Ground-level coverage of terminal and quayside operations
- On-the-water filming from an ABP pilot boat, capturing the port from the perspective of the vessels it serves
- A short, edited showcase film suitable for promotional and corporate use
Getting out on a pilot boat was a standout part of this project. It allowed us to film cruise operations from the waterline — alongside and approaching the vessels — for footage that simply isn't possible from land or the air alone. Combined with our aerial and ground coverage, it gave the final film a sense of depth and movement that reflects the real rhythm of the working port.
Operating across a live, secured port over several days demanded careful coordination with ABP's team, alongside our standard airspace planning, risk assessments and safety procedures.
Equipment Used
Filming Locations
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