Written by on Sep 25, 2012. Posted in Production News

White Lodge films epic single-shot River Island campaign outside London

High-end fashion specialist White Lodge has filmed an epic new spot for William Tempest’s new River Island collection. It Will Not Always Be Summer is an 11-minute, single-shot film following a mysterious party at a secluded mansion.

Filming took place over a 14-hour shoot day at Brocket Hall in Welwyn Garden City, 45 minutes from central London. The current incarnation of the hall dates back to the mid-18th Century. White Lodge - a division of Blink Productions - was looking for a location that was already in “an art-directed state” but with decor that would complement the William Tempest clothing line.

Stephen Whelan was Executive Producer for White Lodge: “We needed somewhere eye-catching and lavish but at the same time didn't want the interior to compete with or overpower the clothing."

We needed somewhere eye-catching and lavish but at the same time didn't want the interior to compete with or overpower the clothing.

Stephen Whelan, Executive Producer

He adds: “We also had to consider the flow of movement through the house - the intention from the beginning was to shoot as one continuous Steadicam shot so the layout had to permit for a route that wouldn't lead us to double back on ourselves or travel through the same room twice.”

Director Ryan Hope scouted Brocket on two separate occasions before the actual shoot day to plan the route the camera would take through the hall. A sub-ground level space in Brocket to dress and prepare 50 models was crucial too.

Brocket Hall is a listed building so the production team faced some limitations with what they could do with the location. A sensitive fire prevention system meant smoke and hazing machines were more limited than usual, but the team was given permission to change light bulbs – and even make careful use of candles - in order to soften the light for the shoot.

Otherwise, the logistics of the single-shot plan itself were the central challenge. Whelan adds: “The further we got into each take the higher the stakes became - we were all sitting off in a side room huddled round the monitor literally holding our breath and willing the DP into the next room without a hitch."

The further we got into each take the higher the stakes became.

Stephen Whelan, Executive Producer

He continues: “We had to keep reminding the revellers in the party scene not to look into the camera and to make sure they moved out of the way as it was making its pass through the room - there were a couple of lost takes thanks to excessively flailing limbs!”

So how precisely was the shot put together? It seems like a stealthy combination of Steadicam and perhaps a crane or two. Whelan teases: “A good magician never reveals his secrets...”

Credits:
Client: River Island (William Tempest Design Forum collection)
Production Company: White Lodge, London
Producer: Laura Jones
Executive Producer: Stephen Whelan
Steadicam: Simon Wood
Art Director: Anna Rhodes
Director of Photography: Tony Miller
Director: Ryan Hope

(Photos: Reem Kanj and Natalya Kanj)